Is this the right career choice?

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Hello all, I am new to this forum so I do not know if I am posting in the right place or not. I was hoping to get some insight from nurses or anyone with input. I am 20 years old and have been set on nursing since sophomore year in high school. I have been accepted to a well known program and I am supposed to start January 12th. Many doors have been opened to me and I have had such a willing community of people to help me through the process. The program lasts 18 months and I will complete my BSN, but I will come out with about $90,000 in loans.

I have been so set on this career that it wasn't until recently that I really began to think about if nursing was for me. I have always wanted a career where I can help others and to be a part of their recovery, however many people want that and there are other careers that do that. My ultimate goal is to serve in other countries and I felt like nursing was a perfect way to do that.However, having no medical experience, I truly don't know if I'd be able to handle the stress and quick critical thinking of nursing. i am prone to stress in my nature, however I feel like I can work on that and I shouldn't let it stop me. At the same time I have to realize that I may not be right or cut out for nursing and decide whether the stress of school and the job is something I can handle, and want to. Part of me wonders if I am just getting nervous for school and have a lack confidence right now with no skill and if that will just have to change as I go through nursing school, or if I should not be going into this field. I am so thankful for the opportunity but I also do not want to be foolish about what I am getting into.

I have thought about PTA because it is a less stressful environment and you get to see the patient progress over an extended period of time. However there is less variety in this career, and they do not have the 3/12hr shifts.

Ultimately I know it is a decision I need to make for myself, however having as much insight as possible is helpful to me. I've written lists of pros and cons of both, yet I do not know if my anxiety over going into nursing is just my own fear of the unknown and not being sure if I'll like it or be able to handle it when its such a big commitment cost wise, or if that means I should look into something else.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
I will complete my BSN, but I will come out with about $90,000 in loans.
I urge you to rethink the decision to borrow $90,000. As a general rule of thumb, a student loan debt balance should be no more than what you could reasonably expect to earn during your first year of working.

You are in Oregon according to your post's tags. Due to geographic location, you are not going to earn anywhere near $90,000 during your first year of nursing. And depending on the city where you plan to work, it might take six months or longer to find work.

I personally would find a nursing program with cheaper tuition. No BSN degree is worth $90,000 in intractable student loan debt.

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.

$90,000??? Yikes! If this is a private school, don't do it. It's not worth it. Especially if you're confused about your career already! Find a cheaper path whether it be another university or community college. Good luck!

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

Agree with PPs -on a nurse's salary, $90k repayment will consume your life for decades. It will have a huge effect on your credit rating - possibly preventing you from making any major purchases. I know that there have been some legislative efforts underway to ease the burden of student loans - the most likely scenario would be some type of "forgiveness" after paying for 20 years without any missed payments. But this would only apply to Federal loans, not private ones.

I am also a bit concerned about OP's "ultimate goal" to work in other countries. US nurses engaged in this type of work are usually volunteers in 'medical missionary' efforts.... AKA, no salary. Most of the time, they have to pay their own travel expenses. Healthcare is highly regulated in all countries. In order to work (with a salary) overseas, you will need to meet the licensure requirements of that country - probably for less than you can earn in a comparable US job.

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I agree with the others comments. 90,000 is way to much debt. If you're having doubts have you thought about going for LPN first so you can get a feel for what RN's do? I am a fairly new nurse (3 years post bsn) and I still wish I would have started as a practical nurse first. Bedside nursing as an Rn way to stressfull for me and I would have concluded that had I went for practical nursing first and would have chose a different career path. Maybe see if you can shadow an Rn somewhere before making your final decision. I wish I would have done that as well.

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.

I was much like you, I was unsure if I wanted to be a nurse & I became an LVN first. I'm glad I did because I saved money & gave me an opportunity to see if I liked being a nurse. I do & plan to go back to bridge & get my RN.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

I agree with the previous posters: $90,000 is way too much debt for you to assume. It will cripple you financially for decades. There are lots of cheaper options out there. You should choose one of the cheaper options.

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Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

90k for anything less than an MBA is insanity.

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Thank you guys for your input.

I agree that 90k is very high. It will not be quite that amount but close to it. The school is private, but every nurse that I have spoken with that has attended the school absolutely loved it and would never have gone anywhere else. My parents are planning to help me though and then once I graduate I plan to move home and pay off as much as I can. If I started near the area I live in a Hospital I would be making near 60k a year. I am single and do not have many living expenses.

There are many aspects of nursing that I feel are so rewarding and I am more than willing to do dirty work, it is just that I don't know if I could handle the stress and pressure of it, but with so many options in the field I feel that I could find something I enjoyed. I don't want to give up this opportunity just because I thought I couldn't do it and regret that.

How do you guys feel about your nursing career? would you do it again? If so/not, why? And are there areas that are less stressful? I understand there is a level of stress everywhere, its a stressful job.

As far as working in other countries, that is a goal down the line that I am willing to do without pay once I have saved for it.

I am drawn to many aspects of nursing, the change in who I am as a person, how I see the world and how humbling it is, being someone that provides excellent care for their patients and being a part of their recovery, opportunity for growth, 3/12hr shifts, good income, knowledge that comes with the field.

However the debt, intensity of school, making life and death decisions, high stress and the pressure, knowing all the medications and how they interact with each other so you don't give a wrong one (for example) scare me. I don't know if those are normal fears that I will overcome with time or if having those fears means I should look into something else?

I know I am capable of getting through nursing school, I am just really trying to self reflect and figure out if it is truly what I want to do, and figure out if I am just psyching myself out and should go for it. So I am reaching out to

all of you.

Do you have any opinions on becoming a PTA if I didn't go with nursing?

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughts.

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I've thought about holistic nursing, Mother baby, OB and inpatient rehab. Those areas interest me.

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I agree with the others comments. 90,000 is way to much debt. If you're having doubts have you thought about going for LPN first so you can get a feel for what RN's do? I am a fairly new nurse (3 years post bsn) and I still wish I would have started as a practical nurse first. Bedside nursing as an Rn way to stressfull for me and I would have concluded that had I went for practical nursing first and would have chose a different career path. Maybe see if you can shadow an Rn somewhere before making your final decision. I wish I would have done that as well.

Thank you for your post!

I have thought about that, it is just that I am already accepted and about to start and the thought of giving up that opportunity if I decide nursing is what I want to do scares me because it is so competitive. But you have a very good point and I am considering that. I have volunteered in a hospital for 2 years, I am on a Medical Telemetry floor but I don't see exactly what they do. I have a job shadow set up this week.

Have you tried any other areas of the field? or do you plan to?

There are residency programs that I am looking into for when I graduate that open up your options a bit for what department you work and give more extensive training for new grads.

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.

I know everyone speaks so highly of that school but with how many doubts you have if I were you I would become an LVN first then if you really enjoyed it bridge & become an RN. Depending on where you are the job market might not be that competitive. You don't want to spend $90K on a degree you end up regretting.

My best friend got get second bachelor's in nursing, hated it & quit her job after 2 months.

If you're really not 100% sure nursing is something you want to do with your life, don't spend as much money to buy a house on a degree! Go to a community college, become an LVN & gain experience to see if you like it or not.

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