I think I might be in the wrong field

ptrang1987 · Feb 27, 2015

I kind of hated school too, but I knew that I wanted the hours that nursing provides and the income stability. Once you are actually a nurse and you are comfortable with all of the details of the job, not only is it less stressful, but it isn't nearly as exhausting as it is the first few clinicals. That being said though, why not take your Gen Chem 2 class again and go after the career you really wanted? It's never to late to change what you want to be when you "grow up" and it seems better to pursue the dream that is really yours instead of wasting time getting an education in a career you are far less certain you will actually like. If you have the option to switch into the chem class and get into pharmacy school, why not go for it?

I did consider taking gen chem 2 again. I'd just feel that I'm too old to finish my Pharmacy Pre-req. Also I failed to mention that I am in a Accelerated BSN program, where the courses are jam packed into 15 months. I also feel so overwhelmed. I've been having anxiety and anxiety attacks. I was prescribed antidepressant today. Here is the best part. The courses are online. The only time we show up physically is at Lab on saturday and Clinical on sundays. Oh and an exam every wednesday at the main campus.

ptrang1987 · Feb 27, 2015

I would definitely recommend changing careers. I believe you have to have a real passion for nursing because it can be so testing at times. Don't be upset about changing, it's better that you find your nitch now then go all the way through nursing school to become an RN and absolutely hate your life. Also, I don't know how far you want to go in schooling, but there are always other avenues you can pursue through nursing. You can specialize or seek employment in other areas other than the floor. Goodluck to you!

thanks, I did have a passion for nursing, but I think i'm letting all the workload get to me. Our program is ONLINE and is packed into 15 months.

sugarwahine10 · Feb 27, 2015

Do something else NOW!! If you don't like it now, it will be tenfold worse when you actually become a nurse. You are only given a "taste" of being a nurse in clinicals--almost coddled, so if you think it's stressful and bad now...Go for plan C and if you as you put don't have that plan yet, then find one. You are young enough to do anything you want and should try to do that now, instead of wasting 2+ years to do something you already know you don't like. To be honest if I had really known what nursing was like as a whole than I would have gone into another field. You will find something you like and more enjoyable to do! Good luck!

heidihouse · Feb 27, 2015

Why not go back to Pharmacy? Try pursuing what you really wanted in the first place! Is redoing Chem 2 an option? I was intimidated by Chemistry when I first went back to school, but it took just one great professor to set me at ease; now I miss and crave science courses! 27 is so young. Please don't get hung up on your age. Women are always evolving. Many of us are starting new careers well past our 40's ;o Men, too! And, my mom at 89 says that you may have a few careers in your lifetime! Perhaps you can find a quiet place to spend a good amount of time and listen to what is truly within your heart. Best of luck to you. Please update?

kbrn2002, ADN, RN · Feb 27, 2015

thanks, I did have a passion for nursing, but I think i'm letting all the workload get to me. Our program is ONLINE and is packed into 15 months.

Wow! No wonder you are stressed and second guessing yourself! If I am understanding you correctly, you are taking what is normally a 4 year BSN degree and stuffing it into 15 months? Is this a regular BSN or a bridge program? If it's a regular BSN and you have no previous nursing experience that is an insane course load.

gypsy724 · Feb 27, 2015

It is def not too late to change. I started school at the age of 35. You are still young! It is best to make the decision early on rather than put all the work in through the semesters and realize you hate it. You have to love the job to do it. Like you said, nurses have to put up with some s****y stuff. On another note, all jobs have some degree of politics in them. That's unavoidable. Good luck.

QuietRiot · Feb 27, 2015

I did consider taking gen chem 2 again. I'd just feel that I'm too old to finish my Pharmacy Pre-req. Also I failed to mention that I am in a Accelerated BSN program, where the courses are jam packed into 15 months. I also feel so overwhelmed. I've been having anxiety and anxiety attacks. I was prescribed antidepressant today. Here is the best part. The courses are online. The only time we show up physically is at Lab on saturday and Clinical on sundays. Oh and an exam every wednesday at the main campus.

Why do you feel you're too old? Since when is 27 old? Do you realize that you can live 27yrs again...and even after that you can live another 27yrs.

And why are you even worried about age? Either you're gonna be "old" w/o a degree still wishing and hoping or you're gonna be "old" with a degree loving your career and happy.

Red pill or Blue pill

dcwang · Feb 27, 2015

I think you should stick with nursing school. Getting in is competitive and it's only been one semester. There will be many specialties you can go into; nursing is a very broad field. Sometimes life doesn't turn out the way it's supposed to and we do need to go with our backup plan. there are aspects of nursing which you don't like, but if you go into pharmacy school perhaps you will find aspects of pharmacy that you don't like because there is no perfect job. although we are told to do what we love, we still need to consider reality. For example, what if applying to pharmacy school doesn't work out? Pharmacy school is also much longer than nursing school so it's likely you'll have more student loans.Saving for retirement, house, kids, etc.? More loans? If you start a career in your fourties you might not be able to retire at 65. Perhaps a good compromise for you is to find a specialty you would like or at least not hate.

Nursing will be my second career to, it's not my first love but something which I will still be happy studying and pursuing.

One of my mentors who is an NP told me she didn't like nursing school, but once she started working she liked it more. Bf is a doctor and he hated med school, but now he feels happy with his job.

NewLife15 · Feb 28, 2015

Hi all,
I'm new to this page so please go easy on me. I'm starting to think nursing is not for me. I am in my first semester of Nursing school and I am starting to change my mind. After going to the clinical site, I realized how stressful and sh*tty a RN career could be. I hate doing the care plans, some patients are super sweet and nice, while some can be jerks. Just listening to the RN complaints, I notice there are so much politics. I thought I would be more involved with caring for the patient than just care plans. I can not see myself doing this. I admit Nursing was my back up plan after pharmacy school, but I failed Gen Chem 2, so I panicked and decided to go to Nursing school. I fear that I am not cut out to be a RN and I might hurt a patient because of my now lack of interest. I am 27 now. Is it to late for me to change now?

It is NEVER too late to change. What is your backup plan for your backup plan? Respiratory, Occupational and Physical Therapists take a lot of the classes Nurses do. Have you considered Psychology? Go back to Pharmacy school. If you are still interested in health care there are many avenues you can take.

futurenaijaRN, BSN, RN · Feb 28, 2015

Please what school is that, I would love to apply to their program?.

edmia, BSN, RN · Feb 28, 2015

I did consider taking gen chem 2 again. I'd just feel that I'm too old to finish my Pharmacy Pre-req. Also I failed to mention that I am in a Accelerated BSN program, where the courses are jam packed into 15 months. I also feel so overwhelmed. I've been having anxiety and anxiety attacks. I was prescribed antidepressant today. Here is the best part. The courses are online. The only time we show up physically is at Lab on saturday and Clinical on sundays. Oh and an exam every wednesday at the main campus.

Phew! Ok, just relax a bit. You're overwhelmed! If your grades are good. Stick it out -- 15 months will fly.

Make sure your anxiety is under control by talking to your provider about short acting anxiolytics for the 4-6 weeks it takes for the antidepressant to fully kick in (if they haven't already done that).

I know of nursing schools who are doing away with care plans (yay) and as others have pointed out, in real life, you do not spend 5 hours writing one. The last 2 places I've worked at, care plans were incorporated into the EMR and just required a click or two to activate. No biggie.

Nursing homes are hard places to work in, no denying that. Hospitals are hard places to work in. Nursing is hard -- that's the truth. But, it's also a very flexible career with good pay and plenty of options for change. You can't get that from pharmacy.

Good luck. Don't make choices in a panicked state.

Sent from my iPhone -- blame all errors on spellcheck

ptrang1987 · Feb 28, 2015

Wow! No wonder you are stressed and second guessing yourself! If I am understanding you correctly, you are taking what is normally a 4 year BSN degree and stuffing it into 15 months? Is this a regular BSN or a bridge program? If it's a regular BSN and you have no previous nursing experience that is an insane course load.

Yes, everything is crammed up into 15 months instead of 2 years. We get 2 weeks break in between semesters. We did our pre reqs before we applied. This thing is rigorous and stressful.