Quitting nursing school?

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I am at the point where I am truly considering quitting nursing school. I love helping and taking care of others, but I do not feel I am enjoying what I am doing. I've worked so hard to get here, but I just feel so miserable and depressed. I don't feel competent, lack confidence in my skills, I'm always afraid to speak up and participate in class/clinical, and I'm always thinking I am going to make a mistake. I am always anxious so I dread patient interaction sometimes, and my clinical instructor makes me feel I am not doing what I am supposed to do even when I truly am trying. I have been feeling so down lately and lost my motivation, and I failed my first Med/Surg exam. A classmate always asks me if I am okay and I put on a smile and say I am. I keep hoping something will click and I will snap out of this funk, but each day I feel worse. I was thinking of changing my major, but not sure what else to do at this point. I am losing sleep, developing poor eating habits, and just feel so crappy. I think a career indirectly helping patients may be better for me, but I am so afraid to take that step. I know I will disappoint so many people, especially family. I'm also afraid that I will drop out of nursing school and have so much regret. I read so many stories and posts about people hating nursing and wanting out. The stress, the demand, the lack of resources and staff, the overwhelming documentation just to save the facilities a**. I try and picture where I see myself working after graduating, and which area of nursing will be least stressful but still allow me to care for patients, but I haven't even graduated yet. Instead, I am here in my second semester thinking of all the ways I dislike what I am doing and my performance overall. I started counseling on campus, but it has been ineffective thus far. I wish to reach out to one of my professors, but I feel they may send me to the chairperson of the program or something for seeking advice and in turn, dismiss me from the program.

Am I the only student who feels this way? How can I get my motivation back? Is it my lack of confidence preventing me from succeeding, or is this profession just not right for me? Has anyone else considered changing their major?

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What semester are you in?

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What semester are you in?

I am in my second semester (Med/Surg 1).

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I remember being in my first semester of nursing school in a class and thinking in the back of my mind how this is not right for me. However, I stuck with it, I said to myself "don't be a quitter." What I failed to do was think of my future self, so I stuck with nursing and now I am more miserable than ever as a nurse. You should truly be honest with yourself, ask yourself if you can see yourself doing this type of job for a living, doing it day in and day out. I only wish I was honest with myself and put my energy into something I would actually enjoy. I would definitely look into other majors if I was you.

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Nursing is not for everyone and that my friend is okay.

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I remember being in my first semester of nursing school in a class and thinking in the back of my mind how this is not right for me. However, I stuck with it, I said to myself "don't be a quitter." What I failed to do was think of my future self, so I stuck with nursing and now I am more miserable than ever as a nurse. You should truly be honest with yourself, ask yourself if you can see yourself doing this type of job for a living, doing it day in and day out. I only wish I was honest with myself and put my energy into something I would actually enjoy. I would definitely look into other majors if I was you.

. It's just so hard to come to terms with how I feel. I can't stop thinking about what others will say about me and what I decide. And i don't want to regret the decision. I would love to get into the OR one day and that is just about it. I don't enjoy bedside during clinical and dont see myself enjoying it as an RN. But i can't get to the OR w/o getting through school and currently I am disliking it each day. I have been told stick it out there are so many different avenues in nursing and that I don't have to work directly with pts, and the pay blah blah blah. I don't give two craps about the pay. I genuinely care about people and want to help them in some way. I want to be hands on. I don't want to just give medications, and document document document. I am unhappy and it shows. My bf says you don't have to love what you are doing and at times you'll be unhappy but don't be a quitter. He makes me feel like crap that I am throwing away an opportunity with 2 years left.

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Nursing is not for everyone and that my friend is okay.

I guess I keep telling myself one day a spark will go off and I will feel differently. I wish I could make nursing work for me, as I still haven't experienced other units/specialty areas yet, but I just feel unhappy right now. I don't know whether to stay and finish the semester and see how I feel, but risk my gpa for another program, or drop before withdrawal date and seek other options.

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Is there any student who is thinking of changing their major? Are there any nurses here who thought of changing their major, continued in the program, and ended up hating or loving the profession? Please share!

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Don't look for a spark in nursing or any other line of work. If a spark ignites, great, go for it. But you will be more pragmatic if you see yourself 32 years from now seeking employment because you need to house, feed, and clothe a family or yourself. Which profession or trade is more likely to provide you the means to buy food and pay rent or a mortgage? That is the 'spark' you should keep foremost in your mind. Give yourself the option to obtain a nursing license and try it out. If it does not work out, you can place your license into an inactive status and seek another line of work, knowing that you have a fallback should circumstances ever change.

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Specializes in critical care, ER,ICU, CVSURG, CCU.

Honest from my 4.5 decades of experience..... If "you don't" feel it" jump ship...

There is no nursing shortage

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Unfortunately with counseling, it may take time. I remember when I used the services provided by the college I often found that I was constantly repeating the same things over and over. This classmate seems genuinely concerned. Is this someone you can confide in? How are they doing? Perhaps they can provide some advice that might be helpful.

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Unfortunately with counseling, it may take time. I remember when I used the services provided by the college I often found that I was constantly repeating the same things over and over. This classmate seems genuinely concerned. Is this someone you can confide in? How are they doing? Perhaps they can provide some advice that might be helpful.

The person i was assigned to in counseling is an intern. She seems fairly young, but maybe a year or two older than myself. I want someone already experienced. No offense to her, but I don't want my experience to be sub par because she is just getting her feet wet in counseling. And I don't feel comfortable confiding in the classmate. I'm older than the classmate, and prefer not to put my weaknesses out there to be the talk amongst other younger classmates. Seems like high school at times.

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