Nurses- please help me feel better!

amother

Tue, Jul 13 2021, 2:34 pm

Heads up- I'm not looking to be told to drop out- I need encouragement! Thanks!
I'm in nursing school and I'm just getting nervous. We're getting into more real things now- NG tubes, catheters, etc. I'm nervous. For many reasons. I'm trying to calm myself down by telling myself there's always L & D and dr's offices if I can't handle it. But is it really true? Could I be a nurse just taking vitals in a drs office if I can't handle the hospital? My dream is to work in a frum drs offcie- even if I have to go back to NP school. I feel like once I'm in it (hospital work) I'll be able to handle but right now I'm a little bit freaking out. Encouragement please?? And what's the flexibility really like? Which areas of nursing are "cleaner" (please don't give it to me that nursing is not clean- I KNOW. I'm cool with blood and guts. Just suctioning and stuff making me nervous) and less invasive?? Can I get some positivity? Thank you!

zaq

Tue, Jul 13 2021, 2:48 pm

You could always specialize in psychiatric nursing. Weight management. Employee health physicals and exams for Workers' Comp or insurance companies. Employee health for a government agency or large commercial company (might occasionally involve blood and guts if there's an injury but mostly testing, recordkeeping and health counseling and information.)

FYI, L&D is not necessarily so "clean." There's blood involved. There can be bad language involved. There's sometimes death involved. Just so you know it's not all tiny ski caps and aaawwwws.

amother

Tue, Jul 13 2021, 2:54 pm

zaq wrote:

Thanks, yeah I'm hoping I'll find a specialty. I know L&D is not clean, it's actually particulary not, but it's a different type than like suctioning, NG tubes..

amother

Peachpuff

Tue, Jul 13 2021, 2:57 pm

You got this girl! Depend on the unit and the acuity. Many units dont use suctioning on a daily basis. Nursing has so many options and yes the flexibility is great. Are you planning on working ft or pt? Many nurses also work per diem picking up a shift a week. In tristate the pay starts ar about 40/hr. As zaq mentioned psych nursing involves none of the queasy stuff but does limit where you can go next so try to get at least a year meds surg to help you think about what you really want to do with this degree.

amother

Tue, Jul 13 2021, 3:07 pm

amother [ Peachpuff ] wrote:

Thanks for the encouragement! Keep it coming

amother

Cornsilk

Tue, Jul 13 2021, 3:14 pm

This is one of the amazing things about nursing - you can take it in so many directions. It's good to know your limits. While the basics and blood and guts are necessary for getting through clinicals, you can decide if you want to try it and see if it gets better or find a field where you can avoid it entirely.

I work NICU and find even the invasive stuff less "gross" than in adults but others can't even think about placing an IV in a newborn (much less a preemie weighing only a pound). Get through school, have an awareness of where you are holding and see if it gets easier for you with time or if you want to find a field where you can avoid this stuff entirely. Hang in there.

amother

Blush

Tue, Jul 13 2021, 3:21 pm

Yes & No…
I got my degree years ago, and never really worked …Bc I really couldn’t stomach working on a Med Surge unit & for sure not in ICU.
And you need experience on those floors to move ahead
I did some office work and than quit for good to be a SAHM
In my ways I regretted it .
I should of keept working and found my place . At this rate I think it’s too late for me to go back.
🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️.
For sure don’t quit, get your license and than do your research about where you will feel comfortable working

amother

Tue, Jul 13 2021, 3:21 pm

amother [ Cornsilk ] wrote:

This was super helpful! And like level-headed lol. I can definitely get through the clinicals beH if I tell myself that's all it is. I also find NICU less gross than adults, but everyone I speak to says they left NICU/peds because it was too emotionally hard. I guess we'll see when I get there. Thank you for your response, I will probably be reading back to this!

amother

Tue, Jul 13 2021, 3:22 pm

amother [ Blush ] wrote:

Oh wow, aw man. Thanks for the encouragement. I can't afford to not work so I'm going to have to find a field that I'm ok with

amother

Ginger

Tue, Jul 13 2021, 3:55 pm

I also was squeamish about all that stuff, this is possibly personality dependent but for me increasing exposure made it much easier. I got used to it until it wasn’t a big deal. Sucked it up for the amount of time I needed in order to move forward with my ultimate career goals (NP) and I’m so glad I did!

amother

Mintgreen

Tue, Jul 13 2021, 4:00 pm

I finished over 10 years ago and have never worked in nursing. ,(Amother blush it's nice to see I'm not the only one). Unless things changed, to work in the hospital they want 6 months of med/surge experience first. This was in NY and at that time new grads were only offered night shifts. I became a SAHM and hopefully will be able to use my license one day. I don't think there are that many opportunities unless you get that med surge experience. It's possible outside of NY you don't need it. Home care takes new grads if that appeals to you. Hatzlocha with your schooling.

amother

Indigo

Tue, Jul 13 2021, 5:17 pm

Nursing is wonderful, since there is something out there for everyone! Goodness knows, I would have quit after 5 minutes if I had to work in med/surg - it’s just not my thing. I started in OB, and moved to public health when I had to quit shift work. I’m happy to provide education, testing and treatment for clients, but it’s much less stressful (and dare I say, messy) than bedside nursing. That said, I regret losing some of my skills but it was worth it for me.

What do you love about nursing? You have to find a position that focuses on what you find fulfilling.

amother

Blush

Tue, Jul 13 2021, 5:17 pm

Op I didn’t mean to discourage you… for sure get your license and than see what your options are
For ex :I was interested in working in IVF, the clinics pay less but it’s an option
I just couldn’t find a job & now they hrs wouldn’t work for me

@Mint , exactly what you said word for word
And I don’t think I could stomach doing MedSurge even now 10+ years later

amother

Cerulean

Tue, Jul 13 2021, 5:22 pm

If you can stick a patient and don’t mind blood in tubes, hemodialysis is really not gross at all-and they usually higher straight out of school-no experience in Med/surg. necessary.

I’m in outpatient HD 8 years.

To me, the worst is (smelly) Necrotic tissue and wound debridement.

amother

Cornsilk

Tue, Jul 13 2021, 6:02 pm

I agree with the post above that said it does get easier over time. Things that used to freak me out are now run of the mill, all in a day's work events. I work with babies but don't even blink at having to change an Ng tube. My anxiety was very high for the first 6-12 months on the job and since then it's reduced dramatically. It is harder for me when the babies are older. I will stick with my preemie population.

out-of-towner

Tue, Jul 13 2021, 6:09 pm

There are nurses who work in offices where it's less hands on. I work in a homecare program where we have an RN who's job is mostly assessments.

But unfortunately nursing is pretty gross. I always wished that I had gone into it because the idea of working part time 12 hour shifts appeals to me as a mother, but I would not be able to handle the hands on stuff, and I don't have a steady hand. So I'm a Social Worker, I work with people's minds.

amother

Tue, Jul 13 2021, 6:42 pm

amother [ Indigo ] wrote:

That's interesting- maybe you all can help match me to a position- I love the part of being someone's calm when they're in a vulnerable, scared state. I honestly think it allows for healing. For ex, when I went to the dr (and this was just my pcp) because I thought I was having a second miscarriage, the random PA who I saw was just so NICE and comforting and CARED. That's what I want to do for patients- obv going to treat them medically as well, but I would rather "clean"- not sure what I define as clean because I'm fine with blood- I don't like open wounds, suctioning, stuff like that. I happen to do really well with older people, but geriatrics is a lot of med-surg I feel like