Is there anything I can do with a BSN besides being a nurse?

[whydidipicknursing?]

I am just days away from starting my fourth year of nursing school, and I hate it. I am so STRESSED and unhappy. I love going to my classes and learning about nursing and the human body, but the dread of going to clinical makes my life miserable. I have been severely depressed and even suicidal because I hate nursing school. I saw a therapist for a while and she suggested I should maybe start taking medication, but I don't want to spend my whole life in a career that I can't handle without being medicated.

I have nearly quit nursing school countless times, but I just can't bring myself to take the leap and go a different direction with my career after investing so much time and money into nursing. Whenever I talk to my professors, they tell me I do an excellent job. My grades are at the top of my class, and all of my clinical instructors have been impressed with my work. But I am miserable.

I always thought I wanted to be a nurse because I was interested in the healthcare profession and I wanted to help people. Nursing seemed like a natural choice, and lots of people encouraged me that, "there are so many options in nursing, you'll be sure to find something you love!" But now, with just 9 months till graduation (9 months of stress, anxiety and basically hating my life), I am becoming very skeptical of ever finding an area of nursing that I can even tolerate, much less enjoy.

I'm looking at options of jobs I could go into by getting a masters in something else. And I'm even seriously considering quitting nursing school, even though I've put a lot of time and money into it already, and going back to work on another degree, maybe in biology so I could do field research.

Any thoughts about what kind of careers I might be able to transition into with a nursing degree, or even other careers that might have some overlap in classes?

I just really don't think I can put myself through the stress of that first year of med-surg.

[JenERally]

I'm so sorry you're going through this! No matter which profession you ultimately choose, you've gotta do you first!

Since you're 75% through your BSN, have you considered pursuing your MSN in nursing informatics?

Congrats on your success so far, but please take care of yourself!

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

I went into clinic nursing as a new grad and have done outpatient for the last 21 years. You do not HAVE to do hospital nursing. get your degree and then get thee to outpatient.

[BrandonLPN, LPN]

I agree with the people who told you there are so many different places you could work. Hospitals aren't the only place on the planet where nurses are needed.

And thinking you "have to" work in a hospital as a new grad for xx number of years for experience is bunk, too. I wish nursing instructors would stop spouting this tripe.

Just because the hospital (or perhaps even bedside nursing in general) isnt your cup of tea, that doesn't mean the entire field isn't for you. Nursing is too broad a concept to think that way.

[rearviewmirror, BSN, RN]

You sound like me when I was in nursing school. I almost quit on level 2, but my parents convinced me to see all the way through... well, many things came with being a bedside nurse, depression, anger, hatred towards humanity, a lot of negativity, and I still hate my non-bedside job. I wish I had just switched major to engineering or go to PA school. If you think you won't be a good fit to nursing, you are probably right, and you need lots of bedside experience before you can land these sweet dream jobs that we all sing about, although there is small window of chances for more relaxed jobs as a GN. My suggestion is, don't do it if you know you will hate bedside nursing, or if you want to finish bsn, then you are likely to grind through for few years before you get more desirable jobs for you, that is if you haven't killed your self yet (dark humor eh?). It's your life and your struggle, hope you make good choice.

[AdobeRN]

I hated nursing school and found out real quick during clinicals that working with adult patients was not my thing. I stuck to it and found my spot in the nursing world. Absolutely love my job as a school nurse - love working with kids. I don't make the big bucks like my friends do in the hospital - I do make a decent wage, on the same payscale as teachers in my district - I am happy - I don't stress about getting the schedule I want (did self scheduling in the hospital), worry about days off, taking long vacations in the summer, holiday scheduling etc.

I wish you luck in finding your spot in this career.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

Direct this question to your academic counselor. Realize that 60 % of nurses work in a hospital. You have many other options.

[NurseFifty]

What is it in nursing that you hate? Start with that first.

I say just finish that degree because you are almost done. Work a year of Nursing anyway just to confirm you really hate it. Then take a Masters in a field not in any way connected with Nursing.

[Wrench Party]

Don't get me wrong, nursing school was tolerable, but I'll be ok if I never see the majority of my instructors and fellow students again. EESH. I've never seen such immature, catty behavior from both. What IS it about nursing that turns people with other-wise professional brains into middle school girls sometimes?

That being said, I'd gut through the remainder of your program, and look into other fields besides the hospital. Home health, community health, public health, LTC, psych, outpatient clinic, clinical research may all be willing to take new grads in your area, depending on the need and culture.

You can count me in as another who didn't take the conventional "1 year of med-surg" route, and I'm better for it.

[FurBabyMom, MSN, RN]

There are many options. Others have mentioned options other than hospital based acute care, including outpatient clinics. Maybe you could talk to an adviser (or clinical instructor) about getting a shadow day in a non-bedside setting in outside of (maybe a clinic) or within a hospital (procedure areas - GI procedures, interventional radiology, the OR, etc).

I work in the OR now. It's a lot of "basic" nursing skills applied differently, and the atmosphere is totally different than the floor. One patient at a time, one chart to worry about at a time, several procedures a day (you may take care of 4 patients in a day but not juggling them all at the same time in most instances). These areas can be harder to get into as a new grad but if you work on networking, it's attainable. I'm not saying it's all sunshine and rainbows, but most days I enjoy my work. The staff and physicians I work with have a wonderful work relationship. Some days it's a horrible job, one you wish you could leave and never return to - the patients we can't save or even just being at work all night on call with no break. But then you have an amazing day where you know or feel you made a difference - even just in the life of a coworker.

One of my best friends works in a clinic that is based in our hospital but is totally outpatient. She loves the interaction with patients and their families but doesn't have to deal with situations that are life and death with that much frequency (it's impossible to say as well as improbable that you could work in a clinic and never see a patient who is much to sick for clinic or has an MI). This coworker gets the benefits we get within our system, has a great set of coworkers, etc. Another good friend of mine from nursing school tried floor nursing and hated it. She applied at a pediatrician's office and LOVES it.

I don't know, I'm in the camp that you could just finish the degree and see if you can't find anything within nursing that is a good fit for you. Also - you might find something to do for 5 years and change your mind. There are SO many options in nursing.

[sailornurse]

Many many opportunities! One of my new grad students was hired as tumor board registrar & she is still there. I also worked with a brand new ADN/RN at a methadone clinic. She now works in the OR. Neither of them have ever worked on the hospital floors.

Locally school nurses are required to have BSNs and yes they will hire new grads, another former student was hired here. Other new grads have been hired at: Recovery room/PACU, county jail, out patient surgical center, urgent care, Er, NICU, home health. Just to mention a few.

[Pneumothorax, BSN, RN]

nursing school was hell, everyday. like, i quit school every day i showed up, i verbalized it i made it known. I also had classmates who felt the same way you do right now. But, the most important thing is to get support, and the help you need. Take care of yourself

& you have 9 months to go!!! youre almost there..even if u have to go part time, do what it takes get thru it move on :)

and you def. dont have to work bedside. I work in airmedical transport and only see hospital beds when i drop off and pick up patients. you definitely have other options besides what you see in ur clinical rotations :)