should I become a nurse? advice please

Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN · Jul 30, 2015

You should look for CNA (certified nursing assistant, if you haven't heard of it) training programs in your area. I think they usually cost a few hundred bucks and take maybe a month. CNAs help patients, long-term care residents, clients in their homes etc. with basic nursing tasks under the direction of an RN or LPN/LVN, and also report their observations to the nurse. CNAs don't fully assess patients, as that is outside the legal scope of practice for a CNA, but the CNA does know when to report their observations. For example when helping a resident shower, the CNA finds a blister over the resident's tailbone. Tailbones aren't supposed to have blisters, correct? Report it to the RN/LPN. Or the resident suddenly begins slurring his words and can't use his left arm and leg? Report it to the RN/LPN. While nobody can tell you if you will like nursing school before it even begins, working as a CNA for a while can be a great way to get your feet wet and find out if nursing is something you'd like to pursue. It's hard work but can be very rewarding.

I do have one word of caution based on your post: the goal of NICU or L&D. Having goals isn't a bad thing, but I don't encourage anyone to become a nurse with their heart absolutely dead set on a specific specialty. There is no nursing shortage, and NICU/L&D positions are highly coveted. You can in no way guarantee a position in the specialty of your choice.

Employment prospects are an absolutely valid concern when selecting a course of study. Your profile doesn't show how old you are, but I'm guessing younger if you're agonizing over a major. Older adults who go back to school generally do so after they've decided what career change they want to make. It's been my observation that traditional college students don't always make the wisest choices in regards to future prospects. (Maybe that's because an 18-yr-old's brain development hasn't reached maturity in the areas of judgment and long-term prediction of consequences?) I started in college studying music at a private liberal arts school. My favorite example was a year behind me in my music program; he was majoring in--I'm not making this up because you CAN'T make this stuff up--tuba performance. :eek:

But anyway, your college education could cost you tens of thousands of dollars--even into the six figures, depending on where you go. You really, really want to be able to pay off your loans.

Now English could actually be a good thing to study if you have an interest in teaching. I can't say for sure because I don't know your area...maybe it's saturated with teachers already. But if you have an interest in art or art history, those are things that you can always study them informally. I had a professor who studied a very specific discipline within biology, for her own interest on her own time. You could audit classes, add "visit the largest art museum on each continent" to your bucket list, etc.

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · Jul 30, 2015

Your interest in nursing stems from a highly emotional event in your life, not a good basis for choosing a career.

If you are "not good in math" , it will be a big problem. I WAS good in math, and still needed a tutor.

If you are lost, you need direction from your school counselors.

Best of luck, let us know how it's going.

mirandaaa · Jul 30, 2015

I feel that nursing is one of those things where you have to KNOW you want to do it.

Nursing isn't something you just think you might want to do; it requires dedication and confidence to learn what you need to learn in order to save lives and care for others.

If you're skeptical, I think you should wait and explore other options.

Like a PP said, look into getting your CNA first; although not entirely the same as nursing, you will work closely with other nurses and see what their days are like and you'll get to see the icky, dirty, nitty-gritty things up close and personal.