I dont know whether to continue nursing school

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I am in my first year of nursing school and I've had an absolutely awful placement where the staff are nasty and unsupportive. My mentor is sweet but im her first student and she's not exactly skilled when it comes to teaching. We had a placement there first before christmas (which I didnt enjoy) and now in the summer term. I have been to the uni but they are not very helpful at all.

I feel completely lost as to what to do. I always thought I wanted to be a nurse. I feel so upset about it all the time. Its making me miserable and resent my non nursing friends for the amount of freedom they get. Nursing is so intense without completely hating the placement. Its put serious doubts in my head and im looking at other courses (possibly business- totally different I know)

Is it wrong to feel im just not ready for the sacrifices that comes with nursing school? I dont feel like every other 19 year old around me. Is nursing really worth this?

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Specializes in Addictions, Adult Psych.

nursing is worth the sacrifice but you might not be where you need to be mentally and emotionally for this. I thought I was but ended up needing to leave for 2 years in the middle... came back with a better attitude and clear mind and i'm now about to graduate August 27 with my BSN! nursing could be for you but if you aren't ready you aren't ready... but if you think you can stick it out I would! it's hard enough to get into any nursing program nowadays

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I am in my first year of nursing school and I've had an absolutely awful placement where the staff are nasty and unsupportive. My mentor is sweet but im her first student and she's not exactly skilled when it comes to teaching. We had a placement there first before christmas (which I didnt enjoy) and now in the summer term. I have been to the uni but they are not very helpful at all.

I feel completely lost as to what to do. I always thought I wanted to be a nurse. I feel so upset about it all the time. Its making me miserable and resent my non nursing friends for the amount of freedom they get. Nursing is so intense without completely hating the placement. Its put serious doubts in my head and im looking at other courses (possibly business- totally different I know)

Is it wrong to feel im just not ready for the sacrifices that comes with nursing school? I dont feel like every other 19 year old around me. Is nursing really worth this?

Are you not enjoying nursing just because of the sacrafice that you will have to make or you cant see yourself doing nursing?

Im young as well and felt like every since ive been in nursing school, I havent had much fun and I am on a budget and cant buy the things that I used to BUT, I know that it will all be worth it at the end when I am making a decent living, doing what I love and passionate about, and making a great salary to afford my needs and wants. No matter what career you go for, it will not be easy, it will be stressful, and will be time consuming. You may be jealous of your friends now, but they will probably envy you when youre making a decent living hun so make the right decision and think this through.

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

What aspects of your placements have you not found enjoyable? What did you expect them to be like and how did the reality differ?

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The best advice is going to be to stick it out. An old lady I work with just went back and got her NP in the last two years. At the start of her program all the girls gave her a really hard time because she was in her 70s and having a hard time studying, remembering, and making friends. But with the help and support of family and co-workers she is finished now. Most programs are going to be 2 years. Anyone can do two years. Nursing is worth it because you can only go up from here. Sure your placement sucks, and youre stressed and tired, but you will have a career in less than 24 months. You will probably lose your "friends". I once was told you know you are doing well when your "freinds" and personal life are no longer a part of your routine. The truth is your friends are going to be slightly envious because they want to be there where you are. If you are truely 19 in an RN or LVN program STAY THERE! You will only have a rewarding career at 21!!! Buy a house, buy cars, ECT. the sky is the limit for you. Do not be held back by distractions!!! Good luck and remember your clinic expirience is what you make of it; meaning, have fun there, volunteer to do everything, when someone is rude to you smile at them and kill em with kindness. You will be victorius in the end. You get to move on their rooty poo behind will stay there!

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Specializes in Pediatrics and Women's Health.

I have to agree with the above poster, to stick it out. I will give you a bit of my history and may be this will be the encouragement you need! :) When I was 19 I was just starting college and let everything distract me. From different programs in college to what was going on with my friends, vacations, etc. I knew I wanted to be a nurse, but I wasn't focused. I did well in all of my pre-reqs but when it came to time to take the NET exam, I panicked because A: I didn't study at all. B: I was intimidated by all the students applying for the program. C. I let doubts settle in, and I ended up not taking the test. That was a huge regret for me because I wasn't expecting what I experienced the next few years. Doing another program, I had to drop mid-semester because my mom got really sick and I had to take on a full time job and become her main caregiver. My grades suffered because of it. When this happened I was already 22. I have since then, tried several times to get into a nursing program and life always got in the way. I promised my Mom I was going back to Nursing school. I told her that on her death bed. I'm finally have the chance to possibly go into an LPN program this October. I turn 28 next month and I'm a single mom of my three year old. I don't have family where I currently live and I have a full-time job. It's tough but I'm sticking it out because when I had the opportunity before, I made excuses. Don't do that to yourself. You just may end up regretting it later. You came this far, why stop now? You are 19 years old and have the opportunity to complete everything. The same friends you are jealous of now, if you quit, you may just be jealous of them because they have their careers that they are happy with and you don't. Think about it. It will be hard, but it will be worth in the end. I wish you all the best in your journey and whichever decision you may choose. God bless.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Med-Surg, Psych, Geri, LTC, Tele,.

Stick it out.

I'm in nursing school now. I had been taking prereqs for 2 1/2 yrs before I started nursing school and in spite of my desire to become a nurse, I have hated nursing school much of the time. (Love the patients and love learning, but nursing school isnt all about those things)

It wasn't what I thought it would be. It wasn't intellectually stimulating, just emotionally exhausting. My teachers have ranged from those who know a certain subject very well to those who I seriously questioned how they made it through nursing school, let alone earned an MSN.

Speaking for myself and my classmates, nursing school isn't a pleasant experience. It's just the price we pay for earning the title "nurse".

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Hang in there, the hard work will be worth it in the end :)

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Stick it out because you will regret it. I'm 20 but I'm married with two kids and I know I will have no life but the rewards will be so sweet especially because we're so young. Just get it over with and tough it out. It will probably be one of the hardest things in your life you do but if it wasn't hard everybody would be doing it and its so worth it.

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