Nursing not for me?

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Hi everyone, first post....been a lurker for awhile.

Let me give you a little background. I am currently a junior in a BSN nursing program (first clinicals this semester). I entered college as a pre-pharm student, but ended up switching majors halfway through my freshman year. Up to this point I have had zero issues, the classroom stuff comes to me rather easily. I got into the program without breaking much of a sweat. I fell into nursing more than I fell in love with it. That seems to have changed once we stepped into the clinical setting. We just finished our first round on a med/surge floor, which is fairly typical from my understanding. The first five or so weeks I just kept my head down and told myself to just get through it, and it apparently showed to my instructor even though I was really trying.

During the end of the semester our instructor mentioned to me during our private evaluations that something just seemed to be missing. She wasn't sure if I was just showing up prepared or what it could have been. She said I am professional and connect exceptionally well with the patients, but that I just wasn't doing what one would expect from a nurse. Truth is, I am not enjoying anything we are doing....in the least bit. I love talking with the patients and trying to help them, but the nursing care model doesn't fit what I want to do.

I've taken this to the point where I have a meeting with the dean of the school tomorrow to consider dropping out. I know after one clinical that is a hard call to make, but it just seems as if the field does not offer what I want out of it. I've always liked bones and muscles and the mechanical side of the human body, and am thinking about going for a physical therapy degree.

My question to everyone here is, am I making the right move? I would still have another 3 semesters of nursing school to graduate, but I just REALLY feel like a duck out of water trying to do floor nursing. I've been told that is the core and foundation of nursing, and seeing as I'm just not jelling with it....would another field be a good direction to head in? My family has always told me they could never see me being a nurse, and seeing as I am 22 and in what should have been my senior year in college....they are a little less than enthused with my current disposition.

Sorry if it is long. I just feel like the world is spinning and I am stuck between a rock and a really hard place. I know in the end it will be my decision to make....I could really just use some input on the matter.

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hi,

im my personal opinion i wouldnt drop out yet. you are almostfinished and u have come so far. dont base your whole entire career on one clinical session. you have to keep in mind that nursing is suchb a broad feield nd there is so much =u can do, work and there are many different fields of study. you might just need to find something that interests u a lil more than on a med surg floor. i just dont thinmk id give up not just yet ... your almost done. if all fails and you definitely want to leave nursing and try something else .. i would get my nursing degree and then do an accelerated program since you would already have a degree. also with an BSN u can go on to advanced nursing degrees as well such as NP, nurse anesthist so many opportynities. good luck with whatever u choose.

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Specializes in ER trauma, ICU - trauma, neuro surgical.

If I can offer some advice...I don't know the full extend of it but I would say don't weight it on clinicals. I knew I wanted to work ER before I got into school. I hated every minute on the floor. My instructors rode me and I hated giving bed baths, enemas, etc. As soon as I got the ER, I was like a kid in a candy store. If you like being with patients and working on the medical side of it, just remember that nursing isn't just the floor. You can work in the ER (traumas, gun shots, stabbing, cardiac alerts, stroke alerts). You can work in the ICU ( sick pts with drips, open bellys, intubated, crani's, ARDS, Spinal Fractures). You can go to CCU/CSU (open heart, bypass, STEMI's,). Surgery, cath lab, ortho, Burn unit, Labor & Delivery, Triage. And some nurses aren't made to be in the hospital. Ever thought about being a flight nurse? Intensive care transport? Nurse Practitioner? CRNA? I met a nurse that conducts trial studies for pharma companies when they are researching a new drug that is gearing up for FDA approval. My point is cleaning up poop and babysitting is not even the tip of the ice burg. There is a huge world of nursing out there. I know a lot of people that went to nursing school just to get into an ARNP program. You have to find out what your goal is. Go shadow...Follow a nurse around for a couple weeks in any area you want. That's what i did. The med/surg floor is the sum of your career. Maybe you could be a clinical instructor or a professor. If you really think nursing isn't for you, I think you will know deep down. Something will tell you either way. Try this...find a flight nurse that will be willing to let you shadow. Get a call in the middle of the night and jump on a helicopter...fly out to a crash scene, watch them stabilize a pt in the air and pass the pt to the ER staff...and tell me nursing isn't one of the best jobs out there. Even the flight nurse at one point had to clean up poop and empty foleys...

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

Since I am indeed an 'ancient' nurse & have worked with students and new nurses for three decades, it should not be surprising that I have a different viewpoint.

My advice - investing more time and energy into something that you really dislike is never a good idea. There's an economic concept called "sunk cost" that explains why our subconscious works to ensure that continued effort tends to make things seem better to us. Basically, the more you invest, the more you convince yourself that it's the right thing to do, otherwise we would have a harsher reality to deal with. Delusion can be natural defense mechanism under the circumstances.... "I have worked so hard to get here; I will lose everything if I quit now; may as well see it through to the bitter end"

No one can make this decision for you. Nursing is not an easy path. Nearly everyone suffers burnout at some point in their career. It would be a shame (for you, the patients and co-workers) to be burned out before you even begin. Physical Therapy is a great profession and it appears to be very satisfying (and well compensated). I don't know of any Physical Therapists who have quit to become nurses. . . . just saying'

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Thank you three for the replies and viewpoints

The biggest thing for me now is I never really had a reason to go into nursing. All I saw was healthcare and job security. Took a clinical round to make me realize that without really wanting to do something like this, it would be a miserable profession.

Honestly just feel terrible for taking this long to realize that. I talked to the dean today and she told me that without getting any satisfaction from what I am doing it really is not worth doing.

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Thank you three for the replies and viewpoints

The biggest thing for me now is I never really had a reason to go into nursing. All I saw was healthcare and job security. Took a clinical round to make me realize that without really wanting to do something like this, it would be a miserable profession.

Honestly just feel terrible for taking this long to realize that. I talked to the dean today and she told me that without getting any satisfaction from what I am doing it really is not worth doing.

I can relate to your situation because I myself was there last month. I had been working towards nursing and I like you never had a reason to go into nursing. I worked in healthcare during my time in the Air Force and took some pre-reqs for nursing and loved that. I love healthcare and thought nursing was the only avenue. SO, I spent the last few years working on pre-reqs and got accepted to nursing school and when it began I didn't like it and knew right away my heart wasn't in it. I am 25 years old, so don't feel bad about being 22 and having this happen. Your young and your parents will understand and you will find something you love and this too shall pass. One thing I would like to mention is that if you have a Bachelor's degree you could join the Air Force as an officer. Being a nurse in the Air Force is a lot different. Just a thought. But, I too am strongly considering a career in physical therapy. Good luck to you. :)

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