[SingDanceRunLife]

I'm currently struggling with how to answer the question "Do I want to be a nurse?"

I was super sure I wanted to be a nurse for awhile, and then A&P came along. I struggled with it a lot and barely made it through A&P I but did well in A&P II. I then felt confident again that I wanted to be a nurse. At that point, I actually started nursing school. I loved it at first, and I did well throughout the entire semester, but maybe halfway through I started questioning if nursing was what I really wanted. It didn't help that mental health wise I wasn't doing well at all. I decided to take the spring semester off from nursing, and during that time decided that I wanted to change my major...to what, I wasn't sure. Over the summer I was thinking I'd like to be a teacher...another respectable career which I have some experience in. I took this semester off partly because of mental health and partly because I'm just not sure what I want to do. I'm doing well mental health wise, and am going back to school next semester so I have to decide and answer the big question. How in the world do you do that?

[Yoda]

Are you in a 2 year ADN nursing program? That is what I did (after being a paramedic for awhile) and then later got my baccalaureate.

It will be easier to find a job as a new grad RN than as a teacher I believe and where I live nurses are paid better than teachers. But it is more important to do something that you will be happy doing.

When I was in nursing school I thought that microbiology would be the death of me. I hated that class and began to doubt my nursing major.

One of the great things that I like about nursing is there are so many varied opportunities. I like critical care nursing and cardiac. My sister works on an orthopedic floor. You could do peds if you like the wee ones. Or you can work in a doctor's office, work in public health or be a school nurse. You can make big bucks being a travelling nurse. So many options.

Good luck in whatever career you choose

[unaluna]

Have you taken the Interest Inventory at your college career counseling center? You answer hundreds of bizarre questions, and they match your answers against a database of people already working in all these different fields. Mine actually came up nightclub entertainer, and I was like, whaaa? I don't sing or dance, I just pooh-poohed it. 15 years later I was doing stand-up comedy (along with every other joker in the world!). Anyway, GO TAKE IT NOW!!! You'll be surprised at what you'll find out about yourself! They also have info about what will be good-paying jobs when you graduate.

[Perna]

I went through something like the process you describe when I thought I wanted to be a CPA. I finally realized I not only didn't want to be a CPA, I didn't even want to work in accounting, I just enjoyed doing accounting problems, because they were "word problems" and I'm good at those and enjoy them (enjoy algebra word problems, computer programming, writing papers, etc.).

Maybe look at what part of "nursing" you think you enjoy/are good at and relate that to the actual/whole of nursing? There are many ways to "help" and there can be many subjects we like to think about intellectually but that does not mean that the helping and the intellectual subjects need to go together? People are not just body parts, like A&P studies it, as a matter of fact, that's the least of what they are? You may want to do research or teach or something else entirely, instead.

[SingDanceRunLife]

I'm in a unique 1+2+1 program between a 4 year liberal arts college and a 2 year college of nursing.

Year 1: At the LAC taking prereqs and gened ed
Years 2+3: At the nursing school, graduate with ASN
Year 4: At the LAC, graduate with BSN

Last year was year 2 for me.

I'm drawn to nursing because I like science and I love helping people. I also really like that there are so many avenues you can go down with a nursing degree.

[Fresia]

I know some of the general courses for the medical field I'd chosen had me questioning whether I had made a mistake; I have also heard this from others as well. When we got into the upper level ones, it helped confirm whether we were in the right field. I also know from past experience it has let me know I was in the wrong field when I got into the upper level ones. This is more helpful to base a decision on than the lower level ones. I now know I have made the correct decision and loving these upper level classes, even for as tough as they are; they are much more interesting.

However, in the interim, I went back and did some job shadowing and informational interviewing to be sure on a day to day basis that the medical field I choose was what I was really interested in and to help ease the doubts, as well affirming my resolve to get through these other courses that were questionable, but necessary. It really helped to do, now and in the past, for any field interested in.

[serafim_etal]

Originally Posted by SingDanceRunLife

Over the summer I was thinking I'd like to be a teacher...another respectable career which I have some experience in.

What about finishing the program and then teaching in a nursing school? Part of the challenge for people getting into a nursing program is that the number of spots available is getting lower due to a lack of teachers. Depending on what level you teach at (CNA on up), you could do it with "only" a BSN. Currently I am in a CNA program as a pre-req for some nursing programs...we have 5 instructors, 1 has a PhN, 1 has an MSN, the other 3 are BSN's.

[SingDanceRunLife]

If I teach, I've always thought about/wanted to teach young children.

[Fresia]

I took a college level 'Intro to Teaching' course once. It paired us up with a teacher for the semester in whatever grade we choose to learn more about it and then there were assignments for the college to go with it. It was a real eye-opener as I explored this as an option at one point. I wonder if where you are there is a class like this you could take to explore this option. Is there an education dept or teaching certificate program at your school or one nearby that this might be an option; one that puts you in the classroom so you can see first hand all of the requirements and in's and out's of it.

Or if you know of any teachers that you might be able to job shadow with. Permission is required of the school first and may or may not be obtainable, but something to consider as well as a possibility. Sometimes the college career centers can help arrange shadowing for you as well.

[SingDanceRunLife]

I'm taking an intro to early childhood ed class at the local community college right now, and over the summer I worked at a daycare I loved it...it was the best legitimate job I've ever had!

[serafim_etal]

Originally Posted by SingDanceRunLife

I'm taking an intro to early childhood ed class at the local community college right now, and over the summer I worked at a daycare I loved it...it was the best legitimate job I've ever had!

Before I went back to school for nursing, I was a preschool teacher in a school for "at risk" kids. It was absolutely the best, most rewarding job I have ever had. However, my problem came when trying to pay bills. I made $2 an hour more than CA minimum wage (higher than Fed minimum wage). Unfortunately, I barely made enough to pay rent on a tiny 1 bedroom apartment...and not enough to pay ANYTHING else, including buying food. I had to have room mates in order to survive (shared expenses) and could not see myself having roommates at 40 or even older, so I went back to school. I would love to still be teaching preschool, and while "it" shouldn't be about the money, the fact (for me) is that it IS somewhat about the money...I have to make enough to survive!

If money isn't a concern, then absolutely go for it!

[SingDanceRunLife]

Money is of course a factor, but it's not really one that's big in my decision making.