Quitting nursing school?

[MSTLUV]

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?

[Nightmaren, BSN, RN]

I hope you are well. Many people in this thread have posted wonderful advice and I encourage you to choose your next steps sincerely. I just wanted to throw in my two cents as well since I have had almost the reverse experience.

In my prior degree program, it was the first and only time in my life that I honestly felt that the career was a bad fit for me. While everyone else was excited to learn about aspects of the career, I was always mildly enthused at best and wanting to leave class altogether at worst. During my day to day life, I was unhappy. There was no spark in my pursuits. Long-distance friends who only saw me from time to time could tell that I was living in very dark days.

I had friends there. I had people who were earnestly trying to tutor me through my slump and encouraging me every step of the way. Despite this, I was miserable for no real rhyme or reason. Even though I was in a prestigious school. Even though others would have killed to be in the program I was in.

But I just didn't feel it. Truly.

One day, an event happened that pushed me over the edge and I quietly went to the Registrar's office and withdrew. It took about a month to recover, but I soon returned to me old self. I eventually decided to enter a new program and, having rested and recuperated, entered giving 1000%. The difference was like night and day and I soared. I felt so much better that, in hindsight, it astonishes how acutely I felt how poor of a fit my last program was for me.

... I just wanted to share! Food for thought, really. Your post sounded so familiar that I thought that maybe my experiences could help. All the best, friend.

[jodispamodi]

How far along are you in your program. How many clinicals have you done and without thinking of your anxiety have you enjoyed them? If not nursing may not be for you, we had several people in my class who realized a semester or two in that nursing wasnt the grays anatomy scene they envisioned, theres real pee, poop, and body fluids involved.

Do you have an academic advisor? Tell them how you're feeling. I would also strongly suggest having a conversation with your clinical instructor one on one and explain your anxieties and fears, ask them how they think you are doing, and if there is something you can do to better prepare for clinicals. Be brave, there is no shame in being scared, that is actually a sign of someone who will likely make a good nurse, cocky overconfidant nursing students are dangerous.

lastly, so you failed a med/surg exam, everyone fails an exam the important thing is to understand why you might have failed, didnt understand the info? didnt look at the book? partied the night before etc, there are tutors that can help, you can get enough sleep and eat properly on exam days, basically it can be fixed.

Lastly, if you are only a semester or two in and decide nursing isnt for you then change your major as you dont want to continue to be anxious/stressed. But if you only have a semester or two to go consider staying and finishing there are MANY non patient things you can do. Best of luck.

[jodispamodi]

I just read your comment about wanting to be in the OR, what about becoming a surgical technician? I was one, its a fairly important job, you scrub and pass instruments. It can be a 1 to 2 year program but will immediately get you into the OR, no RN required.

[All_night]

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 actually used to feel that way, until I started working with patients as a caregiver/CNA. I'm not talking you into staying in nursing school, but there are ways to solve your problems. If you're anxious around patients, then work with patients often and you'll become more confident when communicating with them.

[777RN, BSN, RN]

MSTLUV,

Please, do yourself a favor and do NOT become a nurse because others want you to be a nurse. Only become a nurse if YOU truly want to be a nurse!

As a hospice nurse, I can assure you that life is SHORT. I care for people of all ages facing the end of life. What I have learned is that, at the end of life, most people regret less what they did and regret more what they DIDN'T do; i.e., the missed opportunities, the chances not taken, the paths not traversed.

What is your dream career; i.e., your wildest dream? Whatever it is, pursue that! If you dream of caring for and helping people, there are many career paths that would allow you to do so that don't involve nursing. Are you into wellness? If so, have you thought about massage therapy, music therapy, aromatherapy, art therapy, health & fitness, or something similar? Are you more into the psychosocial aspects of caring for people? What about social work, counseling, or something related?

Sorry, but I think that, overall, nursing is too stressful a job for someone to come into it having major reservations from the start. Nevertheless, whatever you decide, best wishes!

[FolksBtrippin, BSN, RN]

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.

I went to counseling in nursing school and got a psychology intern. She was the best counselor I've ever had. I've been to a few.

You express yourself well, which is a great trait in a nurse, not easily taught. I don't think it is time to quit, but it is time to take a break. Look into taking a semester off from school entirely.

The semester you are currently in may be more manageable if you know you are getting a break after. Focus in doing the best you can for this one semester.

Then take a break to cool down, do something else, and give yourself time to figure out if this is what you really want.

Good luck

[BadAszFannyPak]

I'm really sorry about the trouble you're having right now but I see it every week.

I've been a military medic, ED Tech, phlebotomist and am now a paramedic in RN school. The educational content is information that I love but all the other junk that goes with my school is crushing. Hundreds of hours wasted on poorly presented lectures, useless care plans that are irrelevant to modern nursing and simulations” that do not prepare you even a little bit for the real thing. My wife is a nurse and has been for ten years and she is floored with my current experience.

I say all this to establish the point that what you are going through now is not nursing. You really don't get (if your program is like mine) the concept of being a healthcare provider in school. That being said, take what all the others posts have mentioned and evaluate your goals and personal health and let that be your guide. Struggles in school are normal. (Just google nursing schools sucks” or care plans make drinking gasoline seem like a good time” and you'll see you're not alone)

Psychologist use the term fake it till you make it” to cover situations just like this. As far as school goes, your classmates and instructors are just a temporary environment that will evaporate the second you walk out of your pinning ceremony. Your career is all that matters and if you want your career to be in the endless possibilities of modern nursing, then slog through it the best you can. Nursing school should be this life changing (for the better) education that will establish a solid foundation for a competent healthcare professional. For a lot of programs, that goal was never the mission statement. The mission was NCLEX pass rates and foundation $$$

Nobody on this board can tell you with even the slightest bit of accuracy that you should or shouldn't be a nurse. Your friends, your family even yourself cannot make that judgement right now. You might not even begin to really know that until your in the career field and you have a good understanding of all the paths that nurses have. Don't let the calling” or passion” for something be a mile marker for you. You may suck at bedside nursing but be an invaluable resource in public health planning, informatics, research, administration, etc.... the list really never ends.

Good luck to you and find someone you can lean on for a bit.

[Healthnutiam]

I quit nursing school right before my first senior semester, just last week. I had this feeling that I couldn't shake, even before I started the program, but I kept reminding myself of all the benefits to being a nurse; flexible schedule, 4 days off, having the choice of working only 1 or 2 days a week, doing something important to help others, making a comfortable living, challenging myself to face my fears, having an easy to map career ahead of me ( you know...I do A, B, C, I'll end up with 1, 2, 3), yada, yada. Most of this applied to hospital nursing.

However, I began to realize that all the things I enjoy doing, all the talents I have, didn't get to shine while performing the duties of a hospital nurse. Some feel very fulfilled with what they do as a hospital nurse, but not me. I feel that to do the things I really love means I won't be working in a hospital, which means most of my reasoning for doing the BSN is out the window. Sure, I could be a community health nurse, but that mostly still focuses on all the nursing stuff; update your vaccines, take your meds the right way, make sure you monitor your glucose, etc., etc., these are things that are important for someone to address with patients, I just don't want to be the one to do it.

I don't need a nursing degree to do what I love, like counseling people, educating about healthier ways to live, etc. So why put myself through all the stress, misery and money wasting, not to mention the cattiness.

I switched to social work. I'll have my bachelors and masters within 2 years, and will have many job opportunities where I live. You hear alot of people say not to do social work, that its too hard, and little pay, and in some cases, thats true. However, research the job boards and you will see salaries for a masters go from 35,000 to 80,000 or even 100,000. You will see private sector and government opportunities. I have a therapist friend who makes more than that, and is quite happy with their career choice.

I think we put nursing blinders on, and think this is the only way to have an important career, and job security, but its just not true.

At the same time, if you at some point found yourself enjoying nurse duties, it is possible that it is the "school" part that has you down, not the nursing. In which case you might want to push through it. It is easy to fall into the stress of it all if most of the people around you are making this harder than it is, and needs to be, just so they feel, even more so, that they are doing something that is sooo challenging, and that makes it more important than any other career.

You could also recognize that what one must go through to become a nurse, and practice nursing can be a little ridiculous, so you come back to it when there is a better "system" in place.

Ultimately, this is something you have to decide on your own. Search your soul and ask for clarity.

[IsmeAmanda, LPN]

First of all I see that you don't want to pass medications and document. I think I feel that that skill is going to be the Baseline of new nurses.. everyone is going to start somewhere before they get to their OR job or ICU job or what have you. I could be wrong but most nurses I see go through med-surg floor first. You have to have your basics down before you move somewhere fancy.

When I was in nursing school and I'm currently in nursing school, I was very shy to speak up and I thought that I didn't know enough. By medsurg 4 I was sailing and very Happy I kept going.

[BadAszFannyPak]

I've seen lots of new ADNs and BSNs go to acute care and more right out of school. Managers and directors are learning that straight out of school is the perfect time to mold new nurses.

[Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN]

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!

I changed my major TO nursing, from music. Your concern over what people will say reminded me of myself. Two years in, most of the joy I took in singing was gone. In hindsight I realize I was depressed, and I truly liked my profs and fellow musician "colleagues" ... but the long hours in those tiny soundproof closets (roughly 20 ft2), er practice rooms was SO isolating. I'm typically am introverted, and I felt lonely! And then the thought of being a starving artist scared me.

My family, teachers, friends, heck people I didn't even know from my hometown, knew I was studying in a prestigious music program. When I decided to leave, I did get comments -- ranging from "you will make a good nurse, to surprise, to "What are you thinking??"

But you know what? You are the one who needs to be enthusiastic about your schooling and future. I'm not saying you should quit...I'm also not saying you should stay. I am saying that this decision affects your life, and so it should be your decision.

[Lauren Ross]

Dear child. I am 53 and I quit Nursing school 30 years ago. It's a long horrible story, but I've regretted quitting ever since. My mind was not into it. I felt the work was easy, but I had too many issues. Work hard and finish so you will have that to fall back on if necessary. I am planning to go back this fall. I am more confident and I am looking forward to it. It may not be for you, but finish if at all possible.