Not sure whether to quit nursing degree or not

I’ve recently just started my second year of a nursing degree and I don’t know whether to quit or not.
I started the degree with whole intentions of being a nurse, It was what I really wanted to do. However the more training/practical we done I realised being a nurse was not what I thought it was. I then decided I wanted to be a psychotherapist or counsellor as that was more tailored to the work I enjoyed doing with people, so I decided to stick with the nursing degree as having it can lead me onto the next training to be a therapist/counsellor.
However since starting year 2 it has been nothing but stress. I feel so overwhelmed, continuously stressed, my mood and sleep have been impacted. I’m hating the course but I feel trapped as if I can’t leave because having this degree can open doors in the future and help future training/careers, but I honestly don’t know how much more of this I can take before I break.

Reply 1

paub

11

first you really need to understand the amount of work you will need to do. its not simply getting a degree you need to do a degree, then a masters then a doctorate plus being a trainee psychologist were thee are few posts, .

Reply 2

Simmss

1

Hey, I feel the exact same way! If I think of nursing it seems fine but when I remember the long shifts on placements and dealing with nurses who don’t really help you learn and all these proficiencies, it’s just too much. I’d love to talk to you more about this as I feel we’re both in the same boat and it sucks! I’ve just started second year too

Reply 3

Emily_B

15

Original post by Caicai12

I’ve recently just started my second year of a nursing degree and I don’t know whether to quit or not.
I started the degree with whole intentions of being a nurse, It was what I really wanted to do. However the more training/practical we done I realised being a nurse was not what I thought it was. I then decided I wanted to be a psychotherapist or counsellor as that was more tailored to the work I enjoyed doing with people, so I decided to stick with the nursing degree as having it can lead me onto the next training to be a therapist/counsellor.
However since starting year 2 it has been nothing but stress. I feel so overwhelmed, continuously stressed, my mood and sleep have been impacted. I’m hating the course but I feel trapped as if I can’t leave because having this degree can open doors in the future and help future training/careers, but I honestly don’t know how much more of this I can take before I break.

Have you spoken to the university for support?
Sticking with something that's impacting your health so much just for the steady job/training prospects really isn't worht it - your health has to come first. There have to be other ways of becoming a therapist without doing a degree you're hating.

Original post by Simmss

dealing with nurses who don’t really help you learn and all these proficiencies, it’s just too much

Not all of us are like this. Part of it is down to the student to take ownership of their learning but also the vast majority of us supervisors/asssessors are supportive of students learning (yes I have come across the sorts of people you dread but we're not all like that!)
As for the shifts... yes it takes some adapting to, however having days off in the week quite a nice feeling.

Reply 4

johnnnh

14

that sounds really difficult, try and talk to university support, your supervisors and fellow students, after that go through what was stressing you, do whatever you can to relax before and whilst your studying, you can even try and study with some friends who are more comfortable with the material so they can help you, if you still don't like the course after you PROPERLY AND THOROUGHLY understand some of the content you've been finding difficult/frustrating then honestly, it's your decision to make but I would leave. of course don't leave out of impulse weigh the positives and the negatives and look for other suitable paths before you do anything. but first, and I can not stress this enough, get support and UNDERSTAND the material, most of the time when people don't enjoy something it's because they don't understand it, also try and make it a bit interesting. some of what you learn could have a cool history or fascinating applications. past that if you still don't enjoy it, then look for other options and leave, it's not worth the stress and exasperation, they're probably countless other things you could be doing that would better suit you, your future and your mental health.

Reply 5

Tracey_W

17

Original post by Caicai12

I’ve recently just started my second year of a nursing degree and I don’t know whether to quit or not.
I started the degree with whole intentions of being a nurse, It was what I really wanted to do. However the more training/practical we done I realised being a nurse was not what I thought it was. I then decided I wanted to be a psychotherapist or counsellor as that was more tailored to the work I enjoyed doing with people, so I decided to stick with the nursing degree as having it can lead me onto the next training to be a therapist/counsellor.
However since starting year 2 it has been nothing but stress. I feel so overwhelmed, continuously stressed, my mood and sleep have been impacted. I’m hating the course but I feel trapped as if I can’t leave because having this degree can open doors in the future and help future training/careers, but I honestly don’t know how much more of this I can take before I break.

You'll probably see that your placements and education work at university will be different from the previous year you done but quitting because of the training etc you now getting this year is not how you seen it compared to year 1 work.

You need to obviously talk to your university course leaders over things .
As like Emily pointed out on impacting your life & health then you need to go and sit down with your university course leaders and make plan of action on what next to do.

Original post by Emily_B

Have you spoken to the university for support?
Sticking with something that's impacting your health so much just for the steady job/training prospects really isn't worht it - your health has to come first. There have to be other ways of becoming a therapist without doing a degree you're hating.

Not all of us are like this. Part of it is down to the student to take ownership of their learning but also the vast majority of us supervisors/asssessors are supportive of students learning (yes I have come across the sorts of people you dread but we're not all like that!)
As for the shifts... yes it takes some adapting to, however having days off in the week quite a nice feeling.

Not all nurses are like the way you described them.
I would put it down to your first year starting as a student nurse when things was lot difficult due to still being in earlier days of covid19 as nobody coming into nursing over the last few years would had foreseen this major disruption of things as it had cause issues with how we normally work as nurses.

Yes I think what Emily said on " part of it is down to the students to take ownership of there learning " is correct as lots of students weren't prepared to undergo there duties when asked by there supervisors to do tasks each day. As a supervisor/mentor myself I have to make sure my students midwives do tasks that they are told to do are carried out to a professional manner under my supervision.

Nobody says that nursing will be easy as it get slightly harder each year as you step up your various placement and education work at university. Been there myself when things got tougher every year with my degree but we get through it.

Not sure whether to quit nursing degree or not

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