Thinking about leaving nursing school

AuDDoc · Feb 10, 2016

No matter what medical field you go into, you're going to have some butterflies in the beginning when working in healthcare with people. People are unpredictable and your clinical skills are almost non-existent. It's going to be nerve wracking and scary.

I remember when I started nursing school they put us in long term care our first rotation. Worst rotation ever. I hated it and most other students did too. We knew nothing and spent most of our time doing vitals, wiping butts, and doing normal care for folks. It was more like what a nurse assistant has to deal with and the nurse assistants were more than happy to have the nursing students do their work and flee the wing of the hospital. It was good though because it taught students to use their skills and do the not so glamorous parts of nursing. My second rotation was a surgical step down unit and was much more what I thought nursing would be. Then I had a peds rotation which was awesome. In the beginning though the first few months I hated nursing school and this is coming from someone who had thousands of clinical hours in another field and could walk into any room and chat up a patient without feeling nervous.

I would give it a few months and see how you like it after you get over the butterflies and get some clinical skills and book knowledge.

**NickiLaughs, ADN, BSN, RN** · Feb 10, 2016

I think clinically early on are scary and butterflies are normal. It got more exciting the first time I got to do an NG for a bad gi bleed. I had to run out of the room and throw up. The first foley I got to do. At first, it's anxiety ridden, and then you might get to see a doc do a heart cath. Or catch a DVT in a young patient recovering from a bad MVA. It gets more interesting, at that point of even the cool procedures don't get you excited, then maybe it's not for you. Good luck and give yourself a chance!

Spuen · Feb 10, 2016

Much like AuDDoc says sometimes your first rotation doesn't seem like a good fit. I started nursing school back when I was in highschool it was in a ALF it was really rough and I honestly didn't like it much until I got into my second clinical rotation. I was lucky enough to have a professor who worked at the hospital we inturned at. She got us in on every department. Spending about a week or two in each unit. I had a whole lot of fun, the staff was amazing and I learned a lot. Honestly If you like nursing, like studying it and the idea of helping people stick it out. Even if you don't like patient care there are other avenues you can take with a nursing degree.

NOADLS · Feb 10, 2016

Suck it up. After you get your BSN, no one is forcing you to step into a hospital at 7AM. Lots of other options. I didn't like some of my placements when I did it, but ended up with something I love.

You're 23 with presumably no other significant education. You'll graduate at 27. Better have an established career at 27 than still trying to figure stuff out.

A&OxNone, MSN, RN · Feb 11, 2016

I hated adult med-surg in school and questioned if I should even be a nurse. Peds is totally my thing and haven't regretted it since. Don't give up because you don't like that one area, especially if its your first rotation. If you find the classes interesting and can see yourself doing *something* as a nurse, just give it time. Who knows, you may spend a day in the ER or ICU or Peds or Psych and say "Oh WOW... this is cool".