How much medical experience did you have before entering nursing school?

Flare, ASN, BSN · Apr 13, 2011

For me it was just the first aid classes in scouting. I had never even taken a blood pressure before nursing school. You'll do fine without a tangible background in medicine. If you have a little time before you beging nursing school consider working as a nurses' assistant or joining a local rescue squad and completing EMT-B or first responder courses. You'll learn basic things like taking vitals, basic anatomy and terminology and it may give you the vote of confidence you need to banish the butterflies from your stomach when you think about having to give paitent care.

mpccrn, BSN, RN · Apr 13, 2011

I was a waitress at a pizzaria before going to nursing school.......so a little! HAHA

rninbloom · Apr 13, 2011

I had NO medical experience before becoming a nurse and was 30 years old! My experience was in office administration management. I know all too well what you're feeling, but keep on keeping on! You'll feel more confident as time goes on. You're just used to knowing what you're doing and nursing is new. Good luck!

annakutty · Apr 13, 2011

Its normal to feel scared.I didn't had any experience in medical field before entering the nursing field.I survived..........Yes common sense is a must!!!!Everyday will be a new day,learning something new each day.

JOVANI · Apr 13, 2011

I currently dont have any experance in the medical field. I currently work for an insurance company for the last 5 years ready to make that change.

RPN_2012 · Apr 13, 2011

Hi everyone.
Btw, I love this site. It's given me tons of info and the work done by nurses is amazing.
My question is how much medical experience did you have before entering nursing school?
I am very capable individual with common sense, highly interested in being an RN because it's a good career where you learn tons, help people, deal with different situations under pressure (I like being busy) and overall seems like an interesting profession.
I am always the one watching medical shows and googling things I don't understand. My family calls me to ask my "opinion" on what I think something may be. I do research and gather facts and tell them what I think and what they need to do next and I usually learn a lot. Thank God for the internet. I'm also the one finding myself helping family with meds or post surgery care. No, I'm not trying to be a fake nurse. lol I just enjoy helping and learning.
Now, with that said, I am also scared to jump into this totally different field. I am almost 27 and have worked basic office jobs, mostly customer service related. On one side it's good because I've been exposed to different people, cultures, etc and am confident that I can deal with even the most difficult person. One the other side I have no experience in the medical field and although I believe in "everything is hard until you know it" I am scared.
Is this normal..to be slightly overwhelmed?

DON'T BE SCARED to follow your dream. I had 0, that's right 0! medical background before starting nursing school. The only thing medically related i did was take the CPR-HCP (mandatory) course a couple of months before school started.Like you I was interested in finding out about the human body, liked helping people and constantly needed new info to chew on... I spent a lot of time googling things, and watching the medical shows (no that they portray anything adequately, but still, it was "medical" and i wanted to be exposed to it! lol) and like you I was in office jobs, customer service, clerk, administrative assistant, cashier (christmas season), etc, etc... (I took a 1 year admin assist program at a community college, then had my stints as the above). But by age 23 I realized that I wanted to do something greater, something meaningful... and because I liked to help people I decided on nursing (althouh my mom kept saying I should go into social work, but that would mean mostly desk jobs again, and I wanted something different, and no office clothes, lol) so I still went for nursing. I took a "pre-health" program at a com.college (which was ok, but it was mostly A&P, chem, phys, math, and english, and some elctives) Now looking back on it I realize that only the elctive and the A&P were useful in the nursing program, and a tiny bit of chem too, but other than that it's not like I learned anything "medical ' in that program. I'm finishing up the 2nd semester of a Practical nursing program and planning to go on the BSN after... and although I "wasted" a little time on my office stints I don't I think it's okay because my organization skill, pro activness and abilit to deal with paperwork... is actually really helpfull :) So I say go for it, and they'll teach all things nursing, and it won't matter that you don't have a "medical" background, or if you want take a CNA or PSW course, so you'll have the asic stuff downa and out of the way (better than a pre-health program, I should have taken an aid course, it would be more usefull!). Good luck!

bsyrn, ASN, RN · Apr 13, 2011

I was a Paramedic for 10 years before I went to nursing school. The experience I gained as a medic helped alot but most of the students in my class had no experience and did well. If you are unsure of what you want to do, you may want to look into an LPN program first. It is a 12-18 month program and once you are done, you can try out the nursing field and see if it is truly what you want to do, if you love it, continue on for your RN . Be careful using the internet for medical information, while there are a lot of good sites, some may not be accurate. Trying to help diagnose conditions utilizing the internet can have bad outcomes. I am glad you found this site, I :heartbeat it too. Best of luck :nurse:

d'cm · Apr 13, 2011

When I started nursing school I had to ask what 4x4 was because the last one I had used held up a deck.

slackula · Apr 13, 2011

Zero:redbeathe:nurse:

Lennonninja, MSN, APRN, NP · Apr 13, 2011

My medical experience before starting nursing school was about 3.5-4 years working for a veterinarian (which actually ended up being really helpful, more than I would have thought) and working in a medical office for 2 years before my actual nursing classes started. I got a PCT job in the hospital during the summer before my 2nd year of classes and that helped SO MUCH.

Most of my classmates didn't have any experience at all, and they've all done just fine. If you start to worry about not having had experience just remember, at least you don't have bad habits to break! Some of us do, I know I got yelled at for the way I took off non-sterile gloves because it wasn't how the teachers would have liked!

Aly529 · Apr 18, 2011

Thanks everyone. I think I am trying myself crazy here and the more I think about it the worst it is. I'm coming up with things like: (please don't laugh at me )

This is an example of me talking to myself...

Me: Aly, nurses know stuff! You'll be responsible for lives! Just stick with what you know!

Me: NO! I cannot do this for the rest of my life. I am DONE with call centers. I want to be a nurse.

Me: Aly, being a nurse is not just wearing scrubs. You'll have so much to learn you'll break and won't finish.

Me: NO! If other people got through it, why can't I.

Me: You're crazy.

LOL ...sorry...I had to give that example. No, I don't talk out loud but I do answer back so I guess I'm not all there..KIDDING.

I'm just scared. I have to have faith in myself.

Thank you everyone for all of your replies. It really helps.

lemidora · Apr 18, 2011

Haha don't worry, I used to have similar conversations with myself. It's really not as bad as it may seem sometimes. I'm just finishing up my first year and the most important thing I learned is that you can't get sucked into the panic. If you have an ounce of common sense and are willing to ask questions now and then, you'll do great. Where there's a will, there's a way =)