Is nursing the right direction to go?

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Hi all!

This is my first post......I am considering going back to school at the local community college to be an RN. I currently have a Bachelor's in Nutrition, but never became registered as a dietitian simply because I didn't have the interest -- I wanted to get the heck out of school! I worked in the pharmaceutical field for several years and then decided to stay home with my kids. Now that they are almost in school all day, I really feel it's the right time and necessary to obtain tangible credentials in the health care field for job security in the long run (I am 36). Fortunately, I have a strong interest in health care and have tons of compassion for people, therefore, nursing seems to be the smartest choice, right? My question is, I have never had a "calling" to be a nurse. It really never crossed my mind, due to the needles and blood thing (now that I've had kids, I've gotten much better dealing so that shouldn't be a problem)........is nursing something I will fall into and enjoy, or is it truly something you have to have been "born to do?" I also question whether the stressors and high level of responsibility of the job are really worth it? I don't want to miss this opportunity to go back to school and regret it years from now if I don't. Can anyone shed some light on my situation? I appreciate any feedback!:wink2:

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You should stick with the dietician thing.

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Specializes in Maternity.

i wouldn't say that anyone was "born to do it" but i do think that you would need to have a strong interest in becoming a nurse. i don't know how anyone could even get through the pre-req classes without the ending prize of going to nursing school to motivate them. maybe that is where you should start. take a few pre-req classes and see if the material interests you. i was lucky enough to have a grandma that was an rn. seeing what she did made me realize this is what i wanted to do. everyone is different and has different reasons for wanting to become a nurse. talking to any one of the nurses that visit this board (if you went to one of the nursing forums instead of the pre-nursing forum) could maybe shed some light on the good, bad and ugly for you.

best of luck to you!!

:heartbeat:heartbeat

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Thank you very much for your responses..............I think it would help if I shadowed a nurse in a hospital to SEE exactly what they do on a daily basis. The pre-req classes actually interest me a lot - I love learning about anatomy and physiology, human development, etc. It's the high-stress, high-responsibility part of nursing that I'm not sure I'm cut out for? I will post some questions in the other forums to longer-career nurses. Thank you again!:wink2:

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I don't think a calling is necessary. You need long term goals that would be accomplished through nursing, and a desire to get through the course work. The good thing about nursing is that it's very broad so there is a wide range of things you can do and still be working in the field. IMO you can't go wrong by becoming a RN. If beside nursing is not your thing there are plenty of other options. Just do your research and you will find something that's a fit for someone with your interests and background.

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Sunray 12 --

You really sum it up in your first sentence......."you need long term goals that would be accomplished through nursing and a strong desire to get through the coursework." That is EXACTLY why I think nursing is a great idea. I would be doing it for the long-term benefits -- many different options with nursing, job security, great pay, flexibility, the list goes on an on! Going back to school at 36, I would have a much different outlook on the studying. I wouldn't do it unless I gave 110%. I have no doubt I would come out shining, I just am very anal when it comes to making decisions, and obviously this is a huge one (at least to me it is). Thank you so much for your input!!:loveya:

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No education is a waste, and there are a lot of attractive reasons for being a nurse. Second being a nurse you will get to use your nutrition background. Shadowing a nurse is a good idea. The president of the ANA said that most nurses were inspired by other nurses. I have always wanted to be a nurse, but I will say that it is much more than I envisioned. So just because you haven't felt a calling from the beginning doesn't mean that you could not come to love it. I think you should go ahead and make the inquiries into the prerequisites and find out if it is something you are willing to put yourself through. I was 36-37 when I decided to go back to school and pursue nursing, and I do not regret it. Next year when I graduate I will be so happy.

I wish you much success.

Jean

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Shadowing is a great idea. You could also volunteer at the hospital, or get a job at the hospital. You could try getting your CNA first, and seeing how you like that. Some schools are requiring the CNA classes to get into their programs. I had a friend who started of with her nutrition degree, got her BSN, and then went on to become a midwife. Nutrition is still a very important part of her job, since she counsels mothers-to-be on proper nutrition. She loves it, but I think she felt a real "calling" to be a midwife.

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Again -- thanks to all helping me make my decision. I've come to realize that there really is no reason why I SHOULDN'T pursue this..........I know it will be a tough road ahead, but I (and my brain cells that have been sleeping for the past 6 years), are SO ready for the challenge. From what I understand, upon graduating, I will have to gain some clinical experience in order to become marketable in other areas of nursing. Although I think I can handle the bedside nursing part of it, I'm not sure it's what I'd want to do forever. I just hope that all the understaffing, high-responsibility and demands that I've heard about don't turn me off to nursing while I'm "doing my time" in that area. Who knows -- I may end up really liking bedside nursing? Thanks everyone! :wink2:

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