Is this really worth it?

mmc51264, BSN, MSN, RN · Feb 28, 2015

Yes. I had the same experience and I am older and have many life trials. getting through nursing school will be one the most rewarding things you can do and all the toughness makes you a better nurse. It gives you confidence. Hang in there!!!!!

DreadPiratePanda · Feb 28, 2015

I'm about halfway through my first semester. This is hands-down the single hard academic thing I've ever had to do, and it's definitely somewhere near the top of hardest things I've ever had to do. It's a marathon, only you're sprinting the entire damn time. I feel like just when I've found my pace, my professors say, "Great! Now let's go faster...and faster...and faster..." I cried, just all out stress-breakdown cried, last week as my poor boyfriend tried his best to listen as I ranted.

I read comments from people talking about how easy nursing school was for them, but for every one of those, I find 10 from people saying it was super rough. The comments about how easy it was stress me out a little too, because what am I doing wrong that it can't be that easy for me too? But I remind myself that everyone is different, the programs are different, the profs are different.

And you know what's keeping me going? That I WANTED this. I prayed to get into nursing school, I worked my damn butt off making straight A's in my prereq's to get in. I cried when I realized I was set back another semester. I want to save lives, and help people, and comfort people, and be there for people when times are hard. I want to make a difference in people's lives, to do something meaningful. I feel nursing is that calling for me. I wouldn't want a nurse that didn't work as hard as I'm working now.

ixchel · Feb 28, 2015

I will be completely honest with you - it depends on your expectations completely. It also depends on your endurance. I graduated last spring. I didn't expect my first months of nursing to be so much harder than school was. It was awful.

But now? I'm figuring things out and I'm loving my job. There were times I was afraid it would never be worth it, that I would never put it all together and get good at it. But I did, and I am, and it's been completely worth it.

You can't get good at it until you get good at it, and it won't be easy at all getting there. It's up to you to determine your level of commitment and endurance.

vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN · Feb 28, 2015

Just wondering if all of this is really worth it? Nursing school is super hard emotionally, physically, psychologically. I feel like every day I am being tested and it is exhausting. I know that I could easily be doing something else, but I really do feel like nursing is my calling. Advice? Suggestions? Help?

Yes, nursing school is hard. I don't know how I survived Lvn school, I was homeless when I was accepted. I was in the midst of an acrimonious divorce, he accused me of child abuse and I had to fight that.

The thing that helped me to keep going was knowing I'd be able to earn a decent living to support myself and my 3 kids once I finished. That is all. I just knew that when I graduated I'd be making a good living.

And this was true. I earned 3500-4000 per month take home working 2 months from graduating.

I was committed. I did it. You can, too. Other women in my class faced struggles also. We did it. You can, too!!!

RNnewbie2014 · Mar 1, 2015

I can't believe I made it through it. May of this year will be a year since I have graduated. I feel like it is definitely worth it if you love the patients and love what your role is as a nurse! Nursing itself isn't a bed of roses, but I like it because it is constantly stimulating my mind and making me aware of EVERYTHING. I like having to think like that.. I guess all in all school and working is tough in its own way. I will admit I don't miss spending endless hours of studying but I tell anyone who hasn't graduated learn everything you can now because when you get out, you are responsible for yourself, your license, and keeping a patient medically stable! I work on a floor though, so I don't know what your looking into doing? Floor nursing is insane, but I kinda like the chaos.. Minus me still struggling with time management (been a nurse on my own now for 4 months with 2 months of precepting).. I feel like you will be amazed at how different you will think when you get out of nursing school.. I feel like I would have done so much better in the program if I was a nurse beforehand although that is not possible LOL!