Should I continue with nursing? On challenge, the perception of nurses, etc.

[runner28]

I am 19 years old have just finished my first year in a BSN program, but am not sure if nursing is for me. This is the only college I applied to as a nursing major as I wanted to pursue a career in medicine (please, no flames). I didn't know this combination was an impossibility until I enrolled. I was later faced with the decision to transfer to the College of Arts and Science and become pre-med, but hearing about the "endless possibilities" of nursing, decided against doing so.

I am just so terribly confused at this point. I truly have a love for health, and am concerned with the predominant lifestyles of the American people that lead to the most prevalent conditions of today. I would love an opportunity to work directly with people, preferably in that realm.

My friends, some of whom have known me for a long time and others who have met me only recently, have let me know, in no uncertain terms, that I can "do better" than nursing. I have always done well in school and have had educators throughout my life tell me that they are excited for my future. However, when I tell well-off, educated individuals, whose paths I often cross, that I am pursuing a career in nursing, I get, at best, a look of misunderstanding.

I admit that I didn't envision my life taking doctors' orders, but is it really that "bad?" Can a nurse become a successful professional without the looming shadow of someone with an M.D.?

Yes, I have heard that a nurse takes care of patients, while a physician treats the conditions. I would like my knowledge and advice to be sought and valued, but also have an opportunity to create a professional relationship with people, one in which I am invested in their progress and well-being.

Before entering college, my professional goals were to find a career that is both challenging and fulfilling. Can I find this in nursing? Do you?

Any words of wisdom? What are my misunderstandings? What am I overlooking? Is nursing just not for me or do I just not understand what it entails?

Thanks a lot for any and all advice.

[obicurn]

I don't have any personal advice on getting the Masters other than it's a great idea to get the schooling out of the way as soon as possible.

Check out the Specialty threads on the subject of becoming a NP. https://allnurses.com/forums/f34/

You may be able to get some solid advice over there from people that have walked the walk.

[crazybusyRN]

Fair warning...

Saying that you want to "get through" your Master's as quickly as possible, with little to no bedside experience, is going to get some heat from quite a few NPs/NP students, on these forums and elsewhere. I tend to lurk a lot around here, and there is a really LONG thread on NPs with little to no nursing experience. As an NP student, I can say I have a little trouble with that approach, too. I view the NP role as an advanced NURSING practice... ie, I practice as a nurse, and now I am looking to build on that in a different way. I rely on my lessons learned as a bedside nurse every day, plus I feel that my experience gives me some added credibilty going into the APN role. That is only my opinion, there are those who go straight through, and are happy with that decision.

Frankly, my concern is that you don't really seem sold on being a nurse at all.

And the relationship thing, the physician-nurse dynamic? Sorry, but that will exist anywhere. Ask any intern how many times their attending yelled at them today. A good doctor respects the nurses he or she works with as members of the healthcare team, and I have been lucky to work with quite a few good doctors. But there are jerks everywhere. And certainly being an NP or instructor will not exempt you from working with jerks. But if YOU don't believe that nurses are educated, important parts of the team, why should your potential physician colleagues?

[missjennmb]

Saying that you want to "get through" your Master's as quickly as possible, with little to no bedside experience, is going to get some heat from quite a few NPs/NP students, on these forums and elsewhere. I tend to lurk a lot around here, and there is a really LONG thread on NPs with little to no nursing experience. As an NP student, I can say I have a little trouble with that approach, too. I view the NP role as an advanced NURSING practice... ie, I practice as a nurse, and now I am looking to build on that in a different way. I rely on my lessons learned as a bedside nurse every day, plus I feel that my experience gives me some added credibilty going into the APN role. That is only my opinion, there are those who go straight through, and are happy with that decision.

Frankly, my concern is that you don't really seem sold on being a nurse at all.

I didn't read her comment that way at all. I can't see anything wrong with "getting the education out of the way" and then working. In fact, I would urge anyone in ANY field, to do so, especially if their parents are paying for it, because mom and dad aren't going to be paying for it when you're 30 and want to go back. I speak from very harshly learned personal experience here. Its a lot harder to go back to school once you're out in the world than it is to do it before you have outside commitments. Please don't listen to those who say you need to go work and then go back to school. Take advantage of the opportunity that your parents are giving you, because they very well may not give you that opportunity again later in life (and who would want to...as a parent, when I'm done paying for my child's education, I don't want him to come back 10 yrs or 5 yrs later and ask for more money... I want to move on to focus on something of my own for the first time)

I don't know anything about the Masters of NP entrance requirements, but the Nurse Anesthetist only requires 1 year of critical care nursing (for some reason thinking ICU but I could be wrong) in order to apply, and that you could do simultaneously while getting your Bachelors if you worked it right.