I think I made a mistake.

dream'n, BSN, RN · Aug 31, 2006

I know the time and $3000 invested weigh heavily on your mind, but I think you have learned alot about yourself and what you want out of your own life. And that in and of itself is worth 3 weeks and $3000 dollars. I think good for you and now go do something that interests you and ignites your passion. By the way, I once knew a Dr. (a very good Dr.) that found out she hated medicine while training, but continued her medical education. She ended up with her degree and with massive (hundreds of thousands of dollars) amounts of student loans to repay. She said she had to continue as a Dr., possibly for years and years, just to repay the loans. She was a great person and it was very sad. She was miserable and I'm sure has by now 'burned out' completely.

NurseCherlove · Aug 31, 2006

Ya know, life is funny....you may meet your husband at one of your clinicals or classes or a new best friend. You may overhear a conversation that Social Services is having about one of your patients and then decide that that is the path for you. In other words, your efforts are not for naught.

Best of luck to you!

GatorRN · Aug 31, 2006

Please don't think of yourself as a "failure/quitter," because your not. You went where you thought your heart was leading you. If you have found along the way that nursing is not for you, so be it. Nursing isn't for everyone. Consider it a learning experience. It is quite different caring for a loved one than it is a perfect stranger.

Even if you have $3,000. invested in your schooling, all it not lost. The bulk of that expense, I would venture to say was spent on your general education courses. You say you found out through your elective classes that you have other interests. I would suggest speaking to a counselor at your school and discuss what you need to do to change your course study to one of the other areas that does interest you.

Most, if not all, of your gen. ed. classes will probably transfer over to another degree program, that would be in an area that you might find more satisfying. Good Luck whatever you decide to do!

DarciaMoonz, LPN · Aug 31, 2006

I am glad that you were able to analyze your feelings about this, and didn't become on of the many nurses who stuck it through just for the money. Don't feel like you made a mistake. One of the hardest thing one can do is look at themselves and be honest, and I commend you for being one of few who can say openly that this isn't for you. Now put on your game face, go out there and find your destiny, and good luck;-)

Carecrazey · Aug 31, 2006

GOOD LUCK to you in whatever you decide to pursue.

LoriAlabamaRN · Aug 31, 2006

You're doing the right thing by examining your interests now rather than finishing the LPN program. I got a 4 year degree in Special Education even though halfway through it I realized it wasn't what I wanted to do with my life. I felt that I had invested too much time and money and was "stuck" now. But you know what? After school is over you can't fake it anymore. I found that out the hard way. Three years later, I was in nursing school and now I am in the job I was meant to do.

Drop out. Find your talent, and pursue a new goal.

ICRN2008, BSN, RN · Aug 31, 2006

I am curious as to how you came to the decision that you made a mistake. What about the nursing program don't you like?

It is important to keep in mind that what you do in school is often very different than what you will be doing once you enter the workforce. There are days when I really disliked nursing school, but I know that I will enjoy the job very much. It can also happen the other way; I loved the courses for my clinical laboratory sciences degree but pretty much hated my first job. I knew that this was going to be the case halfway through my program, but I stuck it out because changing majors would have meant an extra year of college...now I'm back in school!

I am not trying to give you advice on what you personally should do, just trying to provide some food for thought....

Good luck with whatever you decide.

whiskeygirl, LPN · Aug 31, 2006

You know there are SOOOO many different jobs a nurse can hold. There are some where you don't have to have ANY patient contact, if that is what you want.

You've already paid the money, can you stick it out a bit longer, just to give yourself more time to really think about your decision?

Almost every semester of school I've thought to myself "this is nuts, I'm so stressed, is this next degree really going to allow me to earn more money? I may have to drop out".

Good luck to you.

rn4ever? · Aug 31, 2006

Good luck in whatever you would decide on. The important thing is that you have explored all your options and you won't be sorry about it later on. Quitting doesn't necessarily make one a failure. But make sure to re-examine your thoughts and feelings before finally deciding to give up Nursing school. I also had second-thoughts when I first entered Nursing school---but now that I earned my BSN degree, I'm just glad I didn't quit and I'm very happy with the decison I made years ago!

I have never posted on here before but have been a long time reader ever since I decided to become a nurse about a year ago. I decided to go to LPN school, got accepted, and started classes a little over a month ago. I have already taken a couple of tests, learned some basic skills, and started clinicals last week. Here is my problem... I am miserable. I just do not think nursing is for me. I wanted to become a nurse because I cared for my grandfather for many years during my late teenage years and early 20's and remembered how fullfilling that was for me. I wanted to do the same for other people. But now that I have been in nursing school for this time I learned that I really do not have the compassion for other people that I had with someone I really loved. I went to a community college before entering LPN school for about a year and took general study courses and found out through the many elective classes I took that I have many interests. Interests that I now wish I persued. I know I couldn't have learned this lesson with out at least trying but hear I am 4 weeks later and $3000 poorer feeling like a complete failure/quitter.
I'm not sure what kind of responses i'm looking for, I just needed to vent and know this is a good crowd that will listen. Thanks.

rn/writer, RN · Aug 31, 2006

If you are only four weeks into the program, have you had any clinicals yet? What specifically triggered the thoughts you are having now? It may be unrealistic to expect to have the kinds of feelings that you did when caring for your grandfather. Much of nursing is using the head rather than the heart, although the two are not mutually exclusive.

I'd suggest you finish out the semester. After all, you've paid for it. And you can endure almost anything if you know it's temporary. Manage your classes with a detached attitude. I don't mean slack off. Rather, set aside any emotional wrestling for the time being and just look at your schooling as a job to be done.

Give yourself some breathing room before you make such a monumental decision. Relax a bit if you can. Don't try to force feelings that aren't there, but see if you can make the connection with what you're doing from a different angle.

Also set aside your fears. They are only going to make you feel worse right now. Try to approach each aspect of your program with the idea that this is a learning experience. No matter what you decide at the end, you will accrue experience and knowledge that will help you down the road.

Sometimes it's as important to know what you DON'T want as what you do.

Whatever happens, remember, nothing is wasted.

Please keep us posted on your progress.

I wish you well.

lands1980 · Aug 31, 2006

Not a quiter but consider a different view of the problem. You have money invested anyway. Don't know about your current classroom situation because maybe there is path to transfering your efforts to different careerpath. I believe that any knowledge is good knowledge. I will never regret becoming a nurse because of the people,places,self knowledge and shared team life saving experiences I had done with my 22 years. There are many days and too many with verbal abuse and very difficult patients and doctors to deal with. Continous unhealthy compassion isn't 24/7 at your expense. How you deal with boundaries and people will be a skill that you will need not matter what career path you choose. If I walked away this morning I have done everying I have wanted in life because I choose everyday to live in the moment. Bare with me. See a instructor about a Plan B like using your current school efforts to transfer to a maybe different healthcare program that will give you job security or satisfaction. Does your school have career counseling and testing for different and better career path?

Maybe consider ultrasoundgraphy or CST programs.

Good for you for looking and identifying that a problem exists but really do the work to work toward your own idea of satisfaction. Are there any fears that need to be address because how you deal with stress is related to handling of past experiences?

Best wishes.

nicunana · Aug 31, 2006

All my life I wanted to be a nurse. 3 days after I graduated from high school, my family moved from Pennsylvania to Florida. My father had come ahead a month earlier to find housing & unknown to me had enrolled me in Beauty school. I was devastated & he was quite pleased with himself, as the entire course was only $140. My mother tried to console me by saying that I could always give being a hairdresser a try and if I didn't like it, then I could switch to something else, but at least it would be something to "fall back on". After investing 1800 hours & passing boards, I felt trapped into using the license. I stuck with it for 4 years and hated every single minute of it! I dreaded going into work every day and never felt like I belonged. What a horrible waste. In the meantime, life happened and I was never able to return to my dream of going to nursing school until my children were in middle school & high school. Please don't make the mistake I did & not follow your heart. If you don't make the change now, it may be a very long time before you get to do the job that you love to do. Whatever it is, it's out there and waiting for you. Go find it now!