MUNurse85

It doesn't mean you'll be a bad nurse if you have a lower GPA. Right now, it means that you're going to have trouble getting into nursing school though. While you may be able to meet the minimum requirements, if your program is anything like mine, there are a lot of people who exceed the minimum requirements and still cannot get in because of space issues.

Thanks to all who have replied. I was going to drop out of the program before the start of my Senior year, but my mother convinced me to stay in. I am not externing currently and that is a lot of stress off my back. I am planning on finishing the program and taking my boards, then I guess just trying to take it one day at a time. I wanted to be a nurse because of what I saw nurses do in offices, but that was just basic things like interviewing, blood pressure, etc. I always really wanted to be a school teacher, but during my rebellious teenage days, I decided not to do that because my mother was one. Now I know how silly I was as a teen! (And I'm sure I'll look back on my twenties and think the same! :)) I don't think hospital work is for me, but I feel as if I should do it to widen my knowledge base and get some of that experience. But, if I can't handle it, I can't handle it. Also, I've been in the hospital before on a holiday and know that patients need care every hour of the day every day of the year and I have worked on holidays before. It still doesn't change how it makes me feel to be there instead of with those I am closest to. Thanks again to all. Also, I've only worked in hospitals extern wise. I've had some rotations at smaller hospitals and will be doing a community and rural health rotation in the spring. Hopefully that answers your question about acute care.

I'm in my Senior year of a BSN nursing program and will graduate with the highest honors the university has in May. But, I don't think I want to be an RN. I've externed for two years in two different hospitals and hated it. I've worked at the VA on a Med-Surg unit and a large hospital in their resource pool (everything from Med-Surg to SICU to Oncology to Open Heart). I cry when I have to go to work and try to work the minimum possible. My heart is just not in it. The hospital work is too stressful for me and now I'm becoming depressed because I feel like I've made a horrible mistake by choosing nursing. Everyone in my class seems so excited about graduating and I am dreading it. For Christmas, people got me cute nursing clothes and figurines and all I want to do is burn and smash them. I'm thinking I should try administration or maybe becoming a nursing teacher. Possibly a school nurse practitioner or maybe just working in an office somewhere. I'm really not sure how to get an office job (I live in WV) and I've talked to the heads of the nursing department and they told me they preferred for people going to graduate school to have two years of floor nursing experience. I really want to be a school teacher, so I am leaning towards the school nurse or the nursing educator. I just don't know. Is it normal to feel this way and maybe it's just nerves? I quit my first extern job because I thought it was the hospital, and now I've quit my second extern job because I just can't handle it. I was scheduled to work in open heart, had a panic attack, and had to call someone to come and get me and I called my manager to resign. I also hate working holidays. Just not sure if I want the responsibility or lifestyle (shift work, etc.). Thanks.