Should I become a nurse for the money??

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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i am 16, and i am going to be a junior soon, and i have to start getting ready for sat's, and act's. you know the whole high school/college process, but anyway's everyone keeps telling me to become a nurse.

i love to help people, but at the same time i like to be alone, or with a few people. when i see pictures of people suffering i want to help them. especially in underdeveloped countries. i've gone back and forth between choosing to become a nurse, but a part of me keep's saying no it's not for me. i feel like, if i don't become a nurse, and save lives then i am worthless. plus i am horrible at science. i am taking chemistry right now, and i have a 69%/d+ in the class, and i am not passionate about science.

i thought about becoming a pediatric travel nurse. i don't like hospitals all that much. the blood doesn't bother me much, but it's the diseases, and other stuff such as ring worms, sores, and etc that makes my body queasy, and hard to concentrate. i literally can not look at them. i do feel like nursing is the only way that i can help people.

i thought about becoming a special education teacher to younger kids, and teaching abroad also, but everyone say's not to become a teacher, and i'm not passionate about teaching.

i am passionate about mentoring younger kids/teens, and helping them better themselves, and teaching them self respect. i want to help people in underdeveloped countries, and in bad circumstances, and teach people about std's, but many people keep telling me to become a nurse, and the pay is good, but i'm not passionate about it. honestly i do not know what i want to do, but i want to have an ok paying job $35,000-$40,000 for a single person. what should i do. i am going to be in the 11th grade in 5 months, and it goes by fast and then bam senior year is here. what on earth am i going to do!!!! should i just settle and become a nurse? people keep telling me that i only live once, and that i should follow my dream. i love to help people, but at the same time i like to be alone. i am horrible at science, and bad at math. i am more of a doer. i like to do stuff.

sorry for the long message

I am glad you are thinking about this now. Too often people follow through to apply only to find that nursing is not like they anticipated.

You are honest to say math and science are difficult and not very interesting for you. These two subjects really are backbones of nursing. You need to understand how the human body works. That requires knowledge, working kowledge, of biology, chemistry, physics. Math calculations are critical. It is something that has to be correct 100% of the time.

You want to help people. I see that and appauld it. We do need more people in this world who are willing to help each other. I also see you have difficulty with lesions like ringworm, etc. If you are thinking of going out of country to help others you will see worse.

You might want to explore social work. The other thing I would suggest is to get your CNA and work in the field before you make life decisions. If you have talents in music or art those therapies are in demand for special needs children. I always thought art therapy is one of the more interesting fields where you get to really help.

In all honesty I would not suggest you focus on nursing unless you are able to get your science and math grades up. You will be suffering in college playing catch up if you don't have a good foundation in these subjects.

There is no shortage of nurses in most areas and that word has not gotten to all who are advising students.

Best wishes

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

Keep this is mind...and I'm putting this out there for those persons interested general, it's not specifically targeted at you, OP :)

The nursing job market for new grads sucks now. It sucks for experienced nurses now as well. It was supposed to improve, but it hasn't. Who knows what it will be like when you graduate?

Nursing is not like it looks on Grey's, Hawthorne, ER, General Hospital or other television shows, and is a little more like Nurse Jackie than we'd like to admit, in that nurses are in a high-risk profession for developing substance abuse issues. Nursing is not glamorous. And if you're going into nursing to try to land a doctor in your bed, turn around now.

Nurses do not get evenings or nights off, they do not get weekends off, they do not get holidays off, they do not get snow or storm days, and if there's extreme weather or a disaster more than likely you will get called in instead of being able to huddle snug in your house. Doesn't matter if you have kids, pets, aged parents, extreme hobbies, whatever: you need to be available to work the schedule they give you. And don't expect a lot of sympathy from your coworkers when you trot out the latest excuse as to why you need to leave early.

Nurses don't get paid as much as you think. Sure, in NY and Los Angeles you may rack up $40-50 an hour, but keep in mind that renting a shoebox of an apartment in these cities will put you out at least $2500 a month. And that's just the rent.

Nursing is a portable career, true. But that counts for nothing when you can't land a job in the first place.

I personally don't believe you need a "calling" to enter nursing, but you're going to be working with people a lot, you'll be up to your neck in paperwork, you'll be under-appreciated and often the first person hung if something goes wrong, and you're going to do a lot of grunt work--and yes, that may include the stereotypical "wiping bottoms"-- no matter what speciality you choose. So you don't need to like it, but you at least need to be willing to put up with that and take care of your patient no matter what.

If you haven't run away from this thread screaming...well then, see what nursing may offer you. You may want to pursue it in college. You may change your mind and wait until later to become a nurse. Or you may decide it's not for you. And there's no shame no matter what you decide.

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Thank you all for your responses and helping me out with this challenging decision : ) I guess that I have to fOlllow my heart!

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It seems that you have some very clear ideas about what you want to do and I really admire you for that.

I spent many years living abroad, working as a teacher and interpreter, and then getting a Master's degree and working in advocacy and for a refugee aid organization. It was a wonderful experience.

You do have to graduate from college to go into the Peace Corps. My suggestion is that if you would like to do something in that area, that you talk directly with the Peace Corps and find out what kind of people they are looking for.

You can also look into the Red Cross, although their international department is very selective and competitive and you will need a college degree and some competency in another language.

The American Red Cross can also offer many interesting opportunities if you want to help the underprivileged. I also suggest Americorps.

As you talk to those organizations I suggest you also ask them about other agencies that do the kind of work you are interested in. Network and make contacts.

You have a lot of time and I know it seems like there is a lot of pressure to sort this out now, but you are young and you have plenty of room to experiment, change your mind, and explore many different areas.

If you are struggling with the sciences, you will struggle at nursing, and I know a lot of people believe that there is a nursing shortage but there most definitely is not.

Unfortunately no matter how many times nurses say that there is no nursing shortage, no one believes them and the myth continues. The market is over-saturated, competition is fierce, and jobs in fields like peds are impossible.

I wish you the very best and I hope that you can revisit this site and let us know how things worked out for you.

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Wow, I'm really surprised at a lot of this negative advice. You are really young and should set yourself up for a career you think sounds interesting and that you will enjoy. Do what you love and either the money will follow (it sometimes does) or, you'll have job satisfaction which is priceless considering you'll potentially spend the next 45 years in a career! If that happens to be in pediatric nursing, then go for it! Don't let people discourage you from pursuing your dreams at this stage. There will always be a need for bright, capable people in the nursing field, even if there isn't a "shortage" , there is always turnover as in any profession and a need to train and mentor the next generation of professionals.

I also didn't do very well in high school chemistry but once I set a goal for myself of getting accepted to nursing school and saw the practical application of science in the nursing field, I really did very well and now I love science!!

You should volunteer in a hospital and see if direct patient care is for you. High school students in my area are able to help with office work, transporting of patients and restocking supplies. You'd get to see a lot and make some contacts. Ask a lot of questions when there is some down-time. I think you'll find most people are very helpful and can help you clarify what you do and do not like about the nursing profession and whether it's something you'd like to pursue. Also a nursing degree doesn't close any doors for you...you could still go on to graduate school in many different areas....occupational therapy, physical therapy, health informatics, healthcare management..etc.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
What fields would you suggest ? Thank you for your response and time .. : )

Physical therapy, occupational therapy, Social Worker, radiology technology, just pick a field you love...not just because someone told you and for the money. Pick something you will love for 40 years....:)what does your family say?

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My family wants me to become a nurse. They say that it's the only way that I can make money and have a stable life, and help people and that nursing school and the job is not that hard and there is a nursing shortage .

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Specializes in peds-trach/vent.

Like previous posters have said, perhaps, you would be interested in education, counseling or peace corps. Nursing also sounds like what you want to do. Nursing today isn't always in a hospital setting. Though that's where the best experience is gotten. If you do decide to go with nursing, you can maybe sometimes travel to other countries, bu I think that is on "volunteer work". I dont know what the future holds as far as job outlook for nursing. But you have plenty of time to decide. Good luck to you with your future.

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I meant to say that I am passionate about teaching

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My family wants me to become a nurse. They say that it's the only way that I can make money and have a stable life, and help people and that nursing school and the job is not that hard and there is a nursing shortage .

My parents pushed me into getting my BSN for the exact same reasons when I graduated from high school. So I understand the pressure.

I hated every second of it and ended up dropping out before the year was up.

I got a degree in a non-healthcare field and did some amazing things with it.

I had to do it all on my own though, because my parents cut me off when I decided to change majors.

It was enormously difficult but the only thing I regret about any of it is that a student who really wanted to get into the program didn't get in because I was there taking up a space and being miserable.

Follow your heart. There is nothing better than owning your choices and your life.

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.
My family wants me to become a nurse. They say that it's the only way that I can make money and have a stable life, and help people and that nursing school and the job is not that hard and there is a nursing shortage .

You can introduce them to the growing masses of new grads struggling to find that first job anywhere, as well as the experienced nurses who are also having a hard time finding and/or keeping work.

Once you are 18, you legally become your own person. At that point, you should think about what YOU want to do, because you have to live that life. And if it's a matter of your parents financing college in order to tell you what they want you to be when you grow up...only you can decide if that gift is worth the strings attached.

You are young, you have plenty of time to decide what you want to be and you should have the freedom to explore the options and make up (and change!) your own mind.

Best of luck whatever you decide!

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Your family is WRONG!

Tell them I said so.

There is NO nursing shortage and hasn't been one since 2007 or so.

And yes nursing school is HARD and working as a registered nurse is even HARDER!

Is anyone in your family a registered nurse? If not, they don't have a clue.....

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