Stressed, Confused, Anxious

Published

I know not alot will reply to this post. This is mostly just about letting my thoughts out, and asking others about their experience/s or whatnot.

Feel free to reply, rant, give an advice, share your experience, whatever tickles your pickle.

So....

I took up nursing because of, well, the salary.

Which sucks because I love arts.

Anyway, I hated going to school. I had to drag myself to school, and cry, have anxiety attacks I had to hide until I get home. My school sucks. The professor sucks. And I'm not even being dramatic. We were roughly around 11-15 students. And the professors were only like 3 or 4? Depends.

So they had their favorite/s. Obviously, I was never one of them since I was a transferee (and I don't really mind lol)

Although I learned to love nursing. Literally nursing. I only loved the program because of the patients/ people I got to know and take care of. This is the ONLY reason that kept me going other than wanting to provide my parents' needs.

I've been to three different nursing schools (the description above is about my last two schools), mostly because of lack of financial issues, partly because I was looking for the right school. Which I know was a mistake.

I never failed any major subjects though. Even though the professors didn't admire me as much as they did others, some of them believed I will pass the board exam.

I don't know why. Up to this day, I'm still questioning myself.

I don't even know how or why I passed! I never took Anatomy and Physiology seriously, so it gave me a hard time, but I managed. Although I still don't know alot about AnaPhy until now! Most especially about meds!!

I graduated in 2016. I stopped thinking about taking the board exam and to enlist in the military instead. So I never really fixed what was needed to be fixed or gathered for the exam.

But in November 2017 (yes 2017 not a typo), I realized I can't enlist because I want to have a normal life, be close to my family, and to not be scared about issues happening inside the military.

So in December, I decided to take the exam.

Since I'm already abroad, I couldn't fix my papers/documents/requirements, and so I asked other people to do it.

But then the schools I attended to are very disorganized. VERY. DISORGANIZED. So they don't understand what the requirements are to be submitted even if we have explained it over and over.

.... Okay, to cut the story short. I'm so stressed, confused and anxious if I'm even going to be eligible.

I'm always being asked about when I'll be taking the test, my father always asks me for an update about my requirements (if it's already done processing)

Everyone's either working or taking up their Master's.

I'm so s.t.r.e.s.s.e.d out

I don't even understand what I'm trying to study.

I can't concentrate because I'm still lacking requirements which is MOSTLY my schools' fault.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?

WHAT ARE YOUR TIPS?

ARE YOU EXPERIENCING SOMETHING SIMILAR?

H E L P

Where do these nurses that make the "good money" live? People talk about going into nursing for the money and I don't see it. I don't make good money. I couldn't make it without my husband. And the only debt I have is my mortgage.

Unless you work a ton of OT, then I guess you make good money. Plus night shift, and weekends. But a day shift job with rotating weekends is not good money.

Maybe I'm in the wrong area.

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Where do these nurses that make the "good money" live? People talk about going into nursing for the money and I don't see it. I don't make good money. I couldn't make it without my husband. And the only debt I have is my mortgage.

Unless you work a ton of OT, then I guess you make good money. Plus night shift, and weekends. But a day shift job with rotating weekends is not good money.

Maybe I'm in the wrong area.

It's all perspective. If you've been sweeping the grounds of the rodeo as a day laborer for minimum wage, nursing is the high life.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Pediatric Float, PICU, NICU.
...You just see being a nurse as a paycheck not a career;...Nursing is not easy (as it should be). I get so tired of reading these posts about going into Nursing for the money!!

That's a mighty high horse there.

There is nothing wrong with getting into nursing for financial stability. I personally always knew I wanted to be a nurse due to my own personal experiences living in the hospital as a child, but you better believe the financial aspect of nursing is what solidified my decision and has kept me in it for 12+ years. I also know MANY nurses who got into it not because it was their "calling" but because it made the most financial sense, for the money, job stability, etc and they are great nurses. You can be "called" to nursing and be a subpar nurse just as you can get into nursing for logical/financial reasons and be an exceptional nurse, and vice versa. This type of thinking is harming nursing as a profession.

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IMHO, you will continue to struggle until you're actually doing what you love (the arts).

Slow down and re-evaluate your life and choices. Think about how you'll feel for the rest of your working life if you're employed as a nurse. Do you really want to do it? It's not an easy job.

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Specializes in Urgent Care, Oncology.

If your heart isn't in it then your head isn't in it. And most certainly if your head isn't into it you will make mistakes...

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It's all perspective. If you've been sweeping the grounds of the rodeo as a day laborer for minimum wage, nursing is the high life.

I guess. I'm just talking about affording a home and all that goes with life and family. I suppose if it's your first job and you have no responsibilities it's great pay.

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I guess. I'm just talking about affording a home and all that goes with life and family. I suppose if it's your first job and you have no responsibilities it's great pay.

I had no house of my own, a bus pass for a car, no health insurance, no paid vacations or sick time, had to go to work whether I was vomiting or even half dead, no kids (because I couldn't afford them), etc. What feels like a modest lifestyle to some can feel quite "luxurious" to others. When I went into nursing for "the money", I wasn't expecting to own a private jet full of designer shoes, I just wanted to keep my water and electricity turned on. :yes:

Actually, now that I think about it, OP run from the arts! Run fast!

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.

First, there is nothing wrong with going into nursing for the money. Too many people follow their passion and end up with an essentially useless and very expensive degree because the field of study they chose doesn't make them employable. If you love the arts, when you are financially stable working as a nurse that is something you can pursue for your own enjoyment and if you are lucky enough to make a career out of it you sure wouldn't be the first person to leave nursing.

To finish your journey to employability as an RN you first need to gather a list of all the paperwork your graduating school is required to submit for you to take the NCLEX and get that list to the school. Seeing as the school is outside of the USA they may not be completely familiar with what exactly their requirements are, so make sure they know.

Make sure you know if there is anything else you need to do to take the NCLEX. It sounds like you've been out of school for quite some time so you may be required to do some kind of refresher before you are even eligible, that's a state by state thing though so if it's not something you are prepared to do look at options other than California to test for. Nothing requires you to test for California just because you live there and it might or might not be an easier prospect to license in another state and then apply for license by endorsement in California. Be prepared though, from everything I've heard the California BON is known to be extremely slow with all things license related.

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