Nursing isn't what I thought it'd be...any advice?

LolaVenice · Oct 7, 2011

I know what you mean, but this is just nursing school. We do clinicals in a hospital setting, but that doesn't mean you have to work in this setting once you get out.

There are tons of other scenarios you could work in once you get your RN. It sounds like a BSN might be more up your alley, as I believe they are more management and research oriented. But, even as an RN, there are other scenarios other than bedside at a hospital you could find work in.

I really want to be involved in nursing research myself so I really hope I can survive all this, too and eventually get my BSN. I am not crazy about a lot of the tasks we do in nursing school either, but try to keep in perspective, that this is just a very small part of it.

Hang in there and get through it and I guarantee you will find your niche in nursing once you get out!

sarietha214 · Oct 7, 2011

Hang in there "Daze", I kind of understand where you are coming from. I'm 22 as well and in the nursing program working at an Assisted Living Facility. The first semester is the basic with the CNA responsibilities and of course the nurse paper work and so on. Next semester I am sure you will be more thrilled with the exposure of the varieties setting. You made it this far so keep pushing. But if you are really in between and torn then you honestly know what is best for you. You can do it and like the post mentioned earlier, there's plenty of settings out there when you graduate. Keep us posted

elkpark · Oct 7, 2011

Everyone's first semester clinicals were pretty much limited to "beds and baths" and not much else -- you start with the basics and work up to the more complicated, technical stuff over time. If you stick it out for a while, you'll find things get "better."

Best wishes for your journey!

Vershonda · Oct 7, 2011

You may be thinking too much about what u currently have to do in Nursing school. School is much different than the real world of nursing.

PedsHopeful · Oct 7, 2011

Remember, there are alot of areas other than Med/Surg you can go into when you are a nurse. You could be a Operating Room nurse, ER Nurse, Pediatric nurse (Still wiping butts, but much cuter and smaller butts ) OB nurse, Clinic Nurse. There are more areas out there than Med/Surg. I understand your feelings and after working as a CNA I know Med/Surg is NOT where I would be happy. You get the crap work now mostly cause you are a student, it wont always be that way. Hang in there, and remember there are lots of areas where you could work that has a much different experience than Med/Surg.

dazed&confused1129 · Oct 7, 2011

Thanks guys...I suppose I should just stick it out & take it day by day. That's what I'm going to do regardless, bc I feel like I'm at the point where if I started this path, I better finish it before starting another. All I have to get through is December with Fundementals (BUT I have NIGHT clinicals & we don't do alot of bed changes & such at night...it's pretty nice!) & get through THREE med-surg rotations next semester. Then it looks like we go on to OB, Psych, and Peds in the last 2 semesters (which I do think I'll enjoy!) I should just stick it out..I'll definitely have to get on these boards here more often--you guys are amazing! :)

ashleyisawesome, BSN, RN · Oct 7, 2011

Hi everyone--
I've looked on the boards here before, but never posted. I have somewhat of a dilemma. I'm 22 years old and just started my first semester of Nursing School at my local CC (ADN program). I have ALWAYS thought I wanted to go into Nursing. Originally when I graduated High School, I took pre-req's for nursing, but then switched to teaching. Found out that wasn't for me after a few intro classes, so I spent the last year finishing the pre-reqs for nursing. I was accepted into Nursing school and started this August. Problem is, I don't really like it all that much. I got my CNA 4 years ago and work at an Assisted Living Facility (but basically it's a nursing home). I hate to say it, but I HATE wiping butts & showering people. Mainly I pass meds there, even though I recently found out my facility shouldn't have me do this (they allow all CNA's there to pass meds, as we only have 1 RN for the 150 bed facility). Since starting school, I've had clinicals on a Rehab unit. For now, we really haven't done much..all we're signed off on is vital signs & changing beds & stuff. Long story short--I've been told RN's don't do much of the sh** work anymore, but I feel like that's all I do in school. Everyone says I'm a caring person & would be great for nursing, but I KNOW bedside nursing isn't my thing. I thought things would be different as an RN--more meds & procedures than bedside nursing.
While going into Nursing , I've always known Med-Surg and LTC wouldn't be my thing. I would love to work on a Peds unit or in OB...I think. Basically, I'm doubting everything now. Are those specialities more bedside nursing? I'm trying to find places that allow students to shadow, but I'm having a hard time. I've also been looking into possible just sucking it up & finishing my RN, but while I'm in school finish up all the pre-reqs that I would need to enter possibly Pharmacy school. (I'm also looking at taking a pharm tech program on weekends next semester to get more experience and see if I would like that better.). Basically, I love learning about medications & such, but don't really have what it takes to change beds & give baths all day. I've also thought about Nurse Anesthetist.
...Anyone have opinions on this? I feel like I need to make a decision now before it gets to be too late. I know I'm young, but I want to have my career already. I want to ENJOY my work everyday.

just a note, you WILL wipe butts in most nursing jobs. maybe not as many as the CNAs do but there will be butts to wipe, and if you are sitting around doing nothing, refusing to help the CNA out, youll make a lot of enemies. CNA duties ARE nursing duties, just ones that are able to bee delegated to non liscenced personel. Peds-plenty of poopy butts, albeit little ones--and the Peds unit im doing clinical on rarely has PCAs, so the nurses do all the cleaning up if there parent doesnt. OB-a lot of people poop while giving birth, also vomit.. And if you want to be a nurse anesthestist, youll need to do a few years in ICU, where they rarely have pcas, and yeah, they poop.

Cleaning people up and taking care of all their personal needs is a BIG part of nursing care, so if you cant bring yourself to do it, maybe the pharmacy route would be best.

llg, PhD, RN · Oct 7, 2011

I have ALWAYS thought I wanted to go into Nursing. Originally when I graduated High School, I took pre-req's for nursing, but then switched to teaching. Found out that wasn't for me after a few intro classes, so I spent the last year finishing the pre-reqs for nursing. .

I don't really disagree with what other posters have said, but you should think about one other possibility....

What impressed me most about your post (and the posts of many others who come here with similar stories) is the part I quoted above. You say you ALWAYS wanted to go into nursing. If that's true, then why did you switch to teaching? Then after only a very brief taste of teaching, you switched back to nursing. Now you are considering switching to something else after only a brief try at nursing.

Could it be that you are simply not ready to make a committment to any career yet? Committing to a career is somewhat like committing to a marriage -- you stick it out "for better or for worse." You understand that there are going to be some bad times as well as some good times, some things you don't like as well as some things you do like. No career is perfect. Every field, every course of study, every career, and every job includes some things that you are probably not going to like.

Some people are ready to make that committment at a young age. Others, not until they have had a few more "life experiences" in the adult work world. Some people, never.

In Europe, it is common for young people to take a "gap year" before going to college. They get a job, volunteer for charities, travel, etc. ... take a little time to grow up a little more before going to college. While that may seem extravagant or lazy, it saves them from investing in education that they won't use. In America, those same kids are pushed into college before they are ready and end up with huge educational debt as they take extra courses hopping from major to major until they finally choose on to graduate with. Then, many decide they don't want that degree and go back to school (and add more debt) to get a "2nd career." The amount of debt they take on while they decide what they want to be when they grow up can cripple them financially for the rest of their lives.

Perhaps you just need a little more time to mature before you will be ready to committ to a career. Can you financially afford to stay in school while you figure it out? Can you take a leave of absence for a year to give yourself a "gap year" designed to help you mature before making that committment?

kalyani · Oct 7, 2011

Hi there!

I think it takes a lot of courage and maturity to ask yourself if you are cut out to be a nurse! And yes, early on, you may have to take whatever job you can find in order to get experience, which may involve doing things that are unpleasant, but here are some real life examples of nursing jobs that have little to no "butt wiping" involved.

A friend of mine who just got her RN landed a job as a grammar school nurse. She gets home at 3 pm and has summers off. Hasn't had to wipe an ass yet.

Another friend of mine who started off as an RN, but now has a BSN, has been working in a NICU for almost 20 years. She started there in her 20's and I remember when she graduated from school, she chose to work with neonates because, and I quote "their poop and pee is not like adult poop and pee". Okay, so she does wipe some butts, but wiping the butt of a 1 pound baby doesn't compare to what you do in nursing school.

You could also end up working for a health insurance company. Not only will you not wipe butts, but you probably won't even have to touch another human being.

I also knew someone who did case management at a hospital. Lots of paperwork and arguing with health insurance companies, but No butt wiping involved there.

I also had a friend who was a transplant coordinator. She didn't wipe one butt at that job. She talked to the family and potential candidates about the heart transplant process and kept track of their vitals and blood type, etc. so that when a donor match came in, she could match them with a candidate. She got to go on helicopters , fly off to where the donor was, and helped the surgeons harvest the organs, then fly back to the candidate. Very exciting work, but Again, no butt wiping in her job in the 2 years I worked with her.

Now, most of these jobs have higher degrees than an RN, but all these people started off as an RN.

So, don't be discouraged!

studentnursehelp · Oct 7, 2011

I`m in 3rd year now and I love it! But I really hated 2nd year. You`re going to have placements that you hate and ones that you love. I thought about quitting last year but now I`m happy I didn`t. Last year I had to make lots of beds and do showers, etc. but this year I feel more like a nurse. My advice would be to stick it out because you might find something you love! There are so many different areas in nursing

SeeTheMoon · Oct 8, 2011

I really don't intend for this to sound so harsh, but if you really hate the baths and fanny wiping, nursing may not be for you. I mean don't get me wrong, nobody loves it, but hate is a strong word. As others stated, it is all a part of the duty. And from what I understand, these days the CNA and tech well runneth dry, (at least in my area) so there is not much help for the nurses for basic care.

You said nursing was not what you thought it would be. Were you thinking more along the lines of assessment, paperwork, etc?

In your defense, maybe you are just burnt out from basic care training of school added to your CNA job.

A little advice though, while we all need a chance to vent, you might not want to refer to the basics as s*** work. It is every bit as vital as the other skills we're learning.