Not sure if being 'called' to nursing

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  1. Should I take the leap and sign into a nursing program?

    • 4
      Yes! You won't know until trying!
    • 0
      No way! This is not something to rush into
    • 1
      Try talking to a friend first.

5 members have participated

Hi Guys!

I am 21 years old and have been contemplating a nursing career for sometime now. I don't have any relatives in the medical field and, as such, I have no one to talk to, one on one about the realities of this career.

My question is simply, what can I do? I would rather not sign up for any long term classes before I am certain that I can do the job.

Is there any type of activity you can think of that will help give me some insight?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks so much for your time!

Peg :up:

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Specializes in Operating Room.

See if you can do some volunteer work on a nursing unit, or perhaps a long-term care facility. Or, see if you can do a shadow experience with a nurse. At least that would allow you to see firsthand if nursing is something you want to pursue. :-)

Good luck!

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Hi Corrine! Should I just call up a local hospital and ask specifically to work with the nursing unit?

Thanks for your encouragement! :)

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Specializes in Leadership, Psych, HomeCare, Amb. Care.

Ask yourself why you want to become a nurse. List the plus & minuses.

Originally, I planned to become a Paramedic, took the EMT-B program, worked for 6 months. Ten, due to the market, I assessed other careers and ended up with nursing.

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You don't have to be called to nursing. Some do, others have a higher calling... to pay the bills and support themselves/families. Many nurses I'm sure have felt both.

I'm about to start nursing school and have start my volunteer apps just to get some experience. You can usually visit the website and find a Volunteer page. For many of the hospitals in NYC, you have to fill out an application, go through an interview, have a medical exam of some sort and orientation. Typically it's a commitment of 6 months with a minimum amount of hours worked per week. The entire process of selection can take a few weeks.

Hope this helps :cat:

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Can you make an appointment with a nurse at your doctor's office? I know in my area some of the hospitals have someone who coordinates job shadows, so you could check with the hospitals in your area. You could also check out volunteer opportunities at the hospitals.

I wouldn't recommend jumping into nursing without at least having an idea of what you are getting into. You may end up wasting a lot of time and money. That said, if you have a realistic idea of what nursing entails and it is still something you are interested in, then go for it!

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Specializes in Med/surg, Onc.

The other answers are great but I think that maybe making the jump to be a CNA is a good place to start. It gives you an idea of how things run and feel etc. It also allows you to work with nurses and ask questions etc.

I felt called to be a nurse, I didn't feel that at 18 but by the time I was in my late 20s I did. Now I know that the reason I didn't go to school sooner was that I wouldn't have been a good nurse at 18 or 20. I needed to do other things first (I don't think that's true of everyone).

Also know that there is no nursing shortage, new grads work hard to get jobs, and sometimes even move (far) from their home base to find those jobs etc. They may not be working in their preferred specialty right away either, so there is going to be "put in your time" time before that for some people.

All that said I think it's still a great career and can be amazing and rewarding.

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I became an LPN

I dad a 13 month program, I had no pre-reqs done, I love being a nurse

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Thanks so much for your advice! I will start looking into some hospitals and see what kind of volunteer work I can do.

I really appreciate the help!

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I became an LPN

I dad a 13 month program, I had no pre-reqs done, I love being a nurse

No pre-reqs? All of the programs around me require TEAS scores and some Bio, Chem, etc.

Did you enjoy the LPN program?

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