8 months until graduation and I want to drop out!!

Nurses Career Support

Published

Hi i am in need of some serious advice. I am a 21 year old female nursing student at kent state university in ohio. im going for my associate's degree. well this is actually my last year...only 8 more months to go. For 2 years after high school graduation i attended a different college doing my pre-reqs for the bachelor's program. after 2 years they finally informed me there was a 2 year waiting list and you had to have at least a 3.6GPA to get into the program. So i frantically applied to other colleges trying to get into the program. I was SO excited when I was accepted right away to Kent. The first year I breezed through, mostly because I had been a nurse's aide at a hospital for 3 years and it helped me alot. But also during my first year I started to regret going into nursing. I really wasnt interested in it at all, i disliked all aspects about it, i felt like i had no idea what i was doing, and my professors were grumpy and very unhelpful. anytime i was at work at the hospital as an aide or at clinicals i watched what the nurse's were doing and thought to myself "i really dont want to do this." I started to dread going to clinicals and i look like a fool in front of the instructors because i get very nervous and i start to shake and i forget how to properly do things and i make stupid mistakes because my brain just freezes.

well after i made it through my first year i figured i was halfway done and i would just finish with it. But this is my 4th week into my second and final year and i am in serious danger of failing. i absolutely hate nursing and i have no interest in it whatsoever. i feel like i am soo far behind my other classmates, i feel like i have no idea what im doing and i feel so disorganized and clueless. i am supposed to graduate in only 8 months but i feel like i have learned nothing and there is no way i could actually take care of patients on my own. i am so disappointed and frustrated with myself. i have wasted 3 and a half years on nursing and a whole lot of money and i finally figure out that it is not for me at all. i honestly hate everything about it. its so embarrassing when all your friends and family think you are going to have this awesome career making so much money and then you have to tell them that you dont think you are going to do it after all. my parents were so PROUD of me that i was going into nursing.

i really have no clue what to do. if i fail out this year i can always go back next year...maybe by then i will be more mature and responsible and i can get through it even though i dont like it. or i was thinking about going into massage therapy...but then i found out they make hardly any money. i dont know if its worth it to keep trying to be a nurse, i really despise it so far. but if i make it through, i will have a very dependable job and make a lot of money and have benefits. i am so mad at myself for wasting so much time!!!

PLEASE can someone either support my idea of finding a different career, and WHY should i not do nursing

or-

try to convince me to change my mind and stick with nursing!

I NEED OPINIONS PLEASE

It is easy to advise you to quit at this point and it is easy to advise you to stick it out. Only you have to deal with the consequences of whichever decision you make. But having been in similar shoes, I offer you this advice: Stick it out and get your nursing license. You may never work as a nurse during your lifetime, but you never know when the day may come that you really need to get work in nursing or when you might start to come around and change your mind or any other change in circumstances. There are many people in this world who obtained educational credentials and licenses, etc. that don't use them. There is nothing wrong with that. But by finishing school and getting your license, you will not have to explain to someone why you didn't finish. Don't make yourself look like a quitter. And put that nursing fall-back card in your hand for life. It's only 8 months. You can finish it. Then take a breather and reevaluate, once you have the nursing license. Good luck and God bless.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in HIV care, med/surge agency.

I felt exactly the way you do towards the end of my nursing program. I got counseling and stuck it out. 20 years later I am so glad I did. There are so many different areas of nursing you can always find one you do not hate. You do not have to work in a hospital.You can work in an office, sit behind a computer, endless well paid possibilites. What do you hate about nursing?????

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in HIV care, med/surge agency.

Me I hated my teachers in nursing school. They were working overtime to put us down and demoralize us.They were teaching for the wrong reasons.

Why you hate nursing or being a nurse tells you what the problem is and how to solve it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Neurosciences.

It has been my experience think that all of my nursing instructors are incapable of teaching. I am fairly certain that I am going to quit school because I have had enough of the poor instruction.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

I hated nursing school too, but didn't hate nursing itself. That's the real question. Is it really the work of nursing that you hate? If so, then perhaps it is best not to waste any more time and money on it. But if you think you would actually like a career in nursing -- but just hate nursing school -- that's a whole other story.

Nursing school (and entry-level jobs) are just stepping stones at the beginning of the path. Think long term as you make any major decisions.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in BSc, ASN- RN, MBA.

I feel for you, and sometimes I feel that way too! I am 42 and a Mom to 3 kids. Nursing school is exhausting and sometimes tedious, but I am glad I am doing it. Please stick with it! There are so many things you can do with a Nursing degree - you do not have to work in a hospital. My former boss's job would hire nurses right out of nursing school - they investigated insurance fraud!

I actually do massage right now for a lymphoma patient who is a cert. massage therapist. He asked me if I would be interested in getting trained to do manual lymph drainage (MLD) for him and thought it would be a nice addition to my nursing skills. I have been working with him for six months and he pays me $50 an hour. He tells me there is a huge need for cert. massage therapists that are certified through insurance companies. He is the only one in the entire area that is cert. thru the insurance companies and he does 3-6 appts a week (BTW it is a moonlighting job for him). He also told me that hospital massage therapists get paid very well. I think the insurance companies are billed $165 an hour for the service. He also tells me that there are no doctors that he has found that specialize in the Lymphatic system. If you think massage might be more enjoyable - get your RN and go to work for someone willing to give you tuition reimbursement and find a school for massage. Find your niche and do what makes you happy - but don't give up now!

Lisa

Up Vote Up Vote ×

KSU-SN- I really feel for you because I was in a similar situation just a few years ago. I decided to go ahead and finish my program. For the most part, I am glad that I did it because it will open up a lot of doors to me in the future. I don't enjoy hospital nursing, so I left the bedside after 9 months. I now work in community education, which I like better, but I'm about to make another career change back into acute care (for numerous reasons).

Do what you feel is best in your heart. Be aware that with an associate's degree, it may be a bit more difficult to get out of the hospital so quickly, but it is possible. I agree that talking with a counselor or academic advisor is a good idea. Explore all the possibilities and see if there is another degree or major that you could apply your credits toward if you decide not to finish.

I still think about going back to school for something completely different sometimes, but I'm not quite ready to give up on nursing.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

A lot of people have already said what I was thinkign when I read your post. You really need to finish it, even if you NEVER go into nursing, at least you have somethign to show for your money!

I went through a stage in my second year after I failed a paper - I thougth I was screwed, and was not happy at all, my student loan is bloody massive (80 grand) and to walk out with nothing BUT debt was rather depressing, my dad then yelled at me and then made an appoitnment with the co-ordinateor of the programme, who told me I could have one last chance. It took me another year or so to realise I really want to be a nurse (after I wasn't sure), and I'm not far off the fninish line, just a full term + 2 weeks.

the other issue, is that if you try to get another job or get into another degree/education programme, and they see that you didn't finish the nursing programme, they migth not be too happy about letting you in because they could view that as being a quiter - my bro pointed that out to me when i told him I was sick of it.

I understand you obviously dont' want this, but you need to think really pragmatically, and just sort of bite your emotions and annoyance, especially with the amoutn of money you're playing with.

Good luck in whatever you choose too do, I hope it works out for you!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I felt the same way in school. It wasn't because school was too hard but because I felt that I didn't like nursing. I was really jealous of other people who changed their majors. I wish now that I'd done that too, but I went ahead and finished the program. Now I have my license and all that but I still feel like maybe it's not for me, although I haven't been out of school very long so maybe that will change (I hope). I'd like to go back to school one day to do something different, but I wish I'd changed majors back when I first knew I didn't want to do nursing. I stayed because my family kind of pressured me and told me how I'd have a great job when I got out and whatnot. Yeah right.

I'm not saying you should quit, but make sure you think long and hard about whether you want to stay or leave. You can do a lot with a nursing degree but you may have to work in a hospital for a few years first.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I felt exactly the way you do towards the end of my nursing program. I got counseling and stuck it out. 20 years later I am so glad I did. There are so many different areas of nursing you can always find one you do not hate. You do not have to work in a hospital.You can work in an office, sit behind a computer, endless well paid possibilites. What do you hate about nursing?????

Very well said!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Hi i am in need of some serious advice. I am a 21 year old female nursing student at kent state university in ohio. im going for my associate's degree. well this is actually my last year...only 8 more months to go. For 2 years after high school graduation i attended a different college doing my pre-reqs for the bachelor's program. after 2 years they finally informed me there was a 2 year waiting list and you had to have at least a 3.6GPA to get into the program. So i frantically applied to other colleges trying to get into the program. I was SO excited when I was accepted right away to Kent. The first year I breezed through, mostly because I had been a nurse's aide at a hospital for 3 years and it helped me alot. But also during my first year I started to regret going into nursing. I really wasnt interested in it at all, i disliked all aspects about it, i felt like i had no idea what i was doing, and my professors were grumpy and very unhelpful. anytime i was at work at the hospital as an aide or at clinicals i watched what the nurse's were doing and thought to myself "i really dont want to do this." I started to dread going to clinicals and i look like a fool in front of the instructors because i get very nervous and i start to shake and i forget how to properly do things and i make stupid mistakes because my brain just freezes.

well after i made it through my first year i figured i was halfway done and i would just finish with it. But this is my 4th week into my second and final year and i am in serious danger of failing. i absolutely hate nursing and i have no interest in it whatsoever. i feel like i am soo far behind my other classmates, i feel like i have no idea what im doing and i feel so disorganized and clueless. i am supposed to graduate in only 8 months but i feel like i have learned nothing and there is no way i could actually take care of patients on my own. i am so disappointed and frustrated with myself. i have wasted 3 and a half years on nursing and a whole lot of money and i finally figure out that it is not for me at all. i honestly hate everything about it. its so embarrassing when all your friends and family think you are going to have this awesome career making so much money and then you have to tell them that you dont think you are going to do it after all. my parents were so PROUD of me that i was going into nursing.

i really have no clue what to do. if i fail out this year i can always go back next year...maybe by then i will be more mature and responsible and i can get through it even though i dont like it. or i was thinking about going into massage therapy...but then i found out they make hardly any money. i dont know if its worth it to keep trying to be a nurse, i really despise it so far. but if i make it through, i will have a very dependable job and make a lot of money and have benefits. i am so mad at myself for wasting so much time!!!

PLEASE can someone either support my idea of finding a different career, and WHY should i not do nursing

or-

try to convince me to change my mind and stick with nursing!

I NEED OPINIONS PLEASE

HI there,

well, i hope that you continued your studies...nursing is not all bedside although you must start working as a bedside nurse... in my college years, i dreaded clinical exposures but i liked the theory part so much...i dont like bedside nursing, but now i am enjoying my job as a theory nursing instructor in a school..i also enjoyed other fields such as MDS coordinator...in short, nursing offers a lot of other options or fields which is why it is better than other courses...if you feel bored in one area , you can go to another field...dont STOP or youll regret it...im an instructor and ive seen students who have families who return to school just to have a more stable job in which they regret why they havent pursued nursing before and now they have families to feed and need to buy a house...people mature and they certainly know what they want later in life...good luck !

john

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care, Surgical ICU.
Think long term as you make any major decisions.

I would think about what llg said as well. I am $25,000 in school loan debt and I start nursing school in January. It was a HARD road to get in, I am sure I will have days where I know I want to quit, but I worked to hard to get where I am to give it all up.

Finish school, there are so many others avenues of nursing. The field has open possibilities. Im sending you hugs, and hoping you stick with school. :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment