rocksteady1

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Just wanted to update anyone who posted here with advice. Had a great moment today in clinical. Inserted my 1st NG tube! Went incredibly smooth as well! No problems at all. That said, im still not sure about nursing in the long run for me but I never thought I would ever do something like I did today. It was a huge confidence booster and I hope to try some other procedures that I have been shown in lab during clinical now.

Thank you once again for all the comments. I am taking to heart everything im reading. THANK YOU!

Im going to discuss Pysch Nursing with my professor next class. She is an awesome teacher and really has been looking out for me. I guess she can tell im a bit overwhelmed. I know I can be honest with her about my issues and won't have to worry about her judging me as a someone ready to jump ship from nursing. On another note, its's funny...the whole "nurses eat their young thing", I can actually sense the negative vibes from some RN's on the floor towards students. Completely miserable *******...not all, some have been there for us for any question we may have. Many, however, are just nasty, snarling, blowhards.

Med-Surg to me is: *Obscene patient:nurse ratios *Never being able to focus on any one patient to give them proper care *Staying after 12 hour shifts to catch up on documentation *A-hole Dr's that i've seen yelling at RN's on the floor over something the patient caused (pulling out an IV lock as one example) *Geriatric poop/pee out the waazoo *Unrealistic, demanding patients/families *No breaks over the aforementioned 12 hour shift *General uncomfortable feeling around patients (this one is me personally) Again, this has been my personal interpretation based on what i've read, seen, and asked question about. It seems like hell and thus i've become concerned over the path I have chosen.

I am actually in an ASN program. I had an intro course in my 1st semester that was essentially med-surg 101, and now my current semester which is a med-surg course as well. I have OB/GYN and Mental Health/PSYCH next semester. In my final semester I have Critical Care. That will be my backround when I am turned loose to look for a job. Community Health Nursing was mentioned to me but I dont know anything about it.

Thanks for the replies thus far. As far as the patient interaction thing goes. I guess for me its the same concept as having somebody lurking over your shoulder waiting to pounce on you for screwing up. It simply rattles my concentration and seemingly everything i've learned thus far goes out the window. I like to lose myself in my work but it's hard to do that with real, live patients. I didn't anticipate this being a problem for me and have been waiting for a moment that would tell me I was doing the right thing by being in nursing school but I have yet to have that happen. Im willing to relocate anywhere in the country for the right job. Med-surg would simply be too miserable of a time if im forced into it. I have read many threads on this forum pertaining to different specialties but not many have mentioned their personal path to get that job/position. Would love to hear those stories! Again, without knowing much about these specialties, the following sound intriguing to me: OR Radiology PACU Informatics Dialysis Im open to any other suggestions. I worked so hard to get into my program and hate that im not enjoying it.

Hello all, Been lurking around here for some time now and decided now was a good time to join up. I am a male nursing student in my 2nd semester of nursing school and........the thought that I made a huge mistake has been racing through my mind. I don't know if nursing is right for me. I am so nervous during clinicals and often feel like a "deer in the headlights." I have also discovered that I do not enjoy patient interaction at all. I came into school all excited and motivated but quickly found during my 1st semester the reality of what being a nurse is (BTW, much respect to all RN's out there). I have done clinicals on med-surge floors both semesters thus far and know 100%, absolutely that I want no part of med-surg upon graduation. Dear God I hate it! I guess I need some ideas of things to look foward to while im still in school and what types of specialties might work for me. I had no healthcare working experience prior to nursing school so everything is new to me. Im interested in knowing more about psyc, radiology, PACU, OR and dialysis nursing but its more because I just dont know what exactly goes on in these places for an RN. I worked so hard to get into nursing school and dont want to bail but I need something to latch onto to push me through to the end. HELP!!!