Will nursing grow on me?

canesdukegirl, BSN, RN · Nov 18, 2011

Girl, trachs still gross me out! As a matter of fact, I get a little green when a pt is being extubated in the OR and there is a ton of mucus on the ET tube. Ewwww!

You have listed some key things that you hate, and the only advice I have for you is to hang in there and hope for a job that doesn't entail all of the things you listed.

Nursing school and actual NURSING are very different experiences.

lilmissnurse12 · Nov 18, 2011

Girl, trachs still gross me out! As a matter of fact, I get a little green when a pt is being extubated in the OR and there is a ton of mucus on the ET tube. Ewwww!
You have listed some key things that you hate, and the only advice I have for you is to hang in there and hope for a job that doesn't entail all of the things you listed.
Nursing school and actual NURSING are very different experiences.

Thanks for replying. Nursing kind of scares me a little bit. Even though I know its clinicals I get scared that Im going to kill the patient somehow by doing something wrong. I know Nursing is serious work since your dealing with peoples lives. Do you know if you need a bsn to be a case manager?

bluemartian, BSN · Nov 18, 2011

I kind of felt the same as you in nursing school,I went to the "U". I was in my 3rd semester when i realized that it was not 100% for me. At that point quiting was not an option, 2nd career , loans etc.Graduated BSN, licensed I did take that clincal knowledge and apply it to medical sales and it has worked for me thus far.There are many of us in medial device, pharmaceutical and bio-tech. You would be amazed how many sales people with business degree think they are clinicians. I would suggest that you do get some clincal experience under your belt as it always gives you a strong resume wherever you decide to go.

kayak133 · Nov 18, 2011

If you don't like it now...when will you think it will grow on you? I understand your hesitancy. One of my patients in my first clinical experience had a very large loose bowel movement. The smell was awful...it made me want to gag... and the clean up was even worse. No help from the CNAs, only partial help from another nursing student. Do you think there is a lot of towels in this nursing home immediately available? No. Did most of the care myself. Walked away that evening feeling the best as I had made someone else's night better. Fast forward: next semester: patient in eighties...in because he od'd on digoxin....feels need to urinate, but is having difficulty...wait an entire half hour with him...change him because there is no techs in this quality award...from TJC itself...winning hospital available. Watched a night nurse run around between six patients like a nut. The issues that I have are the ones I get myself from doctors as a patient. If anything, my goal would be, as a nurse...to encourage the patient to get as much educated as to their condition or state of health. Patient education is just as much a part of nursing as giving an injection or emptying a drainage bag.

So, people always told lilmissnurse12 that she should be a nurse...well, what is lilmissnurse12 telling herself she should be? And no, don't buy any of this stuff that the money you spent getting yourself to where you were right now is a waste. My advice to you, as not nice as can be, is this: if you are not committed to this....then don't do it. It will be all h#ll on you, and your coworkers, and patients..let alone if you are going to let your feelings get in the way of your work....

No, folks, not looking for kudos on this one.

missladyrn · Nov 18, 2011

Honestly, if it is not for you then you should admit it to yourself. Sounds to me like you do not want to be a nurse. I'd say cut your losses and find something else, because I do not think it will grow on you. It is such a hard, thankless, job I think you really have to want to do it. Nursing school will kick your butt and if you get through that, your first year as an RN is even harder. It is not going to magically get easier or grow on you without some hard work in the trenches.

What kinds of jobs do you think you might like? If you are in nursing for just a paycheck, then it will never work.

itsmejuli · Nov 18, 2011

For me nursing is a second career. I didn't like any of my clinical rotations and I often wondered if nursing was for me.

My first job was in LTC. I hated it for the first 3 months, it was hell. Then I finally settled in and really liked working with geriatric and dementia patients.

I moved back to Canada in March. I landed a job on a medical rehab/sub-acute unit. I love my job. I don't have high acuity patients, my patients need more rehab to go home. I have a mix of ages, some mild dementia, mix of orthopaedic, and mix of medical conditions.

It may just take you awhile to find the right fit.

gcupid · Nov 18, 2011

Hi everyone! I am not quite a nurse but I have on more semester to go then I will have my A.S. The problem is I really dont like nursing. People have always told me that I should be a nurse, I really like to help people and Im always the one bringing the chicken soup or baking cookies for a sick friend. But really since I started school I dont think I have much interest in what it means to be a REAL nurse. I dont mind blood but I cant catheterize someone and I am very disgusted at clinicals. One patient at clinicals had a trach and was coughing up bloody sputum. I know it was bad but I had to leave the room! I have no real interest in science or math and hate anatomy and physiology. Hospitals smells really gross me out! Anyways I was thinking I could be a psych nurse because my LPN friend told me all they really do is pass meds and take vital signs. I think I can do that. But I still hate med surg, OB maternity, and peds nursing. Will nursing grow on me over time when Im actually working as a real RN? Please dont tell me to do something else I invested too much money and time and I only have 4 months left to quit now. Plus down here in Miami RNs are the only people who have jobs

I think you should at least have an interest in science (human anatomy, physiology, nutrition, microbiology, learning about diseases)....

Nursing is more than just helping people to me. There are other careers that can help people. Dont let others define you, bc they are only on the outside looking in...Nursing is self-sacrificing.

gcupid · Nov 18, 2011

I kind of felt the same as you in nursing school,I went to the "U". I was in my 3rd semester when i realized that it was not 100% for me. At that point quiting was not an option, 2nd career , loans etc.Graduated BSN, licensed I did take that clincal knowledge and apply it to medical sales and it has worked for me thus far.There are many of us in medial device, pharmaceutical and bio-tech. You would be amazed how many sales people with business degree think they are clinicians. I would suggest that you do get some clincal experience under your belt as it always gives you a strong resume wherever you decide to go.

I wouldn't be surprised. I just learned that lesson this year. I've ran across a few marketers and administrators (which i have to admit are pretty intelligent). but just because you are observant doesnt make up for the actual education it takes to do what we do. What bothers me is that many believe that they can do what we do and that we are unintelligent.

Sparrowhawk · Nov 18, 2011

"People have always said I should be a nurse"

So...do YOU want to be a nurse or are you doing it cause everyone says you should?

canesdukegirl, BSN, RN · Nov 19, 2011

I kind of felt the same as you in nursing school,I went to the "U". I was in my 3rd semester when i realized that it was not 100% for me. At that point quiting was not an option, 2nd career , loans etc.Graduated BSN, licensed I did take that clincal knowledge and apply it to medical sales and it has worked for me thus far.There are many of us in medial device, pharmaceutical and bio-tech. You would be amazed how many sales people with business degree think they are clinicians. I would suggest that you do get some clincal experience under your belt as it always gives you a strong resume wherever you decide to go.

One of my best friends is a sales rep for orthopaedic implants. He was a scrub tech for a few years before he decided to embark on the path of medical sales. He is truly invaluable to the surgeons and makes a preeetttyy nice living!

canesdukegirl, BSN, RN · Nov 19, 2011

Honestly, if it is not for you then you should admit it to yourself. Sounds to me like you do not want to be a nurse. I'd say cut your losses and find something else, because I do not think it will grow on you. It is such a hard, thankless, job I think you really have to want to do it. Nursing school will kick your butt and if you get through that, your first year as an RN is even harder. It is not going to magically get easier or grow on you without some hard work in the trenches.
What kinds of jobs do you think you might like? If you are in nursing for just a paycheck, then it will never work.

It DOES get easier with experience. The OP might find a niche that she has an interest in. She has already asked about case management (and I don't have the answer to your question, OP).