<p>I'm a freshman at a 4 year college, and a nursing major. Before going to school, I was absolutely set on being a nurse. I just "knew" that's what I wanted to do. Ever since coming (and more importantly, ever since starting A&P), I've been questioning my decision. Most of it is that I hate A&P, primarily because my professor is awful and doesn't teach. I'm not doing well in the course at all, I never want to go, and honestly, even if I do pass, I have basically no desire to take A&P II because although I used to find the subject interesting, I no longer do.</p>
<p>I was stupid to be so sure because I never had any experience in the field. Over the summer, I had plans to be a CNA so that I would be able to have a better grasp on nursing and whether or not I would like it. It didn't work out though because the nursing home that was offering the class had changed it from 2 weeks full time to 6 weeks part time, and by the time it would be over, it would be almost time for me to go to school.</p>
<p>Now I'm not so sure. In fact, I'm not at all sure. I question whether I could make it through nursing school, or heck, even just A&P, whether I would like being a nurse, and whether I made the right decision or not. I'm getting worried even more now because I have to register for my Spring courses soon, and A&P is obviously a big one, and a necessary one if I still want to do nursing.</p>
<p>At this point, I don't even know what to think, or what to do, and could use some guidance.</p>
<p>Maybe…could you get some kind of janitor job at a hospital so you can get the inside view of what goes on? (On second thought that sounds like something out of a really lame detective movie…)</p>
<p>Hope your talking to nurses Not associated with a school, hospital administration, or relatives. Some nurses are happy but many find it’s not what they thought it was going to be. </p>
<p>If you don’t want to deal with A&P you may love one of the specialties like psychiatric nursing. Being a nurse today has lots of trade offs and pays well but your work load and demands grow almost daily.</p>
<p>becoming a nurse (i’m assuming a nurse practitioner) takes a lot of effort/training and usually means working long hours, so it’s not a decision you should make lightly…don’t just continue with this major because you’ve already started or you’re not sure what else to do or whatever.</p>
<p>if i were you, i would stick it out for now, and get volunteer job at a hospital where you work with nurses or shadow a nurse for a couple hours each week, so you can get directly involved in patientcare. contact the local med center/health clinic/hospital right away, they’re always looking for volunteers, especially med and nursing students. after working at a hospital with nurses, that should give you more insight about whether it’s the career for you.</p>
<p>After I get my degree in health science I plan on getting an expedited bachelors degree in nursing. I’ve always been fasincated by hospitals, like new people (patients), am not so emotionally invested in people (like animals) that it would cloud my decision making skills, like feeling like I’m making a difference, and like how easy it would be to work almost any where.</p>
<p>I’m taking A&P right now and agree that it sucks. I don’t like it at all, and do not think its a fair assessment of nursing. I think nursing is more hands on and doing, not necessarily knowing where the tibial tuberosity is. I’m a junior (transfer) and have only had one class before this in which I had trouble. This is my second. Have a B average but am struggling to keep it. Its a lot of information and takes a ton of time, but these are kind of like weed out classes. </p>
<p>If you’ve done shadowing and like it, I don’t see much of a reason as to why you wouldn’t like it in 4 years. I think theres a few completely awful classes for each major. Have to push through them. I’ve never met someone who liked all the classes related to their major.</p>
<p>If you are unhappy though just go undecided for a bit. I was in a completely different major before health science, you’re only a freshman, you have time to figure things out. :)</p>
<p>Don’t make a rash career and life decision based upon disliking one class with a poor professor. Give it another chance while you work with the college counseling office to explore alternative paths. Make an informed decision about your future, instead of a knee-jerk reaction.</p>
<p>I haven’t done any shadowing or anything, so really, there’s no reason for me to actually think that I would like nursing, succeed at nursing or anything. </p>
<p>I’ve said for awhile now that if nursing didn’t work out for some reason that I would want to do early childhood education, and I have a basis for that. My first job ever (and my favorite as well) was working at a preschool. I’ve also been an assistant/substitute dance teacher for little kids, and volunteered with a Brownie Girl Scout troop. I know that I love working with kids and that I’m good at it.</p>
<p>I don’t know anything real about nursing.</p>
<p>Also, going undecided isn’t an option if I actually do want to do nursing. A&P II is taken in the spring, or summer if you fail, and nursing classes and clinicals start in the fall of your second year. If I drop out of the program and go undecided, I’ll be put on a waiting list if they even think about accepting me again.</p>
<p>Well, why on earth don’t you do early childhood ed? You sound like you really love it, so why not go for it? Or do pediatric nursing or whatever it’s called.</p>
<p>Well then it sounds like you need to figure out your priorities and what you want to do. No one here is going to be able to tell you whether or not you’re going to like nursing. You need to start doing some shadowing ASAP so you can really see what it’s like and whether or not you like it. Sign up for A&P 2 just in case, you can always drop it and pick something else before next semester if you decide not to do nursing. </p>
<p>I’m not really sure what you expect us to tell you because we don’t know you, we don’t know if you’re going to like nursing or not so you really just need to get some experience right away and find out what nursing is really about, since you don’t “know anything real about nursing”.</p>
<p>And if you decide nursing is a no…then you need to decide what to do, whether it’s finding another major at your school or transferring so you can do early childhood ed, which is something you actually have experience with and like. Yeah, it sucks to transfer when you love your school, but you can love another school and it could be better for your happiness in the long run.</p>
<p>I’ve looked into trying to volunteer and such, but the opportunities at hospitals are all like reception and food service. Nothing to do with actual health care at all.</p>
<p>At my school, I could conceivably major in sociology and follow the dual childhood/special ed track and then get a masters in early childhood ed. It would take longer, but everyone knows that places actually want their teachers to have masters degrees anyway, and with nursing I was planning on a masters, so it really wouldn’t be adding to my time in school.</p>
<p>You don’t have to love every part of the education to love the career. I’m a doctor and there were lots of portions of medical school that I absolutely HATED. </p>
<p>I think this is especially true in your case since you can point to the professor being so poor. </p>
<p>You need to get some hands on experience. Bottom line. That’s the only way you’ll know if it’s the right career for you.</p>
<p>I know I need some hands on experience…but I can’t get any until the summer, and that’s too late to decide about repeating A&P I/ taking A&P II.</p>
<p>Okay…well then I really don’t know what you want us to tell you. Either suck it up and take A&P next semester and get experience next summer or start networking/asking your teachers/begging for shadowing opportunities earlier than this summer…you can’t find anything near home during Christmas break? You can always sign up for A&P and then drop it before classes start.</p>
<p>I’ve decided that I’m going to do my best to pass the class this semester, and take A&P II. However, it probably won’t be at my school next semester, it’ll probably be somewhere else over the summer because next semester, I’m only allowed to take A&P II with my current professor, and that is something I am absolutely not willing to do. My mom is going to try to get around that and make them let me take A&P II with the good professor, but she told me that if she can’t, she understands my not being willing to take another class with my current prof, and she’ll help me figure out where I can take the class over the summer, even though that means I’ll have to go stay with extended family for the duration because none of the 4 colleges in the area around my house offer an equivalent course.</p>