I'm having doubts about nursing... :(

[Texasstudent0]

Okay everyone, I am just starting my second semester of nursing school and I just had my first day at orientation on the med-surge floor that I will be at this semester. This is my first semester doing clinicals.. Long story short, I absolutely hated it. But there are several factors that may have affected my experience with it. Because it was orientation we were not set up with computer access so some of us were set up to shadow an RN, and others were set up to shadow a CNA. I got set up to shadow a CNA, I felt so unfulfilled.. We literally changed sheets, and cleaned poop the whole time. I was envious of my other classmates that got the opportunity to shadow nurses. The whole day I kept thinking to myself, am I really busting my a** in nursing school for this? It was extremely disheartening and discouraging. I went home almost in tears. Now let me back up and acknowledge the fact, that YES I WAS WITH A CNA, and I am sure it is much better actually shadowing a nurse. I was able to pop in and tag along with other classmates, but even then it was kind of boring. I know I should probably give it another chance but it was not a good first impression at all by any means.

I guess I just thought it would be more exciting... I would be able to use more of my nursing skills. I just don't know if I will ever like the med-surge floor.

[MinneNurse, BSN, RN]

Each day/clinical experience will bring something new, no two days will be the same. Some days will be amazing and you will learn and see new things and some days will be terrible and overwhelming and stressful. This doesn't change when you become a nurse. I have had shifts that made me question if I was right for nursing and I've also had shifts that have reinforced why I love nursing and made me so thankful I became a nurse. When it comes to those bad days, you just have to brush it off and keep moving forward.

But I have to agree with other posters and say I think your expectations are in the wrong place. Your only expectations everyday should be to 1. do your best to care for your patients and 2. learn something new. Even if you spent the whole day "changing sheets and cleaning poop" you can still learn something - like how to interact with patients and prioritize cares.

I will also say in nursing school, most of my clinical days were boring. Besides the few times I shadowed in specialty environments like the OR, ED, PACU, and ICU, I spent most of my time walking around seeing if anyone needed help since I only had my 1 patient to care for.. Clinical is a great experience to understand acute care nursing, but in many ways it does not prepare you at all for what it is actually like to work as a RN.

I don't think anyone is trying to grill you, its just that your days in nursing probably won't be anything magical and if you're already thinking its time to throw in the towel then maybe this isn't the right career path for you. Nursing is difficult and stressful both physically and mentally - it is also very rewarding - but not everyday will bring rewards. I think it is also worth mentioning that every specialty is different and so is every hospital, you can go to 2 different med/surg floors at different hospitals and the environment may be totally different.

I hope your next clinical experience is better and I wish you the best of luck!

[TriciaJ, RN]

That creates quite a vivid and unpleasant picture. I hope you were able to recover, psychologically. I'm not sure I would have had the strength!

Thanks for the laugh. If only that was the last thing that ever tested my strength. The jury's still out on my psychological recovery.

[matcha-cat]

Your post might be a better fit in the "Students" section. Maybe you'd get more of the types of responses that you're expecting there?

To me, it just sounds like a bunch of petty, dramatic whining followed by fake "outrage" at being misunderstood.

D*mn. People on this forum are harsh. Who cares if it's whiney? It's okay to be whiney at times. She already acknowledged that it was just her first day, and she was just venting. Because everybody always has the perfect attitude towards a frustrating event, 100% of the time. Apparently not.

This site can be incredibly helpful and there are a lot of great people on here, but sometimes there are users who are quick to be rude or sarcastic, and then attack users when they dish the attitude back, ironically.

[Sour Lemon]

D*mn. People on this forum are harsh. Who cares if it's whiney? It's okay to be whiney at times. She already acknowledged that it was just her first day, and she was just venting.

This site can be incredibly helpful and there are a lot of great people on here, but sometimes there are users who are quick to be rude or sarcastic, and then attack users when they dish the attitude back, ironically.

I thought my first answer was actually helpful ...but after the response I got back, I no longer cared about being nice, only honest.

[matcha-cat]

I thought my first answer was actually helpful ...but after the response I got back, I no longer cared about being nice, only honest.

I think your first comment was helpful, as well, but it was not your comment I was strictly referring to. OP instantly got attacked for venting. She's a student, for crying out loud. I've done things and have started jobs with higher expectations and was disappointed, and yes, I had an attitude about it, but I realized what the issue was and I changed my attitude to accept it and learn as much as I could from it. OP quickly threw this in and admitted to it, and then other people attacked her for being whiney. THAT'S where the problem is.

[Sour Lemon]

I think your first comment was helpful, as well, but it was not your comment I was strictly referring to. OP instantly got attacked for venting. She's a student, for crying out loud. I've done things and have started jobs with higher expectations and was disappointed, and yes, I had an attitude about it, but I realized what the issue was and I changed my attitude to accept it and learn as much as I could from it. OP quickly threw this in and admitted to it, and then other people attacked her for being whiney. THAT'S where the problem is.

I'm the one who initially said she was being whiny ...and she was. It was not an "attack", just the truth. If she's a student, then now's the time to learn. We are the people she'll be working with when she graduates.

[matcha-cat]

I'm the one who initially said she was being whiny ...and she was. It was not an "attack", just the truth. If she's a student, then now's the time to learn. We are the people she'll be working with when she graduates.

This quote is the one that stuck out to me:

"To me, it just sounds like a bunch of petty, dramatic whining followed by fake 'outrage' at being misunderstood."

I just think it was an over-the-top and offensive statement. I realize that it's whiney, but at the same time, it's okay to whine every now and then. It was her first day in clinicals and yeah, wiping up poop isn't what you'd imagine to be doing in nursing school. I'm waiting to take my test to be certified as an NA because I want to gain more patient-experience and because I think it would be good for me to learn this aspect of care. During my clinicals, I didn't think the work was "for me" so again, I can't really blame OP for venting.

That's all it was, was a vent. Helpful criticism is great, but some of the feedback was an attack from the start.

[Sour Lemon]

This quote is the one that stuck out to me:

"To me, it just sounds like a bunch of petty, dramatic whining followed by fake 'outrage' at being misunderstood."

I just think it was an over-the-top and offensive statement. I realize that it's whiney, but at the same time, it's okay to whine every now and then. It was her first day in clinicals and yeah, wiping up poop isn't what you'd imagine to be doing in nursing school. I'm waiting to take my test to be certified as an NA because I want to gain more patient-experience and because I think it would be good for me to learn this aspect of care. During my clinicals, I didn't think the work was "for me" so again, I can't really blame OP for venting.

That's all it was, was a vent. Helpful criticism is great, but some of the feedback was an attack from the start.

I think she's offensive. You think I'm offensive. Someone will probably come along and think that you're offensive, next. You should hide.

But seriously, you and the OP have dramatically different attitudes. It's not just the whining. If I were to "criticize" you constructively, I would probably choose less "harsh" words.

[matcha-cat]

I think she's offensive. You think I'm offensive. Someone will probably come along and think that you're offensive, next. You should hide.

But seriously, you and the OP have dramatically different attitudes. It's not just the whining. If I were to "criticize" you constructively, I would probably choose less "harsh" words.

Yeah, that's true, but there are posts that are clearly meant to be spiteful or mocking, and at times, when the recipient hadn't come to argue but instead to discuss an issue or vent, like in this case. When is that appropriate?

I also realize, that at times there are users who get nasty with users because they simply don't want people to disagree with them and obviously that's not excusable. But then I question why people would continue to "bicker" with this person, continuously, when it's obvious that they just won't agree with you, and then act pompous, as if they're better, despite stooping to their level and having a petty, meaningless argument. There was an argument on this website recently, where there were several pages worth of comments attacking a user (and he was attacking back, admittedly) but people kept fighting with the OP even though his comments clearly were absurd and held no truth.

The people who kept fighting with the user I've also seen be quick to jump on others for their "behavior".

[Sour Lemon]

Yeah, that's true, but there are posts that are clearly meant to be spiteful or mocking, and at times, when the recipient hadn't come to argue but instead to discuss an issue or vent, like in this case. When is that appropriate?

I also realize, that at times there are users who get nasty with users because they simply don't want people to disagree with them and obviously that's not excusable. But then I question why people would continue to "bicker" with this person, continuously, when it's obvious that they just won't agree with you, and then act pompous, as if they're better, despite stooping to their level and having a petty, meaningless argument. There was an argument on this website recently, where there were several pages worth of comments attacking a user (and he was attacking back, admittedly) but people kept fighting with the OP even though his comments clearly were absurd and held no truth.

The people who kept fighting with the user I've also seen be quick to jump on others for their "behavior".

You might be taking things more seriously than I do. I never worry too much about what happens on the internet. It's just the internet ....entertainment- not my real life.

I'm pretty sure I know which thread you're talking about, and I'm pretty sure that most of the people on it enjoyed the debate ...or like you said, there would be "no point to the meaningless arguing". I've never felt the need to save anybody or be saved. We all have the power to log ourselves off.

[matcha-cat]

You might be taking things more seriously than I do. I never worry too much about what happens on the internet. It's just the internet ....entertainment- not my real life.

I'm pretty sure I know which thread you're talking about, and I'm pretty sure that most of the people on it enjoyed the debate ...or like you said, there would be "no point to the meaningless arguing". I've never felt the need to save anybody or be saved. We all have the power to log ourselves off.

We do, yes, but the point is is that people generally come to this website to seek advice or at least understanding, and I believe that's the why forum exists, yes? So mocking comments (to me, at least) seem irrelevant.

I know I am probably taking the situation seriously, but that's because it's frustrating to see experienced members on this website act so rude, completely without warrant. I've been a member on this website for a few months now, lurking around on threads, and countless times I've seen a user with good intentions (and even attitude) get attacked or at least mocked and it ends with them saying they're done with the thread, despite trying to explain themselves and stay neutral. Oh, and then if they get on the offense after being ridiculed, they then proceed to get attacked and told they need a better attitude and that nursing isn't for them. On top of it all, a lot of times when one user starts mocking the OP, several other users join in and gang up on the OP. It becomes more than simply attacking an argument.

So yes, I suppose I do take the situation more seriously because it is frustrating to see these "enlightened" users hypocritically attacking people who came on this website for help. Yes, that person can just turn off their monitor or not visit this website, but that defeats the purpose of the forum.

And again, I'm talking about people who are nasty to others when it wasn't at all necessary. Someone will post a thread and the first comment that is thrown out is snarky (mocking) in nature.

[jennylee321]

I think one reason why the OP got these reactions is because the title "I'm having doubts about nursing...". It kind of makes it all sound a bit dramatic. People on here often write "VENT" in the beginning of their post or the in title to warn the rest of us. It's a placement, we all had placements we didn't like but to say that she hated it and almost be in tears is a bit over the top, especially on the first day. Nursing is a job, sorry that it's not a thrilling adventure every day. it's only the second semester of nursing school, be grateful that you have a med surg placement. Some people in my class didn't get a hospital placement until 4th year!! In our second semester we had a nursing home placement and didn't get to be buddied with a nurse at all the whole time. We got buddied with CNAs and learned the basics, and then each of us got one day where we got to give one patient their meds in the morning with our clinical instructor supervising us. I learned how to do toileting, transfers, feeding, bathing. Nursing home patients also have multiple medical problems so I would look up all their diagnoses and meds to make my care plans. When I moved on to my next placement which was cardiac, I was already familiar with a lot of the meds these patients would be on. I tried to take whatever I could out of each placement even if I didn't want to work in that area. Especially because the job market wasn't great and even though I wanted to do NICU, I had no guarantee that a NICU job would come up.

Lastly, it really bothers me when someone feels like a poster on here is rude or snarky to them and immediately snaps back with saying that that person must not be a good or compassionate nurse. Many of us are very kind and compassionate to our patients, it's the job. Doesn't mean we have to agree with and coddle every person who posts on the forum.