Not Sure If Nursing is for Me...

[mariemonae92]

I'm 23 years old, and I just completed my first semester of the one-year accelerated BSN program that I am in this summer. Nursing is a first career for me because my first bachelor's degree was in psychology, and I did not really work before entering nursing school. I had plans of going to dental school, but I didn't follow through because I didn't have all of the prereqs done and I didn't feel like my GPA was good enough. I thought that I would be interested in becoming a Psychiatric NP, so I chose nursing. Before entering the program I was a little nervous, and I was having second thoughts wondering if I was making the right decision. I even felt that way after orientation, but I decided to go ahead and enter the program to see if I would have a change of heart after a month. However, during the program, I felt like my heart was not in it and I was not motivated. I mean, I did all of the assignments and did good on the exams, but it didn't always seem exciting. It just seemed like work. The homework assignments that we had just seemed like busy work, and it caused me to lose so much sleep. Losing sleep made me even more stressed out, and it caused me to lose focus. I remember one of the students from the graduating class told us that we might have a nervous/mental breakdown during the spring semester of the program, but I already feel like I have had a few in the one month that I have been in nursing school. I was even tempted to withdraw from the program after the first week. I felt so burnt out, but I still continued, and I finished strong. For some reason, I'm still not sure of nursing is for me or if I'm supposed to be doing something else.

I have spoken to my family, friends, and one of my instructors about it, and they have either told me to stick with nursing or follow my heart. All of the advice was mixed, but my parents and instructor have tried to convince me to stay in nursing school and get my BSN. So I am still confused about what I should do. I think that some of the reasons that I am not sure are because I get super nervous during nursing school practicals, I feel like I don't have a connection with my classmate (I'm kind of a loner sometimes and I don't put myself out there enough), and I lack some of the life experience needed for an accelerated nursing program since I didn't have a career in a healthcare field before nursing school. I am already getting really nervous about clinicals because I'm afraid that since I was so nervous in the practicals, it would be the same or worse during clinicals. I'm also really introverted, quiet, and a little shy, so I'm not sure if nursing suits me and my personality. Cost is also hindering me. Financial aid covered my summer semester, but fall and spring are going to be more expensive than I expected so my loans will not fully cover tuition/fees/housing, plus there are other expenses that I have to pay out of pocket for supplies (books, etc.) and books are expensive.

Sometimes, I find myself exploring other careers including cosmetic science, biomedical engineering, medical research, and dentistry. I love science and the hands-on aspect of these fields. I also think that a lab career would suit me more at times. Sometimes, I think that I should just continue with nursing school, but I am not sure. I only have a week to figure it out.

Any Advice???

[Zyprexa_Ho]

I don't know if there is anything we can really say to help you make up your mind, unfortunately. It sounds like you have done a lot of thinking about this, so it's time to decide. That's the hardest part I think about becoming an adult. At the end of the day, YOU have to decide.

I wish you the best of luck

[Gaylordfocker1]

You have, what, a year left to grind out? After you get your BSN, so many avenues will open for you. You do not have to be a bedside nurse. There are other directions you can go that would better suit your personality.

[Erythropoiesis]

This was something I had to work through mentally too. I start my program finally in August but for the longest time I kept wanting to talk myself out of nursing entirely because I knew I probably will hate being a bedside nurse, but I didn't realize that I don't have to be a bedside nurse at all if I don't want to. Like another person said, you're already in your program. You have a year left. Stick with it and then graduate and start exploring all the different things you can do with your degree.

[jennmv]

I would just continue and get my BSN. It is just another year, and all of the other options you mentioned take longer than a year.

Everyone is nervous in clinicals, some students are just better at faking confidence than others:)

Once you get your BSN, there are many paths you can follow with it. Research your options and choose the one that suits your personality.

[mariemonae92]

I don't think that it is bedside nursing that I'm afraid of. It nursing as a whole. I just don't feel passionate about it like I thought that I would. I have done research on the different careers in nursing before, and I don't know if it is the career for me. I decided to stay in the program, and the Fall semester just started. I thought that the break that we had would have allowed me to regain focus and motivation for nursing school. However, I still feel that lack of motivation and loss of focus that I felt over the summer. I feel like I may need to take a break from nursing school and do some volunteering and exploring of nursing and other careers before investing too much time and money into a career that I'm not sure about anymore.

[Erythropoiesis]

It seems like you already answered your own question and now you're looking for approval. This is a decision that is 100% yours to make. Lots of people aren't passionate about nursing, but there has to be an interest in it deep down. I mean...if I were a neurologist, a divorce attorney, or an investment banker, I would earn an exceptional income. I'm not any of those things, though, because none of it interests me at all. If the idea of nursing as an entire profession doesn't give you ANY kind of a rise, then I would reconsider what you are doing.

[Erythropoiesis]

I feel like I may need to take a break from nursing school and do some volunteering and exploring of nursing and other careers before investing too much time and money into a career that I'm not sure about anymore.

This is a good idea. Get to know some nurses. Talk to nurses on this site. Talk to nursing students and find out what their plans are. Talk to your professors and ask them if THEY felt like this when they first started out. The stress of school alone can kill anyone's desire to do anything. Try and do some soul searching to figure out if this is a bi-product of stress or if you truly did have a change of taste.