Is Nursing for me?

[Dreaming_310]

Hello,

I know this question can really only be answered by me, however I am looking for some feedback. I am a 25 Year old male and since I was about 10, I have dreamt of pursuing a career in Healthcare. I love everything about it. I love science, continuously learning, pushing myself to succeed, helping people and giving back to society. I had a tough time growing up and had to drop out of high school so I could go to work and support myself. I have lived on my own since 16 and have supported myself and have managed to save a little in the process. Though I have been working in an area completely unrelated to Healthcare/Medicine, I have always done my own research and learning during free time.

I am now done with my past and want to move forward. I applied to college this year and was accepted. I start in January. Since I did not complete high school, I had to apply to a Pre-Health course. This gives me an intro to college level Bio, Chem, English and Math. Its a one year course and it gives me the time to think about what field I want to branch off to.

My ultimate dream was to one day become a Doctor. I love Medicine and everything to do with it. I love the diagnoses, the complexity, the challenge and of course the reward. I just feel that Medical School at this point is only a dream. I do not have a college fund nor do I have the family support. I'm not sure however if student loans cover the costs of becoming a Doctor. I do know that I have the means of getting my Bachelor degree in Nursing. I have the passion for it and know that I can succeed and live a happy life as an RN. My problem is, will I be disappointed? Will I always be watching Doctors and thinking about how I haven't lived up to my dream? Or is Nursing as rewarding and challenging that I wont even be thinking like that? I know that practicing medicine and nursing are totally different, but after all, we are all working in Healthcare, with patients who need our help. My last question, over the years I have done a considerable amount of research in Biology, Organic Chem, Disease and Treatments. Will I be bored with Nursing because of the knowledge I have obtained throughout the years? Or will I still be challenged?

Thanks for reading this, I hope someone out there can give me some feedback. I'm almost positive that others' have been in these shoes, and I would love to read your stories. Thanks a lot!

[somenurse]

wow, like you said, only you will know if you would be happier as a nurse, or as a doctor. Great that you recognize, those are two different fields, with different levels of interactions with the patients,

different demands and different rewards.

one question i can answer for you:

//" Will I be bored with Nursing because of the knowledge I have obtained throughout the years? Or will I still be challenged?"//

I rather doubt the knowledge you have obtained so far, will, in any way, equip you to be a nurse. It might help you in some of the classes you will have to take, it might help you in some situation here or there, but, i rather doubt you will, as a result of reading some science books, find nursing not challenging enough. I am trying to recall, if ever, have i heard any nurse ever say, "Nursing just wasn't challenging enough for me." Someone might have said that, but, i can't recall ever hearing that one.

I was just posting on another thread to someone else, and remarked, "Nursing isn't really something you learn in school. It takes years to become a nurse."

bored? I hear a lot of complaints from nurses,

but boredom is not usually one of them.

bored? as a nurse? i kinda doubt it.

As a nurse, you very well might find yourself exhausted, confused, worried, stressed out, thrilled, excited, nervous, joyful, somber, crying, laughing, cramming some brand new knowledge rapidly due to your newest patient's needs, being in awe, wishing you had time to go pee, tons of things you might feel as a nurse, but bored?

and i also include mental boredom in there, too, not real likely. I know some brilliant uber-intelligent nurses, they don't seem "bored." Ohhh, we nurses do use our brains!! oh do we!! We are always figuring out some new challenge, drawing upon a large body of knowledge we've acquired and constantly adding to, always always learning new things, always.

bored isn't real likely, imo. Might be a bored nurse out there, but, i think they are less common.

but, if you have heart set on being a doctor, perhaps you should pursue that instead.

Hopefully, others will be by to suggest some practical ways for you to explore which field is for you. They ARE two different fields.

[somenurse]

btw, re: your questions about paying for the education,

many hospitals offer tuition re-reimbursement. If you are an LPN at the hospital, they can pay for you to become an RN. If you are an RN at the hospital, they can pay for you become a BSN. and so on.

I am not sure if this would cover moving from CNA (certified nurse's aide) to LPN or RN, don't know. But this might be something for you to look into.