I don't know if nursing is for me...pls help

IHeartPeds87 · May 17, 2015

I highly reccomend that you get a job in nursing support (meaning as a PCA, student nurse aide, cna whatever they are called!)

If you can, work at a hospital. I think that more interaction with patients and experience with the actual hands on care, prioritizing, maintaining safety, developing rapport with patients and simply increasing your comfort level interacting with members of the healthcare team would be beneficial. That will also help you see if you like interacting with patients. Once you build your confidence in that role perhaps the whole "will I like being a nurse" will be clearer to you. While the roles of aide and nurse are different, being an aide will help you see what the nurses do. Also, many frustrations of the job are shared by aides and nurses so it's a great way to get a closer look at what you are getting yourself into.

I can't tell from your post (and part of me suspects that you can't either) whether your frustration is due to you feeling incompetent or a true skepticism that maybe nursing isn't what you want. An aide job may help you make that distinction. Good luck OP: and as a side note, I failed a course med surg 1 to be exact and had to retake it- I graduated from nursing school a few weeks ago so if you are feeling incompetent due to the failure I want to tell you that a person can fail a course and can still one day become a nurse.

almag2010 · May 17, 2015

Thank you for your time :) That is the plan. I am in the paperwork in getting a certification to be a nursing assistance. I agree with you, I think working as a certified nurse will help me be inside the hospital and see the dynamics. I am just very conflicted because I feel like I need to decide what to do I just want to do a profession that I can live happy with. But thank you very much :)

Britgirl1 · May 17, 2015

Hey! I am in the exact same situation except for I failed clinicals in my first semester instead of second. In my program (a 2-semester LPN program) you get unadmitted for failing even one class and have to get permission to re-enter the program. Though I feel like me failing clinicals is based on my teacher's opinion and no hard facts, I decided to move on. It is important to realize now that even if you feel you have wasted time and money, you have learned so much at this point and knowledge is not something anyone can ever take away from you. So if you also have to move on, do so. Trust your gut feeling.

I personally met with the dean of my program to say I was moving on to other things. I decided to use my nursing pre-req credits and also transferred in some credits I earned at a university in the past, and that put me 2/3 of the way through with my associate's degree. I am going to do that and then transfer somewhere else for my Bachelor's. Just know that deciding to move on doesn't mean you gave up, it meant you were doing the right thing for you.

You are undoubtedly a very caring person and very capable if you have made it this far in nursing school already, so good for you. Other options include careers in mental health such as being a counselor, med school, occupational therapy or occupational therapy/ physical therapy assistant, Radiology technician, respiratory therapist, or even an audiologist. There are so many career options that will allow you to care for people.

Best of luck!

almag2010 · May 17, 2015

Thank you so much for your kind words :) I have a backup plan lol if things do not work out I might just do public health but will see because right now,since I failed my clinical, people are reviewing my case. It's intimidating :/ I am happy you took that step! For me even considering moving away from nursing is a bit frightening. Actually my best friend wanted to be a doctor since she was tiny and she had the courage to change major. It takes a bunch of courage in my opinion. Is sad to say that I do not have a gut feeling..mm :/ I know some people have a super duper strong gut feeling is mind blowing at time haha But again, thank you so much for your respond :) it means a lot. I will definitely have that in consideration :)

Britgirl1 · May 17, 2015

You are welcome! :) It will all work out for the best, don't worry! If you don;t have a gut feeling, maybe just try and picture yourself as a nurse and see if it makes you happy. Also think about how clinicals made you feel-- were you excited to show up everyday, and if not, why? Maybe thinking this way could give you clues about what you really want. Sometimes it's tempting to just carry on because nurses are so in demand and get paid well, but you don't want to be stuck in a career you don;t like. You need something that is going to make you happy. :)

LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN · May 17, 2015

Thank you for your time :) That is the plan. I am in the paperwork in getting a certification to be a nursing assistance. I agree with you, I think working as a certified nurse will help me be inside the hospital and see the dynamics. I am just very conflicted because I feel like I need to decide what to do I just want to do a profession that I can live happy with. But thank you very much :)

Bolding mine.

Greater happiness can be defined outside of ones profession; I think once you figure out how to be happy, and decide practically whether you enjoy nursing for the "much more" that you described, that will be half the battle.

I think getting a job as a CNA will help you become comfortable with pt care; you have made some clinical missteps and you are cognizant enough to know what you did wrong, as well as not to repeat it again.