2nd year nursing student and i don't want to be a nurse!

chloe2017

I'm about 2 months off finishing 2nd year nursing and I just feel like I don't want to be a nurse anymore and if I'm truthful to myself I never did! HELP! Do I really waste 2 years of my life and quit? But at the same time do I struggle through another year failing essays to hate my job? I have no idea what to do and feel like if I leave I'm a failure.

Reply 1

Jessica mae

UGH! i am going through exactly the same as you right now.
I am also second year and currently on a 10 week placement and i am hating every moment of it!!! I hate placement but i am too scared too quit as its just throwing away 2 years of what i have already done, but i've been in tears over this course :frown:

Reply 2

wbnurse

9

Fellow second year here. I know how you feel I really do. I do want to be a nurse though but I do have days and weeks where I could just throw the towel in and get myself a job that could pay alot better. Second year is really hard and you think very irrationally when youre stressed and tired. Id never tell anyone to quit like i find alot do on here which i think is wrong because we need advice and empowering not pushed over the edge when its only a temporary moment of difficulty BUT when you say you feel you never did maybe you should look at other options. I understand the wasting of 2 years but think of the wasting your life on a job you hate? Do you think this is a temporary feeling or are you feeling like this because you're on a placement you don't like? Because having an horrible placement effects you massively, I had a terrible one at the end of first year and I'm only just getting over it. I think it's a good idea to have a talk to your personal tutor. Reminder nursing is very vast and there TONS you can do with a nursing degree. You could go on to do your masters and go in research etc. Good luck with whatever you decide

Reply 3

Hayyz91

13

A lot of nurses hate there training but are happy once they qualify and specialise in an area that they enjoy. There are all types of nursing, research and see if any of it interests you. There may be something you could enjoy. Good luck.

Reply 4

mel_l218

11

Original post by chloe2017

I'm about 2 months off finishing 2nd year nursing and I just feel like I don't want to be a nurse anymore and if I'm truthful to myself I never did! HELP! Do I really waste 2 years of my life and quit? But at the same time do I struggle through another year failing essays to hate my job? I have no idea what to do and feel like if I leave I'm a failure.

You haven't wasted two years of your life and you won't be a failure, don't think of it like that. If you do the last year of your degree, you wouldn't have to necessarily start working as a nurse, you could go on to do something else. However if you feel you are struggling and that going through another year will make things harder for you then weigh up your options and decide if you want to look at studying another subject or looking at different jobs.
And as has been previously mentioned you may want to move into another area of nursing which suits you if you do complete the degree.
Is there someone you can talk to about how you feel? Talking it through with someone might help you make sense of everything.
Whatever you do, it's your decision and don't beat yourself up over it, you do what is right for you.
I hope this helps

Reply 5

University of Bradford Postgraduate

Official Rep

6

Hello @chloe2017 :hello:

Please don't panic and jump off your course. The first thing to do is talk to people in the know - your careers team at your university and your personal tutor will be able to give you advice on your options and may help to inspire you to finish, after all your more than half way now.

@mel_l218 is right there are plenty of pathways you could take to a whole host of careers that might suit you better; from dementia care to healthcare management, ambulatory services to midwifery.

Hope this helps,

Emma P

Reply 6

OxFossil

19

I did 3 years of nurse training before the days of nursing degrees, and loathed every minute.

But once qualified,it opened up a whole range of opportunities. I had 6 months staffing on a ward with some really fun colleagues (much different to when I was a student), and then branched out into public health and ultimately, child psychotherapy - which I loved. The point being that without that nursing qualification, I would have gone nowhere but back onto the dole (I was 2 years unemployed before starting training. That was grim).

However, this does not mean that you should just ignore your feelings now. No qualification is worth ruining your physical or mental health. As has been suggested, speak with your tutors and see if you can work out a plan to cope with what you are finding hard. If you are consistently failing essays, that is something that a tutor should be able to help you with; if you need some strategies for coping with stress or low mood, get some pastoral help. Whatever you decide to do in the end, those people are there to help, please use them. That way, if you do decide to leave, you will know that you did your best and that you haven't failed - it's simply that nursing isn't suited to you.

Reply 7

lorn.

10

I keep going through phases like this myself, you need to think is it the stress of the course or something else making you think that or do you genuinely just not enjoy placement. If you aren't enjoying placement think 'Is there other areas I would enjoy?' if the answers no I wouldn't waste another year doing it...

Reply 8

Mariepea

2

I'm a second Yr student too, its my final tri-partita meeting tomorrow, I can honestly say I haven't enjoyed 2nd yr at all. Don't know whether it's because I've been put back in the same placement as last Yr and I haven't learnt much more, Ive got an interview for a band 3 job n I'm tempted, really I am but I would hate it on another yrs time to see all my friends qualify and me not, its keeping me going xx

Reply 9

username2637499

18

There will be placements you don’t like. That’s great because you’ve found out you don’t want to work there once qualified. You’ll find a placement you enjoy. Don’t give up! Remember why you started :biggrin:

Reply 10

Julie Dyer

6

Hi,
I’m just curious to find out what you did decide to do. My son failed one of his 2nd year placements, which he loved. But a week before his placement finished his tutor went to see him and really latex into him asking him why exactly are you on a nursing course!! So everyone who’s saying go see your tutor he’s afraid he can’t talk to her as she’s given him no options so we would like to know who he goes now for advice? And would he be able to resit this last placement. Sorry just need abit of come back really

Reply 11

Hayyz91

13

Not sure what his uni is like but at my uni, you get a second chance at a failed placement as long as it wasn't a failure one something dangerous. If his personal tutor was mean, go above there head. He should go to the year lead or program lead. Oh and the placement support team who should have been involved if he has been failed.
He should also have explainations of why he failed written somewhere (padlet? Booklet?) and should write a reflective peice to show that he has learned from his failure and has matured. Nobody wants to fail students, its too much paperwork.

Original post by Julie Dyer

Hi,
I’m just curious to find out what you did decide to do. My son failed one of his 2nd year placements, which he loved. But a week before his placement finished his tutor went to see him and really latex into him asking him why exactly are you on a nursing course!! So everyone who’s saying go see your tutor he’s afraid he can’t talk to her as she’s given him no options so we would like to know who he goes now for advice? And would he be able to resit this last placement. Sorry just need abit of come back really

Reply 12

Dija51

13

How you doing did u get through?

Reply 13

Aimiee1

5

Hi Sorry I know it has been a while but i am just wondering how your son has got on? I am a second year student nurse and my previous placement was on a ward and they where horrible to me and said i shouldn't be doing my nursing and that i should restart back in 1st year because i don't have any experience... (my placements have all been community based). I now have 0 confidence and I am questioning if i actually know anything or if i should even continue with the course.

Reply 14

Tracey1995

17

Original post by Aimiee1

Hi Sorry I know it has been a while but i am just wondering how your son has got on? I am a second year student nurse and my previous placement was on a ward and they where horrible to me and said i shouldn't be doing my nursing and that i should restart back in 1st year because i don't have any experience... (my placements have all been community based). I now have 0 confidence and I am questioning if i actually know anything or if i should even continue with the course.

Hi
Don't give up girl, you got this far so continue with it regardless of what those idiots saying to you ok, they forget that they were in your shoes not so long ago and know what it like .
Unfortunately placements are non negotiable as you no choice where you go for them , but stick in ok,
Feel confident and pass your upcoming exams and prove everyone wrong ok.
Never give up with one year to go as every placements are different and hopefully you'll get some hospitals one next academic year .

Reply 15

paub

11

2nd year is the worst. if you can just hold on it will improve. once you qualify its very different.

Reply 16

Aimiee1

5

Original post by Tracey1995

Hi
Don't give up girl, you got this far so continue with it regardless of what those idiots saying to you ok, they forget that they were in your shoes not so long ago and know what it like .
Unfortunately placements are non negotiable as you no choice where you go for them , but stick in ok,
Feel confident and pass your upcoming exams and prove everyone wrong ok.
Never give up with one year to go as every placements are different and hopefully you'll get some hospitals one next academic year .

That’s really nice and helpful thank you! I’m absolutely dreading going on my next placement😢 I’m trying to stay positive, I’ve passed everything first time and had good feedback from all my other placements but this has really knocked me back, I just hope my next placement are more understanding!
Thank you!

Reply 17

paub

11

please if you d

Original post by VLAS44

Did you carry on with nursing in the end?

please if you dont want to be a nurse then find something else that you do want be. nursing is not something you should do if you dont have an interest in. its going to be bad for you and those you care for.

Reply 18

ashleylouise10

4

I’m in the exact situation, I’m a third year children’s student nurse and I’ve completely lost my passion for nursing. I’m going to complete my year and do a PGCE to become a teacher as nursing is ruining my mental health and I need to put myself first! Currently trying to see if I can complete the degree without the placement as the placements are making me worse

Reply 19

Fortysomething

9

Original post by ashleylouise10

I’m in the exact situation, I’m a third year children’s student nurse and I’ve completely lost my passion for nursing. I’m going to complete my year and do a PGCE to become a teacher as nursing is ruining my mental health and I need to put myself first! Currently trying to see if I can complete the degree without the placement as the placements are making me worse

Just bear in mind teaching is also super stressful and the workload never stops . They are very similar types of careers in terms of stress and pressure. I say this as an ex teacher who has always wanted to be a nurse and I have a lot of experience in the nhs and I honestly think teaching is more stressful

2nd year nursing student and i don't want to be a nurse!

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