Is nursing right for me?

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I am a prospective nursing student. I am currently 34 years old, working full time as a legal assistant, and I think it's time for a change. I have always been interested in the medical field. I enjoy caring for people and learning about the human body. My dilemma is I have a bone condition that makes my body very sore and aches. Plus standing longer than 20 minutes kills me. Is nursing for me? If it isn't can anyone recommend what direction I should move forward in. Thanks!

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I think you will have a rough time in nursing school when you have to do clinical rotations. If you can't stand more than 20 minutes, it will be difficult, if not impossible, to graduate. I know my clinicals were twice weekly for 12 hours in my final 2 semesters.

But that *was* 1997. I can't speak for now.

I do hear of schools that are doing "virtual" clinical experiences but don't know where/which ones they are.

Another thing is, you will be unlikely to secure a sedentary job in nursing right out of school. It's not impossible however. Some work from home doing triage, working for insurance companies, etc.

What I am saying I guess,  is, you want to know where you will go to school, what the physical requirements are and go from there. Look at the local universities/colleges and inquire!

I do wish you the best!

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Specializes in ER.

I recommend that you pursue something else, based on your physical limitations. 

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

Yes, there really is no way to get through nursing school and clinicals—to say nothing of your first job—without having to stand and walk throughout most, if not all, of your shift. There are jobs, like patient representative and unit secretary, that allow you to sit while working (although some hospitals require the unit secretary to be able to work the floor as a tech, and to be honest I’m not sure that there’s a large market for them since facilities are going lean and mean). These jobs don’t pay as much as nursing, but they’ll get you closer to health care. I wish you the very best. Viva

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