Should I head for the hills???

[LostLilOne]

Sorry to troll but I don't seem to be getting any help or responses in the Career section so I am going to try here now!! Original post as follows:

So I have always said "one day I'll become a nurse" and now my chance is here, but my opinion of nursing has changed 180 degrees. Somebody please help me decide a path to choose and actually stick with. Here is the dealio:

I've completed a CNA program so that it would look better on my RN program applications; however always said I WILL NEVERRRRRRRRRRRRRR be a CNA. Well guess what I am? I started my disgusting sickening CNA job not long ago and I THINK IT'S TIME FOR ME TO QUIT. I can't stand the ****, ****, puss, rank smell, fat nasty lazy cry babies, disgusting sores with flakey chunky skin picked off all over the bedding, etc, etc!!!!!

Only problem is the place I work for wants to give me a free ride in the RN program. WHAT THE HECK DO I DO? I ABSOLUTELY HATE being a CNA. It is disgusting and even seeing what the RN's do in the hospital setting has completely turned me off of becoming an RN. PAPERWORK PAPERWORK PAPERWORK and yucky icky things like puss-filled sores and putting foley's up a stinky yoohoo and bloody dressing changes? G-R-O-S-S!!!!!! Some of my RN friends are trying to convince me to stay and possibly transfer to the lab or ekg or something so that I can still be employed by this place and do the 2 year RN program. They also said even if I don't like the "patient care" or "bedside nursing" aspect of being an RN that I should still enter the RN program and stick it out because there are sooooo many opportunities in nursing. But WHAT!!?!????? And please don't say home health because that is still yucky sick bloody poopy people that I will have to care for. Right?

So what other opportunities (if any) would really be readily available to me? What about the nurses who are hired to educate patients and families, usually in their homes, on equipment, etc. to be used? What is that called?

Is it worth it to do an RN program if I really don't even want to be an actual hospital or LTC or HH RN ultimately? (but something that possibly requires a BSN) or will I need MANY years bedside nursing experience to get any of these "other" jobs anyway?

Should I try rad-tech or??????something else??????

I am so lost and feel I am wasting my time and my life while I try things out and change my mind and decide and research. Please help any input would be greatly appreciated. :redpinkhe

[lisamc1RN, LPN]

I wouldn't recommend nursing school, because you won't be able to completely avoid patient care, but as has been mentioned before, there are plenty of other careers that you may find are right up your alley. Bodily fluids just aren't for everyone. LOL. I know plenty of wonderful people who would never become nurses for those exact reasons.

[masry123]

Please try to stay alittle bit longer just to see you might change. It will take some time to adjust. It is up to you, good luck

[llg, PhD, RN]

Yeah ... It sounds like nursing is not for you. So, try something else. There is no shame in that. It's much smarter to recognize it now and quit before you invest a lot of time and effort on a career that does not suit you.

But I'm curious ... What did you THINK you would be dealing with when you envisioned a career as a staff nurse? ... and became a CNA? What types of things did you think nursses and CNA's did?

[Ruthiegal]

If you can't take the gross, poopy, bloody stinky etc... get out of the field.... or change your attitude. Some day you too may be old stinky, poopy, and gross, if we all felt as you there would be no one to take care of you! We never know what life may bring... ok nuff said.

[roser13, ASN, RN]

"you made me smile."

Wow. As a nurse, I couldn't find anything to smile about in OP's post. Just an attitude to lament. And patients to empathize with (despite a subsequent post that states that OP performs all of the despised, crudely-described ADL's with a smile on her face).

[retiredlady]

So you tried the CNA job. Now try something else that interests you. Don't be tied to the nursing field and don't feel guilty. Life is too short to do something that you don't enjoy. I also got real tired of the CNA route and I did it for 4 years before becoming a nurse and yes you still have to do all the yucky stuff as a nurse so think hard about it. Everyone will understand if you don't.

[jrw03282009]

Thank goodness you DID become a CNA first! Count your blessings! You would have wasted years on becoming a nurse only to find it wasnt for you! I think you know the answer to your question. You dont need any of us to solidify it! BTW, there is nothing wrong with being honest, to yourself or on here. I thank God every day that I have a very strong stomach. Good luck in whatever you find....

[Cindy-san]

I gathered you also dislike the paperwork.

There's no aspect of nursing that doesn't include more paperwork/charting than trees in the rainforest.

[netglow, ASN, RN]

Oh now everybody stop being so, well angelic. OP, you made me snort my coke laughing. Hey it's all true. That part does so suck and I gotta say those of you who pretend, seriously? ROFLMAO.

Don't know what to tell you OP, but you are not a horrible person, you are quite honest and normal.

[roser13, ASN, RN]

"

Re: Should I head for the hills???

"Oh now everybody stop being so, well angelic. OP, you made me snort my coke laughing. Hey it's all true. That part does so suck and I gotta say those of you who pretend, seriously? ROFLMAO. "

Happy to be a part of the nursing populace who doesn't find OP's attitude funny.

[blondielocks]

I'm a pre-nursing student - I'm not getting into nursing to wipe up poop and I doubt I will wake up one day in the morning wanting to do it - I want to help people, have a good job that I like, and feel like I am actually doing something useful in the world and making people feel better when they are in a bad situation. I want to work in ICU. I don't have a weak stomach, but can anyone honestly say that there is more to the job than what the OP described? I don't have any prior experience in the medical/health field - I work in retail currently. Any opinions?

[coffee4metech]

I don't understand this situation that you put yourself in ..... You went into nursing to help people to fulfill your career goals right !?!? Now you don't like it because it involves blood, poop, pee, puss and real human who have real health problems thats what nursing is helping people who are sick ......... I really don't understand why you even decided to become a CNA for heaven sakes !!!!