Questions to ask yourself / Is nursing for me?

[katesmom]

A little about me:

I currently work in an OBGYN office as a medical secretary. I have a beautiful 10 month old daughter & I am happily married.

I feel my job has made me an introvert because I sit in a cubical all day. Im a little shy, but nothing major. Same thing everyday at work, I dont feel utilized, overall just hum-drum day in & day out!

I havent always wanted to be a nurse like some of the stories you read about on this forum. I do think I would be a good nurse. I generally care about people & desire to make a difference. Sometimes I wish I had a calling?

I have a lot of medical related coursework out of the way including my prereqs..

My husband just gave me the thumbs up to dive into nursing school & quit my job.

What questions should I ask myself before taking the plunge???? Thanks

[Fiona59]

We're nurses not nuns!!!:chuckle This "calling" theory drives me nuts.

Ask yourself how you feel about working shifts, or working casual (to enable to work the hours you want), do you want employers to be calling you on your day off asking you to work more hours "because we're short".

How do you feel about being yelled at by family members who don't feel that you 've done enough?

But then there are the good days, when you'll be in the mall and your teenage mother will tell her mother "there's the nurse that helped me with xxx, when she was born". Doesn't happen all that often though...

[Cococure]

Hey Katesmom,

I did not have a calling to be a nurse instead a light went off in my head asking why in heavens name am i at the dead end job with no future?? I spent quite a few months speaking w/ friends and family members that are in the nursing field and asking then tons of questions about the field - i got pro & cons about the field. If you can find a friend that is in the field and ask them all the questions till your hearts content. Also ask yourself if you are willing to deal w/ the stress of nursing school...and although u may have all the pre reqs out of the way you may still have to be on a waiting list.

fyi pro's for me

1. flexibility

2. decent pay

3. excellent skill (transferable)

4. i luv to travel -- travel nursing will be in my future

5. broad field (tons of nursing specialties)

Good Luck:coollook:

[Curious1alwys, BSN, RN]

Leah...

What are you worried about, girlfriend?? It sounds to me like you were made to be a nurse!:) Do it now, while the opportunity is still there. As with me, if you never do anything else you will never be anything else!!!

Going from a MA to a RN is a pretty easy transition. You got lots of experience! Go for it and don't look back!!!!

[Saved_by_Grace]

i can completely relate. i didn't have a "calling" for nursing. i had been laid off from a good paying job in the telecommunications industry, thinking now what? i am so interested in the nursing field, i love all the "information" aspects of it, but i'm nervous of the hands on portion, but think i'd make a good nurse. like you i'm compassionate, empathetic, and caring.

i started a lpn program last fall but had to withdraw not very far into the program. i have all my pre-req's done and am guaranteed a seat back into the program this fall. however, i've been called back to my old job in the telecommunications field and am doing it for the time being. it involves sales but like you i'm in a cubicle all day, servicing my clients via the phone. i find myself being shy and just wondering if i have what it takes to excel in nursing or if i should keep my present job although the telcom world is so unstable and if one month you do not meet your sales targets, you are let go. so i believe nursing would be a better path for me.

i can honestly say that i would rather be "helping" people vs "pushing telcom services" down their throats. you seem to be an intelligent and caring person to me, and i think you will make a wondeful nurse!:) hope this gives you some encouragement, to know that there may be others that feel like you!