Will I make a good nurse?

[Jsicle96]

Hi, my name is Jessica and I am currently starting nursing school (for the second time) in a couple weeks. I was enrolled in a community college nursing program 2 years ago, but I quit with only 2 full semesters left for an associates degree (RN) I transferred schools and had another major for a year and half, but I missed nursing so I decided to go back. However, this time I was accepted into a BSN program. I'm a really good student. I had a 4.0 for a year and half and then my GPA dropped to a 3.75-3.8 my last 2 semesters at that community college (which were the two semesters I was enrolled in the nursing program) and that was my last GPA before I quit nursing school. When it comes to studying, I study a lot and I'm very anal about details. I have to study everything which drives me crazy because the material in nursing school is a lot. I also tend to be a bit clumpsy. I get so nervous when I have to do something during clinicals. I also worked in a dr office for a while as an office/medical assistant and I don't think I was very good at my job (my boss never said anything...I just got that vibe). I would also be so stressed out that I would do something wrong and it would affect my patient (during clinicals as a nursing student). Most days, I couldn't wait until clinical ended so I would not have to be put in that situation. However, I think that's only because I didnt have much experience as a new nursing student who had clinicals for only 2 semesters. I really love medicine and science and the fact that this career combines it with face to face patient/person interaction. I just get nervous because I don't have much confidence in my abilities and am not one to handle a situation with confidence when needed. But at the same time, I just think that's because I'm inexperienced. Do you think I'll get used to the nursing environment and eventually be able to become a great nurse or do you think my personality just doesn't go with nursing? Thoughts or opinions?

[llg, PhD, RN]

I have no way of knowing what will happen in the future. You have the potential to be a good nurse -- but whether you will do the work (emotional work as well as scholastic work) necessary to actually be good at it is something no one can know, even you. Are you willing to commit to doing the emotional work it will take to develop confidence? to become brave enough to try even though you don't have confidence?

It's up to you. Make the effort and you can do it. But if you don't make the effort, you won't. Developing confidence will take time and experience. Developing the courage to try even when you don't have confidence in the outcome takes digging down deep and making a commitment and to be willing to endure discomfort. Will you stick with it when it is not comfortable for you to continue to be a nurse? Or will you quickly say, "This is not for me," and go to another field?

The choice is yours.

[Purple_Clover]

The best indication, I think is when you're at clinical and an actual nurse says you'll be a good nurse. I'm lucky that that has happened a few times.

[Jsicle96]

Are you a student still or are you a nurse now?