Nursing is not for you if you don't have a burning passion for it?

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So during one of my clinical evaluations, my instructor was telling me that she doesn't think nursing is for me because I don't seem enthusiastic enough and that it was as if I was always "playing catch up". She said that if I can't see myself doing nursing "for free" then I don't have enough of a passion for it. I'll admit, I am not in love with nursing school, but I'm not sure if that's enough to determine whether I'd be a good fit for the profession. Nursing is so versatile too, maybe I'd find my niche within it eventually? But I can't honestly say I'm in love with nursing. I think it's an okay fit for my personality, I don't mind taking care of people and nursing pays decently which is why I'm attracted to it. I guess it's more of a practical choice than a passion. But according to my instructor that's not enough. She's convinced that I wouldn't be a good fit. Do y'all agree with her? Has an instructor ever insinuated something similar to you? If so, how did you respond, did you keep going anyway? I feel so conflicted.

Specializes in ED, med-surg, peri op.

I can't believe people are so caught up about the working for free part, that nurse never said she should work for free. No one expects nurses to do so.

But I can see why Americans are so obsessed about money, after reading a post on here where people were shocked about how good $9 an hour was for working as a CNA. I'm so glad I live in a more equitable country were minimum wage is 15.75 and due to increase. Even then most employers pay more, during high school I was paid $19 to work in a supermarket, which was a couple of years ago now and has since increased. And that's why I've never thought about the money. Because working full time at any job here is enough to live off comfortably. While nurse do get paid $10 more as new grads, which then increase every year you practise. But after the years of study and the cost of getting your bachelors, there would need to be than just a good pay check at the end of it. If I wasn't passionate about it, I would still be working at a supermarket earning $20+ a hour with no student debt, and having little to no stress or responsibilities. Yes nurses are valued and respected, earn a good wage, but I'm lucky to live in a country where everyone is paid fairly and can choose there careers based on interests and passion.

But to op I stick by my comment, this nurses comments has effected you and made you think. If you are having second thoughts, spend time to really think about what you want. There's no shame in admitting this isn't the career for you.

To Everyone that is saying she should disregard the nurses opinion and not reflect on her practise and what she wants, should remember that you don't know this person at all. This nurse has worked with her and seen a problem, which doesn't mean she should give up but obviously she needs to improve. Being unmotivated and always playing catch up will only get her so far. it is an advantage to know this now rather than failing out later. Listen to your feedback and Use it to improve.

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Don't listen to her. I had a huge level of passion going into nursing school which was trampled and stifled by the stress of the environment. I made it through without passion. I passed without hope. And they are starting to come back, little by little. And while yes, I'll volunteer my time and skill to certain organizations, I would never work for free because I have a home to sustain.

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The same thing happened to me, I was told I should leave the program and pursue psychology instead. I stayed anyway and now have my BSN. Maybe the hospital setting isn't for you...there are many other options, I'm older and starting over with something else was not an option. Good luck!

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God didn't bring you this far” in nursing school. Nor is He planning for you to pass or fail. Jesus told his disciples to go and spread the good news of Christ. To love one another. To forgive. To be gracious and not pass judgement. To keep the commandments. To love God.

Nowhere in the Bible are we commanded to become a nurse” or obtain any other earthly degree to prove that we are walking in God's grace. I firmly believe that one of the most common traps Christians fall into is to start believing that our success by man's standards (academics, finances, relationships, health) is a reflection of God's will in our life.

I'll reiterate this- God doesn't care if you become a nurse, or a teacher, or a garbage collector. If you fail nursing school, it doesn't mean you let God down or He let you down. It doesn't mean you didn't pray enough. It simply means that you didn't score high enough in your coursework to pass the class. You'll start to feel a lot more peace and a lot less pressure when you realize that the life choices you make (such as your career) don't mess up some master plan that God has for your life. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. And love your neighbor as yourself. That is all you have to do.

How do you know what God does or doesn't care about? Or what God does or doesn't want for a particular person?

You are entitled to your view of God and His will. So is OP, so is everyone else. It's really presumptuous of you to say what you said.

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Her assertion you are not enthusiastic enough and always playing catch up is worth thinking about. Was there any lack of initiative on your part, a disinterest in that particular rotation, or is the subject matter a weak spot for you? Anybody you worked around who you could ask?

The devil (yeah, pun intended, LOL) with anyone else's views. She has to decide for herself which direction to take in life.

Her instructor might be right, might be wrong. What the Instructor said is just another opinion and doesn't matter a whit.

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No I've never thought about the money. No I'm not a saint. No I don't think I'm selfless do Gooder.

But you have just prove my point. You so obsessed about nursing being a job and money that you can't see pass that comment of working for free. (Where actually you do that in my countries clinical placements, that last 6 weeks at a time every Semester, and you work as a nurse. No instructor with you, full pt load, with just a nurse on the ward observing you. So really I have worked for free)

But as a rn ofcourse I will get paid, but never thought about how much and how to get the most money. I know the mecca scale of pay we use here due to being shown it in class. But nursing is my career, it excites me, interests me, I enjoy it. That why I do it. I look forward to it.

You saying it's your job and money is exactly my point. You go there and do you job. What about going the extra mile? What about the extra hour you stay to do something for a pt or help a someone out that you don't get paid for? What about your future and goals? What motivates you?

Any one doing nursing for the money shouldn't. There's much easier ways to make money, in my country nurses pay rate isn't that much more than minimin wage. And you will grow to resent it. You will hate you job. You want get any source of happiness from it. Nearly any post from an American in this site is complaining or wishing they never did nursing. Don't be one of those people. If you don't want to be a nurse then don't. Your just wasting your time and money. Find what it is that your passionate about.

Nearly any post here from an American? There are probably hundreds daily. You are saying they're nearly all negative? Wrong, wrong, wrong, and wrong again.

OP will make her own decision. Perhaps you are unhappy with yours?

OP is wrestling with this issue because she is being thoughtful and because her idiot instructor made a really stupid comment. As a PP said, does the instructor work for free? Doubt it.

Passions - these can change over time.

OP, just study, get your grades up, keep on going, ignore your instructor's silliness, keep praying to your God and living your faith.

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I think your situation is clear cut. Here's what to do. If you fail med/surg, do exactly what I did: Think about your life for a few weeks. Why did you fail? Did you really put 100% into it? Were you overloaded with distractions? I went through bad life events and was absolutely depressed during my first attempt at med/surg. Failing gave me the time to get my life under control, and I came back and got an A- in med/surg. If you were to approach me, id' be probably the quietest co-worker or co-student you'd ever seen. I don't show a lot of enthusiasm, but I LOVE to help others. You are a faithful person, so just focus on what I typed above. If you fail, decide if it was you, or maybe you are meant to do something else. Sometimes it is okay to fail, success sometimes starts with failure. I wish you the best, friend!

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What makes nurses or teachers or doctors or any profession think that their profession is so special that you have to have a "calling" to be go into it. Personally, the only "professions" where one is "called" are priests, nuns, monks, and ministers of the Christian faith. Everything else is just a choice you make based on how well you think it will fit your lifestyle, personality, etc.

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I've had lots of people tell me that I'm too quiet, too serious, not enthusiastic and it's taken me years to feel confident in the type of person I am (introvert, which does not mean I dislike people or need to be more outgoing , etc.). Incidentally once I accepted who I am, I came out of my shell and people no longer tell me I'm too quiet, etc. God made my personality the way it is just like he did for those who wear their enthusiasm on their sleeve and neither one of us is better than the other. I know for a fact that there are many many nurses who probably would be told that they weren't enthusiastic enough, but are in fact wonderful nurses. So, take your instructors comment with a grain of salt.

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What makes nurses or teachers or doctors or any profession think that their profession is so special that you have to have a "calling" to be go into it. Personally, the only "professions" where one is "called" are priests, nuns, monks, and ministers of the Christian faith. Everything else is just a choice you make based on how well you think it will fit your lifestyle, personality, etc.

There are ministries of the Christian faith that become HUGE medical centers. St. Joseph, st. marys, st. francis, st. Jude...These are all ministries and medical centers...Many of the Physicians and Nurses that work for these hospitals are devoted Christians who feel "Called" to serve in health care as part of their ministry.

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Specializes in ED, med-surg, peri op.

I still don't get why everyone is saying this nurse is nut and she shouldn't listen to her. And then say that maybe I'm not happy with my choice, or I don't know what I'm talking about, or how bad my country is.

We don't know this person personally. But reading her last post on here, she failed fundamentals and pharmacology. And is now failing med/surg which means she will be kicked out of her programme. And has receive feedback that wasn't great on clinicals.

She should absolutely be listening to this nurse and using her feedback to improve. Telling her to ignore her and anyone that says anything that isn't positive is rediculous. If this person wants to be a nurse and get through school she needs to improve, saying that there's nothing wrong with what she's doing is only going to help her fail out of school.

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Hi, I'm an NP with a DNP and can tell you that school is not easy. I started when I was really young and was working 3 jobs at a time and going to nursing school full time. This led me to fail my 2nd semester of nursing school. I also had some instructors tell me, maybe this was not for me but I made up my mind and decided I was going to focus on school and not let anyone tell me nursing was not for me. Do not feel discouraged and if you are already working hard, well work harder in school and good luck.

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