Nursing as a Career

[fay999]

This past year I was a student at a community college. I have been accepted into a four year nursing program with summers off. I also work as a nurse aide now. I enjoy working with the residents and chatting with them, and seeing them enjoy their day. The physical part of the job is exhausting though. Turning and transferring residents, and sometimes I don't take a lunch break. It makes me think I am a human being, I don't really want to be pushed too hard at work. So this is making me question nursing school. I don't want to take out loans for all four years and then end up miserable and in debt.

So I am just wondering if there are other students or current nurses out there that have made it and graduated. How did it work out for you and were your loved ones supportive? Or if working through nursing school is possible. I just want some insight on what to expect this upcoming fall :).

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

Lots of issues in your post!

It's not reasonable to go into nursing expecting to be broke, overworked, and miserable. :) But I think you already know that, given the bazillions of us in the profession.

Sure, nursing school is challenging, as any education ought to be that prepares you for real professional conduct. You can do it, though. Look at all if us who have.

If there's any way you can focus on school without working, it will, of course, be easier. If not, be prepared for perhaps lower grades than you'd like, and more exhaustion. But the bright side is that when you graduate work alone will feel like a cakewalk in comparison.

Families are what they always have been. If yours has always been supportive, they'll probably keep that up. If not, not. If distant and uninterested, then that. This is yours, though. You got this.

Welcome to nursing!

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

I worked full time for a surgeon as a tech while getting my ADN and then as an RN while getting my BSN and MSN. You have to be really focused and willing to give up some free time for a while. As for support, I had none but my kids were grown so I did not have that challenge. The work is hard but can be lessened with team work and appropriate equipment. If you have access to a physical therapist at work I recommend asking for demonstrations on moving people. Good luck in your career

[NurseGirl525, ASN, RN]

Nursing is back breaking work at times. It just is. Last semester, I had many obese patients that needed turned every 2 hours, transferred for testing, taken to the restroom, or trying to get to sit up in a chair after surgery. Not all are like that, but people are getting bigger each year. It's part of the job. I know at the hospital I was at, all of the nurses took their breaks. I think you need your breaks to keep your sanity. One of the aspects I really liked was that I was always busy so the days went very fast. To me, there is nothing worse than sitting at a desk all day watching a clock. I love being busy.

I am a single mom. One of the reasons I got divorced was that my ex was not supportive of me going back to school. I don't have any of my family here, but I have a great group of friends who have been extremely supportive. My family has been supportive from a distance and my son loves that I am going to be a nurse. During this whole process of going to school, I have met a wonderful man who has been nothing but supportive of me in school. He lives an hour away from me but will drop everything to come up here and help me out when I need it. If I have a day where I have no one up here to pick up my son from school, he does it for me. It's been nice. A good support system is needed especially if you have kids. They don't take excuses for missing class or clinical. We are not allowed to make up clinical hours, so it really stinks if you end up in a bind.

Good luck. To me, the pros outweigh the cons of being a nurse. I know not everyone will agree with me on that, but it's been my experience so far.

[rob4546, ADN, BSN, MSN]

I find that nursing is more mentally exhausting than physical but there is definitely a physical quality to the job. As far as always working and not having breaks, this is something that you will have to make sure you get. You will not always get a break or lunch but remember to take care of yourself.

I always take at least 15-30 minutes a day to grab something to eat, try to stay hydrated always, and urinate anytime I get a chance. I enjoy the busy feeling because as Heathermaizy stated there is nothing worse that watching the clock. I like being on my feet and walking a lot, I get a lot of exercise. Learn to manage your time and it really isn't too bad. You will have bad days but the good days outweigh the bad.

The support from your family will not change (usually) from what it is now. either you will have support or you wont. Don't expect a family to be supportive like you would want if they never have in the past. That is just not realistic.