Nursing - Not Sure...

TriciaJ, RN · Feb 14, 2020

What is it about clinical that has changed your whole perception? You said you weren't enjoying it. Enjoyment is a bonus; I got through many of my clinical rotations without enjoying them one bit. I think there was one where I crossed days off the calendar like a prisoner waiting for his release date.

If your other classes are going great, what is it about Adult Health that's stopping you in your tracks? If you could give us a more specific information, we might be better able to help.

It might be because you're bright that nothing has been particularly difficult till now. The first time you encounter something truly challenging for you, feeling stupid will be a whole new unpleasant experience. Try not to fear feeling stupid. You will leave your comfort zone and accomplish much more. Of course, I'm only surmising here because I don't know what is causing you to rethink your goals.

Is it possible for you to push ahead and see where you are at the end of the semester? You might have a more panoramic view by then. If you still decide nursing isn't for you, then the next thing will also be an adventure of the unknown. Doubt and uncertainty are part of life and somehow I feel confident that you will navigate things just fine either way.

Red Shirt 6, CNA · Feb 14, 2020

If you can take the summer do so, during the summer do job shadowing and ride alongs in anything that interests you (in and out of the Nursing field). While doing burn-out cure's.

Mean while revisit why you want/wanted to become a Nurse.

Nature_walker, ASN, BSN, RN · Feb 14, 2020

Clinicals are not always enjoyable. They serve the purpose to teach you about real life compared to book learning. I did not enjoy my clinicals, but I really love nursing. Clinical is a time to figure out how all the book readings work in real life. It can be scary, and intimidating as you are working with live people at that point. Get out of it what you can, but also think about why you would or would not want to continue on this journey that you've started.

nursing327 · Feb 17, 2020

On 2/14/2020 at 3:51 AM, Red Shirt 6 said:
If you can take the summer do so, during the summer do job shadowing and ride alongs in anything that interests you (in and out of the Nursing field). While doing burn-out cure's.
Mean while revisit why you want/wanted to become a Nurse.

It costs me out of pocket for this school, so usually I work all throughout the summer. I doubt I would have time for a shadowing. Usually the summer consists of work and doing things around the house.

nursing327 · Feb 17, 2020

On 2/14/2020 at 2:53 AM, TriciaJ said:
What is it about clinical that has changed your whole perception? You said you weren't enjoying it. Enjoyment is a bonus; I got through many of my clinical rotations without enjoying them one bit. I think there was one where I crossed days off the calendar like a prisoner waiting for his release date.
If your other classes are going great, what is it about Adult Health that's stopping you in your tracks? If you could give us a more specific information, we might be better able to help.
It might be because you're bright that nothing has been particularly difficult till now. The first time you encounter something truly challenging for you, feeling stupid will be a whole new unpleasant experience. Try not to fear feeling stupid. You will leave your comfort zone and accomplish much more. Of course, I'm only surmising here because I don't know what is causing you to rethink your goals.
Is it possible for you to push ahead and see where you are at the end of the semester? You might have a more panoramic view by then. If you still decide nursing isn't for you, then the next thing will also be an adventure of the unknown. Doubt and uncertainty are part of life and somehow I feel confident that you will navigate things just fine either way.

This may sound stupid but clinical made me realize nursing isn't what I thought it was going to be. I feel like all nursing is is giving meds and doing assessments. I'm fine going out of my comfort zone and can do assessments great and have no problems giving shots and meds. I did my first catheter the first day of clinical. It's just made me realize nurses are overworked and under appreciated. I feel like I can't remember anything from classes (specifically Pharm) and it's adding stress onto my plate with a bunch of "What-ifs?" I think more than anything clinical and my community health class has made me realize I enjoy the policy aspect of nursing and not necessarily the hands-on approach of nursing (if that makes sense?).

I don't know what it is about Adult Health that is making me struggle. I made an 84 on my recent Pharm II test and a 90 on my Community and Public Health test, and yet, I made a 62 on my Adult Health test. I do all the readings, all the online assignments for practice... I almost didn't pass a class the same professor taught last semester and only passed because he had to leave and our Dean took over. I come out of that class just feeling defeated. I took Healthcare classes in high school and challenging classes throughout college and have struggled, but never this much. I just feel like no matter how much I study, read, and practice that I can't succeed in his class. I know the information, I just can't apply it and that's literally all that nursing is.

I can push through and see where I am by the end of the semester. I really want to talk to my parents about the whole situation, but I'm worried. They've been so supportive but they're also very insistent on me doring nursing. They don't wanna even hear of the idea of me possibly changing into something different this far in because we've invested so much money and work into this. They want me to stay where I am and finish it out. I just keep thinking that I have the option to find something that I'll love and be passionate about and nursing school has made me realize the health care field isn't something I'm as passionate about as I thought. I don't want to waste my or anyone else's time or money. I just don't even know where to begin if I do decide to change.

TriciaJ, RN · Feb 17, 2020

14 minutes ago, nursing327 said:
I can push through and see where I am by the end of the semester. I really want to talk to my parents about the whole situation, but I'm worried. They've been so supportive but they're also very insistent on me doring nursing. They don't wanna even hear of the idea of me possibly changing into something different this far in because we've invested so much money and work into this. They want me to stay where I am and finish it out. I just keep thinking that I have the option to find something that I'll love and be passionate about and nursing school has made me realize the health care field isn't something I'm as passionate about as I thought. I don't want to waste my or anyone else's time or money. I just don't even know where to begin if I do decide to change.

If your guts are really telling you this isn't for you then of course the most sensible thing would be to decide where to go next. The fact that your parents are so stuck on the idea of you being a nurse is really a difficult burden to carry.

I think if I was in your shoes at this point I would try to tough out the semester and try to complete your current classes. I would also spend time talking to academic advisors, vocational counselors, whoever is available who can help you map out a new plan. I probably wouldn't mention this part to your parents for now.

By the end of the semester you may have passed it and renewed your enthusiasm for nursing. You may have failed Adult Health and have to address that in some way. Or you may have developed a new plan and know what your next steps need to be. In that case, you can then have that dreaded discussion with your parents and present them with the updated plan. It won't be easy, but you're a grownup and you have to live with your choices, not them.

If your current situation is so unpleasant that it's making you ill, then just walk away from it and don't look back. Best wishes.

nursing327 · Feb 19, 2020

On 2/17/2020 at 4:55 PM, TriciaJ said:
If your guts are really telling you this isn't for you then of course the most sensible thing would be to decide where to go next. The fact that your parents are so stuck on the idea of you being a nurse is really a difficult burden to carry.
I think if I was in your shoes at this point I would try to tough out the semester and try to complete your current classes. I would also spend time talking to academic advisors, vocational counselors, whoever is available who can help you map out a new plan. I probably wouldn't mention this part to your parents for now.
By the end of the semester you may have passed it and renewed your enthusiasm for nursing. You may have failed Adult Health and have to address that in some way. Or you may have developed a new plan and know what your next steps need to be. In that case, you can then have that dreaded discussion with your parents and present them with the updated plan. It won't be easy, but you're a grownup and you have to live with your choices, not them.
If your current situation is so unpleasant that it's making you ill, then just walk away from it and don't look back. Best wishes.

Thank you so much for the advice. I had clinical today and got super anxious over nothing before I went in. I was standing listening to report when all the anxiety and stress caught up to me and I felt like I was gonna pass out. I texted my clinical instructor and told her I wasn’t feeling well and asked if we could talk. I told her EVERYTHING and feel so much better about everything. She gave me better insight on what I should do but that I still need to make my own choice. The most sensible thing would be for me to get through this semester and see if I still have the same feelings about nursing (like you said ?) and go from there. That would keep me from jeopardizing my financial aid and from being left with what ifs in the future. My mom could sense something was up when I got home tonight and I told her everything. I think she agrees with my plan and can finally see where I’m coming from. My main thing now is just tackling my anxiety. Turns out my older sister is having the exact same issue about almost passing out from anxiety too. The doctors put her on meds for it, and while that’s not something I really wanna do, I may end up having to until I can get through this.

Thank y’all again and for reading all my lengthy posts. Much appreciation!!

TriciaJ, RN · Feb 19, 2020

I'm really glad you were able to talk to your instructor and your mom. It sounds like that's really taken a load off your shoulders. Wishing you all the best going forward.

AutumnDraidean · Feb 22, 2020

If you like the policy and science better than the clinical portions maybe look into public health? If you can power through your BSN and get a masters in public health you might really enjoy it. Regarding the Adult Health class, I would ask your instructor to sit down with you and go through your most recent exam and try and figure out where you're going wrong on the tests. Do they use old NCLEX questions? (Pick the best answer, there may not be a right answer, just the least wrong) Are you overthinking it?

nursing327 · Feb 22, 2020

2 hours ago, AutumnDraidean said:
If you like the policy and science better than the clinical portions maybe look into public health? If you can power through your BSN and get a masters in public health you might really enjoy it. Regarding the Adult Health class, I would ask your instructor to sit down with you and go through your most recent exam and try and figure out where you're going wrong on the tests. Do they use old NCLEX questions? (Pick the best answer, there may not be a right answer, just the least wrong) Are you overthinking it?

I talked with my mom and we’re trying to find different positions I could go into being an RN with a BSN. Everyone did pretty bad on the first test in Adult Health and they did a review in class for it. Usually if you make 75 or below they recommend you set an appointment to review. I don’t think they use old NCLEX questions, but that they try to make the questions as much like the NCLEX as possible. I definitely overthink things but I’ve gotten better about it. I just have HORRIBLE test taking skills and it hurts my grades. The questions aren’t straightforward (pick the best answer) and that gets me too.