Nursing? May not have any other choice.

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I've been thinking to myself for quite sometime that I am not a people person and would rather work alone. I'm at a crossroads in my life and very unhappy at my current job. I'm waiting to hear by early next year if I've gotten accepted into the nursing program. To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure nursing is for me unless I can do something in it really interesting like work in the ER or closely with the medical examiner. Yet I was thinking with this economy being the way it is I may have no other choice right now. Alot of companies are laying off and people are losing jobs. I figure even if I don't like nursing very much I have the ability to move around because they are always hiring for nurses. So say if I'm at a hospital that I hate and coworkers I don't like, it may be easier for me to find another job and jobs for nurses are always available. Whereas if I go into another field the job market may not be as good with this economy. :yawn:

Specializes in School Nursing.
I suggest quitting posting on message boards and talking to real people IN PERSON about your dilemma. Sitting on your orifice on a message board isnt going to get you anywhere, and I have been insulted by most of your posts on here. I do agree that colleges need the tuition money, so go rack up some debt and try to get in, but as others have said, I am completely satisfied knowing that I will never be working aside you in my unit...

Wow, that was harsh. I hope I won't be working among nurses with your attitude. Don't you think you are giving a bad impression of nurses with rude comments like that? Please never go into psych nursing.

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Specializes in med/surg.

PopeJane:

I'm not going to insult you for why you would choose to go to nursing school; I'm a nurse, and I'm not offended by anyone who is considering nursing for job security, pay, etc. I don't think there would be many nurses, or other professionals, who would keep working in their full-time job if they hit the big lottery this weekend. The majority of working people are working because they need money, but most do try to choose a job they think they will enjoy at some level. Just remember that anything that pays well is going to require some sacrifice on your part (including school in this case); I think all jobs involve people that you may not like or enjoy working with. And to be honest, nursing is very demanding in all aspects, and there are a lot of different personalities to tolerate in this line of work.

I just wanted to make some suggestions on other health care career options, since you seem to lean toward the sciences, want a job with security, etc.

1. Dental hygiene.

up side: excellent pay (about $5 more per hour than nurses around here), there wouldn't be a lot of time for chatting on the patient's part since you say you're not a people-person, they're in demand, good hours, many dentists are even closed on Fridays).

down side: you're cleaning teeth all day, potential for repetitive motion injuries, dental hygiene school is demanding.

2. Ultrasound (or radiology).

up side: usually one patient at a time, potential for good hours, money can be just as good as nursing.

down side: i'm sure school is demanding.

Those are two health care career options besides nursing, that if I had to go back and do it over again, I'd actually consider right along with nursing school.

I think you would really do yourself a favor to shadow someone (or more than one person in case you end up shadowing someone who is burned out or unhappy anyway) in jobs you're interested in and see for yourself what they do. Ask questions. Try to choose something you think you could do every day of the work week without hating it.

I wish you luck. :)

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Specializes in SICU, Peds CVICU.
I truly and genuinely care about people to a fault, but I am sensitive and don't know how I would do with some of the aspects of the job so I do question if this field is right for me. Right now, clinical seems like boot camp to me.

I think I could have written most of that when I was in nursing school. lol

In my opinion nursing is different than anything else in the world and when you're in school, everything you think you are seems to be stripped away. Questioning whether or not this career is right for you when you're just starting out is normal. Feeling insecure at first is normal. I don't think talking about nursing as a last resort is normal, but that's just my opinion. I think people who go into it for money, or job security are going to be sorely burned (hopefully their patients are not).

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Specializes in A myriad of specialties.

It sounds to me like you'd be "settling" on nursing as a career. My advice echoes others' here: 1) talk with a career counselor, (2) sit in on some nursing classes, (3) do some shadowing of nurses in various specialties if it's permitted. The nursing coursework is extremely tough, and it's drenched in a number of sciences!

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Specializes in NICU Level III.
PopeJane:

I'm not going to insult you for why you would choose to go to nursing school; I'm a nurse, and I'm not offended by anyone who is considering nursing for job security, pay, etc. I don't think there would be many nurses, or other professionals, who would keep working in their full-time job if they hit the big lottery this weekend. The majority of working people are working because they need money, but most do try to choose a job they think they will enjoy at some level. Just remember that anything that pays well is going to require some sacrifice on your part (including school in this case); I think all jobs involve people that you may not like or enjoy working with. And to be honest, nursing is very demanding in all aspects, and there are a lot of different personalities to tolerate in this line of work.

I just wanted to make some suggestions on other health care career options, since you seem to lean toward the sciences, want a job with security, etc.

1. Dental hygiene.

up side: excellent pay (about $5 more per hour than nurses around here), there wouldn't be a lot of time for chatting on the patient's part since you say you're not a people-person, they're in demand, good hours, many dentists are even closed on Fridays).

down side: you're cleaning teeth all day, potential for repetitive motion injuries, dental hygiene school is demanding.

2. Ultrasound (or radiology).

up side: usually one patient at a time, potential for good hours, money can be just as good as nursing.

down side: i'm sure school is demanding.

Those are two health care career options besides nursing, that if I had to go back and do it over again, I'd actually consider right along with nursing school.

I think you would really do yourself a favor to shadow someone (or more than one person in case you end up shadowing someone who is burned out or unhappy anyway) in jobs you're interested in and see for yourself what they do. Ask questions. Try to choose something you think you could do every day of the work week without hating it.

I wish you luck. :)

Dental hygienists talk a lot, but the patients just don't talk back. I was doing prereqs for a BSDH program before I decided on nursing and every DH I talked to wished they'd done nursing so they could move specialties and not be pigeonholed to teeth...and they made less. Who knows.

OP - I also had to take stats, chem, and college algebra for nursing prereqs.

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I suggest quitting posting on message boards and talking to real people IN PERSON about your dilemma. Sitting on your orifice on a message board isnt going to get you anywhere, and I have been insulted by most of your posts on here. I do agree that colleges need the tuition money, so go rack up some debt and try to get in, but as others have said, I am completely satisfied knowing that I will never be working aside you in my unit...

Yes thank you very much. With your attitude I can see why I choose to be alone. Who needs someone with mean spirited tone as you have. I wouldn't socialize with you anyway at your unit, would avoid you, so no love lost. Sounds like you're more of an underpaid security guard to me. Nurse? In your dreams....

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Specializes in Acute Mental Health.

This thread is getting old fast. PopeJane, if nursing is in your heart, go for it. If it's a last resort, then please rethink your reasoning.

I'm not sure the above poster meant to be disrespectful when they suggested you 'get off your orifice and go talk to people'. I took it as a suggestion to go talk to the guidance counselor, nurses, hospitals, etc to see if this would be a good fit for you.

As I posted earlier, ns is much harder than I ever thought it would be. I've taken many classes and am nearing the end of a BA in health care administration, and yet my associates in nursing is proving so much harder. I can only wish you the best of luck with your struggle and future happiness in your career, whatever you may settle on.

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Specializes in ED, Flight.

Jane, stay away from nursing or any health care profession!

Seriously, health care professions of all kinds require first and foremost unbelievable patience with colleagues and patients who can be very, very and very personally demanding. We never have control over how and when that will happen.

The two nurses who said you'll never be working on their units meant you don't have the commitment to nursing and patient care to end up on a demanding unit like ICU. I suspect they're right about that. You wouldn't likely do well in our ER or my flight job, either.

Honestly, there are so many ways to make a living out there. Many good trades pay better than nursing, you don't have to interact much or for long with clients, and you'll have plenty of time for intellectual and spiritual pursuits, hobbies, recreation, etc.

Health care is demanding on the personality and psyche. My wife and I are both long time health care workers. We both find by the end of the week we want to hide away and talk to no one else. But there is a mix in our personalities (aren't we all somewhat complex?) that is only satisfied by the time we do spend with colleagues and patients; by knowing we made a positive difference for them. Do not go into health care unless you really have a need for that opportunity to be kind and supportive of the people around you. That is the number 1 requirement for a good nurse, IMO.

Get a good trade and go have a good life!

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Psych.
Yes thank you very much. With your attitude I can see why I choose to be alone. Who needs someone with mean spirited tone as you have. I wouldn't socialize with you anyway at your unit, would avoid you, so no love lost.

Not agreeing with your opinion on this poster, but do agree that no one wants to interact with others who they believe have a mean spirited tone. But nursing is full of such coworkers, who you cannot avoid and who work darn hard to get you fired! Strongly suggest you look at another career choice. From all you've posted, you will absolutely hate nursing. Surely you can find a more suitable career that fits your specific personality and desires, and a career counselor and career testing would be very helpful in your search. I wish you the best.

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Specializes in Trauma ICU, Surgical ICU, Medical ICU.
Yes thank you very much. With your attitude I can see why I choose to be alone. Who needs someone with mean spirited tone as you have. I wouldn't socialize with you anyway at your unit, would avoid you, so no love lost. Sounds like you're more of an underpaid security guard to me. Nurse? In your dreams....

LOL my attitude is great to people who don't insult my profession, but frankly, I get sick of hearing the same junk over and over from people like you who want to make the "good money" but dont want to work for it! You've been going to school for 15 years and havent made up your mind yet? You have basically said you are settling by becoming a nurse when some of us have had our heart set on this profession and love it with all of our souls to have someone like you come in here and undermine it! I worked all throughout HS to make perfect grades, did perfectly on my prereqs, went for my BSN and graduated with honors, and got the ICU job of my dreams as a new grad. I had to work my butt off to get to where I am today and continue to work hard to be the best nurse I can be. This is my livlihood you are insulting and everything I have worked so hard for. From the "Why wouldnt you go on to be an MD" post you have posted to this one, it just makes me sick!

I wouldn't tell my own children (if I had any) to become an RN if I didn't think they had it in them to succeed! I would tell them not to waste their money or time and that there are many other professions that would better suit their aspirations. Personally if you are a loner then you will not do well being pulled in 100 different directions by patients, managers, families, co-workers, etc. And also, there are people A LOT harsher than me out there who will just give it to you straight. Evidence proves that you are not ready to pursue the field of nursing based on your previous posts, and you may never be ready after you shadow and find out what is all about. Theres nothing wrong with that, it just means its not right for you. I think deep down you know you have no desire to be a nurse, you just want fast, easy money as the ads in the paper or TV would suggest. I just hope you figure it out before spending a few K in tuition money on yet another failed venture.

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Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN.

Ok please cool down remember our TOS if you have any doubt about knowing the TOS clink link at bottom of this post.

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Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN.

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