How to prepare for nursing?

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I worked as a CNA for 3 years in a LTC, primarily in the SCU w/ Alzheimer's. It was a small facility, I got to know the RN's well and they told me I would make a great nurse (Even the DON) I then worked as a PCP for an Assisted Living, and I got my QMAP so I administered meds to about 12-15 patients. I've wrote in Care Plans, charted Medications, administered them, etc. I feel that I have a pretty good idea of what nurses do (and it's not a walk in the park like so many people believe!) I will be ready to submit my application for nursing school in August, and should start in January if accepted. Ultimately I want to become a CNM so I have began the paperwork process of shadowing a CNM for a day. I worked towards a Sociology/Psychology degree for 3 years when I felt pulled to nursing. So now I just want to make sure it's what I really want, as my schooling is sort of dragging on...lol.

So in your honest opinion, do I have an idea of what I'm getting in to? The reason I ask is that my SIL is also going for nursing, but she has never been a CNA or really around a doctor or hospital aside from her teen pregnancy/delivery. I love her, she is a great person and she is smart but I don't think she has a clue what nursing is really like! She just seems so naive to me (she's only 20 though, so we were all like that) I love this site, told her about this site, suggested to her about becoming a CNA but her attitude mostly is that she goes to school, will graduate, get a nursing job in Denver and love it. She is more concerned with partying with friends than looking in to being a CNA or shadowing a nurse or even volunteering.... So then it made me think do I even really know what nursing is like? I've done the grunt work of a CNA and I really have no problem cleaning up after people. I enjoyed my patients and felt so proud of what I did-even though at the time it was just to pay the bills. I'm hoping my shadowing experience will "seal the deal" so to speak, but am I the pot calling the kettle black by saying she is not prepared? :confused: What else can I do to prepare?

Thanks!

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"You will never be bored. you will always be frustrated. You will be surrounded by challenges. so much to do in so little time.You will carry immense responsibility and very little authority. you will step into peoples lives and you will make a difference. Some will bless you, some will curse you. You will see people at their worst and at thier best. You will never cease to be amazed at people's capacity for love, courage, and endurance. You will see life begin and end. You will experience resoundeing triumphs and devastating failures. You will cry alot. You will laugh alot. You will know what it means to be human and to be humane." - melody chenevert.

Does that help?

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The best preparation for me would have been finding out what nursing school is all about. Much to my surprise, it's not treating disease or injury. Kinda disappointing actually...

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The best preparation for me would have been finding out what nursing school is all about. Much to my surprise, it's not treating disease or injury. Kinda disappointing actually...

You confused nursing with doctoring.

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You confused nursing with doctoring.

Obviously.

Nurses play the role of doctor's assistance. You think they'd learn a similar trade.

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Specializes in LPN.

It is a good thing to think about preparing for something that will affect your whole career and much of your life. I didn't, just jumped in. I wish I would have had some forsight like you. I believe that much of the caring portion of nursing comes from life experiences, and at 20 you may or may not have a lot of it. However, anything you can memorize in advance of school could make your experience easier, thus giving you more time to deal with other aspects. You memorieze frequent labs and what their results mean for instance - you will need that almost every day in nursing, and it will save you time and frustration not having to look it up. I don't know what to give for advice. But I applaude you for thinking ahead. Not everyone does that, and then wish they had.

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