Is Nursing Right For ME?

[Divest]

I can be lazy, inefficient, and absent minded at times. Those are my cons, but they do play a huge role. Every once and awhile I just need to space out for a few minutes and relax, and I tend to do that.

Look, I know this question has been asked one million and a half times on this board and trust me, I've read all those threads (I've been lurking this site for almost a year now) but I want a personalized answer for me. I figured I would start out describing myself to you all, and you could give me an idea of how I would do, or if I should even bother with nursing as a career. Above I've listed out my cons. I will continue to go more into detail:

Every once in awhile I'll space out. I can't help it. I mean, I have good intentions, but I can't seem to keep my mind focused one hundred percent of the time. It's definitely getting better - school is making sure of that - but I don't think it's something that's going to leave me permanently. I can be lazy sometimes, some days I don't want to work at all. I have the will to make myself, by lord I do, but that doesn't mean that I don't have to fight myself sometimes. I would also like to have a job with off days, meaning, if I have a day off, it's really an OFF day, it's not me sitting around, thinking about my job, studying for it, and constantly having to spend all of my free time thinking, studying, and practicing for work. I don't know if that describes nursing or not, but that's definitely something I would need to make a lot of money to do.

A little bit of background: I HATE the 9 to 5 griiiiiiind. To me, that's torture and nothing but. I found my mind wandering 100% of the time, thinking about anything else than my work. I was unfocused and my performance suffered as a result, making me also feel insecure about my work. I hated my job and decided to go back to school instead of wasting my time at a large mega corporation. I have chosen nursing because it's financially secure, there's always supposed to be a surplus of jobs in the healthcare field, and I would like to be more knowledgeable about medicine and patient care so that I may be able to take a leadership role if something unfortunate were ever to befall myself, my family, or my friends.

I'm a very ambitious person, a quick-learner when I want to be, and very good at talking to people. People generally naturally gravitate towards me for some reason. I'm definitely a people-person - but not a salesman - if you know what I mean. I'm good at communicating with other people and like being helpful. I am very good at my job when I want to be and have a reason to stay focused. I'm a very fair and non-prejudice person.

Sorry for the long post, but I just wanted to know if it sounds like nursing is for me. At first, I didn't want to deal with all the crap, vomit, and other gross stuff, but after a lot of thinking and soul searching, I've decided that that stuff doesn't matter to me. I can deal with it when I have to, and I have dealt with it plenty of times before. I'm ready to get my hands dirty.

Also this is my first post here! I've been lurking for nearly a year now, trying to figure out if nursing was the career for me, and I think it might be, but I wanted to see what other people thought. I'm enrolling in a LVN program at my local CC this Fall, so wish me luck on that. I figure that will give me the best insight as to whether or not I want nursing as my career.

Thanks in advance to anyone and everyone who reads all that crap I just typed!

[Lbug09]

Spacey? Inefficient? No offense but maybe ask yourself if you would want to be under the care of a spacey, inefficient nurse. There's a lot at stake (people's lives). I am not sure nursing would be right for you.

[JasmDasm]

Hi Divest;

Here is my suggestion. It seems as though you are looking at yourself realistically and trying to analyze if nursing is right for you. This, I think, is very important. Sometimes, when we get caught up in our dreams and goals, we fail to really look at ourselves and see if we are capable. So good for you, you are on the right track.

We can all be lazy and absent-minded sometimes, we do have lives outside our workplace. I think this is normal, if it doesn't happen too often. Also, I strongly believe that the ability to focus and become effective in what you do ARE LEARNED TRAITS and NOT something you are born with. You noticed you are getting better because you are going to school, well keep practicing. I can be forgetful, so I write everything down, set alarms and don't procrastinate. Things are getting better for me.

Good luck in nursing school, being a nurse will give you the unpredictability that will keep you on your toes. REALLY keep your eyes and ears open while you are there, push yourself beyond normal expectations. Nursing school will be the best time for you to determine if nursing is what you want to do. As bad as it may sound, you can always jump ship if it's not for you. It wouldn't make you a failure either.

Also, have you considered talking to someone about your feelings? Either professional or just a friend? Sometimes, just talking to someone will help you to see the solution. Again, good luck. Whatever you decide to do, I'm rootin for ya! :)

[Divest]

Spacey? Inefficient? No offense but maybe ask yourself if you would want to be under the care of a spacey, inefficient nurse. There's a lot at stake (people's lives). I am not sure nursing would be right for you.

I should better explain that, I think.

Look, I didn't want to make that post any longer than it already was so I'll go into a little bit more detail about that here: I just wanted a hook line so I started out with my cons. Most people don't list their cons at all, or they beat around the bush with them, I've decided to be honest and straight-forward about things that I've noticed about my previous jobs.

Spacey and inefficient mostly carried into my professional corporate life. At first I would have vigor and excitement about my job, but then that would die out due to feeling absolutely useless. I didn't do anything important, I wasn't gaining skills, and I didn't matter whatsoever to the people that I served, the company, or to my co-workers. There was no team atmosphere, I was just drowned out in the masses of other mindless sheep, minding their telephones and computer screens. My mind would wander and I would become spacey and inefficient. When the phone would ring, I would neglect to pick it up in lieu of wanting to finish my day dream. I am not always like this, but sometimes, it just happens. I know this just sounds like excuse, excuse, excuse, excuse - and maybe it is - but this is all based on what I really feel.

On the other hand, if I have something to focus on, be damned, I will be focused. I am really good at learning things and completing projects. I give 100% and my supervisors were always impressed with my work... when I decided to work, of course. To me, I just couldn't handle corporate customer service. I couldn't handle being fake. I couldn't handle the back-stabbing and gossiping that went along with the corporate life. I couldn't stand being a wage-slave and an underpaid one at that. It just didn't speak to my soul. I felt like everything I did didn't matter at all. Whether or not I was doing a good job, I was still only getting paid the same wage and was going to end up the same person I was the day before. I would learn nothing new and felt absolutely useless in every single way. I'm not a stupid person, just really, really ADD with a bit of OCD mixed in there for good measure.

I will answer your question in the form of another question: Would I want myself taking care of myself? Sure. I don't see why not. I'm a quick-thinker and an amazing problem-solver, so I wouldn't mind having me nurse me, despite knowing that I possess negative characteristics. I believe that I am human and I acknowledge that I definitely have downsides to me.

Hi Divest;

Here is my suggestion. It seems as though you are looking at yourself realistically and trying to analyze if nursing is right for you. This, I think, is very important. Sometimes, when we get caught up in our dreams and goals, we fail to really look at ourselves and see if we are capable. So good for you, you are on the right track.

We can all be lazy and absent-minded sometimes, we do have lives outside our workplace. I think this is normal, if it doesn't happen too often. Also, I strongly believe that the ability to focus and become effective in what you do ARE LEARNED TRAITS and NOT something you are born with. You noticed you are getting better because you are going to school, well keep practicing. I can be forgetful, so I write everything down, set alarms and don't procrastinate. Things are getting better for me.

Good luck in nursing school, being a nurse will give you the unpredictability that will keep you on your toes. REALLY keep your eyes and ears open while you are there, push yourself beyond normal expectations. Nursing school will be the best time for you to determine if nursing is what you want to do. As bad as it may sound, you can always jump ship if it's not for you. It wouldn't make you a failure either.

Also, have you considered talking to someone about your feelings? Either professional or just a friend? Sometimes, just talking to someone will help you to see the solution. Again, good luck. Whatever you decide to do, I'm rootin for ya! :)

Yes ma'am, I have definitely talked to plenty of people about this decision, but they don't quit believe me that I'm ready to make this leap. I've been saying for years that I was going to return to school, so now when I tell anyone they're just like "uh huh, whatever you say" about the whole situation. I've already started the program and they still don't believe me, but I'll show them. Truth be told, I don't know what my feelings are. I don't know if nursing as an easy field or not, but I'm definitely afraid that this is going to be overwhelmingly difficult for me and I'm not going to succeed. That's a fear of mine and part of the reason I'm making this thread and ranting. My thoughts have been racing at a million miles per hour for the past month in anticipation of this upcoming semester at school.

[JasmDasm]

Hey Divest;

As long as you believe in yourself, you don't need anybody else to do it for you. But should you need support, than I think this forum and maybe some classmates and professors from your school can help too. PM me if you ever feel like talking.

I am not a nurse yet, but I think that when someone is physically ill, when their bodies cannot heal itself when it should, that time is the lowest point in that person's life and they will react accordingly. So helping to heal and care for that person will be difficult and overwhelming. There will be stress and heartbreak. But you seem like a compassionate and feeling person, so taking that with you can help you to be a good nurse.

As for fears, we all have them. Will I get good grades in Nursing School? Do I have what it takes to become a nurse? What if I fail? Will I be a good nurse? OMG, I am gonna kill a patient. What if I throw up when I look at a GI Bleed (See my "Tossing Your Cookies" thread - it's hysterical)? The best thing to do is recognize your fears and take steps towards moving past them.

Above all remember, anything worth achieving in this world, is worth the hard work and perseverance.

[lavendersapphire]

I'm so with you there on the 9-5 and the processing sheep coworkers. I feel your pain. I was also a little iffy on the spacing out thing, but when you described your job, which is similar to mine, though I'm not on the phones, I totally 100% understand. Good for you for admitting to your con traits.

I think you'll be fine if this is something you really want to do.

[amandabrown23]

I hope you dont mind me asking but are you ADD? I am spacey sometimes and I am ADD

[Divest]

Umm. I've never been diagnosed with ADD mostly because I don't believe in that kind of stuff. I tend to believe that most people/kids diagnosed with ADD don't have anything wrong with them at all.

[amandabrown23]

oh okay lol I just thought Id ask. But if you feel like you can do it then its definitely worth trying right?

[berns10]

How's everything going for you at the moment, I was reading your blog and couldn't help but to ask, how's nursing school been for you?

[guiltysins]

I'd also like to see how you're doing as well.

I believe I'm a little ADD as well. I haven't been diagnosed but I space out sometimes, I always fidget, have a hard time sitting physically still and I have a hard time completing tasks I'm not completely interested in. Then I have a little a bit of OCD, I obsessively plan, research and study things (how I ended up on allnurses lol) so its a good balance. I'm so interested and obsessed with knowing everything about nursing that it keeps my attention well.

[RPN_2012]

OMG Divest it's like we're almost the same person!

I too worked a little bit in the corporate office world as admin assist/customer service etc.

I felt useless, not very challenged (unless my boss had a crazy deadline or there was a big meeting I had to organize) . Most of the time I didn't feel needed, I didn't feel like I had a role that made a difference, basically the jobs didn't fulfill or let me fulfill my emotional need to be needed and me needing to make a difference. I was part of the 9-5 "office sheep" (no offense to anyone, I felt like that about MYSELF) I was mindlessly staring at the computer screen, answering phone calls, and doing a bunch of other unimportant mundane bs. I was so bored, even when I was busy I was bored because most of the time my mind was not stimulated I would space out, daydream, etc... I hated the whole office/corporate bs culture, and everything it entails, ugh I really hated it. Well, you get the picture.

Anyway, then I was laid off (the economy went to hell, I was a temp, so I was the first one to go...) After a lot of soul searching and considering what career I should move to... I eventually realized I want to be and I should be a RN. After much research and deliberation... I finally decided RN it is then! I'm starting NS in Sept. but I'm already so passionate about it!

I want a job that will stimulate and challenge me, a job where I make a difference everyday, I wan to feel needed, and be dedicated to what a do because I'm doing something important. I also want a job that is portable, versatile, flexible and pays a decent salary. I also like to wear comfy stuff (hated office clothes!ugh! ) I believe that a career in nursing will satisfy all of the above that criteria. :) Nursing is a challenging profession, but it's an amazing profession and I want to be part of it!

That being said, I think I'm a bit ADD and a bit OCD (both never diagnosed) probably a little more OCD than ADD. But the ADD usually shown up when I'm bored and uninterested, and don't feel challenged. The OCD is a different story, but it's very manageable. I have many skills and personality traits that I know will make me a good nurse. I am very much a people's person (not a salesman, but a people's person). I like helping people, I like being organized, planning my time, learning new things, being challenged, filing out forms lol, I love human A&P and learning about it, I'm hard working (when I like what I do I give 100%-120%) etc, etc. I think nursing a great fit for me and I'm a great fit for nursing despite some of my ADD and OCD symptoms because they are both quite manageable and will not interfere with nursing. :)

So basically what I meant to say is if you think nursing is right for you, give it a try, I think lpn school is a perfect start. Good luck!:) Sorry for the long post