I don't want to be a nurse!!

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My parents are coercing me to majoring in nursing. I am currently a high school senior. I really do not want to be a nurse but of course my parents want to be a nurse because of the pay, job security. If I do have to be a nurse I'd want to be an informatics nurse but I heard you need experience in the ICU first. Ugh I am really going to hate my life for the first few years after college. I would much rather be an accountant or biomed engineer but nooo only nursing field has jobs available according to my parents. It's completely unfair. What can I do to cope? Has anyone else been in a similar situation and how did things turn out for you? What other options are there for new grad nurses?

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

Well, depending on where you live/plan towork, there aren't a lot of open positions compared to the new grads looking for work. Also, once you are 18, you are legally allowed to make all of your own decisions. That means they can't "coerce" you to major in something in college. You need to be assertive and not let your parents make your decisions for you. If that means you're on your own financially for college, so be it. You will only hate your life after college if you allow yourself to be a puppet.

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Specializes in Hospice and Palliative Care.

OP, that sounds like a tough situation, and I'm sorry you feel bullied into the nursing profession. I encourage you to to seek a career you would really love. Nursing is not the type of profession to get into if your heart isn't in it. I could give you many reasons why, if it would help your parents understand (unless they're nurses, in which case...)... There also isn't any guarantee of job security. Even many top students are having difficulty locating a job right out of nursing school. With all due respect to your parents, it might be a good idea to sit down with them and discuss your plans seriously. Maybe you could go to them with a plan of action in how you intend to succeed in your major of choice. Nursing pay & job availability vary greatly on location, level of experience, etc. and as I mentioned, really not meant to excel in if your heart isn't really in it. Life isn't all about job security, anyway! :) Best of luck to you, and please feel free to reach out if you want to talk more about it.

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Specializes in ICU.

OP, is this your life oh your parents life? It's yours. You are very close to being an adult and don't let your parents try to decide your life. Helicopter parenting at its absolute worst.

Tell your parents you respect their point of view, but this is your decision. You are so young and have your whole life ahead of you. Do what you want.

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There are a lot of opportunities available to new grads, but if you really don't want to be a nurse, choose a major that has a high ROI and be prepared to defend your choice with numbers. Your parents are right, but being an engineer is a great job. It's not like you want to major in underwater basket weaving.

As for new grad positions, people from my class went directly to the OR, ER, ICU, cardiac unit, med-surg, nursing homes, laser hair removal, doctor's clinics, pediatric home health, and other places. Nursing is a field with diverse opportunities.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

It's hard to imagine as a teenager but once you are out of the house your parents have zero choice in what you do with your life. Now if they are going to be paying for college that is another story and they don't have to do this. If that's the case I would do some research in what you would like to major in and show your parents that it is a viable career choice. If they are not then don't argue with them and apply to the degree that you want to get.

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Don't do it. I went into nursing get voluntarily and some days hate it. But I do like it. If you hate being a nurse it will reflect on your work and the care to your patient to and you might even end up losing your job because not being competent or engaged enough. It takes willing to learn and you'll learn most of everything at the hospital when you graduate.

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Specializes in Pedi.

Declare whatever major you want in college. Don't tell your parents. Problem solved.

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Tell your parents to back off. End of story.

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Specializes in Emergency/Trauma/LDRP/Ortho ASC.

Are you feeling forced because they will be supporting you financially during college?

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You can show your parents job listings for the career your want (search Indeed.com), and explain that many hospitals hire within.

For example, accountant listings in New York, NY have 2,200 job listings. There are 2,900 listings for a registered nurse for the same location. That's not a huge difference.

And biomedical engineering is one of the "in" careers now. Just google "bio-medical engineering on the rise" or something to show your parents articles about it. You can even look at college sites you possibly will be attending for the career info and statistics, some have "what can you do with this degree" info.

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Get your parents registered on this board. Let them see for themselves.

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