onni161

I'm a recently accepted RN student and completely overwhelmed as well....After 12 books were sent to my house with hundreds of pages to read and work on, I think we all go through the panic stages. The questions after all the panic is, do you still want to do it? If you want to do it, you will. It's just a matter of deciding what's right for you. Someone once told me that "Bravery is not about not being afraid of something. Bravery is being afraid of something, but doing it anyway." I hope that helps.

If you're 25 and worried about money/career/degrees, you have PLENTY of time to worry....They say the average person changes careers 3 times in a lifetime. You will find alternatives to being a nurse should you decide to find an alternative. But if you're dedicated and ambitious, you will become an RN because that's what you've decided to do and you're committed to it. As far as money goes, I can honestly say- I'm a bartender and the money is phenomenal. It's a great trade to have when times are hard. And there's no reason to "go to school" for it. You can work your way up through barbacking or serving jobs, all of which pay pretty well too. It's certainly a far cry from being an RN, but trust me- the money aspect isn't and if there's one industry that never sees a decrease in demand.....it's booze.

So, I'm a recently accepted student and like many pre-students, have alot of concerns about what to expect during and after the program. Like most new-beez, I fear the obvious- the intense work load, the financial burden, the high stress level for a prolonged period of time, and the recent surfacing implications that most grads don't get jobs right out of the gate....Aside from those fears, my current situation is already one of chronic stress. From a a financial stand point, I'm broke. I'm beyond broke. Adding to that, I'm also grieving over the loss of my father who sufferred from advanced dementia and lung cancer. I took care of him FT for two years until his passing 6 months ago. Now usually, acting as a caregiver drives us to become great caregivers. But I have to admit, one of my number one concerns about school and beyond is not confronting the typically feared bodily excretions; It's confronting tears- of my patients, their families, and myself. I can honestly say that I don't know if I can stomach anymore crying and dying. As a nurse, we have to be able to manage our own emotions and remain composed and objective. I'm proud and grateful that I have been accepted into the program, but I honestly don't know if I'm strong enough to invite a higher level of stress into my life, from an emotional, physical, and financial stand point...Any thoughts?

I'm a recently accepted student too, and I've heard the same thing from a few grads.....I've been told that most institutions are focusing on students who aquired a BSN or have previous experience working as CNA's or LPN's.....Admittedly, I'm feeling pretty deflated as well. My current financial position is pretty grim and it's difficult to justify risking further financial ruin to pursue a program that may lead to a dead end. I've also been told attempting to work over 20 hrs/week while in the program will inevitably cause you to fail. It's starting to feel like a rock and a hard place kind of decision.