Should I Go to Nursing School?

[philosophynurse]

I apologize in advance for the long post.

I'm currently a senior at the Catholic University of America in Washington DC, and I am double majoring in philosophy and theology with a minor concentration in pastoral ministry. I decided to major in philosophy and theology because I was originally set on applying to seminary to discern the Catholic priesthood. Recently, however, I have started to feel that I might be called elsewhere, but I'm not entirely sure what I'm meant to do. Nursing is something that I've been thinking about.

Do you think I would be a good fit for nursing?

In terms of whether I'd be fit for nursing school, I'm not sure. I usually take six classes per semester, and I'm likely to graduate in the honors program with a GPA above 3.8. Although I've done very little math and science in college, most of what I did in high school was math or science based. I was in the chemistry club, I competed in math team, and I took a year of biology, a year of chemistry, and two years of physics. I've always been interested in anatomy, psychology, and neurology, although I'll admit that some aspects of cellular biology and chemistry are boring to me.

In terms of why I find nursing appealing, I've always had a desire to help people. Although I originally found occupations like counseling more appealing, I came to the realization that I can't just sit around and talk to people all day. I have to get out of my head and do something physical. I also realized that I instinctively tend to nurture the people I care about, both physically and emotionally. The thought of caring for a sick person comforts me. On a separate note, I'm also practically nocturnal and I'm likely to remain celibate, so working nights shifts on the weekend really isn't an issue for me; in fact, it's preferable. I'm also not very squeamish around bodily fluids and I can watch surgical videos without flinching. My mom is also a physical therapist so I have very limited second-hand knowledge of healthcare.

As much as nursing sounds appealing to me, I also have no personal experience whatsoever with healthcare and I haven't studied biology or chemistry for over five years. I'm really not sure I want to sink money into nursing school if I don't know confidently that it's something I want to pursue. I also realize that a lot of the science nursing is based on is stuff that I'm not necessarily the most interested in.

Do you think I would make a good nurse? Should I pursue an accelerated bachelors of science in nursing after I graduate?

[FDBMath, ADN, RN]

I would volunteer at a hospital to see what nurses do. That is what I did when thinking about changing careers. Now I am 6 weeks into my first semester of nursing school and am happy I had some idea what I was getting myself into.

Good luck!

[shibaowner, MSN, RN, NP]

I recommend you take a CNA course. You will be required to do clinical hours performing hands on patient care. This is the best way to see if you can handle nursing. These courses are offered through community colleges and the Red Cross.

From what you have written, you would be an excellent candidate for nursing school. Good luck.

[philosophynurse]

What's the best way to volunteer at a hospital? Do I have to already be enrolled in a nursing program to get a volunteer position? What sort of volunteer position should I take?

[FDBMath, ADN, RN]

You shouldn't have to be enrolled in any program to volunteer. Most hospitals have websites that have links to volunteer opportunities. Many of the different units in the hospital will have positions for volunteers. I have been volunteering in an ER at my local hospital. There are volunteers throughout the hospital.