Should I REALLY become a nurse?

[nishab05]

I haven't always wanted to be a Nurse. I have a BS in Health Studies and have worked as a caregiver in the past (working with the disabled and elderly population), which I loved. I wanted to pursue an MPH, but decided Nursing might be better. I love Science (hate Math, but I'm decent at it). I've always been passionate about Public Health, but realistically, they want experience that I don't have. Even now, I can't find a job (I recently graduated in December) in my field, with me wanting to be a Health Educator. I have been slightly depressed lately because, during my internship, my Preceptor told me that 'nothing would change' (as in fighting a losing battle) going into Health Education. I want to change someone's life so that I can SEE it and feel it. I feel like I have many qualities of a nurse like empathy, interpersonal skills, physically strong and communication skills. I also consider myself a 'healer'. Weakness: sometimes my physical energy wears out easily if I'm drained with too many people around (introvert), I am sometimes too laid back.

At times, I am worried that I am not 'smart' enough because I'm not great at math. Or that I am not good enough at problem solving. Or that 12 hour shifts will just be too much for me. I'm scared I won't like it because I hear other people say it. I'm riddled with self-doubt, especially because I haven't been able to put my degree into use. I know that I can become a Public Health Nurse or even a Nurse Educator, I think I would love doing that. It's just the initial criteria of being a Nurse. I want the job stability, experience, knowledge, and to actually SEE a difference in someone's life.

I'm just not sure if this is the route I should go. Any advice would be helpful!!!

[OldDude]

A lot of your post arises from your feelings so in regard to advice from anonymous people you might as well flip a coin. I CAN tell you, if you don't try it, nursing will only be a figment of your imagination. Good luck to you.

[ddrftw]

If you want to be a nurse, then work hard towards it.

[araew2129, ADN]

Sounds like you might be well suited to something along the lines of in-home nursing? Having an RN license opens many many doors, I'm sure you could find something you like.

[Mavrick, BSN, RN]

Do more research into what a nursing job actually entails. Shadow or follow a real nurse if possible. Your fantasy version of nursing will lead you astray.

Maybe some kind of alternative medicine where you can see your "healing" powers come to fruition.

[inthecosmos, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN]

You would love home-health or hospice care. I felt a lot like you did when I first started and have found that Hospice care fit my desires.

[sasera]

I never wanted to be a nurse either. But at 32 with two useless Bachelor's degrees, I thought "what do I have to lose?" I grew up in the 90s when there was no such thing as "STEM" and girls weren't encouraged to get into the science field. As a result, I took my last science class in 10th grade and thought I was "bad" at science. I failed high school trigonometry and thought I was "bad" at math. Turns out, neither of those two things is true. I'm extremely shy and introverted and I have a hard time making small talk, but I had my first clinicals this past week (at a stepdown ICU unit--WHY would they do that to us?!) but I somehow overcame those things and even had some fun.

I say all this to tell you that you really don't know if you'll like something or be good at it until you try it.

If you want to be a public health nurse or nurse educator, your first step is getting on the road to becoming a nurse (finding a school, doing prereqs, etc.) So get out there and do it!