Nursing...is it right for me? Opinions please!

Published

Specializes in None.

hello everyone!

i'm fairly new to allnurses.com and i love this site! it's very helpful! but...after reading some threads i'm kind of nervous and second doubting myself. everyone says nursing school is hard? and i'm a bit nervous that once i start clinicals that i'll forget what i learned in class...is this normal?

another thing...i love helping people and i love hospitals (sounds crazy) but... needles make me scringe up a bit. i don't mind them, but they aren't my favorite. are there any nurses like that?

thanks for any advice & opinions!! :heartbeat

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Infusion.

I wonder about that too sometimes. Will I be able to handle rude doctors, mean nurses, upset patients/families....and still be able to keep a smile on my face? When I read some of the threads about how horrible some new nurses are being treated.....I wonder if it's worth it?

But then I don't know what else I want to do. I want to be a nurse practitioner....so I guess I just have to put in my time and drudge work to get there.

Have a great evening!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

honestly, you might want to look at other career options. You will handle needles ALL day. And Nursing school IS HARD...dont let anyone tell you otherwise. It is do-able....but it will be your whole life for 2 years. you better know for sure before you get too invested.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CNA, Aspiring CRNA.

havehope, you can absolutely be a nurse and excel! i feel faint when my blood is drawn and i don't like gore. but i know i'll become desensitized. i worked as an intern for a forensic pyschiatrist, and we viewed actual crime scenes, photos, and videos. not only did we view them, we had to analyze every detail for days.

i didn't have one nightmare and i never felt faint working. so ha . . . we can do it!:nurse:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I just want to say...dont let anyone discourage you from what you want to do! I hate when I read posts saying "you might want to look at other career options". If the only thing you are worried about is overcoming needles you will be fine. I work in a hospital and talk to nurses all day and there are A LOT that had that fear to begin. And they tell me that nursing school is very VERY hard but if you want it you will work as hard as you need to get it. I think that it is a big step for everyone and we all second guess ourselves but if this is what you want you just have to take a leap of faith and go for it...no looking back! Good luck!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

The way I see it, most people will question their career choices, whether it be nursing or engineering. It will be hard, but if you have a passion for the field of nursing it will be more than worth it. I would much rather have a nurse that wasn't big on needles but has a wonderful bedside manner than one that was an IV queen and a total crab apple. The needles will come with time- I don't mind getting blood drawn, shots, or IVs placed, but I have a hard time poking my own finger for a blood sugar test!

Nursing school will be hard- but if you work hard, you can make it happen. HTH

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in School Nursing.

I absolutely hate gore. (needles don't bother me) I'm pretty sure I'll get used to it. I didn't think I could handle dissecting a brain, eye and fetal pig but it ended up being pretty fun.

I didn't think I'd be able to handle changing nasty poopy diapers.. but hey, I got used to that after about 24 hours into parenthood too. ;)

If you want to be a nurse, you'll get used to the little things that make you uncomfortable now.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
:uhoh3: Nervous here too! Not of needles or blood, worse... math! Havnt been in school for 20 years. Didn't do well on my placement test at all. I wish you the best of luck in your decision!:yeah:
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CNA, Aspiring CRNA.

remember med students, many of them would rather not work on cadavers but most of them do what they have to do so that they can do what they want to do, become doctors.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I absolutly LOVE Tiye's comment because it is 100% true! Anything you want to do in your life, your career, you will face obstacles! I can count on one hand the amount of funerals I have attended in my life because I used to have a fear of the deceased. But guess what? During my clinical rotations I've already seen and participated in two post mortem cares! Challenges are meant to be over come. So if your goal really is to be a nurse than you can do it!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in None.

Thank you all for your comments!! I feel much better about it now. :)

:heartbeat:heartbeat

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CNA.
honestly, you might want to look at other career options. You will handle needles ALL day. And Nursing school IS HARD...dont let anyone tell you otherwise. It is do-able....but it will be your whole life for 2 years. you better know for sure before you get too invested.

The thing about the needles is that they become a LOT less scary after you are trained to handle them and practice with them.

I am no fan of needles either, but after a year and a half of nursing school the least scary thing I do is give someone a shot.

Those first few times with needles are nerve wracking, but so is every other godforsaken thing you do in nursing school: Taking Vital Signs, Giving Meds, Hanging IVs, Head to Toe Assessments, placing electrodes, changing ostomy bags, giving suppositories, managing vents and trachs, giving enemas, catheters, rectal tubes, transfer equipment, figuring out the damn beds, having a patient with 6 IVs running into who knows how many sites,

.....these are all things that are scary as hell the first few times you do them, but become very manageable after you get a little experience.

Nursing school can feel like one panic attack after another, but you really do learn from these experiences.

Give it a shot ;-)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion