Opened My Letter W/ a Pit in My Stomach

RNSuzq1, RN · Mar 27, 2004

When I was young I volunteered as a candy striper. as I brought in a tray to an elderly woman she was pulling out her ivs and shouting "I want to die" I almost passed out. for a long time after, every time I walked into hospital or nursing home I would get nauseous. I always knew I wanted to work with people, but I never felt I had a calling untill I was older.

Mrs, Sorry you had such a bad "Candy Striper" experience - that would definitely scare a young kid. I was wondering if they even had "Candy Stripers" anymore - I never see them in Hospitals?? But hey, weren't those red and white striped jumper things they had us wear "groovy", lol!!! I must have a need to wear a Uniform - wore a "fabulous" plaid number for many years at Catholic School (just too sexy for words) :chuckle , the Candy Striper "thing", a Naval Uniform for another 6 and now I'm just "itching" to wear a Nursing Uniform/Scrubs.

Energizer Bunny · Mar 27, 2004

Mrs, Sorry you had such a bad "Candy Striper" experience - that would definitely scare a young kid. I was wondering if they even had "Candy Stripers" anymore - I never see them in Hospitals?? But hey, weren't those red and white striped jumper things they had us wear "groovy", lol!!! I must have a need to wear a Uniform - wore a "fabulous" plaid number for many years at Catholic School (just too sexy for words) :chuckle , the Candy Striper "thing", a Naval Uniform for another 6 and now I'm just "itching" to wear a Nursing Uniform/Scrubs.

We have volunteers in our hospital but they don't wear the candy striper uniforms anymore. It's khakis and a polo shirt with the hospital's name on it. And, most of them are elderly instead of the young kids they used to be. It's a shame the kids aren't getting as involved anymore. You can bet MY kids will be involved when they get old enough. I thought it was great fun when I did it.

jemommyRN · Mar 28, 2004

If you don't want to REALLY do then look for another career choice.

I know what you mean when you say that quitting college is not an option. I know that you don't want to waste time, but you will be wasting time if you're not enthusiatic to begin with and you can't handle it once you find out all of the stress that's involved. You are going to be miserable if its not really something that you think you want.

Animaniacs, BSN, RN · Mar 28, 2004

i dont have any hospital experience, no medical experience.

there was no angel that came through my apt. window and said "Jake, I want you to be a nurse its your destiny" there was none of that. i'm not sure if i am taking the right path or not. but i guess the main reason why i took nursing is number 1 for the money. and number 2 there are many different nursing fields and i will eventually find the one i enjoy and like.

so working in a hospital will be a new experience that will probably take time to get used to.

if you want to know, i'm scared and nervous as hell when i do finally get to work in a hospital, because it will be a challenge just trying to apply what i have learned to the real life setting.

emmy · Mar 29, 2004

I really want to be a midwife and for years I tried to talk myself out of it due to infectious diseases, working funny hours, bad treatment from Doctors - the list could go on and on. However I just couldn't stop thinking about it and so now I am studying nursing with the aim of going into midwifery when I've finished. I must admit that I wasn't looking forward to studying nursing but the more I read about it and study etc I must admit that I'm really enjoying it, although I haven't been on clinical yet so that may change. :chuckle

iliel · Mar 29, 2004

I have a dilemma. I was secretly hoping I would not get accepted into the nursing program I applied to so that I would not have to decide if I wanted to do it or not. But, I got a fat envelope yesterday with the acceptence letter and all the info. I dont know what to do. I dont know if nursing is for me, but I cannot think of anything else I want to do. I hate business type stuff and I dont want a biology degree because i dont want to do research all the time. So, i asked my husband what he honestly thought about me being a nurse. Big mistake. He said he would rather me not do it because he's worried I'll be too stressed doing it and be treated poorly by patients and doctors. I need some suggestions.......I dont have clue what to do, but I have to do something because quitting college is not an option. And I want to do something....

I had to respond to this. I decided a few months back that I wasn't going to do nursing (after all I went through to try to get in). I turned in the app before I made my choice and I still haven't told the school I'm not going to do it. Today I got a letter about which track I want to do, full or part time. I'm going to send it in, I'm not sure why, but I want to see if I get in. Who knows, if I get in I might have a renewed intrest in it.

My fiance also think I shouldn't go into nursing. He supports me no matter what I want to do, but he has his opinion about me and the job but he mostly keeps it to himself....I know he just wants me to be happy.

We'll see what happens. I wish you luck, it's hard to make a choice when you work for something and then start having major doubts.

ejm99 · Mar 31, 2004

I totally have issues with the idea of applying just to see if you can get in....

at my school there are a VERY limited amount of spots...like 30 .....there were 270 applications a MONTH ago....final deadline is thursday....

so if they give even 1 or 2 of those to people who aren't really interested and won't really ATTEND then there's 1 or 2 that miss that oppty!

I wouldn't want that done to ME so I would NEVER do that to anyone else!

It's very selfish !!!

RedSox33RN · Mar 31, 2004

I totally have issues with the idea of applying just to see if you can get in....
at my school there are a VERY limited amount of spots...like 30 .....there were 270 applications a MONTH ago....final deadline is thursday....
so if they give even 1 or 2 of those to people who aren't really interested and won't really ATTEND then there's 1 or 2 that miss that oppty!
I wouldn't want that done to ME so I would NEVER do that to anyone else!
It's very selfish !!!

I think if the people don't attend, the spot goes to someone else. They don't usually let them go unfulfilled, because then the COLLEGE loses money.

I was accepted to two nursing programs, and when I made my decision as to which I would attend, I called the other one - long before the money was due to hold my spot - and told them of my other plans, and thank you for their consideration.

But I agree that someone should apply that has no intention of becoming a nurse. People should be sure, since there are limited spots.

manna, BSN, RN · Mar 31, 2004

Funny, my thin one was an acceptance.

My acceptance was "thin" too - just one sheet of paper. They don't send out the big packet of paperwork until they compile the list of who's accepting/rejecting their positions in the class. :)

anonny27 · Mar 31, 2004

wouldn't want to offend anyone

prairiegirl · Mar 31, 2004

Please understand that I do want to be a nurse, I just am not sure if I can handle it all. I did not just apply to nursing school to "see if I"d get in", in fact before I applied my advisor told that I would most likely get in. I am just trying to figure out if I want to take the risks involved with nursing or do something else. I am nervous about dealing with patients who have infectious diseases along with occupational injuries associated with nursing (and through research they are numerous). I just want to make the right decision. If I go into nursing and cant handle it and quit after 1 semester, for that year, noone will be able to fill my spot. I will notify my college well before classes start if I plan not to attend so that my slot may go to someone on the wait list.

emmy · Apr 1, 2004

If nursing is what you want to do, grit your teeth and do it. I know what you mean when you ask yourself if you can do it as I ask myself that question alot. But I desperately want to be a midwife and so I have to do this. I have thought about quitting before as I was so nervous about going on my first clinical (due in October) but I say to myself if other people can do it then so can I.

There is another thread on this BB that addresses the question of needle stick injury and body fluids etc. basically the risk is VERY small.

If you don't have a try then you'll never know. There is no shame in quitting if it's not for you, but you'll never know if it's for you if you don't try (you know what I mean, I know I'm repeating myself).

Don't forget there are many areas of nursing, the choice is huge.

Good luck with your decision, ultimately you have to do what makes you happy :)