I'm seriously starting to doubt that nursing is right for me!

[llaura]

Background Info: i am 14 and in my first year of HS. My mom is an RN and i am an aspiring RN too. I plan to go to Georgia Southern University and get my BSN. And i wanted to become a Pediatric Oncology Nurse, a Pediatric Nurse or a NICU Nurse.

The thing is, i saw one of my mom's old medical books sitting on the floor. I thought "Cool, nursing stuff! I can handle this" so i opened the book. I started screaming and i almost threw up! There was a picture of some kid with a genetic abnormality and another kid with some gross rash all over his body including his genitals!!! I literally almost passes out and i have been feeling sick for almost 2 weeks.

Is nursing right for me if i couldn't even stand looking at these images?

[Kelliqua]

When I was in 7th grade my Mom took my brother, my sister, and me to a clinic to get a TB test. We were new to the school district and I guess it was a requirement before we enrolled. Well, for some reason I looked at the nurse stick the needle in my brother before it was my turn. I freaked out so I looked away when it was my turn but I was still replaying it in my mind. When we were walking out of the clinic I was so grossed out that I got tunnel vision and fainted on the sidewalk. Talk about dramatic! Lol. But I did graduate nursing school and did clinicals with no problems at all! I guess you just get over it after a while. Try to take an anatomy class where they dissect an animal (ie pig or cat), that may help! Don't give up! If nursing is what you want to do, then don't let anything get in your way!

[Dalzac, LPN, LVN, RN]

When I was your age, I wanted to be an english teacher so bad! I had even picked out the university I was going to go to. Then my senior year I was a candystriper volunteer. I did that until I graduated high school. I loved being in the hospital. I was fasinated by the nurses and what they did. All my great aunts and Grandmother were all teachers and were so disappointed when I told them I wasn't going to be a teacher. My mother even laughed, telling me I would pass out the minute I saw blood. I even loved nursing school. I was a nurse for 38 years and had to retire due to medical issues I miss it more than anything in the world.

So give it time you will change your mind at least a 100 times before you decide on anything.

[SchoolNurseLaura]

HAHA...well...as I have experienced so far, most of those books show pictures of the worst situation. Have you tried volunteering in a nursing home or hospital? Sometimes you are able to get a little bit of a taste for what you might see...some things make me queezy too...like debridement of a pressure ulcer...eghhhh...however lots of times in the nursing situations, you get soo preoccupied with other things, that you dont even care. You realize you are there for the person, there to take care of the sick...I used to think the same thing, and think O-MY I'll never be able to learn all this...and look...im now an BSN-RN working as a school nurse with VERY VERY special ed children, and at the county nursing home... Also, keep in mind, there are sooo many options with nursing, that you may not even have to worry about ever seeing those kinds of things...give it a try, explore the nursing field...and remember you stilll have a LONG time!!!! Noo need to rush into things...GOOD LUCK...nursing is a GREAT field to get into!

[cree0165, LPN, LVN]

It's ok. We've all been there. You have time to figure out what you want to do in life and whether nursing is for you. I still get squeamish from time to time (I still gag at boogers and mucus lol). Explore all your interests. Also, just the fact that you are even thinking about becoming a nurse says a lot about you. It takes a special and caring person to be one! I wish you the all the best!

[llaura]

I started nursing school with a girl who was so squeamish, she actually fainted at the sight of blood the first time she saw a blood draw...down on the floor, fainted. She continued through nursing school and continued to be squeamish, but she became a good nurse because she hid it all very well. The patients never knew, and the instructors had no idea either.

I would suggest keep looking at the books, and try to read some of the text that describes what you are looking at. If you continue to be interested, remember that there is nothing you can't handle once you have completed school. Plus, there are jobs that don't include bedside care so if you decide on an office job, you can have something to strive for.

That makes me feel a lot better!

I am not squeamish when it comes to blood, vomit, etc. I am just scared of genetic abnormalities, body rashes, and tubes that come out of the neck.(like trachs) That is basically it. Great info though!