New RN-BSN school admit, feeling discouraged.

HeySis, BSN, RN · Dec 4, 2016

I have never regretted becoming a nurse, some days have been hard... I've gotten "burnt out" in a specific area or more often with a specific team. But it never made me "rue the day".

I am about as extroverted as you can be without being a stripper!! (Hahaha!! No-one wants to see that from me!! Sorry if there are any ex-strippers that are introverts and find my generalization offensive.)

I enjoy nursing in general, I like the pace (it makes the work day go by fast) I like the challenge of thinking out of the box to solve problems, I like the feeling of getting a competency down and knowing I have those skills. I've gotten a lot of thank-yous from patients and I cherish each and everyone. They are affirmations to me of a job well done.

So, yep I like affirmations that I am doing a good job, when I work with a team that doesn't give any thank you's I find that tough. I find some families and patients frustrating .... had one the other day that I was very happy to hand off. I have found a few physicians to be infuriating, and have to beat back the dread when I know it's them I will have to call. There are times that it's crazy and I feel like I am pushing my patients along a conveyor belt. And I can understand when nurses fell that way every day in and out, and are just done with nursing.

I'm lucky (and I do mean lucky.. I don't think that it's anything I have done, just the luck of my situations) that I have not worked in a place where the everyday grind has had to compromise the care and caring I give on a regular basis.

But if you've worked in healthcare most likely your eyes have had a glimpse of these things already. If you are thinking of working as a nurse in that facility you are already at, I'd ask some of the nurses o the different units (because culture can vary by unit) what is the best and worse thing about their job, see what those you'd be working with are thinking.

ItsThatJenGirl, CNA · Dec 5, 2016

I think a lot of people use the internet as a sounding board. I mean, if you're happy and content, you don't really need to post about it, right? I usually only post about really awesome things (like the scholarship I just got), or negative experiences (though I try to keep those to a minimum). I think forums amplify the negative aspects of careers because they are a safe place to vent. I think once you understand that, you'll be less inclined to think that all, or even most nurses regret their choice.

Just my experience on forums in general. :)

cleslie92 · Dec 5, 2016

I think a lot of people use the internet as a sounding board. I mean, if you're happy and content, you don't really need to post about it, right? I usually only post about really awesome things (like the scholarship I just got), or negative experiences (though I try to keep those to a minimum). I think forums amplify the negative aspects of careers because they are a safe place to vent. I think once you understand that, you'll be less inclined to think that all, or even most nurses regret their choice.
Just my experience on forums in general. :)

I appreciate your take on this. You're probably right!

la_chica_suerte85, BSN, RN · Dec 5, 2016

I think a lot of the people who gripe about becoming an RN end up on very busy, terrifyingly understaffed medical/surgical floors where they were given the 10 Week Orientation of Doom and end up completely unsupported, truly getting the short end of the stick. Or, they had to pick up a LTC job and are terrified about never being able to transition into an acute care position. You, however, have the opportunity to make your career into what you want it to be starting in nursing school. You already come from a health care background so I assume you have some connections and at least a foot in the door into a hospital. So, settling for whatever job you can get is not likely in your cards. Envision for yourself what you actually see yourself doing as a nurse.

This isn't an instant realization, mind you, but a gradual one that clinical experience will give you. I was terrified at the end of the first year of my BSN program that I wasn't going to make it as an RN because I was horrified at med/surg and was sure I could never have the guts to be a pediatric nurse (and psych? no, never happening). But, I was forced into my niche, as it were, and I was able to start planning my career path from then on. I ended up at an amazing hospital specializing in an amazing specialty and everything is, generally, amazing. The work itself is hard. I knew it would be this hard and I knew that I would be able to rise to the challenge of how hard it could be (but, that's because I already worked as a nursing assistant and saw and anticipated how much **** was coming my way once I started as an RN).

You will regularly have these moments of feeling discouraged or downright terrified about your decision to become an RN. But, it will pass, you are in control and those are just ways to check yourself and make sure you're on track doing everything you can to have a fulfilling career. Good luck!

andrea3434 · Dec 6, 2016

I appreciate your take on this. You're probably right!

I was literally just going to type this. Most people don't search out internet message boards to rave about how much they love their job! :roflmao:

It kind of freaked me out too but all the nurses I know in real life encouraged me to go for it, so I take that to heart. I also really like it so far (but I'm just a lowly student, I know it will get way more stressful when I am actually working). The nice part about nursing is that if you don't like the stress of the hospital there are plenty of other options. Fortunately for me I live in an area where nurses are in very high demand.

CocoaDreamer · Dec 12, 2016

Although I do not regret becoming a nurse, my personality is not conductive to nursing. In essence, I am a hardcore introvert with a somewhat reserved personality who does not enjoy meeting new people.
I am not the type of person who derives pleasure from being needed by patients. I do not enjoy calming the anxieties of families. I cannot stand the customer service aspects of the job. Thus, I am forced to play the game and pretend to be nice.
Moreover, I have malcontent traits. As a malcontent, I will never be completely happy with any job or profession. The only job I will ever like is the unicorn position that pays me 12 months of salary while allowing me to take 52 weeks off.
In other words, nursing is a tough gig for someone like me who is not genuinely fond of mingling. However, your mileage may vary. Good luck to you.

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Are you me?

**emergenceRN17, ASN, BSN, RN** · Dec 16, 2016

I am currently an MRI tech and have always had feelings of regret for not becoming an RN. I love the patient care part of my job and desperately want to increase my knowledge towards the patient care side of healthcare instead of technology (my current field). My husband encouraged me to apply to the ABSN program at OU and I got in. I am ecstatic, although this is going to take a huge leap of faith to jump from the great job I have in order to prepare myself for one I think I could love long-term.
Basically, I read a lot of posts online about people becoming nurses and hating the hard-work and minimum pay. My question is are these posts I'm seeing from people who truly aren't passionate about what they do or is this job really something that is hard to love. I absolutely know this field requires hard work and tough times but I thought the positive side of caring for people at their worst times would even it out. I feel very passionate about my choice to become an RN and hope I'm not being unrealistic?
Any comments, encouragement?

I completely understand!!!! I graduate in May and feel the same, have read sooooooo many negative things but you know what..... you make of it what it is... just be positive, don't worry about what others say. If it is what you really want to do then do it!!!! =)