Is nursing for me? Should I take a year off

[natzmolina]

So I was unsuccessful in one of my clinical rotations of second year, and my instructor made my life a living hell.. So I ended up not doing the other rotations cause I was so terrified to go back in to it knowing how I was treated with my first instructor even after all the hard work that was put in to it to make her happy.

So ill be doing some classes this Fall then clinicals again, and I don't know if I'm just really nervous to go back that I feel I don't have that much of an interest in nursing anymore or if I really just don't.

I've been looking into sonography for a little while now, and I just like how with sonography you have this one on one connection with your patient and you're focused on just them, I also like how it's almost like you're already specialized in something since there's usually not so many sonographers in one place!

I know I want to work in the health care field, but I don't know why I've just been so anxious thinking about doing clinicals again and even the real world and if I'm cut out to be a nurse.. Because some people in my program are so passionate about nursing and I just don't feel like I'm like that. :/

Have you been through times like this? And what was your outcome? Should I take a year off and think about what I want to do?

[Jules A, MSN]

Sorry this has been so stressful but I appreciate how thoughtful you are being. In my experience all my clinicals were extremely stressful and while I'm not one who feels nursing needs to be a "calling from above" if there is truly no interest in patient care or it is so anxiety provoking that it impairs your quality of life I do think it is wise to consider another career path. Rather than take an entire year off, can you take gen ed classes that would be useful for both nursing or other careers? Good luck.

[natzmolina]

Sorry this has been so stressful but I appreciate how thoughtful you are being. In my experience all my clinicals were extremely stressful and while I'm not one who feels nursing needs to be a "calling from above" if there is truly no interest in patient care or it is so anxiety provoking that it impairs your quality of life I do think it is wise to consider another career path. Rather than take an entire year off, can you take gen ed classes that would be useful for both nursing or other careers? Good luck.

thank you for your reply! I mean don't get me wrong I do have an interest in patient care I worked in a retirement home for two years an absolutely loved it! That's why I went into nursing because I love helping people get better and just making them happy! But I also feel there are other jobs in the health care field that provide that as well.

I'm currently enrolled in classes that will take the load off in third and fourth year like my electives and all that.. But it always stresses me out thinking about the future and if I'll be cut out to be a nurse, I know it's an extremely stressful job and a lot of documenting which I feel takes away from time from your patients...

I also had a nurse tell me to enjoy the time I have with my patients now as a student because when you're an actual nurse you won't have that because you'll be focusing on 4 other patients trying to document everything. So that's why I thought hey maybe sonography I'll be able to get that one and one time with patients and be able to just focus on that one person..

idk my mind is all over the place !!!