Uh-oh. Tempted to change my major...

Students Pre-Nursing

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December716

82 Posts

Thank you all. I think I've just been working so hard this year, at my pre-req's, volunteering, and now as a LTC CNA (which is SO hard, but really rewarding), that I just feel a little burnt out and looked at the dental program as this great path to follow. I'm still going to see if I get accepted and then decide from there. But I'm a little less enthralled by the dental program now.

Specializes in cardiac/education.
I changed my major. After a year of prereqs, and doing really well academically (4.0) I knew I was interested in the medical field but I just didn't feel that I would enjoy nursing. I'm very sensitive and empathetic, and I want to help people, but for several reasons, I do not want to do bedside care.

So I looked around for another field that would work for me - and after doing quite a bit of research I decided to go into Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical Technology instead. Actually, the timing was perfect. I had already applied to one nursing school (and ended up getting accepted 6 months later, but turned it down!) but I went ahead and applied for the only B.S. in Clinical Lab Science program in my state. I was accepted! :D

I'm still finishing up prereqs and I will start the program in September. I'm really excited because I will still be in the medical field, I will be helping people - but behind-the-scenes, which really works for me. I encourage you to do a lot of research and soul-searching. At some point you'll have to take a leap of faith and jump in.

Also, I've spoken to my dental hygienist about her job. She absolutely loves it. At my dentist's office (we've been with him over 20 years now) all the hygienists have been there for many years. His low staff turnover is very impressive. One hygienist decided to move back to North Carolina where her family lives. She told me she knew she'd be able to get a job easily once she passed certification there; in fact she said that was one great thing about her job, that it pays well and you can find work.

Oregonrene..........I investigated that route too. CLS really looked appealing to me, but I would have to go back and take 2 semesters of spanish! Not beginning level..201 and 202! How would I remember 101 and 102???:stone In addition, I would have to pass Organic and move on to Biochem and I think, was it, calculus? Also, I would have to go to the uni here which is about three times + more expensive than my cc. While CLS sounds interesting, I don't think jobs would be as plentiful and what appeals to me about nursing is the ability to move around to different specialties..so if you get bored or "stale" you can switch. With the CLS program there were all these requirements, essays to write,blah..blah. I am sorry, I think that is such BS. I mean, why can't you just pay your money and go to school? I want something that won't take FOREVER to get!!

Honestly, I still have not made up my mind. I have appts this week with advisors for rad tech, resp therapy, ...the other AA programs in medicine. I figure that way, if nursing school ends up not being for me I can just switch over.

Good Luck Oregonrene!

Specializes in cardiac/education.

I looked at dental too........but uck! Plus, BORING, don't you think? I like nursing because you can go into so many different areas and do so many different things! Not to discourage, it just wouldn't be for me! Plus, here dental assistants don't make that much...its the hygienists that bring home the $$$.

Good Luck in whatever you decide!:)

RN_Jen

131 Posts

Specializes in OR, Hospice.

Having been a dental assistant I can tell you from experience......the work is repetitive and varies little from day to day. If you like that kind of job, and a lot of people do, then you might be fine. I was bored with it after 6 months. I thought about becoming a hygienist, but again, repetitive work. I'm definitely someone who needs variety in my job and I think nursing can provide that. I'm not trying to put down DA's or DH's. I know a lot of them who love their jobs and it shows. They are great at what they do, it just wasn't for me.

I agree with other posters that you should do some research; and ask yourself what it is you're looking for in a job (and are you looking for a job or a career).

Good luck with whatever you decide!! :)

Indira

3 Posts

i'm so glad i randomly read this thread. i'm enrolled in a 4-year bsn program for this fall in pensacola, fl. i hadn't thought much about the mind set my peer pre-nursing students. i'm really thankful that i have a "heads-up" now and will hopefully not become discouraged easily (or at all for that matter ^_^) in the near future. good luck to you! have a great summer break!

phoenixfire

105 Posts

I have wanted to be a nurse for so long, but lately I haven't felt the passion for it. Everyone in my Chemistry class was a nurse major, and I found them to be unfriendly, way too competetive, and sometimes cruel. I had an extremely easy time in Chemistry, too, and I've found that I'm much more gifted in sciences than I ever gave myself credit for.

I've seen that sometimes too, and in fact, even had one professor tell us at the begining of class to look around at our competition. The way I see it, the more I can help someone else understand something, the better I feel as a person. Most of us would not be going through the struggle and the heartache to be a nurse if we did not care for other people, so why some nursing students (NOT ALL!) are cruel to one another, I don't understand.

The nursing program here in town (just 5 minutes from my house) has a staff that is just as you described: mean, condescending, and elitist. When I visited the nursing program 45 min away, it was a whole different experience. The instructors were awesome, everyone took time to answer all my questions, and helped in any way they could. That reason alone is why I'm willing to drive 45 min each way every day to go to that program, rather than deal with mean spirited people in town. With nursing programs being difficult enough as it is, you would think that people would be kinder to one another, and help each other out, but that's not a reflection on you as a person.

There are some programs that are just not for you, and if you find that the dental program is your passion, than go for it! And good luck! :balloons:

treeguy

78 Posts

I have wanted to be a nurse for so long, but lately I haven't felt the passion for it. Everyone in my Chemistry class was a nurse major, and I found them to be unfriendly, way too competetive, and sometimes cruel. I had an extremely easy time in Chemistry, too, and I've found that I'm much more gifted in sciences than I ever gave myself credit for.

I feel ya... for sure. Just keep in mind that those cold and cruel people are only in it for one thing... the money and they will learn the hard way that you can make a lot of money and still hate your life if you do not absolutely love what you are doing. Cold people will find no joy in helping others. They will not being able to handle cleaning up sh-t and blood and vomit or being cursed at by insane patients because they do not have the servants spirit. Forget them... they are in for a very rude awakening.

I don't think people ever give a thought to the things they will be doing as a nurse. I decided that I wanted to be a nurse after I worked in a nursing home wiping the behinds of elderly dementia patients... and I loved it because I was caring for the helpless. They told me if I could like that job that I would be a great nurse.

Cruel people suck. Go read the other nursing forum and see all the people that hate their jobs because they can't handle it... they were the cold, competative people. Screw them, let them be....

Chantels1

61 Posts

Why not check into doing a job shadow with a dental assistant. That way you can see all the duties and responsibilities and make an informed decision?

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