mirem

So, I have tried to prepare myself for what may come as a nurse (if there is such a thing as being prepared). The body fluids seem manageable for me - blood doesn't bother me, I'm pretty sure I can handle anything poo, pee or vomit related as long as I have gloves and perhaps some essential oil in my mask (to cover the really intolerable smells), not fond of pus but I'll deal. The things that really skeeve me out are anything to do with eyes (dangling eyeballs, objects in eyes - even seeing how a lasik procedure is done makes me woozy) - I've just always had a thing with eyes freaking me out. Dead tissue needing to be removed is a scary one for me - I read about one nurse who had to deal with a burst abscess and watched as the doctor scooped out the old dead tissue before it could be packed. Broken protruding bones or snapped tendons. Will I get over all this? As I begin to list the things that scare me, I wonder if I'm too delicate for such a career. I've read that eventually your own comfort becomes trumped by the desire to make the patient comfortable, and also that knowing the medical reason behind doing a task helps you understand why it needs to be done. But it seems that so many unpredictables exist, and it's kind of scary. What's the goriest thing you've had to deal with, and is it common, or a once in a career type thing? I would assume those nurses working the ER would see the worst of it?

Thanks so much for the advice and different perspectives. Some very inspiring stories here too - I loved reading them. I have lots of thinking to do, but I think a good start would be getting a couple of prereqs completed that I still need to do, and then taking it one step at a time as I see what comes my way!

I've really been wanting a career change for a while now. i have been considering nursing for sometime now and am beginning to think about it more seriously. The catch? I am 33 years old. I do subscribe to the belief that it is never too late to go back to school, so that's not the issue, but I am in a place in my life where things will soon be busy and expensive. My boyfriend and I want to get married, have kids, and get a bigger house in the next few years. All these things seem daunting if I were to add nursing school to the mix, not to mention costly both monetarily as well as time-wise. I envision 3 options: 1) If I start school now, I will be 37 by the time I finish, and I worry about putting off having kids so late. 2) Have kids during my education. The idea of having kids during school seems overwhelming. 3) If I go the family route solely, I worry I may have regret for not following my nursing dream. Any tips from people who have faced a similar situation?