lovlina

Thank you for the posts and all of your kind suggestions! I still have not decided. I know it is not for me, but maybe it is worth it to get the degree and have it as a back up. Or maybe I will find my niche in nursing.. I guess only time will tell.

I am seriously considering quitting nursing school. Just the amount of times that I have met with advisers to consider other career paths is already an indication of how much I want an out. A lot of what I have read recently says "Don't quit nursing school just because it's hard or stressful! Stick it out; it will be so worth it!" The problem is, I don't want to quit because it's hard. I enjoy the challenge, and I am an intelligent student with awesome grades. I never have a problem with the information/lectures/exams. In fact, that is the only part of nursing I enjoy. I like the theory (learning about bodily processes, diseases, OB and women's health), but hate the practice. I also did well in clinical, so this has nothing to do with my "performance" in the program. I just feel out of place in clinical.. I dread it every day and am so relieved to go home afterwards and not see the hospital for a few days. I used to work as a PCA in a children's hospital - thought I would LOVE it. I really didn't (again I felt out of place); I dreaded work and hoped I would see as little patients as possible. I feel terrible saying that, but it's just how I feel! I don't mind helping people, but I really thought I would feel different! I see other students getting so excited over landing their dream PCA job; and I don't want anything to do with a PCA job. I have a different job currently in a private practice, where I do mostly office work and interact with mostly healthy patients. I do enjoy that and definitely do not dread coming into work. I have 2 more years left in the program. I either stick it out and "force" myself through the motions, or take a year off and think about what other careers I might enjoy. Should I take the break, seeing as I am not passionate about this career? -Nursing Student in an early "mid-life crisis"

Hi, everyone! I was hoping to get some advice about what decision I should make about nursing. I am in a BSN program currently, the first year was pre-nursing and the last 3 years are in the nursing school. I have completed both my pre-nursing year and the first year of actual nursing. I am currently finishing up a clinical rotation in med/surg, and I have been having some doubts recently. I am successful in lecture and I like the material that we are covering. I am actually getting some good feedback about my nursing skills in clinical as well. So I am doing pretty well, but I just don't seem to be enjoying myself in the clinical setting. During the most recent clinical, I found myself very overwhelmed by the amount of work and I barely had enough time to finish my charting. I came out of that clinical thinking, "maybe nursing is not for me." I did not get into nursing because it is my passion or something that I love. I decided on nursing because I wanted a medical profession that did not involve 8 years of school but could still earn me a decent salary. I have found that I don't entirely enjoy patient interactions. I am more content while sitting at the nurse's station on the computer than I am while in the patient's room. I am trying to be honest with myself in understanding if this is truly the path I want to take and the career I want to dedicate my life to. So far, the clinical work has been physically and emotionally difficult, and I know it will only be more challenging from here. I am contemplating switching majors at the end of this semester. I have considered pre-pharmacy and then entering a PharmD program. I enjoy pharmacology and do not mind the school work. The only issue is going to school for another 4 years past the bachelors (most schools are switching to a bachelor's requirement) and how much a PharmD program costs (A LOT). I had these doubts at the beginning of the semester and almost left the program. Then I decided I will have many career opportunities and got past those doubts. They are now back. Do you think I should continue on with nursing? What if I am just not cut out for nursing? I have a gut feeling that this is not for me, but I am afraid to make that decision..plus I have already come so far. I am completely lost.

Hi, everyone! I was hoping to get some advice about what decision I should make about nursing. I am in a BSN program currently, the first year was pre-nursing and the last 3 years are in the nursing school. I have completed both my pre-nursing year and the first year of actual nursing. I am currently finishing up a clinical rotation in med/surg, and I have been having some doubts recently. I am successful in lecture and I like the material that we are covering. I am actually getting some good feedback about my nursing skills in clinical as well. So I am doing pretty well, but I just don't seem to be enjoying myself in the clinical setting. During the most recent clinical, I found myself very overwhelmed by the amount of work and I barely had enough time to finish my charting. I came out of that clinical thinking, "maybe nursing is not for me." I did not get into nursing because it is my passion or something that I love. I decided on nursing because I wanted a medical profession that did not involve 8 years of school but could still earn me a decent salary. I have found that I don't entirely enjoy patient interactions. I am more content while sitting at the nurse's station on the computer than I am while in the patient's room. I am trying to be honest with myself in understanding if this is truly the path I want to take and the career I want to dedicate my life to. So far, the clinical work has been physically and emotionally difficult, and I know it will only be more challenging from here. I am contemplating switching majors at the end of this semester. I have considered pre-pharmacy and then entering a PharmD program. I enjoy pharmacology and do not mind the school work. The only issue is going to school for another 4 years past the bachelors (most schools are switching to a bachelor's requirement) and how much a PharmD program costs (A LOT). I had these doubts at the beginning of the semester and almost left the program. Then I decided I will have many career opportunities and got past those doubts. They are now back. Do you think I should continue on with nursing? What if I am just not cut out for nursing? I have a gut feeling that this is not for me, but I am afraid to make that decision..plus I have already come so far. I am completely lost.

Hi everyone! I have been in a sort of personal turmoil for a few months, questioning myself and doubting my decision to go into nursing. I am in a 4 year BSN program, and I have 2.5 years left to go. (The first year was pre nursing, so I have technically only been in actual nursing classes for 1 semester.) I love the classes and have been very successful. I have always loved the sciences and have never been a slacker when it comes to studying. My first hospital job was as a nursing assistant the summer before my first nursing semester began. Ever since, I have been doubting my career choice. I completely understand that a nurse usually delegates tasks like taking vitals and giving a bed bath to the assistant. So I am not questioning my decision because of that experience. However, I did get to work closely with many nurses and saw what a typical day for a nurse is like. I did not know that nursing is so stressful! Additionally, I am more of a thinker and an introvert, so doing tasks quickly and managing a hundred things at once are not my strong suit. I was mainly drawn to nursing because of the sciences. And I did not want to go to school for 8 years to become a doctor. So I thought, why not nursing? Now, I didn't do enough research. I didn't read any forums or comments made my actual nurses. I only read articles describing the nursing profession. Big mistake. I did not get a good picture of nursing to start out with. Even when I was applying to the nursing school while in pre nursing, I did not read anything about what it's actually like! After working in th hospital and getting accepted into the program, I began my first semester. Everything was great, except I felt I didn't enjoy patient encounters and the clinical experience. Many of my peers are so excited to start learning more in clinicals, while I am dreading it! I feel that I am often disoriented and do not have amazing observation skills. I am very detailed when it comes to reading something or writing or presenting, but not in terms of paying attention to everything that goes on around me. I also feel that I will be slow and disoriented when it comes to multitasking, which seems to be an inherent part of nursing. Talking to the patient and family while doing a procedure. Having many active orders and having to balance them and manage my time. It all seems too much for my personality. I have not slept right in a week trying to analyze every option and wondering if nursing is right for me. My alternative is to move to a major in psychology (which I would be able to complete before graduation). Then to get a Masters in HR Managment or Higher Education/Student Affairs. Alternatively, I could continue with nursing, get my BSN, and find a job at a clinic or office. Or I could become an NP in Women's Health (a topic I love!) or get an MSN with concentraton in Healthcare Management. (Before you say I am all over the place, understand that I like administration/office type things as well as the sciences, which makes this a hard decision.) I have so many options that I am terribly confused. I'm having a very hard time making this decision. To stay in nursing or to change majors before it is too late? I have recently discovered this website and have learned a lot more about nursing which only adds to my worry! So now I am writing here, in hopes of finding advice or inspiration from those who may have been in my shoes or who may have had doubts. Sorry for the very long post! Thanks to those of you who read to the end.