Yolee

Thanks JBudd ! I really appreciate it!

I'm still getting a hang of this posting stuff, my previous post was directed to melc0305. I truly appreciate ALL of your advice and comments. Thank you llg for your wise words. That is precisely what I've been wondering, what kind of life do I want? Do I want to take the easier route or do I want a life that although may be more painful and stressful may really make a difference. Red35 it's so encouraging to hear that indeed you CAN be a happy nurse:). Appreciate your suggestions on shadowing eatmysoxRN and LCinTraining, I will definitely look into that. brillohead good luck in your last year of school, it sounds like your life is full yet you've been perusing what you feel is right for you, you go girl! classicdame it's good to hear you love being a nurse in spite of being a worrier like me. Thanks loriangel14 for encouraging me about my worrying, that there is a place for that in nursing. So far my classes are going well, I do get overwhelmed and stretched but have had some glimpses of hope. Just the other day I was able to reflect and see how much I've learned just this semester, things that were so hard and uncomfortable at first are becoming more comfortable. I've had a chance to work with a couple of elderly patients and that has been the highlight so far. I really connected with both of them and felt privileged to care for them, to listen to their stories, to learn from them. I have decided to sign up for the second semester. I feel I need to take one step at a time. We'll see where this journey takes me. All of you girls are great, thanks again for taking the time to give advice and encourage, it is so greatly appreciated!!! I wish you all the very best in your journeys.

Thanks for your reply. I so understand you! I'm in my first set of clinicals now at a nursing home and I'm still doing this yo-yo-ing, one moment I think "I can do this!" and at other moments I think, "What am I doing here?". I've had two different patients assigned to me over the last 6 weeks and felt so blessed by both of them. Just being able to sit, hear about the struggles they've gone through and are going through, that part of the job would be wonderful. Just listening seems to mean so much to them. But in reality how much time will I have to do that ( really connect with patients) once I start working? So far I've decided to stick with it and am signing up for the second semester classes. We'll see what happens. Good luck to you in whichever direction you go! Stay in touch!

Where do I even begin? I'm a first semester nursing student, going part-time (doing Nursing Skills and clinicals this semester, done with Pharm and Fundamentals). I have been questioning my decision about nursing practically since the day I begin school. I have been a "sheltered, living in my safe little world" stay at home mom for pretty much my whole adult life. 3 years ago I decided to go back to school because our boys are growing up (oldest is 22, youngest is 15) and I felt I needed to do something. Decided on nursing for many reasons: I love people, can't see myself sitting behind a desk, I have been a caregiver in one form or another pretty much my whole life, will be able to get a job that pays enough to support me in case something happens to my husband, people that know me say I would make a great nurse because I have experienced some tragedies in my own life so I can really relate to people who are suffering. School so far has gone very well for me, get good grades, jumped through all the hoops to get into the nursing program itself and here I am really not knowing if I should continue. I have been stretched to the limit and I know this is just the very beginning, the "best" is yet to come. I am very hard on myself, pretty much internalize everything and I ask myself almost daily, "What will it be like when I actually become a nurse?". I have been reading forum after forum of how stressful the job of a nurse is and it scares me. The thing that probably scares me most is that I will make a mistake and end up hurting someone. Is it normal to constantly question my decision to go into nursing or is it a sign I'm going in the wrong direction? I also have been asking, "Do I want to be a nurse, or do I want to be happy?". Is it even possible to be a happy nurse??? I guess the beauty of getting older is getting to really know who you are as a person, seeing your own limits, I really wonder if my "overly worried" personality will just destroy me as a person? I sometimes think it will just wipe me out completely and I will have nothing left. I'm not this happy-go-lucky type (wish I was), instead I take the world on my shoulders and carry it. I can't even imagine how heavy that weight will be as a nurse. All I keep hearing from friends is: you'll make a great nurse, you can do it, you're so smart it would be a shame for you to quit now, etc, etc. I want some real answers, from people that are doing it. Your honest advice will be so greatly appreciated!

Where do I even begin? I'm a first semester nursing student, going part-time (doing Nursing Skills and clinicals this semester, done with Pharm and Fundamentals). I have been questioning my decision about nursing practically since the day I begin school. I have been a "sheltered, living in my safe little world" stay at home mom for pretty much my whole adult life. 3 years ago I decided to go back to school because our boys are growing up (oldest is 22, youngest is 15) and I felt I needed to do something. Decided on nursing for many reasons: I love people, can't see myself sitting behind a desk, I have been a caregiver in one form or another pretty much my whole life, will be able to get a job that pays enough to support me in case something happens to my husband, people that know me say I would make a great nurse because I have experienced some tragedies in my own life so I can really relate to people who are suffering. School so far has gone very well for me, get good grades, jumped through all the hoops to get into the nursing program itself and here I am really not knowing if I should continue. I have been stretched to the limit and I know this is just the very beginning, the "best" is yet to come. I am very hard on myself, pretty much internalize everything and I ask myself almost daily, "What will it be like when I actually become a nurse?". I have been reading forum after forum of how stressful the job of a nurse is and it scares me. The thing that probably scares me most is that I will make a mistake and end up hurting someone. Is it normal to constantly question my decision to go into nursing or is it a sign I'm going in the wrong direction? I also have been asking, "Do I want to be a nurse, or do I want to be happy?". Is it even possible to be a happy nurse??? I guess the beauty of getting older is getting to really know who you are as a person, seeing your own limits, I really wonder if my "overly worried" personality will just destroy me as a person? I sometimes think it will just wipe me out completely and I will have nothing left. I'm not this happy-go-lucky type (wish I was), instead I take the world on my shoulders and carry it. I can't even imagine how heavy that weight will be as a nurse. All I keep hearing from friends is: you'll make a great nurse, you can do it, you're so smart it would be a shame for you to quit now, etc, etc. I want some real answers, from people that are doing it. Your honest advice will be so greatly appreciated!