Nervous about the idea of being a nurse?

[emily12345]

This will be my last year of prereqs. I'm applying to nursing school in the summer and if accepted first try, I'll begin in spring 2015. I've always wanted to be a nurse. I love trauma, taking care of people, and comforting people during difficult times. I ordered the Kaplan anatomy flash cards and received them today. Just looking at them makes me nervous all over again. I'm not the smartest student. I achieved a lot of B's and one C. No A's...yet. I'd like to get straight A's this semester. I'm not so sure I'm cut out to be a nurse. I don't deal really well under stress. I tend to get frustrated and give up for a few hours then get back into it. I feel I can't be like that in nursing school. I'd like to shadow a nurse to see if that's what I'd really like to do. I'm afraid if its not, then I have no idea what I'd like to do. After visiting my dream nursing school, I feel intimidated and scared. The rudeness kept repeating how time consuming it is and how stressful it is. I know it's very time consuming and stressful but they acted as if its unbearable. I'm so worried I'll give up one day. I only see myself working in a hospital. How do you know if you're cut out to be a nurse? In high school I didn't try very hard because I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life. My teachers always told me I'd be a great nurse. The idea was always in the back of my head but I was scared of the amount of work. Once college started, I worked hard. Granted I didn't obtain any A's but I made a lot of b's and for me I feel that I can accomplish anything if I put my mind to it. Any words of wisdom to keep going and know it'll be worth it in the end?

[Sparrow91]

Hey Emily12345!

The key to getting through nursing school like any other degree is persistance! Just take things one step at a time, find good study groups and find good friends who will support you through this! Good luck!

[candystriper910]

Hi there!

It sounds to me that you want to truly help comfort people in life's difficult situations and that you find much of nursing interesting. This is pretty much essential to get through the treacherous-deadly nursing school! NOT! If you want to be a nurse, ( which only you know ) and you give your college work your best effort, then nothing can stop you from being in this field.

I like to think that we've all questioned if this route is fit for us, but many of us have said who cares and have decided to bust down the door anyways.

Nursing has incredible opportunity, revolves around physically and emotionally comforting others in their time of need, and is a great path for many of us.

Best wishes to you and your decision! After all, only you can make it

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

Sorry you're already experiencing anxiety and you haven't even begun the process yet. I hope you discover some better support & coping methods soon.

It may be encouraging for you to know that those "A" students in pre-reqs frequently become C students when they it their first clinical courses. They discover that the study/learning methods they have always used are just not very effective anymore. So, maybe this will be a positive for you. Perhaps your learning method isn't geared toward 'memorization & fact recall' which works very well with pre-reqs. Maybe you are more abstract - if so, this will work out very well for your clinical courses.

But I do want to correct a myth that seems to be expressed in your message as well as the PPs. Nursing practice is a scientific process - "gather data --> analyze --> make (evidence-based) decisions -->" rinse & repeat. . . . On the other hand, "caring & comforting" are just perceptions - based on your patients' conclusions about how you interact with them. What works with one patient may not work with the next one.

I know that I will always prefer my health care providers to be expert practitioners... don't really care if they're warm & fuzzy and hold my hand. We are skilled and knowledgeable professionals who have to make tough decisions on a regular basis, not Angels of Mercy. Don't expect grateful patients to extol your virtues and heap praise on you for doing your job - it isn't going to happen. Chances are, they won't even remember you or the role you played in saving their health/life. But that's how it should be. That's our job. Nursing is not the job for you if you need external validation.

[Nursing2102]

You and almost every new student on this website are in the same boat. I think there are few people are every truly 100% confident about making career choices in life when they are not sure what to expect. Will you like it? You may or may not, but that is something you will find out. There are tons of things you can do with nursing. You'll be fine. If you are stressing out now, I pray for you once nursing school actually starts. Don't waste your energy stressing over something that hasn't even started yet.