First of all, saying "Do what you love" is a little too much of a fairy-tale saying; I'm sure tons of people want to be artists, but it's clearly not financially responsible. I'd love to paint, or even watch TV for a living... but that's clearly not a very good option. That's why I -wanted- to be a nurse, because of the supposed financial security, as well as job stability.
The problem is, is that I I don't know if nursing is something I want to do. I keep hearing people say "You have to REALLY want to be a nurse to be a nurse!" That's the problem, I don't really -want- to be a nurse! I just want to be able to pay my bills and live comfortably.
I just want something with job stability. I want to be able to FIND a job and actually have the ability to move up. That's what nursing offers, apparently.
Will I hate my job? Will I even be able to make it through nursing school? I sure don't -feel- very motivated. Should I even bother becoming a nurse?
What do I do?
P.S. I'm not sure if I handle stress very well, either.
I went into nursing quite as a fluke. I was the oldest of five children and it was made clear to me that i needed to get on my feet fast. I was helping my roommate study her nursing books and found it interesting. I was never the kid who played nurse or took care of people. Far from it! But I looked at nursing and realized that a) I was capable of learning the work and b) I could be financially independent. Period.
Fortunately for me, I eventually learned to enjoy nursing. Nurses training is grueling. Don't expect to have a life while you're in nursing school. BEing a nurse is hard but not as hard as nursing school, thank goodness, or there wouldn't be any nurses! But for me, nursing has been largely a satisfying and profitable career. I've been at it 32+ years. Sometimes I've liked it more than others. I've had a few burnouts. But I've always bounced back. I'm in a job that I love now and I can certainly believe that this will be the job I retire from.
Good luck whatever you decide. I don't think you have to *love* nursing, but you darn sure have to like what you're doing or it just won't be worth the stress.
There really isn't a thing called 'job security' anymore. It doesn't matter whether you're in private, state or in the gov't. sector. Everyone's cutting down, all 'safe' majors in the past aren't safe anymore. It looks like it's going to be this way for a LONG time. So, the best way to handle it is to go back to school. The problem is, everything costs money. So, before you start spending your time and money on any major -- make sure it's the one you really want. Maybe you should take a couple of months off. Do some research, find or continue with your job while you do your 'own analyzing.' Some people might think that it's wasting time. But, it's not -- listen to yourself and not other people (especially, your critics). I've had those since I was born, since I existed on day ONE. Do what's best for you and screw people who criticize you for everything. Once you find your edge, that's where you'll shine. This is also the time when your critics will have the sense (hopefully) to shut themselves up. Then, one day -- they'd realize that with all the time they'd wasted criticizing you, they could've fixed their own miserable lives and families. The last laugh is yours, count on it. You just need to find your edge and be honest with what you really want.
It's easy to see the mistakes of others, but it's hard to see our own mistakes in our lives. Sad but true.
To the original poster, I agree with most of the posts on here. I'm in my first semester of nursing school and after the first 2 tests in a couple I was on the line of failing the courses, having below a 74 average, because I didn't take it as seriously as I should have in the beginning, and in my program the second course fail your kicked out of the program, well after getting my butt in gear, in one of the classes my test grade was a 82, and the other was a 92, and I have a chance to pass one of the courses with a B, but that was only accomplished with an enormous amount of study hours put in, and whoever posted about having no life in Nursing School, def agreed there but in retrospect you have to consider also that the reason its so difficult is because you need to know your stuff because you have people's lives in your hands, and thank you mustlovepoodles that stating that being an actual nurse is not as tough as nursing school, because if it was, I don't know if I'll be able to make it through, also to the original poster, I felt kind of like you when I was knocking out my pre-req's, but about halfway through I had to think about okay in five to ten years, what do I want to do career wise, for me I wanted a career that would impact people everyday, that feeling like you made a difference, and something that would fit into going back into the military but not be told what job your going to be doing based on the military needs...for me it wasn't a calling, but it was also much deeper than a paycheck, and if you truly think about it, nursing salaries sound super high, but think about it this way, from what I've been taught and seen thus far, alot of nurses end up working 14-16 hour days, sometimes back to back, many times without a 10 min break...plus everything you do, you have to know its the right thing, ie dispending meds, making sure those meds don't interact with other med or patient conditions, not messing up on the procedures,i.e IV's and catheters, that is all I know thus far only being a first semester nursing student, also if you find that salary is not your sole motivator, one thing that my peers and I agree on who were close to failing out as well, were extremely determined to get through this first semester, because it has taken us more than a year, close to two years because of prereq's or family issues or previous rejection letters, to even be considered as prospective students for the Nursing Programs, if you make it to the first semester of Nursing School, you'll know whether or not its for you!!!!! Good luck on your decision, and if you look deeper in yourself and the only reason you can come up with is money to be a nurse, like the other poster said, please do us and the future patients a favor and find another field to enter into....oh one last note I also agree with the other poster about doing a CNA course to get a feel for the field and see if its more you, it's dirty work, but the residents make it worth it....
The thing that irritates me sometimes is that, people always assume that it's the paycheck. It's not. Yes, nurses make good money. But, they also work twice or even three times as hard as anyone, just to earn that paycheck. Maybe military nurses are not as stressed as their civilian counterparts, but nursing overall, is still a stressful job. I didn't start my first semester thinking it's easy, because I know it's not. Before this economic crisis hit, nursing was thought to be a 'safe profession,' more and more people are finding out, it's not. I agree that nursing students should know their stuff. I know what my mistakes were, and at times I have doubted myself. This is why I know that I have to re-evaluate me. I can relate to the OP, that's all I'm saying. I also know that I will have critics, for as long as I live -- this is just one of the 'irritating truths of life,' unfortunately. I don't know what I'm saying anymore, thinking about nursing makes me tired at times.
I didn't mean to diminish the work of military nurses, I'm sure their work is as stressful as their civilian counterparts, I gave that as an example as a personal goal to see if it fit into my future plans to give the original poster more to base their decision on other than their present reality, not only that but I had to consider also the possibility that I won't end up going back into the military, and if so would/could I see myself as being fulfilled and happy as a nurse, and the answer for me is yes
first of all if you were looking into health care as your back-up plan or second option... it's a good one but a nurse is not your only choice. i don't know what you like and don't like about nursing... but there is allied health, there is reception, transporter, pharmacy tech, diagnostic imaging, dental care, vetarinary care, chiropractic care, working with people with disabilities as a Respite , or Direct Support person, and so many more like orthopedics, and other things that i'm drawing a blank on that you can go into. not just nursing. and they all will pay the bills.
I work with as a respite caregiver for special needs children and it's not hard. it doesn't pay much, but it's about budgeting. i've been doing it for a year, and i'm looking to go into health care.
if you wanted to be an artist, again there are many ways to be in the arts. a teacher of music or arts, sculpture ext.
doing what you love isn't fairy tale, it's about being contempt with on self, and your job title doesn't define you... you define your job title. So all those wonderful nurses out there define the job status of being a wonderful nurse. i have bumped into some bad ones as they define themselves.
lucky, there are more good nurses out there than bad ones.
In all honesty.. I think you've answered your own questions.. nursing is not something you go into for the supposed "financial security"... It's not fair to you or to your future patients and their families for you to be in the profession when your heart isn't in it. Nursing school is not easy... trust me it really isn't.. and if you aren't motivated.. if money and job security (which really isn't guaranteed) are the only reasons you are going into or thinking about going into nursing.. then I say please choose another field!
I have been a nurse for 30+ years and can't think of anything I would rather do. Has it been challenging and frustrating? You bet. Have I had days that caused me to question my career choice? Absolutely. Have I ever seriously considered leaving the profession? Never... Patient care may not be the only facet of nursing, but it is certainly the core. I moved out of the bedside arena many years ago, and now work in a combination of patient care management and healthcare delivery policy. But the bottom line will always be quality care delivered to the patient. I do believe that nursing is a calling - it involves unselfish tolerance and personal pride in the accomplishment of a job that will, at times, drive you absolutely crazy. Any of us who have survived for 30 years in this profession can spot a nurse who is in it for the money and job security, and I'm sad to say that I am spotting them more frequently. Nursing school is a lot of agony to endure for a job you may not feel is good for you. But don't sell yourself short. Many enter school not feeling completely enthusiastic about the career choice and end up loving it. Wish there was a way for you to spend a little time in a hospital or clinic setting, but that may not be practical. Suggest you hang around this website for a while. Pay attention to all the whining and complaining, but know that most of us wouldn't want to do anything else....
Specializes in Med/Surge, Psych, LTC, Home Health.
Well, I pretty much went into nursing because my best friend was about to graduate nursing school and get a job making MUCH MUCH more money than we were currently making, working at the same place! I had been looking to go back to school in order to get a degree that I could actually get a decent job with... my choices became computer science, teaching, and nursing. In the end I chose nursing. =) It DID help in my decision, that there were several nurses in my family.
Eleven years later... do I regret it? Yeah, actually i do sometimes. But, I have managed to hang in there, and I don't feel like a more desirable job in the nursing field, is very far in my future. =) I feel like it is getting closer. There are MANY areas in nursing that a person can find themselves in, and some of them are very, very nice. =) Well, depending on who you are, of course.
Even the most stressful, frustrating times in my career have had their rewards. I'm not particularly happy right now, mainly because of the hours I'm working... but when a kid gives me a hug, it's all worth it. =)
mustlovepoodles, RN
1,041 Posts
I went into nursing quite as a fluke. I was the oldest of five children and it was made clear to me that i needed to get on my feet fast. I was helping my roommate study her nursing books and found it interesting. I was never the kid who played nurse or took care of people. Far from it! But I looked at nursing and realized that a) I was capable of learning the work and b) I could be financially independent. Period.
Fortunately for me, I eventually learned to enjoy nursing. Nurses training is grueling. Don't expect to have a life while you're in nursing school. BEing a nurse is hard but not as hard as nursing school, thank goodness, or there wouldn't be any nurses! But for me, nursing has been largely a satisfying and profitable career. I've been at it 32+ years. Sometimes I've liked it more than others. I've had a few burnouts. But I've always bounced back. I'm in a job that I love now and I can certainly believe that this will be the job I retire from.
Good luck whatever you decide. I don't think you have to *love* nursing, but you darn sure have to like what you're doing or it just won't be worth the stress.