I remember when I received my acceptance letter to RN school; it was one of the best moments of my life. After completing a few months of my first semester, I feel as if I don't belong in nursing. I barely pass my exams with a 75-77 range, I have no motivation to learn or study, and I just come home feeling extremely tired.
Not only so, but when I started clinical, I had a lot of trouble communicating with my patient. I am a shy person, and felt intimidated many times. I was really bad.. that I just had trouble asking other nurses for help, or completing a full head to toe assessment. Not only so, but I tend to feel uncomfortable even in nursing school, and with my instructors due to my social anxiety. I blank out, stutter, and often feel lonely. I sometimes wish that I didn't have to deal with all the "communication and clinical skills". I would love doing research instead, and be working independently.
As for now, I feel "stuck" in nursing, and I don't know what I am going to do once I start working. I'm just afraid that I will hate my job.. ? Yet, I can't quit NS school because my parents and family have supported me all along; and because it literally took me 3 tough years of dedication to get in here.
before you quit after years or hardwork, understand this. with a nursing degree, you have countless fields you can enter into. it doesnt have to be a hospital necessarily.
there is research nursing, and lots of positions where nurses can be more independent than what you are use to now.
look into all the different specialities, there is more than 1 way to fully utilize your degree.
you chose this for a reason, and its suppose to be tough, its suppose to be hard., dont give up now.look at why you became or decided to go into nursing in the first place. the first semester from what i heard is suppose to test you and push you to your limits and single out the weak students.
if you want, finish up, so at least you will have that to fall back on if all else fails and give it a chance, you never know what you might find.
but keep in mind, it is going to be tougher. it all depends on what you want a the end of the day. do what is best for you.
and according to this, there are 104 different specialities lol
I remember when I received my acceptance letter to RN school; it was one of the best moments of my life. After completing a few months of my first semester, I feel as if I don't belong in nursing. I barely pass my exams with a 75-77 range, I have no motivation to learn or study, and I just come home feeling extremely tired.
I would love doing research instead, and be working independently.
As for now, I feel "stuck" in nursing, and I don't know what I am going to do once I start working. I'm just afraid that I will hate my job.. ? Yet, I can't quit NS school because my parents and family have supported me all along; and because it literally took me 3 tough years of dedication to get in here.
I know the feeling. Tried research and there my PhD professor was always stressed about funding for her work. While for me, I felt justified to not incur any more big debts toward a degree that costs over six figures, I feel a nursing education is quick and "cheap" compared to other healthcare careers. I don't like giving these advice but perhaps, you could earn the degree and then see your niche that could very well be as a researcher say in Geriatrics.
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
While it is more difficult for a shy, introverted person to succeed in nursing, it isn't impossible. And some of us introverts love our jobs! If the problem is test taking, there are ways around that, and if the problem is that you're shy and cannot easily converse with your patients, there are tricks to address that. But if you really don't want to be a nurse, that's OK, too. Nursing isn't for everyone.
There are jobs in nursing that are easier for an introvert than others -- research might be right up your alley. The thing is, though, that you have to make it through nursing school and usually put in a few years at the bedside before you would qualify for a job like that. If you decide to continue with nursing, keep that in mind.
Finally, if your parents are paying for your education and you really don't want to be a nurse, you may have to pay for your own education if you decide to pursue, say, accounting as a major. Believe me, it's worth it to pay your own way rather than be stuck in a profession that you hate.
You have many of the symptoms of clinical depression. What are you doing to fix that? Even depressed people have a will and they can choose to try and get out of their funk or wallow in it.
Depressed people do not process information well and I'm not surprised you're scraping along academically. You are chronically tired. It appears the world outside of you has nothing attractive about it, no colors, nothing to look forward to. One day is like another.
OP: Probably 3/4 of your nursing faculty take antidepressants. Works. Get some help.
Then and only then can you work on your communication and shyness. You have trouble communicating with people because you can't read them. Depressed people only feel their own pain. They struggle to deal with that. They can't pick up nuances from others.
Depressed people make lousy life choices. Don't make a decision to quit school until you're under adequate treatment.
I'm very familiar with the symptoms for a reason and it's not because I'm a psych nurse.
Nursing isn't for everyone, but thankfully there are MANY other areas of healthcare.
1) let your instructor/advisor know that you are going to email about concerns you have. You express yourself well via writing-use it to express your concerns and ask for a meeting after.
2) since you already have time and knowledge invested in science courses (if you are in an RN program) maybe consider transferring to medical lab science. There are jobs there as well and the social interaction is different.
Do not waste time or money in this program if you do not want to be a nurse. Ultimately, you live with your decision. You have to sit down and seriously think of what you like and do not like about nursing (make a chart) and weigh them against eachother. Speak to an advisor or career counselor to try to find your calling. Nursing is a career that many people just fall into because they hear its a good job or makes a lot of money, but it is not your fault that you have sort of swayed from that. Just seriously sit down and think about what you would LOVE to do. This is your future, your career, your life. You have control. Do not stay in nursing because you feel there is nothing else for you. Find what you love, and pursue that.
Just seriously sit down and think about what you would LOVE to do. This is your future, your career, your life. You have control. Do not stay in nursing because you feel there is nothing else for you. Find what you love, and pursue that.
I'm in a slightly different situation and I appreciate your advice. Certainly, I would have applied to nursing even a couple years ago if it were my passion. My question is, what if what one "LOVES" to do is just not practical?
That said, I've been looking at my old interest in engineering again. The lost income mired in indecision has caused me stress of late. I sent my nursing application, yet I've begun to think about turning down a possible acceptance of an associate program with hundreds of applicants vying for 70 spots or so. I feel a little guilt as for some people, nursing is their dream career. I've been turned off because it seems the nurse is not treated as a professional but a servant. Lots of horror stories on this site for every positive ones. I value respect and competitive pay for my intellect and skills I'll learn in nursing school. Perhaps, I'll find that more in engineering. (One volunteer coordinator feared the same for me and never replied upon finding of my nursing plans). It's crazy, yet, I know this volunteer meant well.
Thanks for everyone that replied! :) I ended up "fighting" it, and just finished my first semester. Nursing School has changed me in so many ways, but it has made me a stronger person! :) I now know the consequences of staying unorganized and getting little sleep.. haha I plan to adapt new habits next semester.
I amglad you have found your way. All good things do not come easy. The importantthing is that you have found what did not work for you and is still determinedto make it right. Best of luck on continuing your path!!
Thanks for everyone that replied! ? I ended up "fighting" it, and just finished my first semester. Nursing School has changed me in so many ways, but it has made me a stronger person! ? I now know the consequences of staying unorganized and getting little sleep.. haha I plan to adapt new habits next semester.
YAY!! I was just about to add a comment. Have you youtubed nursing videos? Empowern has one about being an introvert nurse. Even as an extrovert, I found it really helpful. You may want to check it out. I am so happy for you! Finding a way to stay organized and using time management is a very tricky part. Whenever you start to feel down, think of all the reasons you first wanted to be a nurse. I would suggest writing yourself a letter when you are feeling really excited about nursing. Let as much emotion as you can pour onto the page. Then, when you start to question things again, read that letter. It may help get you excited again ? Good luck with the rest of your school!!
First, how far along are you? A full head to toe assessment doesn't come naturally. It comes with practice. I don't think that students truly become proficient at it till they are doing it several times a week in a job. Even then, the job is usually specialized to some degree. Like a med-surg floor may be specialized into an ortho floor.
If I were you, I would try to dedicate two to three hours practicing a head to toe assessment on family/friends/mannequins. Also, only if you want to further your education does grades matter. To be honest, in about half of my classes I was a C student. Several students and I played the averages game where we calculated how much we needed to get with the assumption we would get the lowest score possible on the ATI. My school counted the ATI for 10% of your grades, the excellent level was 95%, the level 2 was 85%, and the other level was 75%, and below that was a 65%. So with a 77% passing, it kind of was hard however sometimes it brought relief.
Also, you may not master skills. Yesterday was the first day I stuck an NG in. I've done an OG but not an NG.
Also, I stutter. It's not as bad as it could be but I speak awkwardly and cannot pronounce words sometimes especially when I am tired. Diverticulitis? I need to write that would out in front of me.
I personally think it does get easier the more proficient you become. If you can find a great preceptor and a great group of coworkers, you can excel. I will say that I quit my hospital job after four months because I hated my coworkers. A handful were okay but I realized that hey, I am not going to become a ****** person like they are. My former ED people agreed. Before I even went upstairs, a nurse told me not to become like them because I was too good of a person. The ED staff wants me back though.
I am glad that you fought it through!
Also, a small tip. Try to smile if you have a patient that is conscious and never talk about bad stuff like "I'm so stressed" or "I twisted my ankle so it hurts to walk but I can't call off" or "I hate this weather." I saw that more in the ambulance field and it was like, "really so and so? That person is laying on a stretcher because they are hooked up to o2 they cannot regulate themselves and have to go to dialysis and you want to tell them that your day sucks because you haven't gotten to eat lunch yet..." It's fine to talk about their conditions etc... Because I smile a lot, a lot of patients open up to that if they can. However, I can switch it off as sometimes it is inappropriate. Overall though, people do like it when others smile.
windsurfer8, BSN, RN
1,389 Posts
If you hate it and have no interest then quit and do something else. Or not. It is up to you.