Quitting Nursing School...

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Let me just say, I HATE nursing school. Ever since day 1. I text my mom within one hour of class and asked if it was too soon to want to quit. I've pretty much cried everyday and we just started 3 weeks ago. I absolutely hate it. I realized I don't want direct patient care I don't want to work holidays or weekends or nights. I don't want to give people baths and clean up vomit and bodily fluids. I hate myself for not realizing that sooner and wasting 2 1/2 years trying to get good grades so I can get into nursing. I've researched jobs over and over trying to find some other degree I can get and I just don't even know what I want. I'm just depressed :(

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Nursing isn't for everyone and the majority of the nursing jobs will be direct patient care/dealing with some sort of bodily fluid/ shift work, there are areas that minimize these, but they are generally sought after and you will have to deal with patient care to graduate.

It's not a waste spending 2 years to get good grades to get into nursing school. You can use those grades for your next program. It's honestly better not to waste more time in something you truly hate. Just remember that this is only one episode in your life and you'll have many more. Best of luck.

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I suggest that you speak with a counselor at school before you burst into the administration office to drop out of school. If nothing else, this person might be able to give you some help in dealing with all of the negative emotions you are experiencing. Best wishes.

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Thank you.. I know there's a wide variety of jobs available to nurses but I'm not sure it's even what I want. School just isn't really my thing and of course I chose something that requires tons of studying to do.. I've already failed my first test. I'm really trying hard just to make it through first semester but I don't even know if I can :down:

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You need to do more research because you have to come up with a replacement eventually. Or, put your nose to the grindstone and get that nursing license so you have a job skill. Nobody says you have to work as a nurse, but the more job skills a person has, the better equipped they are to handle what comes in the world of work.

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Well PLOP! That sucks. What was it within the first hour that made you realize (just interested!)?

Anyway.....all is not lost. Those great grades you worked so hard for to get into nursing school are also good for a zillion other careers!

Here's what I do in these situations: I give myself a few days to mope and feel sorry for myself - there's no point trying to suppress those feelings, because they are real and genuine feelings. You're bound to feel disappointed, upset, frustrated with yourself, etc....so just feel them for a few days.

After a few crappy days of feeling like poo, gather yourself to re-focus on your new goals. If you are interested in medicine and helping others, have you considered dental hygiene? Medical assistant? Optometrist? EMT/Paramedic? (although you will have body fluids to deal with), forensics?, crime-scene investigation?, research?, counseling?, Therapist?, X-Ray technician?, Ultra-sound technician?, Respiratory therapist? Occupational therapist? Physical therapist? Lab technician?, pharmacy tech?, dentist?, pharmacist? Chiropractor, Herbalist? Massage therapist? EKG Technician? Esthetician?

There are so many options, you can transfer your grades and move on. Look at the positives of what you CAN do rather than what you CAN'T or DON'T WANT to. You're only 3 weeks in.....:yes: That's a great thing - imagine if you were in the 4th year of a BSN before you came to this conclusion!

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Career aptitude test. I'm not a firm believer in them but I was working a job I absolutely hated and all I did was complain and cry and think "this can't be all there is". One day my boyfriend said "are you going to do something or just keep complaining?"

Um... RUDE!?

Haha but honestly it was the kick in the pants I needed. I started looking at jobs and happiness etc etc and I stumbled upon a career aptitude test. Half the suggestions were bogus but it helped me realize things about myself I hadn't really explored or thought about. If nothing else you'll find out about jobs you had never even thought of.

Best of luck finding your passion!

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Specializes in Cardiac, COVID-19, Telemetry.

Well, that stinks but don't feel discouraged it is totally normal! You didn't waste your time getting good grades -- those grades will follow you, so keep your chin up about that.

When I graduated high school in 2008 - I just knew I wanted to be a teacher! Yep, that's it, I'm going to be the best dang elementary school teacher. I busted my tail made it halfway through the program and when I got into my teaching 'clinicals' if you will - I INSTANTLY discovered that being in a classroom with 30 little kids all day was NOT how I wanted to spend the rest of my career. Thus, I fell back on my second dream - being an ATTORNEY! I got a BS in Political Science, got a job at a prestigious law firm as a Paralegal/Special Projects Manager and did that for 3 years. I had all intentions of going to law school, go married and had babies instead. The last year and a half in the law firm, I was unhappy sitting as a desk for hours upon hours staring at paperwork and a computer.

Now -- I'm pursuing nursing. I quit my legal career and became a CNA at a LTC facility, took a drastic paycut, but honestly -- I couldn't be happier. I have since changed to a tech position at a local hospital, that is paying for me to get my degree, and I just love taking care of people. I find it to be extremely rewarding.

So all in all -- it took me about 10 years to really find my niche of what I enjoy to make a career out of it. And those grades from my BS in PoliSci followed me straight to the school that I'm going to now and I only had to take two classes prior to the nursing program. So keep your head up and just do some soul searching. You'll find your place!

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I agree with all of the comments above. There are so many options that you can pursue, and it is really your choice where you want to go from here. To tell you my story: I started off with my first Bachelors degree in Psych before I went into Nursing for a BSN. I hated almost every moment of nursing school for many reasons, but I don't regret completing the program and receiving my degree.

Once you have your degree, there are many avenues that you can go down from there. If you choose not to finish nursing school then your great grades can help propel you into another area of healthcare that you feel is more suitable for you, your personality, and your long-term goals.

I would advise you to think about all of the reasons why you applied to nursing school in the first place. You made it this far for a reason. It is hard to get into nursing school, so you obviously have something that your professors and admissions program were looking for. Pat yourself on the back for that.

A lot of what you are feeling may be due to the fact that now you are facing the healthcare system (for the first time) as a student nurse, and this is a big shock to so many people. I was so completely overwhelmed by being in the hospital as a student nurse, and in terms of clinicals, I always felt like I was "in over my head" and "in the way" of all of the "real" healthcare providers on the floor. I vowed (as a student nurse) to never work as a nurse at the bedside for those reasons but almost seven years of experience later, I am still in the nursing field and so glad that I never gave up. Things will likely get easier for you as you adjust to how nursing school is. If you still feel in a month or two that this isn't for you then by all means, do what feels best. Just know that you're not alone in feeling the way that you feel. If you can, try reaching out to some of your classmates who are also going through what you are. It's important to have social support.

As someone who cried my way through nursing school and hated almost everything about it, I can tell you that as hard as the nursing field is, it does get better once you get out of school, especially if you are able to relocate for a job position that especially appeals to you. Best of luck to you!

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Hi Lenrose5 - Can I ask what it was about nursing school that made you cry? I am genuinely interested - there is no ulterior message in there!

Thanks!

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Hey! It's okay that you asked. :) My maternal grandmother (whom I was really close to) passed away right before my nursing program started, and she had a really hard death in the hospital. There was also a nursing professor who was incredibly unprofessional (she was later fired from the university for being unprofessional towards students), and having her as a professor for 3 courses and a clinical was not fun. Either way, I did get through it in the end and I live by the quote: "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." :)

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Hey! It's okay that you asked. :) My maternal grandmother (whom I was really close to) passed away right before my nursing program started, and she had a really hard death in the hospital. There was also a nursing professor who was incredibly unprofessional (she was later fired from the university for being unprofessional towards students), and having her as a professor for 3 courses and a clinical was not fun. Either way, I did get through it in the end and I live by the quote: "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." :)

That's tough! Sorry about your Grandmother! It's always so sad to lose someone, even when they've had a full and happy life. My Gramps died last year, he was almost a 100, but I still wept buckets!

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