Im losing my interest while waiting for letter

TBird81 · May 31, 2006

Well I am sort of in the same situation. I am currently waiting on hearing if I'm in. Its killing me...but I'm not really looking forward to it either. I believe it is the anticipated stress and family life; like you I am a mother of two. My oldest is 6 and my youngest is 3. So, believe me, I understand!! I hope this is normal...which I think it is, especially when you have family responsibilities.

bpo93 · May 31, 2006

Maybe you should talk to your family about this and hear what their thoughts. Maybe it's just "cold feet" about beginning something that is so overwhelming and time-consuming. Once you begin your program, the time will just fly by, I bet.

bethg5 · May 31, 2006

I think it is completely common to feel the way you are feeling. I am a mother of 3. I have a 12 yr old, 6 yr old and 3 yr old and I constantly wonder if I am doing the right thing. My husband is very supportive, but he works a lot of hours. I stress that I won't be able to give the kids everything that they need. I would never put schooling first, so that is why I double guess my decision. I feel like if I am going to do nursing school then I need to be able to give it a 100% and I worry that I will not be able too. Hopefully I will be able to juggle both and everything will be fine. I guess if it isn't, then nursing school wasn't meant to be right now. Good luck with the route you choose to take. It is a very hard decision to make.

antona · May 31, 2006

I graduated from college with my BSN about four years ago. I had gone back to school with 6 children at home. I was very prayerful before I started, so I knew I was doing the right thing.

Now I am waiting to hear if I've gotten into graduate school. I had a 4.0 in undergrad so I can't think why I wouldn't get in. And I have been prayerful so I know I'm doing the right thing. But I definately am not looking forward to all the hard work, and I also worry that I will be taking time away from my children, especially my youngest. So I definately think your feelings are normal, especially for us moms. But I think it will definately be worth it. Just remember to be prayerful. Good Luck!

KellyERN · May 31, 2006

I just graduated from nursing school this month - my boys are now 14 and 16 and my husband works in law enforcement - somehow I made it and im sure glad i did because i absolutely love nursing - i always tell people - if you can make it thru the pre reqs - you can make it thru nursing school - it really isnt that much harder at all - not to mention it is a whole heck of a lot funner!! - hang in there - you can do it!

SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN · May 31, 2006

I don't think you are the odd ball. I think I am. I am waiting on acceptance for the Spring 2007 session and I cannot wait for the challenge. When I think about all of the hard work I need to do to get through Nursing School I get excited! I admit I am apprehensive about the possibility of mind games some of my instructors may play, but I am still excited about the challenge. :monkeydance:

As for my additional responsibilities, I have two toddlers. I too worry about not giving them the amount of time they need. However, my supportive husband is ACTUALLY SUPPORTIVE.

I think so many people use the word supportive wrong! They describe it to mean the husband will say, "go for it" but not do anything else.

To me being supportive means if I need someone to pick the kids up or watch them when they are sick or distract them when I am studying or clean the house and cook dinner so I can study, my husband will be the one to do it!

I will have clinicals that will require 12 hour hospital shifts. On those days there is NO WAY I can care for the kids. I am depending on my supportive husband to do so.

I suggest that you, and others with similar concerns, speak with your husband about your responsibilities in detail regarding both kids and Nursing School. There is no way you can get through this without real support.

If he is not able to actually support you, then maybe other relatives or friends? I am looking into additional back up. My hubby is on Active Duty so he deploys often (You know when this Administration reports that troops come home, they do not tell you that they go back to Iraq soon after!)

Fortunately, my hubby should be deployment-free before I start 12 hour clinicals due to being a short-timer. In the meantime, I am looking at others to assist me once I start Nursing School. Good luck! :nurse:

Daytonite, BSN, RN · May 31, 2006

You say you are already losing interest in nursing school before even starting and not looking forward to it. I would suggest you call the nursing school and tell them you've reconsidered and decided not to go to nursing school so they can remove your name from their list and allow someone else who wants this career to get their opportunity to do so. I don't hear you saying how much you would love nursing and how it has always been your dream to be a nurse. I get the impression from reading your post that you probably aren't into nursing at all. So, in that case, I'd say don't even get started because if you're concerned about your feelings about it now, it's very unlikely that you are going to find anything about it that will change your mind.

The work can be so incredibly taxing and demanding that if you just don't have the passion within you to give it then it is not a profession for you. There is something about nursing that satisfies a spiritual (and I don't mean religious) need within most of us that remain in the profession that goes way beyond the wages and any aggravation. It's the overwhelming desire to be in service to others and in some way to be a part of helping them to heal.

At your level of maturity you know the limits of what you can tolerate. I don't know why you think you can't turn back now. Are you being forced to go to school? Is pressure being put upon you? That alone would be reason to stop the process.

tgonsalez · May 31, 2006

Hey anon! I could have written your post! I will be starting nursing school in the fall (still waiting on letter, but there's no waiting list where I am and my grades are good). I have a twelve (soon to be thirteen) year old and a ten year old. I also have a supportive husband who is behind me and beside me 100%. My emotions about nursing school go from excitement to dread to paralyzing fear on a daily basis. Nursing school is beginning to consume me and I haven't even started yet! This will be the first time I've admitted this, but part of me hopes that I won't get in. If I don't get in, I can't fail, right? I also know the feeling of not being able to turn back now. I gave up a comfortable desk job making pretty good money to pursue this. I was lucky to have that job and if I don't go through with nursing, I'll probably end up working somewhere for minimum wage. Also, for once in my life, I'd like to finish what I've started. And yes, I'm mentioning it last, but it's certainly not least, I WANT WANT WANT to be a nurse. I just wish I didn't have to go through nursing school to do it. LOL!!!

I've spent the past year getting prereq's done, jumping through all the hoops to get into the program and all the while wondering if it was actually for me. I'm scared to death I won't be able to do it. I even decided not to go forward a couple of times. I'm finally at a place where I've accepted that I have to at least give this a shot (no pun intended). What I've decided for myself, and maybe it can be of some help to you, is to get started in the program and take it from there. For me, it's just a matter of putting one foot in front of the other. I'm not looking forward to not being able to spend as much time with my kids, but you know what? There's summer break, there's spring break, there's Christmas break and finally, there's GRADUATION! I'm holding onto that for dear life!

When reading your post, I didn't hear somebody that didn't want to be a nurse, I heard somebody that didn't want to be a nursing student. I think that's totally understandable with a family. But if you really do want to be a nurse, you owe it to yourself to at least get started.

Sorry to ramble so long. I just really identified with your post and wanted to let you know that you're not alone! Another thing that really helped me was reading a thread on this forum about positive things about nursing school. If you haven't already, check it out!

Take care,

Tracy

1pinkrose · May 31, 2006

:yeahthat:I agree with Daytonite!

If you are bummed about the thought of nursing school then why bother??

If you are not ready to dedicate yourself to learning what is necessary, then don't accept the position into your program. There are thousands of people, just like you who have worked hard to complete their pre-reqs and look forward to being accepted.

It is very frustrating and depressing to sit on a waiting list, only to find out that there are those who get accepted and end up dropping out.

I am sure that someone (where you go to school) would be more than 100% THRILLED to take your place!

You stated, "I can't turn back now." Why not? It doesn't sound like your heart is where it be. Maybe you should take some time off to think about what YOU want. If you heart isn't in it, it won't matter what your GPA is!!!!

KellyERN · May 31, 2006

SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT NURSING SCHOOL FROM SOMEONE WHO JUST GRADUATED..........don't dread nursing school as it is part of being a nurse - you have real patients and real responsibilities - as a student nurse you are able to perform all the duties of an RN as long as you are under the supervision of one. My nursing school experience has been wonderful - i have come so far and learned more than i ever hoped to. I have taken care of hundreds of patients and each one has taught me somthing new and different. I have worked with numerous RN's at multiple hospitals and 99% of them were happy to have me there and generally concerned about my success. My instructors have been patient and more than willing to share all of their past experiences both good and bad. Nursing school has been a big part of my life for the past two years and has played an important part in where i am now. I have no doubt that nursing school prepares you for the real thing and I cant imagine skipping that part of my career. Enter nursing school knowing that this is what you want to do and you can do it. At the end of nursing school, the possibilites are endless. :)

carolinapooh, BSN, RN · May 31, 2006

Here's a different twist: when I tell people "I'll be starting Duke's nursing program in the fall" it's like I'm talking about someone else. People here at work who know I'm leaving the end of this month ask me, "Aren't you EXCITED?!" like they expect me to just explode.

They always look so defeated when I say, "Well, not really; it's not REAL to me yet" - which is the truth!

It's the same feeling I had standing on the pad in formation on the night I arrived at Lackland AFB for basic training....doing the "pick 'em up, put 'em down" routine with our bags that all the TI's put the newbies through...it was like, I'm not here and this is happening to someone else.

So I'm not ambivalent, I'm just - well, sort of "oh well, I start in August".

Although I get really scared when I read nursing magazines and think, OH MY GOD, I have to know ALL THAT.... :uhoh21: