Is nursing a bad career choice if I'm shy?

[Octopi]

I'm 21 years old and I've been working at a local movie theatre for the past 3 years. I figured I should finally go back to school and I think nursing might be an option. Only problem is, I'm really shy. I'm bad at small talk and interviews. When I get really nervous, I stammer/stutter a lot. Would this be a problem if I were ever to become a nurse?

[FedupLPN]

You'll have to get out of that. You have to do patient teaching, admissions, talk with the family....sometimes patients need someone just to talk to. Being shy isn't a option. I use to be shy too, but then I snapped out of it....now I make my presence known.....lol

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

i've been shy my whole life -- been a nurse most of it, too. as you develop confidence in your skills and your assessments, you'll get over some of your shyness -- at least, i did. i decided i'd act like a competent professional whether i felt like one or not, and gradually it became less and less of an act. you make small talk with patients to assess their orientation, coping skills and knowledge about their illness and recovery. so it's not just social chitchat, which continues to paralyze me. (thank god my husband is social!) if you cannot conquer the shyness no matter what, there are still areas of nursing where that is not such a handicapp -- or, for one. good luck!

[fairydogmother]

I'm not a nurse, but I am a naturally shy person who has been able to work through it and Ruby Vee is spot on. As you grow confident in your skills and you force yourself out of your comfort zone you'll be surprised at how much easier it gets to talk to people. I am all about the "fake it 'til you make it" mentality. If you act like a confident person and the world perceives you as a confident person, you WILL feel more confident. That's what I did and there are people that are genuinely shocked to find out about how shy I am naturally.

Just keep forcing yourself to interact with people and I assure you, it will come more naturally. You're young and this is the time to work through these issues. Don't let this one thing keep you from doing what you want to do!

Good luck!