summer07

I just keep pushing my way through the fear. I realize now that my anxieties were coming from fear of the unkown. I never started in a hospital setting when I first came out of school. I think this was a big piece for me. I was always on my own with homecare nursing hoping I was doing it right. Not having hospital experience has been a big obstacle for me. I am ready now to prove to myself that I can do clinical nursing without always worrying. Worrying of course for me is due to the low confidence. So off I go to take a nurse refresher course and prove once and for all to myself that I am a very competent nurse who is going to make a good nursing instructor. How's that for positive self talk? (counseling never hurts;) )

At times I wonder if the stress is really worth it. When I am in a non clinical job I feel great. Stress is still there but it is different. You don't have anyone's life in your hands. I just read the article about the nursing student in the Philipines who killed a baby by injecting K. It is such a huge responsibility to be a nurse. I think you either feel comfortable or you don't. I still love teaching. Doesn't mean I have to do it in acute care settings. Think I'll stick with my fundamentals and skills lab. I'm sure I'll have plenty more things that I could teach while staying out of acute care. The stress is not worth it to me. Take care all!!

Hi ProRN: I'd like to hear more about Capella Univ. I just checked out their website but can't find the admission requirements or how many credits needed to graduate. How did the first 2 years go? Was it very difficult to get through the courses? Thanks!

Been there done that. It's really an awful thing. I feel like I've been running away from clinical nursing for soo long. I've been a nurse now for 15 years. I've always receive above average evals from employers. My patients always trusted me. It was me who didn't trust myself. I'd be up at night thinking I did this wrong or I missed this. Well guess what I didn't miss anything. I am too much of a perfectionist to allow that. I've come to a cross roads now trying to break through this fear. I am getting ready to graduate with my MSN in nsg education. I've been out of the clinical arena for about 2 years and have a really nice non clinical job. My question though is am I missing out on a great career b/c of my anxiety. I'm even at the point now that I don't know if I can teach nursing students. Who wants a teacher who is unsure of her skills? I know I can do this but do I want to put myself through it all over again. So as you can see I totally understand and feel for you. I think it's time to resolve this ongoing issue or just give up on clinical nursing all together (that's the easy route:nurse:). We all know that the easy route is usually the wrong route. Any advice out there???

Hi llg: I have been a geriatric nurse for 15 years in different community settings. As I get closer to graduation from grad school I am feeling a little ambivalent on my future career options. I know I can't work in a univ setting with an MSN (at least where I am living now). So my thought was to apply to an EdD program and work adjunct CH/PH, geri in a university (which I have already had offers to do). My application is in after doing my research re: schools; PhDvsEdD etc. My concern is how do I know that I am going to even like teaching? I don't have alot of teaching exp. Honestly, academia sounds appealing for the obvious reasons (lifelong learning, student contact, flex schedule etc.) I know the money is not the greatest. Another piece of me is saying that I really don't like the clinical aspect of nursing which is definitely my road block so how am I going to teach students? As you can see I'm a little confused;). Any words of wisdom?

Thought I'd post here for this question (already posted over in ed forum). Is a doctorate worth the time and money? Do you think that I should wait some time after graduating with my MSN to pursue doctoral studies??? Thanks.

Hi: I'm getting ready to graduate with my MSN. Do you think I should wait to start a doctoral program and do some adjunct teaching? Or should I just jump in and get it started? For those of you who have your doctorate is it worth it in the long run ie. money and time. THINK SUMMER!!