Quit nursing school after two months...

[keeyumbow66]

Hi everyone,

My name is Elaine and I'm 23 years old. I got accepted into nursing school at my local community college in the fall semester of 2013. Nursing Wasn't my first choice, in fact I wanted to pursue culinary arts. My family members are all nurses and they pushed me to pursue a degree in nursing. I took all my prerequisites and actually enjoyed them so I assumed I would enjoy nursing too. I worked as a nursing assistant for about eight months and to be honest I didn't really enjoy it. I even volunteered at my local hospital and for some reason every time I stepped foot in the hospital, I never felt excited or eager. But despite those feelings I decided to stick it out anyway and I started nursing school in July.

I was excited because most of my close friends were in the program with me. As soon as we started learning how to do skills like inserting catheters, cleaning wounds and starting IVs, I felt incompetent but most importantly I felt out of place. I started questioning why I even decided to pursue nursing in the first place. I just couldn't picture myself becoming a registered nurse and realized I may have been pursuing it for all the wrong reasons. I broke down one day after coming home from lab and started crying and venting to my boyfriend that I didn't Want to do nursing anymore. My friends tried to convince me to stay but I couldn't. There was no motivation left in me so I withdrew from the program.

My parents especially my dad keep asking me if I am going to change my mind and go back to nursing but I don't really think that's going to happen at this point. My question to all you readers out there is have you ever felt this way about your career or major? Should I feel bad for quitting so early? I kind of feel like a failure especially in front of my parents.

I also feel stressed out because I don't really know what direction to head in now. I do like working with kids so I can do something with children or pursue a career in dental hygiene since I'm obsessed with cleaning my teeth.

I just feel a little lost and down any advice would help. Thanks for listening, this was quite a lengthy post.

[Caribbean Character]

This looks suspiciously like some other fake posts that have popped up around here lately.

[keeyumbow66]

Yup, From California! After I left, a classmate told me he had been reprimanded because of the whole NG tube situation.

[keeyumbow66]

Huh? Lol .I swear I'm legitimate!

[BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN]

Whoa!!! I've never heard of doing NG tubes on fellow students--never!! I think you made the right decision to get out and it has little to do with not feeling passionate about it!!

Yeah our Fundamentals professor insisted we start IVs on each other by the 4th week. We actually needed to be checked off on how to insert an IV on our partner before we could start clinical. He also made us insert Nasogastric tubes into each other. To be honest I didn't like his teaching style at all, which was one of the contributing factors that led me to leave the program.

[BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN]

Do some research on over-saturation of hygienists too---two schools around here closed their doors b/c they were churning out graduates who can't find jobs!

Money isn't everything, though you do need to be able to make enough to support yourself.

Dental hygiene sounds like a good field also.

[Mulan]

I didn't do it as a student, many moons ago, but I have heard of students starting IVs and passing NGTs on each other, I thought that was how they did it these days.

[Ruas61, BSN, RN]

Yup, From California! After I left, a classmate told me he had been reprimanded because of the whole NG tube situation.

I can't believe any teacher would sanction dropping an NGT on first year, first semester RN students.

This guy needs more than a dressing down. He should be gone.

I wonder what kind of institution would allow this kind of curriculum.

Of course, I am 30 years out from basic nursing classes but it still seems that something is not right in Denmark.

[BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN]

We did IV's on each other if it was slow at clinical. You didn't HAVE to, but my clinical group was tight and had no problem with it

[keeyumbow66]

Thank you all for your encouraging and thoughtful words! I really appreciate all your input and advice, it has given me a positive outlook on years to come! :)

[iPink, BSN, RN]

You must chose your own path. If culinary art is what motivates you, then you should be pursuing that path. You don't want to play the "what if" game. It's better to quit now then to go through the entire program and in debt to get to your aha moment. I hope you've started researching culinary school. All the best.

[keeyumbow66]

He actually was removed from teaching PathoPhysiology because of the low pass rates from previous years, can't imagine how much longer he will be around for.

[SoldierNurse22, BSN, RN]

I can't believe any teacher would sanction dropping an NGT on first year, first semester RN students.

This guy needs more than a dressing down. He should be gone.

I wonder what kind of institution would allow this kind of curriculum.

Of course, I am 30 years out from basic nursing classes but it still seems that something is not right in Denmark.

Considering we weren't even allowed to do injections on each other, much less practice IV starts and NGT (!) placements, I cannot imagine what psychopath in the guise of an instructor would allow this kind of "practice" on students. Nevermind the risk for infection or injury -- the potential for a lawsuit alone should deter any school and any instructor from this kind of activity! I know we used to get away with stuff at clinicals (like IV starts) that we couldn't do in class, but good grief! I'm amazed this kind of thing is happening in this century!