Is nursing right for me?

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Dec 8, 2014

Hi... moved your thread to Pre-Nursing Student forum. You will find many posts from members asking this question in this section.

Best place for our nursing experts to offer advice.

RunBabyRN · Dec 8, 2014

Are you able to shadow a nurse, maybe a Navy nurse?

I'm a former corpsman, and I used my GI Bill and vocational rehab to obtain my BSN.

I think most fields can say they are under appreciated.

Semper fi!

c27_AEMT, BSN, EMT-I · Dec 8, 2014

Former Ranger battalion infantryman here. I did a few years of contracting and got my emt and advanced emt certs after the Army to increase my pay when overseas. I became very interested in the medical stuff that initially took to pad my resume and increase my contract pay. The certifications were helpful with getting me in the door to see some of the work the contracted nurses and physicians do over there and although it has been a difficult choice for me I think that nursing is the right way to go. There is so much flexibility and if you want, you can come back in (I think its the same for Marines) as an officer/nurse. The prior service will help tons if you do this or a military NP or PA school.

If you don't want to come back, I still think it is a good deal and as an infantryman, the stuff you had to put up with will daily will help you deal with it in a hospital. Not medical stuff, people stuff if you know what I mean. I thoroughly enjoyed most of the nurses I have worked with (overseas and in the course of my EMT certs) but with any profession there are "those guys" and I just kept away from them the best I could and learned the most I could from working with the really exceptional nurses, medics, and doctors. I almost let my first experience with nurses (a bad one) ruin my disposition toward them. I am so glad I didn't.

My plan is to shadow some more nurses since all I have seen is ER and trauma nurses here and overseas and then make my final decision. I am hoping to start in the fall at the latest. Plus you can go on to be a NP if you want or even PA without too much trouble. I have friends who are RNs (some military, some not) who have done both.

Good luck!!!

jiimmmyyyy · Dec 10, 2014

Try volunteering at a local hospital, or do an internship. I started off by doing a CNA course because I knew I wanted to do something in heathcare, but wasn't sure if nursing was right for me. I'm glad I took that CNA course though, because it did show me that nursing was the perfect path for me!

c27_AEMT, BSN, EMT-I · Dec 15, 2014

Jiimmmyyyy--

I went through and am going through the same thing with a little different results. I started as an EMT (now Advanced EMT) and was pretty sure about becoming a paramedic but after my time in the hospital I think I want to do something there. Most likely nursing!! Actually seeing what these professions consist of instead of just reading about them has helped me immensely!!

windsurfer8, BSN, RN · Dec 16, 2014

If you want to be a nurse it doesn't matter if you are appreciated. I was prior service as well. Do what you want to do. What kind of recognition are you looking for? You will receive a paycheck if that is what you mean? I am treated well where I work.

c27_AEMT, BSN, EMT-I · Dec 16, 2014

This is coming from a fellow infantryman having worked closely with marine infantry and seeing how you guys are treated. You will be treated far better than you were as a grunt.

I can't speak for conditions in nursing (besides what I have observed) and I can imagine that interpersonal relationships in the workplace can become strained, but I am fairly certain that no one will be putting their hands on you, smoking you, or screaming in your face. I could be wrong, and I know there are other challenges but I would say that you will probably be treated like more of a human being. Beyond that, I don't know.

Haters gonna hate. Do what you want to do so you can provide for yourself/family and do something that YOU can be proud of. Who cares what everyone else thinks.