Tell Me Your Best/Worst? - Nursing School, First Year, Career

MrsICURN14 · Jun 15, 2014

I just graduated last month, passed the NCLEX, and will start my internship tomorrow.

So I'm clueless as to what it will be like when I start working, but I can speak to the nursing school part.

This is a second career for me as well. I have a degree in economics and was an accountant for 3 years. I hated it.

Nursing school is tough. I'm not going to deny that. I did question this career a few times and I wanted to give up. But I can say that if this is the career for you, you will have moments here and there through school that remind you why you want to he a nurse. If you have zero of those, I would say quit while you're ahead.

There will be bad days in any profession. But the little moments, even if few and far between, are worth it to me.

I think you have to have a lot of compassion, and an internal drive to do something that's bigger than yourself. And remember these patients, regardless of how nasty they can be sometimes, are someone's loved one. Someone loves them, and they are someone's whole world. That's always been my outlook during a hard day at clinical, etc.

I've been doing pedi HHC for a month prn, and while there are days I leave and think "I'm never having children. OMG." I cannot imagine doing anything else with my life.

Good luck!

native_texan · Jun 15, 2014

Thanks for the response MrsRN14! I'm definitely a realistic, and I'm not going in with any sugar coated fantasies. :)

I wish you the best, and appreciate your input!

calivianya, BSN, RN · Jun 15, 2014

Regarding nursing school... nursing school was not horrible for me. I found my nursing classes easier than the 400 level research-article based psych courses I took when I got my first bachelor's in psych and I was always confused as to why my nursing classmates were struggling so much. Most of my classmates graduated under a 3.5, and I barely studied at all and graduated with almost a 3.9. And honestly - that was because I missed a bunch of quizzes because of poor attendance in my last semester and those zero quiz grades dropped my last class average to a B instead of an A. If I hadn't missed all of those quizzes I would have likely graduated well over a 3.9. Nursing school is basically a lot of memorization - if you do that well, and can apply what you memorize, you should be fine. I feel like the classmates of mine who struggled the most in school went to sub-standard public high schools and never really experienced research material before going into nursing. I read a lot of high level research material in high school, especially in science classes like biology and chemistry so I am still confused about why some of my classmates seemed so lost when presented with journal articles. Or when presented with an overwhelming amount of material at once... hadn't they had hard classes before? I never got it, but I took a ton of AP classes in high school, so I knew what college work looked like before I graduated high school. Having a previous degree probably helped, too.

I am about to get a lot of criticism, I think, but I really believe that nursing school tends to attract caring, helpful types more than it attracts intellectual types. I am not saying that people who want to be nurses are unintelligent, but I do feel that in general my nursing classmates succeeded in nursing school because they worked really hard, not because they were fast learners or good students, and that is at the heart of why they struggled so much. They just weren't good at school to begin with.

I did like nursing school better than I actually like being a nurse. I was excited to come to school and learn new things, and excited to try out new things in clinicals. I wasn't quite so excited when I got to work and that sort of enthusiasm wasn't present in my colleagues. There is an anti-intellectualism thread floating around here somewhere if you want more information about that. I do like my job, most of the time, but knowing what I know now, if I could go back in time I would have told my younger self to do something else where I'd get more money with less responsibility. Or just a job with less paperwork would be nice.

I don't think any job is perfect. I guess nursing is as good a job as any, and at least you will know at the end of the day that you made a difference in someone's life. It sounds like you already had one of those "making a difference" jobs, though, so I don't really know what to tell you.

native_texan · Jun 15, 2014

Calivianya,

Thank you so much. I am beginning to see what you mean. I'm taking A&P right now, and I'm surrounded by people that just don't get it. They don't get it b/c they aren't willing to put in 4-6 hours for every class hour into studying. I want a job where I can be smart. It isn't about the "helping people" thing for me. I definitely like that, but I like problem-solving. If I like just making a difference in people's lives, I would've stayed in education.

I appreciate your candor. Also, I agree that there are no perfect jobs. Like I said, that's why they have to pay you.

Again, thank you and best of luck.

Alisonisayoshi, LVN · Jun 15, 2014

Calivianya,

Right now in nursing school I totally feel you. I watch so many in my class struggle and I get A's with minimal studying. Granted I'm in an LVN program, but STILL. I am in school with a bunch of women just like myself, second career, choosing LVN because bridges are easier to get into than straight RN programs in my area, have all our most of the RN prerequisites done, but still they act shocked that they have to understand science!

OP I choose this profession as a means to an end. I started with one singular goal in mind. I want to be a CDE, the easiest route (and cheapest!) was to become an RN. I have a goal of doing outreach with underprivileged type two diabetic populations. As I go through clinical I have found that nursing is so much more than I ever imagined. It is an amazing chance to make a difference in the lives of others. I love it! I actually didn't think I would love it but I do.

RNperdiem, RN · Jun 15, 2014

Some of the negativity will be from young people getting through that first stressful transition from a student lifestyle to real adult work and responsibility. School for me was a comfortable and protected environment. Reading about case studies was as interesting as reading a nice detective novel and finding the clues. I would think, ponder and never have to do much. Clinical time was limited to a few hours during the day twice a week.

Work is different. To be a nurse is to do. If a nurse has a good job, good management, good working conditions and a positive attitude, then nursing can be very rewarding.

There are not enough of those jobs to go around.

native_texan · Jun 15, 2014

You are all telling me exactly what I needed to hear about nursing school! I too was rocking waitress, and would do it again if I could make good enough money. I love managing 100 things at once, figuring out what's wrong, and I love the odd, strange, unusual cases. I can't wait to study more about disorders, rather than A&P (TOTALLY understand that I have to have the background...I'm just more interested in why/when things go wrong.

LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN · Jun 15, 2014

I decided to pull this old chestnut out; here is my POV about nursing in general; I will add that in my various travels of nursing I have encountered very intelligent, insightful nurses of all educational, socioeconomic, and cultural backgrounds; I also believe that nursing derives an "industry intelligence" as all careers have; however, one has the power to use the tools of education and power their knowledge.

Now on to my soapbox:

I been through nursing since the early 2000s. I have been a CNA, LPN, and a RN...If I wasn't happy with this profession, or felt I couldn't be objective and assertive or personally happy with this profession, I would've probably found something else to do, or found a rich man, lol. Seriously.

I have friends in healthcare, public safety, military, education, research, business, IT, real estate, construction, public health, social work...people are people are people...personality does not always transcend professions....the most important aspect in interacting with people; especially peers and the public is your expectations of YOU...The only expectations that I have of myself in this profession is to remain objective and to maximize myself and my profession; I have the attitude of "what can be done?" MOST of the time throughout my time in this business in each role I have been in; and I have been able to be an Independent contractor, a W-2'er ( basically employee, lol ); worked in nursing specialties such as Peds, Home Health/Community Health, Rehab (Spinal Cord Injured, Trauma/Traumatic Brain Injury), Wound Care, and Skilled Nursing.

Do I vent? Sure; but I vent and move on; tomorrow is another day; life is too short to be unhappy.

As far as discouragement; I remember going to a career day when I was in middle school in the mid 1990s-around the time when the other financial crisis occurred, there were new changes to insurance and the delivery of healthcare back then as well; a nurse outright told me not to go into the profession; I'm very fortunate that I was very objective at the time; she was VERY negative; and if I think back on what she stated, it was most of the venting that people talk about ad nauseum; if I had listened to her instead of remembering the nuggets of what my parent and family instilled in me, and being the objective child I was, I would've missed out on a career that has been a wonderful fit in my life. OP, I suggest to be objective; seek out nursing chapter leaders and organizers; nursing union and organizers your area. I found this place as a new grad LPN in 2004; the most popular post was "RN vs. LPN" ; however, I found valuable information on a thread on how to become IV therapy "certified" (now called competency).

I've found wonderful resources, venting sessions, and threads that I found to be informative, entertaining, and found my way to help contribute with my two copper pieces that I choose to rub together.

I find the Admins and guides and most posters to be intelligent people who provide resources and opinions for professional practice, career experiences, and venting (when applicable) to be a GREAT resource; I am serious; to me, they remind me of the team I am a part of at work, although they are across the country or across the world; across GENERATIONS, yet, have millennials of information and experience that makes this site enjoyable.

Branch out and find the Nurses Rock! Forum; there is also a recent brag thread as well; and plenty of "positive" and inspirational threads as well. Seek and ye shall find...personally and professionally

If you decide to be a part of this business, understand the various people and the intimacy that is invoked with patients and peers of various backgrounds, culture and personalities; this business is NOT for the weak or faint hearted but it can certainly be as satisfying as any other profession, it's what YOU put into it.

roser13, ASN, RN · Jun 15, 2014

Thanks for the response MrsRN14! I'm definitely a realistic, and I'm not going in with any sugar coated fantasies.

" If you're just doing it for the money...don't get me started."

Your second quote contradicts the first. If you believe that no one should choose nursing for the decent salary, the flexibility, and the potential for advancement, then you are definitely sugar-coating reality. One need not possess a desire to help mankind or heal the world to become a very effective nurse. A few professions demand an emotional component (ministry comes to mind), but nursing need not be one of those.

i will go out on a limb here and predict that those who go into a nursing career with an attitude that they are choosing a career to serve mankind or because they have a lifelong desire to help others are the quickest to be disillusioned and to complain about what a brutal career nursing is. Clear-eyed realists who understand that nursing is a career (and not a service to fellow man) are more likely to understand and accept the sometimes brutal realism of nursing and to actually thrive and be fulfilled by nursing.

native_texan · Jun 15, 2014

Wow! What a wonderful response, Lady! I agree with you 100%! In education, I would get my class rosters at the beginning of the year, and other teachers would remark, "oh...you have HIM," or "oh now.....not HER!" I chose to ignore their evaluations of what were now "MY" students. It was amazing. The child who wouldn't work for them, worked for me. The child that caused them discipline nightmares was an angel for me. I found that it was all in how I approached the student as an individual, and the expectations that I had for them. (Note: I never had higher expectations for them than I had for myself.)

Tip #1) Be objective. Great advice.

I can't wait to seek out the forums that you suggested. Again, back to my parallel in education, I avoided the teacher lounges. Yes, I need to vent as well, but I could be having a MAGICAL day and as soon as I entered that lounge, I began to feel like crap. Negativity is a toxin, a poison, a quickly metastasizing cancer. I decided to start avoiding the teacher's lounge. I had my true friends at work, and we vented to each other. We knew we weren't condemning any particular child, or the education field in general, just venting. Once it was out, it was over.

Tip #2) Seek positivity. Again, great advice. (I would add "Avoid Negativity")

Reality checks are good, and for some who are looking at entering the field, TOTALLY needed. For me however, I think I'm ready for what I'm up against. A little anti-anxiety therapy is all that I need now, and a few good, intelligent nurse/friends.

Seriously Ladyfree28...best response ever. Thank you.

MrsICURN14 · Jun 16, 2014

I completely disagree about nursing school being easy or any kind of walk in the park.

I graduated from a nationally ranked BSN program with a class of 115, and NOBODY that I know breezed through the program making As all the time.

I took some hard senior level Econ classes for my first bachelors, and nursing school was 10x harder in my opinion. I graduated with honors, but that's bc I worked my ass off the entire time. I don't know any of my peers who didn't work their asses off to make decent grades.

Every program is diff, but I don't know anyone from mine who would talk about it like it was no big deal and a piece of cake.