Is it normal to feel this way?

[Saturnalia]

I feel like quitting nursing school every day. I went into nursing because I wanted to make decent money and because I wanted to impress my husband (who at the time, I was separated from and thought that if I could get my life together and do something awesome, that he would love me). We got back together and now I realize that he just wants me to be happy, but here I am in nursing school still. I don't know why I am still in. I truly hate it. I have many anxiety disorders and a heart problem that acts up upon stress, so I spend much of my time suffering physically as well as mentally, because I can't stop beating myself up. I have class on Wednesday and Thursday...I have started dreading those days, as well as being miserable the rest of the week because I know those days are coming. I thought maybe it this was all just a phase and that it would pass, but I have felt this way, everyday, for 2 months now. I know, that's not a long time. I don't know if I'm just super nervous about clinicals and all of that, or if I truly, truly hate it as much as I think I do. I think nursing is a beautiful profession/art. I just think that it would cause me too much stress in life. Living with my anxiety disorders is hard. I am not just talking about being nervous, I have been diagnosed with OCD, GAD, Social Anxiety Disorder, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I know it's all about fighting your demons, but I do that everyday, anyway. I just wish I could live a peaceful life and not have to fight insane amounts of stress that never goes away. It's not like the fear of something that gets better with exposure therapy. It just doesn't work that way.

I don't know what I'm getting at here, I guess I just want some feedback.

[PuppyLuv1978]

It sounds to me like you went into nursing for the wrong reasons, just MHO.

Maybe you need to look at what you really want out of life and a career, sit down and maybe make a list, and see if nursing really fits into that plan.

[Valerie Salva, BSN, RN]

Sounds to me like you already know nursing is not for you.

Nursing can be overwhelmingly stressful at times.

I think maybe you should change your major.

[Purple_Scrubs, BSN, RN]

I think there are many good nurses who hated nursing school. But, everyone is an individual and only you can decide if nursing is truly for you. Is it possible to take a semester off and reflect on it? Maybe do some work/volunteer in a hospital setting and see how it fits? What other career paths appeal to you, and have you explored them through work or volunteering? You might just find out that nursing is the career that you dreamed of, but you also might find out that it is not. If that is the case, it is better to learn it earlier than later!

[VM85]

You are questioning yourself, but you are also tryin to convinve yourself to stay. I think right now is the time to really sit back and assess whether or not you want to be doing this. I personally am also beginning to hate NS BUT i want to become a nurse- and i know i wont hate that. You will not succeed and if you do you will be miserable and it will be just a big waste of time if you arent doing this for yourself.... but like you i have reasons and doubts that thsi will all pass and if it doesnt, well then i will just be doubting myself for the next 4 months until i graduate. DO WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY-

[yelloobee]

I think you said it yourself, you went into nursing just to impress your husband. and the word "HATE" is very strong to describe how you feel about NS..I think now, forcing yourself to do something that you don't want to do, just makes reaching and finding happiness harder. I suppose now the best thing to do is sit down and really think of what you want or what will make you happy. (and not HATE) If you aren't Happy, then your actions will eventually speak for how you you feel inside.

But Nursing School is challenging, and I decided to study abroad. I had culture shock and homesickness from the start.. 2 years later I took a year off from it, for health reasons, but that break was the best thing that happened to me. I came back stronger and more determined to finish and now Im only 2 months away from graduation!

I always tell myself, to go confidently in the direction of my dreams. So maybe you have something else out there thats meant for you... :) Good Luck!

[waitingforthedream]

People need to go into nursing for the right reason: The Patients! People who do it for the money burn out quick. If you do not think nursing is for you, did you consider other place in the medical field that make good money. Examples: Radiology tech, dental hygentist, and multiple other things. Go where your heart tells you to go, it will never steer you wrong. Good Luck in what ever you do. And by the way, I too hated nursing school, but I LOVE being a nurse. School is very stressful, but nursing is more so.

[chevyv, BSN, RN]

If you hate it now, it will only get worse, much worse once you become a nurse. Do something you'll like (love if possible). You'll be much happier! Good luck to you

[sunray12]

I wouldn't stay in a program just to impress someone else - that's the bottom line. It also wouldn't be normal to me to feel like quitting something everyday and still stay in it. If you are stressed but still looking forward to a career as a nurse - that's one thing. It's normal to feel stress in school sometimes. But if you hate it all the time and can't see yourself as a nurse at all then as chevyv says it probably is not going to get better and maybe you should start looking into something that will suit you better.

[truern]

First of all, I wouldn't do *anything* to impress a man, but that's just me.

Examine your heart....if you REALLY hate nursing school does that mean you'd really hate nursing as well?? Only you know the answer.

Life is too damned short to do something you hate!

[benegesserit]

Most of my classmates who I've talked to have questioned whether or not they want to continue (myself included). I think that's a normal reaction to a stressful situation, especially in a field like nursing that is prone to romanticized notions and people don't really have a good idea of what they're getting into before they start.

Your physical health is, of course, an important consideration. Nursing school is mentally and physically stressful. I'm pretty sure care plans were designed to ensure we go into clinicals suffering from sleep deprivation.

It sounds like you haven't started clinicals yet. Unless you're absolutely 100% sure you don't want to do nursing (or have immediate concern for your health), you should really give clinicals a go for at least a few weeks before making a decision. I think that will give you a much better idea of whether you will like nursing as a career than the theory portion of nursing school.

If you still hate it, and can't see yourself enjoying the role of a nurse (keeping in mind that nurses work in contexts other than a hospital, too), there's no shame in admitting that and quitting. Just make sure you're giving it a fair chance first.

[missjennmb]

I agree that stress and feeling pushed into things can make you feel as though you hate them, especially with all of what you are dealing with personally. I would STRONGLY suggest first and formost that you talk with your psychiatrist/physician/whoever and get on some meds that make your life more manageable.

Stress makes it so that we cant see the forest for the trees sometimes, and I have to be honest... I'm there. But I always have to step back and tell myself that I will get through it. Its just one more day, one more exam, one more clinical.

Students from last year's LPN class went on to be school nurses, giving meds to school kids, putting bandaids on scraped knees, taking temperatures and calling parents. Great hours, great patients if you like kids, and lots of flexibility and benefits. Some students went on to work in psych helping troubled kids from broken homes get some sense of their lives and climb out of the cesspool their parents birthed them into. Some students went on to work at small town hospitals making great pay with low caseloads and a laid back non-critical patient load. Some hand out meds and patch up inmates at the local prison.

There are SO many things that you can do. Even if you don't like any of the things I mention, you could go on to so many other things. If you dont like it, fine. Get something else after you finish. Your nursing degree is never going to be a waste, even if you do something barely related. My hospital recently advertised an IT tech support position paying very well, to help support the computer based charting that we use. Their only requirement other than knowing some coding ect? Have your LPN or RN.

So many avenues. DOn't give up. Take a break AFTER you graduate and explore your options. If your man is truly supportive, he will give you time to find your niche. Everyone has one. Clearly being a student just is not yours :)