I hate nursing school (and it is not because it is hard)

[baleen]

I am in one of the top nursing schools in the country, and, coming from the interesting pre-reqs like chemistry and A&P, to the nursing model, which, I am sorry to say, is devoid of any real medical knowledge.....is heartbreakingly frustrating.

Pharmacology is not about pharmacology...its about a few specific drugs and memorizing things about those few specific drugs.

Pathophysiology is barely about physiology at all, its about how to nurse someone with a pathology more than anything.

My issue, is, I am 32 and afraid of getting back out there to get pre reqs for PA school or med school. What if I run out of public loan funding halfway through...I'm stuck. (I cant get private loans)

How do I pay for my life while I go back to school for a year for pre reqs?

All of this momentum and fear has kept me in a nursing school I hate more and more.

And no, it is not hard at all. I get straight A's. And god I wish I was bragging, but it just feels sad.

Its a rant. I am frustrated.

[umbdude, MSN, APRN]

An update, to whom it may concern.

It seems, after being a CNA during this summer, that I may not be the "nursing type". I hate the job. I am a hard worker. That is not it. It is being pulled in many directions. Never focusing on a task for any length of time. I like to go deep and think. I hate the idea of waiting tables of health. I really dread going to work.

I think being a CNA is tough and probably most likely to get pulled into many directions. At work, do you see that RNs are also being pulled into different directions and have no time to focus on tasks? CNA experience doesn't always translate into how you'll feel when you work as a RN.

[baleen]

I think being a CNA is tough and probably most likely to get pulled into many directions. At work, do you see that RNs are also being pulled into different directions and have no time to focus on tasks? CNA experience doesn't always translate into how you'll feel when you work as a RN.

Someone mentioned to me that much of nursing is "cognitive stacking". I looked it up and I see that that is what I don't like about being a CNA, or a waiter for that matter. The nurses seem to be (on my med-surg floor) very prone to this as well. It seems to be very much part of their jobs. They are constantly managing a list of tasks in their mind. Adjusting based on priority/acuity, and constantly being interrupted for beeping IV's, questions about placement, procedures, family etc...

Aspects of that I like are, being there for people. Being useful to others.

What I fear about that is that they never seem to get into an intellectual groove. There is little ability afforded the nurses to delve deeply into a difficult problem and reason and puzzle their way out, without being interrupted every couple of minutes, or having many varied tasks to perform and juggle all day.

I wish I trusted my own assessment of myself. Decision making scientists that I've read say that we feel better after we've made a choice because we immediately start rationalizing the correctness of our choice.

rationalize or get off the pot right?

Who knows...

[baleen]

Interesting that people cannot help but think it is a reflection of them. "Beneath you". That implies very much about the poster. I knew it would be the case that that kind of response would come up, but it is still so demoralizing when it comes to trying to be a nurse. Are they such fragile egos? Do they all feel put upon by others and insecure?

[Nurse Leigh]

Was skimming this thread again and would appreciate a little clarification. OP, your profile indicates you are an LPN. Is this so? Knowing could change the tenor of some responses.

[baleen]

Was skimming this thread again and would appreciate a little clarification. OP, your profile indicates you are an LPN. Is this so? Knowing could change the tenor of some responses.

I am not an LPN. I have worked as a CNA for a few months recently. I just didn't know what nursing was until then and admittedly...I can't say I know what it is yet, but I have a much better idea. I think my personality and interest are better suited to Medical pursuit. Something I am planning on doing (pre reqs) while I continue nursing school. It is very frustrating being so limited in your interventions. Foley catheters and drugs, all at the behest of the physician. I don't like being told what to do. I want to be relied upon to know a lot about the pathophysiology, and to always be pushed to learn more about it because peoples lives depend on it. I am hoping the ICU will help with some of my grievances....i.e: more interventional scope if not more autonomy. More import placed on my moment to moment pathophysiological reasoning of body systems. Less "waiting tables" feel with one or two patients to focus on more deeply. And, hopefully, more respect. This is where I am at now for the record. As my posts show...I can be a fickle one. But this is more reasoned and stable judgement as I see it.

[neuron]

Hey,

I can honestly understand the sentiment on hating your nursing school. However, I don't hate nursing. Honestly when I'm on the floor doing my clinicals its much better than in class, mostly because Im actually learning (Let me add Im not at a top school, but I hold my own in my courses). But our professors intentionally attack and weed us out of they don't like how you answer a question in class, a fact that is well known at our university. We spend more time on memorizing interventions than understanding WHY we as nurses PERFORM the interventions.

But as for dropping out...I'd try and hang in there. You can work as an RN to pay back some loans and take courses part-time to go back for PA or NP (online for nurse practitioner).

Either way, good luck with whatever you decide.

Wow. I would hate to be 'intentionally attacked' for saying a wrong answer. I'll stick with colleges who respect their students and appreciate their contributions.

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

I am not an LPN. I have worked as a CNA for a few months recently. I just didn't know what nursing was until then and admittedly...I can't say I know what it is yet, but I have a much better idea. I think my personality and interest are better suited to Medical pursuit. Something I am planning on doing (pre reqs) while I continue nursing school. It is very frustrating being so limited in your interventions. Foley catheters and drugs, all at the behest of the physician. I don't like being told what to do. I want to be relied upon to know a lot about the pathophysiology, and to always be pushed to learn more about it because peoples lives depend on it. I am hoping the ICU will help with some of my grievances....i.e: more interventional scope if not more autonomy. More import placed on my moment to moment pathophysiological reasoning of body systems. Less "waiting tables" feel with one or two patients to focus on more deeply. And, hopefully, more respect. This is where I am at now for the record. As my posts show...I can be a fickle one. But this is more reasoned and stable judgement as I see it.

Then why does your profile say "LPN/LVN" under education?

[baleen]

Then why does your profile say "LPN/LVN" under education?

Fixed it!

[baleen]

Nursing will help if you need a fallback if becoming a PA doesnt pan out for some reason. Also maybe consider becoming an NP? If you're willing to put in the time to become a PA or and MD, ANP coursework is about the same amount of time as PA studies. Sure you'll probably have to deal with the obnoxious anti-medicine model that is nursing, but when you're out in practice you'll more or less be practicing the actual medicine that you desire so much.

I remember when i came to that realization that a nursing model is completely different from a medical model. The idea gnawed at me all throughout school as well, but youll eventually get over it. Just teach yourself the in depth concepts of pharm and patho if you're so inclined

This is similar to how I feel. Knowing that the job of a nurse will not fulfill me, but there may be enough in it to at least feel like a good fall back. As a person with no family or outside help, it can seem daunting to devote myself to the MD route knowing that it may not work out. I have 2 more years of nursing school. Perhaps then, I can peek my head about and look for something else, with at least, a good job to hold me up. Maybe MD. Maybe even NP if I can avoid most of the nursing course work heavy programs (is there such a thing for NP schools?). It's been a long route to this point. Though it is frustrating if I feel stuck...knowing that all the options are still open despite my age can help.

I need a dog :)

[AnewNur]

Hi Baleen...The moment I read your post I knew you opened a 'can of worms'...You're right in saying not to take your post personally however it makes it difficult when you undermine the nursing profession or nursing school process...

Since the nursing classes are easy for you...maybe you can pick up an extra class or two to work on the pre reqs for med school...that way you would have the pre reqs completed by the time you graduate. I do agree with a lot of the previous posters nursing will align with the medical model after nursing school...nursing model looks at a person holistically as opposed to as just a disease process...

It seems you have an idea of what you want to do so you should do it...P.S. Cna role is completely different than the role of nursing...P.S.S. most areas in our lives require us taking "orders" from someone else...you wont really have that autonomy as a med student until after your residency....your CNA position will definitely help build your patience and tolerence if you allow it...

[baleen]

Thank you AnewNur.

The pre reqs while in nursing school seems like a good plan. I still need two years of chemistry anyway. Itd be nice to have a good job by that time.

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

If you have two more years of nursing school, you haven't even gotten into the real "meat" of the nursing classes. It might be premature to decide either that nursing school is "easy" or that you wouldn't find nursing to be mentally challenging or stimulating.