Quit nursing school after two months...

Nurses Career Support

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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.

Specializes in Cardiac/Telemetry.

We started IV on each other as second semester nursing students but no NGT! I would have refused it.

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Specializes in retired LTC.

To OP - if this is really a true post, read on.

Seems you had misgivings re nursing even before starting, so to back out now is wise. You've taken a lot of prereqs that would be a shame to waste. Why not consider a program in nutrition/dietetics? Science-based professional career. I'm not sure of the job market, but then all jobs seem to be in a tight market.

I've worked with nurses who had professional culinary schooling and they've somehow included their love for food into their lives. For some, nsg was their full-time career,for others, part-time. At your age, you've got time to find your niche (regardless of your family's wishes).

Do whatever floats your boat. Good luck!

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Specializes in Hospice.

OMG! Our instructors would never allow us to do IV starts or NG tubes or injections or anything. We were able to do capillary blood glucose and that was it. That's what clinical is for!

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Maybe look into becoming an elementary school teacher? There are a lot of careers you can pursue that deals with kids, so why not do some research? Otherwise if you want to stick in the medical field and teeth is something that interests you, why not look into dental hygiene? A lot of the pre-reqs you did for nursing are the same ones for dental hygiene, so you might make use of that opportunity. I know dental hygienists have great jobs with great perks and get great income - in fact the average salary is like a nurse's so it's not a dead-end job at all. I suggest maybe shadowing one in this field. :) Or, if culinary arts still interests you, why not look into that program?

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
There's also radiology or ultrasound tech or respiratory therapy.

Research and see what the salary and job prospects are.

She's not interested in that sort of work. Why continue to encourage her along those lines? It's OK not to work in the health care professions.

OP, you're not a failure. It's your life; follow your bliss and go out there and make some great food!

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
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!

Ages ago, this was not unusual. My neighbor who retired a few years ago said they did NGT on each other. We did injections, IVs and breast exams on each other (the breast exam wasn't mandatory).

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Specializes in Med-Surg, NICU.

IVs in the first semester? Yikes! In my program, you don't do IVs/blood draws until your Junior year (first or second semester, depending on when you take med surg II). However, in clinical in our junior year, I've started IVs. We weren't allowed to practice on each other though.

That being said, if nursing isn't what you see yourself doing, then there is no point in moving forward. Dental Hygiene sounds like a great route, and I think DHs, as a wholes, are much happier than their nursing counterparts.

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Great food and great nutrition!!! Sounds like a career plan.

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She's not interested in that sort of work. Why continue to encourage her along those lines? It's OK not to work in the health care professions.

She said she was not interested in NURSING.

Big difference between an ultrasound or rad tech and a nurse, or even a resp therapist and a nurse.

I'm not encouraging her along those lines.

I know it's okay not to work in the health care professions, however she has already done all those pre-reqs that would transfer into something related but not nursing.

If you have a problem with my post, it's better just to ignore it, and address the OP.

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I'm all about doing whatever makes you happy, regardless of what anyone has to say. It's good that you realized early on that nursing wasn't for you, instead of wasting time in a field you didn't like. Once you realize what your passion is go for it! You know what they say: If you love what you do, you never work a day in your life. Good luck !

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
She said she was not interested in NURSING.

Big difference between an ultrasound or rad tech and a nurse, or even a resp therapist and a nurse.

I'm not encouraging her along those lines.

I know it's okay not to work in the health care professions, however she has already done all those pre-reqs that would transfer into something related but not nursing.

If you have a problem with my post, it's better just to ignore it, and address the OP.[/QUOA

As long as a response isn't hostile, I believe TOS allows us to reply to any post.

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Thanks again guys for all the great feedback!:up: I've taken all your suggestions into consideration and I will continue to do some more research and soul searching! I still want to use my prerequisites that I've taken because I love science but I also love food. That being said, I'm going to take an organic chemistry class next semester as well as some cooking classes! I'll combine my love for both and I'll see where I end up :)

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