"You can't be a Nurse!" Vent...

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Has anyone else had this problem? Anytime I mention that I am planning on going into a nursing program, I get the skeptical look and a laugh. I get treated like the idea of me being an RN is ridiculous, even funny. Why is that? Yes, I know nursing is hard and stressful and most days nurses wonder did I do the right thing? But I love to help people, I feel so good after I've helped someone and I can HEAR the Gratitude and pleasure in their voice. I'm not a stupid person, I was a good student in high school, people tell me I'm intelligent, etc....But why is it so far fetched that I want to be a nurse????:angryfire

Hello

When I read your post I immediately became upset. This same thing happened to me. When I told my mother I wanted to become an LPN the first thing she said to me was " Can you do that? Do you know what nurses do?" This one comment remained in my mind all the while I was in nursing school. I dropped out in my second semester even though I had really good grades. When someone says this to you it just tares you apart, especially when it is a family member. These are the people who are suppose to be encouraging and supportive of you. Please do not let this effect your decision. If these comments bother you this much this shows you are what is known as a "sensitive" and that you do belong in the nursing profession. I beleive this trait will make you a great nurse.

Yes, nursing school is tough. The instructors can be demanding and it is stressful dealing with sick patients when you are just learning yourself. If you surround yourself with caring clasmates in which you should be able to find some because nursing school should be full of caring individuals you will be fine. Please don't let someone else tell you what you can and can not be. Usually it is those people who have the insecurities about nursing and know they could never do it so they don't understand how you would want to do it.

Know you can do it and don't let anyone stand in your way. Take it one day at a time. I am proud to say that I will be re-entering nurisng school to obtain my RN in Sept. 06 and will not let anyone tell me again that I can not do it.

If you need encouragement please e-mail me.

Peace and Grace

nursewannabee

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I was raised in a medical family; therefore, surrounded by a medical community. It was only natural that I would want a job in medicine. I first planned on becoming a doctor....a pediatric oncologist. But after working in a one-doc clinic, I discovered that I was meant to be a nurse. I wanted the patient contact that most doctors don't want to find the time to have. When I decided to go to nursing school, my dad (both of my parents are nurses and work EMS) frequently told me, "Don't be a nurse; be a school teacher." Not because he didn't think that I had the stuff for it. But because he knew all the crap that nurses have to deal with. But if being a nurse is your calling, your dream, you will take the good and the bad together and be thankful that you have the opportunity to take it!

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i have been to that situation too but the only difference was I my self was the one who doesnt want to be a nurse after my 2nd year in the nursing school.i even cried to my parents and told them that nursing is not the right one for me..but after long hours of talking and discussions i finally agreed to continued though it really gave me a hard time adjusting to the grosssshhhh scenario of this jobs.and till now,im now a reg.nurse,though i still have a pint of regrets that i sometimes felt esp.during hard times as a staff nurse but im still here working and rendering the best nursing care i could give to my patients.ALL i can advice you is...follow what your heart tells you and wanted you to do and go for it no matter what.....set aside those negative feedbacks you received and insted stand so tall and fight for what you really love doing......and mind you...nursing is a very rewarding and fulfilling profession.

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don't listen to the naysayers!!! I told my mom when I was in 8th grade I was going to the Vocational High School to become a nurse. She said NO, you are going to college. Well, had a great time in college, but never graduated, and now at age 50 I am in nursing school, and doing GREAT!! I love it, and regret not standing up for myself 38 years ago.

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A good number of friends and family around me were skeptical about the idea that I would become a nurse. They didn't think of me that way. (I think they meant well...as I have continued on my course, they do seem supportive, however.) I have to admit that there have been many things I have had to get over, but I am tackling each in turn and expanding my scope. It hasn't all been easy by far...but I really want to make this change... You can do it!!!

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Cardiac.

I had that problem when nurses found out I was trying to get into nursing school. About 1/3 of them told me I was crazy to consider nursing. So I just stopped telling most nurses that I'm in nursing school.

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Specializes in med surg home care PEDS.

I get that same reaction, probably because I am older and working on my second degree and career. People must think I am nuts or something but I love my classes and there are people of all ages in my nursing program. even older than me:jester:

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Specializes in ICU, School Nurse, Med/Surg, Psych.

They might be laughing at your niavity. A nurse spends 8-12 hours SERVING others and gets a mumbled thank you about once a week. If we are really lucky we get a true gratitude expressed by card or letter to the boss about once in every 10 years. Depending on what specialty you work it can be grueling- oncology sees more patients die than live and very few live well. Geriatrics and hospice is all about easing the end of life process. It is easy to get burned out and entering a caring profession without realizing the real risks to your own wellbeing is foolhardy.

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Specializes in med surg home care PEDS.

I think that may be true of some people, I found very young students, just out of high school. However, the students in my school the older ones at least understand exactly what they are getting themselves into.

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Hi there - all I really have to say is good luck. However, I think that you need to understand that once you become a nurse helping people is a wonderful thing and if it makes you feel good about helping then great but if you are expecting gratitude and thank yous from you patients more often thatn not it is an expectation from them so do not be disheartend when you think you have given every inch of your being that day to help someone and all they do is turn up their noses at you - it really isnt you more often they really are just grumpy people. Give your all but dont always expect soemthing in return.

Peace and love all the best

Jamaica Worried

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Specializes in OB, M/S, HH, Medical Imaging RN.

This thread is 2 years old. I wonder if the OP is now an RN?

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Specializes in CNA/LPN.

I've gotten the same reactions from family members, but they don't know my drive. :) If you've really considered that nursing is all you can see yourself doing, go for it with your feet running and see if you can handle it. It's never the end of the world if you can't. There's always something else out there that you can be amazing at. Also, another thing to be cautious of...I know a lot of people who went into a major, with relatives saying they wouldn't make it...and they continued and continued all the way up to graduation, while they had lost complete interest in their early semesters. Don't do that to yourself.

I figure the main reason they may have said that is that maybe you come off as easily grossed out or something? Prove them wrong. You can get past anything. :) I honestly deterred myself from nursing for so long, only because I felt I couldn't give shots. You know what? I got over it. I give my grandma her insulin shots. I was amazed out how easy I adapted, when I really thought it'd be a problem with me for some reason. Keep your head up and do what is best for you. If you know you can do it, that's all that matters! Good luck! :redpinkhe

I know this thread is old, but figured I'd reply, also for people who search the same topic because of people saying they "can't" do it!

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