I don't know if I can do this-again (long)

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I am hesitant to write this,as I don't want to be dramatic,but it is weighing on me very heavily. I started an LPN program in Aug. 07,and was expelled due to 'lack of clinical competency' or something like that...It is a long,complicated story which I will spare you,but suffice it to say nobody was injured. I understand that they did what they did for a reason,but it still is an awful feeling,especially after seeing my graduating class inthe paper.

I know I have never really been great with my hands,but nursing really is the first thing that has held my interest,and I know I could do well if given the chance. However,people who know me,who I guess are trying to be helpful tell me I cant. I don't want to give up on my dream,but I also want to make sure that this is the right fit.

I tried to become a medical assistant,as that is also interesting to me,and doesn't involve what I did poorly at (transfers etc.)but come to find out I am not great at that either. I know I have baggage from my other school as my clinical instructor said some things to me that were not constructive in my opinion,just hurtful. I am aware that I am sensitive,but her words are still haunting me and totally affecting my performance.

Now I just feel like I am forcing something that isn't right and that I've just wasted more time (i'm already 24 and have little education beyond HS) and needless to say I am supremely bummed.

I'm not exactly sure what I am expecting from this post,as the last thing I want is to be told to go for it if I am incompetent..but I just feel so useless and dumb.

AHHHHHH!

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24 seems very old when you are living it. Take a deep breath. Do it again.

Hang on for a second. Deep breath once more.

Ok, now let's talk for a second. If you are confused as to the place where your natural God-given talents meet up with your personal preference for work, then go to the last school you attended (or your high school) and as them to help you figure this out.

They can give you some simple questions to help you figure out WHAT YOU DO WELL and WHAT YOU ENJOY DOING. Not that these are often the same thing. I love, love, love to sing, but people would probably pay me NOT to. LOL.

So, I'm not a singer (except in the shower.

You said that people who know you are telling you you "can't" do this or that. Well, on the one hand, a wise man seeks good counsel. On the other hand, you get to make decisions about your future yourself.

Get some career counseling and if helping people get better still sounds like your best fit, go for it, no matter what. But if you are getting feedback again and again to grow in another direction, consider it.

Best luck.

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Specializes in Multiple.

Perhaps now might be a good time to work out what 'it' is that you enjoy doing? Is it the helping people bit that you enjoy, or the contact with the public or something else? I'm sure there will be other jobs without the responsibility that might be a good fit for you.

I suggest you go to see a careers advisor and even think about doing some psychometric testing to work out what skills you do have and what careers are a good fit for you.

It might also be worth having some counseling to work through the issues you had with your LPN training before you try to start in a new career.

Whatever you decide to do, I wish you all the luck in the world and much happiness.

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Specializes in ICU/ER.

One of our nursing supervisors went all the way through her LPN school and due to the comments from one nursing instructor that she couldnt do it and would never make it in the "real world" she dropped. She was mad and sad and discouraged. A few years went by and she applied to RN school, graduated top of her class. She has now been an RN for over 10 years.

So if you want to be a nurse, do what it takes to be one. I dont know what happend clinical wise at your last school, but learn from it and move on.

See if any of your credits will transfere to another school and begin again.

Best of luck

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due to the comments from one nursing instructor that she couldnt do it and would never make it in the "real world" she dropped.

I'm beginning my 2nd year of nursing in august and this is not the first or last time to see or hear of an instructor doing this sort of thing. Nursing instructors come in all forms, a few are nice and really do want you to succeed, and then there are the one's who are on some sort of power trip to make your time in the program a living !!!!.

A lot of would be great nurses dropped out the first year b/c of lack of support from the instructors.

The thing is it's going to be hard... try going to another school like the previous post suggested. There may as well be some awful instructors at other schools as well but just jump through their hoops if this is what you want to do with your life.

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Specializes in ICU, OR.

My aunt was told by one of her instructors that she would never be a decent nurse, so she just needed to drop out. She has been a nurse now for over 20 years and is the director of an ambulatory surgery center. Hmmmmmmmmmm......

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

I would talk to a professional person, a person who can be objective, perhaps a therapist. Think about it seriously and Give it to God and listen for your answer. If the answer you come up with is that you should persue nursing then I say go for it whatever it takes. Best of luck!

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I would talk to a professional person, a person who can be objective, perhaps a therapist.

I agree.

Sometimes the people who "know" you can be your hardest critics.

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Specializes in ICU/ER.
I'm beginning my 2nd year of nursing in august and this is not the first or last time to see or hear of an instructor doing this sort of thing. Nursing instructors come in all forms, a few are nice and really do want you to succeed, and then there are the one's who are on some sort of power trip to make your time in the program a living !!!!.

A lot of would be great nurses dropped out the first year b/c of lack of support from the instructors.

The thing is it's going to be hard... try going to another school like the previous post suggested. There may as well be some awful instructors at other schools as well but just jump through their hoops if this is what you want to do with your life.

I agree and the sweetest revenge is seeing one of your past despised clinical instructors in the hospital setting with the big letters RN on your name tag!!!

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Specializes in ICU.

try a diploma school. while they have some course requirements like chemistry, psych, and micro, they are big on skills. they do ALLOT of hands on in labs as well as in hospitals. if skills were where you were lacking, perhaps you just needed more time to be taught them. diploma schools will give you that over a degree program. it'll build on little successes throughout the program and you'll be well ready for graduation and employment at the end. :heartbeat:heartbeat:heartbeat

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Specializes in EMS~ ALS.../...Bartending ~ Psych :).

"I know I have never really been great with my hands,but nursing really is the first thing that has held my interest,and I know I could do well if given the chance. However,people who know me,who I guess are trying to be helpful tell me I cant. I don't want to give up on my dream,but I also want to make sure that this is the right fit"

Sweety, you are the only person in the world that knows what is truely in your heart!! I think that if you read the above quote, you will find that you have already answered your own question. :)

Your admitted "handicap" just means that you may have to give a littlemore effort, try a little harder, practice a little longer, but it doesn't mean in any way shape or form that it can't be overcome.

What your instructor said to you, and for whatever reason she said them, you need to remember, that they were just WORDS!! Take the bits that you could learn from and forget the rest. Sticks and Stones!!

Several years ago I was an EMT working on my EMT-I, I wanted a medic job with the county, I was 100# soak and wet, and I couldn't pass the physical agility for the job because I couldn't drag the 150# manaquin accross the parking lot!! Im not sure if I was more embarassed, or mad, even felt a little humiliated!! I thought long and hard about just quitting EMS altogether. BUT just a few weeks later, my crew of 2 men and myself responded to a call where an elderly man had been gored by a bull, and we arrive and he is still inside the fence lying on the ground not moving, The bull was still inside the fence as well, but nowhere around. The "big" men on my truck wouldn't go in the fence until the scene was safe, and the bull was secured. Well little ole me couldn't stand it, and I went inside that fence and drug that 150# man accross that field to the fence, where at the point my crew offered their assistance!.. Totally one the the highlights of my life! I perforned when it really mattered! I didn't get that job, but I knew from that moment on, that if I wanted to do something bad enough, that I had the power inside of me to make it happen!

Good luck to you

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Sorry for the delay in response-I just wanted to thank you all for your support and kind words of encouragement.I don't know if I will pursue nursing right away,butI haven't given up hope yet! :)

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