Confused about my degree
Hi, I'm a first yr adult nursing student and I'm basically about to finish my first year. It has been a really difficult year for me as at the start of my course, I felt really depressed and hated it. It got worse when I started my first placement at the hospital, having to do 12hr shifts at the hospital, feeling like I wasn't having the 'uni experience' that I see other people at my uni have or my friends. I hated getting up at 5 to go to the hospital in the dark and finish at 7:30 in the dark. I felt like my whole day was gone spending time in the hospital. Also, I'm an introvert, shy around strangers and possibly have social anxiety so I felt really anxious whenever I had to talk with other patients. Some of the patients were really nice including some of the nurses who I do appreciate but I think I mostly hated my experience, like when a patient was screaming at me to clean them up after they had pooped but they needed the assistance of 2 and the nurse I was with left me to work with the 2nd yr nursing student to do drug rounds :') I hated having to see a patient pass away right in front of me and I felt so anxious, and in shock and had to go back to doing drug rounds, while my hands were shaking. Then had to help clean another patient after they had passed away and again, I felt scared and in shock. I thought I would get 'braver' and not be in shock again but no I was anxious again. Not understanding anything during the handover and feeling dumb. I really hated my first placement at the hospital. Then I had my 2nd placement in primary care at a GP which was a bit better, I liked the hours and being able to see patients one by one but the problem is that I felt anxious and awkward with the patients.
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Hi,
I've been nursing since 2009 and am currently an ANP in A&E so getting pretty long in the tooth now. What you are going through is difficult but entirely normal I promise you. I still remember my first placement, getting up at stupid o'clock and walking through the dark, wind and rain to go to a placement I hated. You're currently at the steepest part of your learning curve, everything is new and everything is weird.
You WILL find that things get easier as you gain more experience, you'll become more familiar with common situations and learn how to handle them. You'll also develop resilience in how to manage your anxieties and how to deal with those hard times. Those initial experiences - seeing someone pass away, getting yelled at by a patient, feeling like you don't have the first clue what's going on - those are experiences that will reoccur but you'll be more and more used to them. As for not understanding what's going on - that gets less and less with every placement, you're at the very beginning so everything is new. Imagine it like learning a language, to start with even simple words are hard to understand but as you learn more you understand more and so it becomes less daunting.
I still have days now where I feel like I'm basically pretending and at some point someone "will find out" that actually I've no idea what I'm doing. This was something I felt almost continously until about 5yrs qualfied (then you move into a higher role and it starts all over again) - it's called Imposter Syndrome and it never truely goes away - but deep down you'll come to realise that you DO know what you're doing.
You're also putting a lot of pressure on yourself very early on. I presume you're already dealing with the stresses of living independently which is hard enough. No one expects you to know much in your 1st year, you're there to learn the basics and build that solid foundation and everyone knows that. I'm guessing you're about 9 months in? I remember my final placement of 1st year and trust me, I understood next to nothing and I looked at the 2nd/3rd year students thinking "wow I'll never come close to knowing all the things they know" but trust me you will. There will be a time in the next 12 months when a junior student asks you something and you realise that you know the answer and that you have learnt a lot.
I'll be honest with you, I think the Uni side of things leaves a lot to be desired, I sincerely hope its improved but I really didn't find the "academic" part of my training very useful. You're also right that placements and long uni weeks does impact your "uni experience" but it's about taking those opportunities when they come, taking advantage of your non-placement time to go out and have fun, managing your workload to build in that chill time. Also, if I could offer one final tip - don't let the course consume you, I realised half way through my final year that I was nearly finished at Uni and hadn't really taken advantage of any of the perks of being at Uni. Basically, as much as you can, jump in with both feet, join all the societies, go to all the socials, emerse yourself in it as much as possible because I promise you it shoots by. I know the course makes that hard but as you settle in it will be possible.
Give it time, re-assess the situation through 2nd year and then decide how you feel. I promise you the more you experience, the easier it gets. If there's anything I can do to help, just say
I've been nursing since 2009 and am currently an ANP in A&E so getting pretty long in the tooth now. What you are going through is difficult but entirely normal I promise you. I still remember my first placement, getting up at stupid o'clock and walking through the dark, wind and rain to go to a placement I hated. You're currently at the steepest part of your learning curve, everything is new and everything is weird.
You WILL find that things get easier as you gain more experience, you'll become more familiar with common situations and learn how to handle them. You'll also develop resilience in how to manage your anxieties and how to deal with those hard times. Those initial experiences - seeing someone pass away, getting yelled at by a patient, feeling like you don't have the first clue what's going on - those are experiences that will reoccur but you'll be more and more used to them. As for not understanding what's going on - that gets less and less with every placement, you're at the very beginning so everything is new. Imagine it like learning a language, to start with even simple words are hard to understand but as you learn more you understand more and so it becomes less daunting.
I still have days now where I feel like I'm basically pretending and at some point someone "will find out" that actually I've no idea what I'm doing. This was something I felt almost continously until about 5yrs qualfied (then you move into a higher role and it starts all over again) - it's called Imposter Syndrome and it never truely goes away - but deep down you'll come to realise that you DO know what you're doing.
You're also putting a lot of pressure on yourself very early on. I presume you're already dealing with the stresses of living independently which is hard enough. No one expects you to know much in your 1st year, you're there to learn the basics and build that solid foundation and everyone knows that. I'm guessing you're about 9 months in? I remember my final placement of 1st year and trust me, I understood next to nothing and I looked at the 2nd/3rd year students thinking "wow I'll never come close to knowing all the things they know" but trust me you will. There will be a time in the next 12 months when a junior student asks you something and you realise that you know the answer and that you have learnt a lot.
I'll be honest with you, I think the Uni side of things leaves a lot to be desired, I sincerely hope its improved but I really didn't find the "academic" part of my training very useful. You're also right that placements and long uni weeks does impact your "uni experience" but it's about taking those opportunities when they come, taking advantage of your non-placement time to go out and have fun, managing your workload to build in that chill time. Also, if I could offer one final tip - don't let the course consume you, I realised half way through my final year that I was nearly finished at Uni and hadn't really taken advantage of any of the perks of being at Uni. Basically, as much as you can, jump in with both feet, join all the societies, go to all the socials, emerse yourself in it as much as possible because I promise you it shoots by. I know the course makes that hard but as you settle in it will be possible.
Give it time, re-assess the situation through 2nd year and then decide how you feel. I promise you the more you experience, the easier it gets. If there's anything I can do to help, just say
hi honey, i can relate (not in the same position ofc) when i was volunteering at a carehome and social anxiety and awkwardness can be frustrating but it’s okay. perhaps you should look into kooth an online counselling platform so you could get some support on there anonymously. if you’re passionate about nursing, keep going because it will get easier as you will be more experienced and you wont feel as nervous as the two more years go on. it sounds like you’re doing really well though and you should be proud of yourself as it’s extremely hard and the long hours sound exhausting. you’ve only completed a year so dont be so hard on yourself 🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼
i want to be a nurse and hoping to do mental health nursing and it sounds daunting but it’s worth it. 🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼
i want to be a nurse and hoping to do mental health nursing and it sounds daunting but it’s worth it. 🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼
Original post by sivikasi
Hi,
I've been nursing since 2009 and am currently an ANP in A&E so getting pretty long in the tooth now. What you are going through is difficult but entirely normal I promise you. I still remember my first placement, getting up at stupid o'clock and walking through the dark, wind and rain to go to a placement I hated. You're currently at the steepest part of your learning curve, everything is new and everything is weird.
You WILL find that things get easier as you gain more experience, you'll become more familiar with common situations and learn how to handle them. You'll also develop resilience in how to manage your anxieties and how to deal with those hard times. Those initial experiences - seeing someone pass away, getting yelled at by a patient, feeling like you don't have the first clue what's going on - those are experiences that will reoccur but you'll be more and more used to them. As for not understanding what's going on - that gets less and less with every placement, you're at the very beginning so everything is new. Imagine it like learning a language, to start with even simple words are hard to understand but as you learn more you understand more and so it becomes less daunting.
I still have days now where I feel like I'm basically pretending and at some point someone "will find out" that actually I've no idea what I'm doing. This was something I felt almost continously until about 5yrs qualfied (then you move into a higher role and it starts all over again) - it's called Imposter Syndrome and it never truely goes away - but deep down you'll come to realise that you DO know what you're doing.
You're also putting a lot of pressure on yourself very early on. I presume you're already dealing with the stresses of living independently which is hard enough. No one expects you to know much in your 1st year, you're there to learn the basics and build that solid foundation and everyone knows that. I'm guessing you're about 9 months in? I remember my final placement of 1st year and trust me, I understood next to nothing and I looked at the 2nd/3rd year students thinking "wow I'll never come close to knowing all the things they know" but trust me you will. There will be a time in the next 12 months when a junior student asks you something and you realise that you know the answer and that you have learnt a lot.
I'll be honest with you, I think the Uni side of things leaves a lot to be desired, I sincerely hope its improved but I really didn't find the "academic" part of my training very useful. You're also right that placements and long uni weeks does impact your "uni experience" but it's about taking those opportunities when they come, taking advantage of your non-placement time to go out and have fun, managing your workload to build in that chill time. Also, if I could offer one final tip - don't let the course consume you, I realised half way through my final year that I was nearly finished at Uni and hadn't really taken advantage of any of the perks of being at Uni. Basically, as much as you can, jump in with both feet, join all the societies, go to all the socials, emerse yourself in it as much as possible because I promise you it shoots by. I know the course makes that hard but as you settle in it will be possible.
Give it time, re-assess the situation through 2nd year and then decide how you feel. I promise you the more you experience, the easier it gets. If there's anything I can do to help, just say
I've been nursing since 2009 and am currently an ANP in A&E so getting pretty long in the tooth now. What you are going through is difficult but entirely normal I promise you. I still remember my first placement, getting up at stupid o'clock and walking through the dark, wind and rain to go to a placement I hated. You're currently at the steepest part of your learning curve, everything is new and everything is weird.
You WILL find that things get easier as you gain more experience, you'll become more familiar with common situations and learn how to handle them. You'll also develop resilience in how to manage your anxieties and how to deal with those hard times. Those initial experiences - seeing someone pass away, getting yelled at by a patient, feeling like you don't have the first clue what's going on - those are experiences that will reoccur but you'll be more and more used to them. As for not understanding what's going on - that gets less and less with every placement, you're at the very beginning so everything is new. Imagine it like learning a language, to start with even simple words are hard to understand but as you learn more you understand more and so it becomes less daunting.
I still have days now where I feel like I'm basically pretending and at some point someone "will find out" that actually I've no idea what I'm doing. This was something I felt almost continously until about 5yrs qualfied (then you move into a higher role and it starts all over again) - it's called Imposter Syndrome and it never truely goes away - but deep down you'll come to realise that you DO know what you're doing.
You're also putting a lot of pressure on yourself very early on. I presume you're already dealing with the stresses of living independently which is hard enough. No one expects you to know much in your 1st year, you're there to learn the basics and build that solid foundation and everyone knows that. I'm guessing you're about 9 months in? I remember my final placement of 1st year and trust me, I understood next to nothing and I looked at the 2nd/3rd year students thinking "wow I'll never come close to knowing all the things they know" but trust me you will. There will be a time in the next 12 months when a junior student asks you something and you realise that you know the answer and that you have learnt a lot.
I'll be honest with you, I think the Uni side of things leaves a lot to be desired, I sincerely hope its improved but I really didn't find the "academic" part of my training very useful. You're also right that placements and long uni weeks does impact your "uni experience" but it's about taking those opportunities when they come, taking advantage of your non-placement time to go out and have fun, managing your workload to build in that chill time. Also, if I could offer one final tip - don't let the course consume you, I realised half way through my final year that I was nearly finished at Uni and hadn't really taken advantage of any of the perks of being at Uni. Basically, as much as you can, jump in with both feet, join all the societies, go to all the socials, emerse yourself in it as much as possible because I promise you it shoots by. I know the course makes that hard but as you settle in it will be possible.
Give it time, re-assess the situation through 2nd year and then decide how you feel. I promise you the more you experience, the easier it gets. If there's anything I can do to help, just say
Hi,
You're saying that I should wait till the end of 2nd year but I don't think I can pass 2nd yr, I feel like somehow I got 'lucky' and passed the first yr but 2nd yr when I have to sign off my proficiencies, I feel like I won't be able to, I feel like the nurse will think that I don't deserve to go into 3rd year. To be honest, I didn't want to do nursing when I was applying for uni, as I was planning on applying for radiography but my parents told me to go for nursing as they think it's better and there are more job opportunities. So I agreed and as I said, I hated it, especially at the beginning of my course, I would call my mum, crying saying that I want to change my course but she told me to wait and give it a couple of months or wait till the end of first yr and see how it goes. I think I did have some nice experiences and met some really nice nurses but to be honest, I just can't see myself working at the hospital as a nurse I have thought about working in the GP but I heard that you've to have least a year of ward experience and I really don't want to work in the ward. I just don't think I would do well. My plan was to do a year or 2 in GP and then become a school nurse or a immunisation nurse? But even that I feel like in a way I'm compromising? Like I don't like it but have to find a way to like it? But at the same time, I don't know what I want to do, I don't know what i'm good at. I spoke with my mum and she said if you really don't enjoy then you can do another course and I'm thinking about computer science but again I don't know if that's 100% something that I want to do. Also, the waiting thing till the end of 2nd yr, my parents won't allow me, if i still don't enjoy it at the end of 2nd yr, my parents won't let me change, they said that would be too late by then cause I would have wasted 2 years.
Hi,
Not necessarily the end of 2nd year, I just know from experience that the winter semester is never when you're feeling at your most positive so I was thinking of giving yourself until maybe April.
It wouldn't be fair for me to say "just stick with it, I promise you'll come to love it" because everyone's different and every job isn't for everyone. All I would urge you to do is to bear in mind, as I said above, that in some ways, you're currently at the most stressful part of the course and everyone struggles whether they say so or not (incidentally, well done for speaking up). If as time goes by you feel that this really isn't for you then there's nothing to be ashamed of in that. I'm in my 30s now and looking back, it's very harsh to ask people in their late teens/early twenties to make decisions about a career, particularly since, through no fault of your own, you don't actually have a full understanding of it yet.
If I could give you 2 more bits of advice, if it doesn't sound too patronising, I'd say (and these might sound contradictory)
1 - if you have a "dream job" in mind don't settle for anything other than that, you have to work for a long time and doing something you don't enjoy makes it much harder. Pick the career that excites you, not the one people tell you is "the sensible option".
2 - at the same time, don't be intimidated by the thought of "wasting" a year here or there, believe me, in the grand scheme of things it's no time at all. I'm assuming you're 18-20 in which case you're going to be working for approx the next 45yrs, even if it takes you 5yrs or more to find the career that's right for you, that's nothing and it will absolutely pay off.
Lastly, reach out to your tutors and lecturers, they can give you a realistic view of your academic position and they can support you both with the course/placement and in making the right decision for you. I certainly wouldn't make a big decisions without talking to them first. I know this is a really hard time, but please believe me, whatever happens, in 5yrs time you'll either be fully qualified and pleased you stuck it out, or you'll be in a new career and making progress in that - either way you'll be succeeding.
Not necessarily the end of 2nd year, I just know from experience that the winter semester is never when you're feeling at your most positive so I was thinking of giving yourself until maybe April.
It wouldn't be fair for me to say "just stick with it, I promise you'll come to love it" because everyone's different and every job isn't for everyone. All I would urge you to do is to bear in mind, as I said above, that in some ways, you're currently at the most stressful part of the course and everyone struggles whether they say so or not (incidentally, well done for speaking up). If as time goes by you feel that this really isn't for you then there's nothing to be ashamed of in that. I'm in my 30s now and looking back, it's very harsh to ask people in their late teens/early twenties to make decisions about a career, particularly since, through no fault of your own, you don't actually have a full understanding of it yet.
If I could give you 2 more bits of advice, if it doesn't sound too patronising, I'd say (and these might sound contradictory)
1 - if you have a "dream job" in mind don't settle for anything other than that, you have to work for a long time and doing something you don't enjoy makes it much harder. Pick the career that excites you, not the one people tell you is "the sensible option".
2 - at the same time, don't be intimidated by the thought of "wasting" a year here or there, believe me, in the grand scheme of things it's no time at all. I'm assuming you're 18-20 in which case you're going to be working for approx the next 45yrs, even if it takes you 5yrs or more to find the career that's right for you, that's nothing and it will absolutely pay off.
Lastly, reach out to your tutors and lecturers, they can give you a realistic view of your academic position and they can support you both with the course/placement and in making the right decision for you. I certainly wouldn't make a big decisions without talking to them first. I know this is a really hard time, but please believe me, whatever happens, in 5yrs time you'll either be fully qualified and pleased you stuck it out, or you'll be in a new career and making progress in that - either way you'll be succeeding.
Original post by sivikasi
Hi,
Not necessarily the end of 2nd year, I just know from experience that the winter semester is never when you're feeling at your most positive so I was thinking of giving yourself until maybe April.
It wouldn't be fair for me to say "just stick with it, I promise you'll come to love it" because everyone's different and every job isn't for everyone. All I would urge you to do is to bear in mind, as I said above, that in some ways, you're currently at the most stressful part of the course and everyone struggles whether they say so or not (incidentally, well done for speaking up). If as time goes by you feel that this really isn't for you then there's nothing to be ashamed of in that. I'm in my 30s now and looking back, it's very harsh to ask people in their late teens/early twenties to make decisions about a career, particularly since, through no fault of your own, you don't actually have a full understanding of it yet.
If I could give you 2 more bits of advice, if it doesn't sound too patronising, I'd say (and these might sound contradictory)
1 - if you have a "dream job" in mind don't settle for anything other than that, you have to work for a long time and doing something you don't enjoy makes it much harder. Pick the career that excites you, not the one people tell you is "the sensible option".
2 - at the same time, don't be intimidated by the thought of "wasting" a year here or there, believe me, in the grand scheme of things it's no time at all. I'm assuming you're 18-20 in which case you're going to be working for approx the next 45yrs, even if it takes you 5yrs or more to find the career that's right for you, that's nothing and it will absolutely pay off.
Lastly, reach out to your tutors and lecturers, they can give you a realistic view of your academic position and they can support you both with the course/placement and in making the right decision for you. I certainly wouldn't make a big decisions without talking to them first. I know this is a really hard time, but please believe me, whatever happens, in 5yrs time you'll either be fully qualified and pleased you stuck it out, or you'll be in a new career and making progress in that - either way you'll be succeeding.
Not necessarily the end of 2nd year, I just know from experience that the winter semester is never when you're feeling at your most positive so I was thinking of giving yourself until maybe April.
It wouldn't be fair for me to say "just stick with it, I promise you'll come to love it" because everyone's different and every job isn't for everyone. All I would urge you to do is to bear in mind, as I said above, that in some ways, you're currently at the most stressful part of the course and everyone struggles whether they say so or not (incidentally, well done for speaking up). If as time goes by you feel that this really isn't for you then there's nothing to be ashamed of in that. I'm in my 30s now and looking back, it's very harsh to ask people in their late teens/early twenties to make decisions about a career, particularly since, through no fault of your own, you don't actually have a full understanding of it yet.
If I could give you 2 more bits of advice, if it doesn't sound too patronising, I'd say (and these might sound contradictory)
1 - if you have a "dream job" in mind don't settle for anything other than that, you have to work for a long time and doing something you don't enjoy makes it much harder. Pick the career that excites you, not the one people tell you is "the sensible option".
2 - at the same time, don't be intimidated by the thought of "wasting" a year here or there, believe me, in the grand scheme of things it's no time at all. I'm assuming you're 18-20 in which case you're going to be working for approx the next 45yrs, even if it takes you 5yrs or more to find the career that's right for you, that's nothing and it will absolutely pay off.
Lastly, reach out to your tutors and lecturers, they can give you a realistic view of your academic position and they can support you both with the course/placement and in making the right decision for you. I certainly wouldn't make a big decisions without talking to them first. I know this is a really hard time, but please believe me, whatever happens, in 5yrs time you'll either be fully qualified and pleased you stuck it out, or you'll be in a new career and making progress in that - either way you'll be succeeding.
Hi,
If I talk to my tutor and lecturers, wouldn't they just tell me to stay on the course? Also, I'm stuck on the 'dream job' bit, I don't really know what I want to do, and that's why in the first place I decided to listen to my parents and take nursing but now I don't know. I think I know I don't enjoy it because I feel like all I have been doing is complaining about it but at the same time I don't what I want to pursue so I feel stuck. My parents have given me a final opportunity to change my course to another one but I don't know whether I should stay and complete the 2 years left then do something else even if I don't think I'm enjoying it or pick another course but I'm scared that what if I don't end up liking or regret picking or changing courses?
Original post by Pandalovesfood
Hi,
If I talk to my tutor and lecturers, wouldn't they just tell me to stay on the course? Also, I'm stuck on the 'dream job' bit, I don't really know what I want to do, and that's why in the first place I decided to listen to my parents and take nursing but now I don't know. I think I know I don't enjoy it because I feel like all I have been doing is complaining about it but at the same time I don't what I want to pursue so I feel stuck. My parents have given me a final opportunity to change my course to another one but I don't know whether I should stay and complete the 2 years left then do something else even if I don't think I'm enjoying it or pick another course but I'm scared that what if I don't end up liking or regret picking or changing courses?
If I talk to my tutor and lecturers, wouldn't they just tell me to stay on the course? Also, I'm stuck on the 'dream job' bit, I don't really know what I want to do, and that's why in the first place I decided to listen to my parents and take nursing but now I don't know. I think I know I don't enjoy it because I feel like all I have been doing is complaining about it but at the same time I don't what I want to pursue so I feel stuck. My parents have given me a final opportunity to change my course to another one but I don't know whether I should stay and complete the 2 years left then do something else even if I don't think I'm enjoying it or pick another course but I'm scared that what if I don't end up liking or regret picking or changing courses?
Your tutor might say that in the first instance for all the reasons we've already discussed, they will want you to make sure that your doubts aren't just teething problems, but they are the best ones to give you advice about how you're doing and they can give you a realistic view on what the other options might be.
Unfortunately, no one else can tell you what career you should persue, even now I'm not sure what my dream job is but no one else is going to know that except me. I know it sounds simplisitic but I would look at what you enjoy, what areas do you find interesting, what things do you find yourself going down youtube rabbit holes about, who do you look at and think "oh I wish I could do that job"? Then you can decide if that area is something you'd like to do as a career or keep as a hobby, for example I'm a major history nerd but I know if I did that as a career I wouldn't find it fun anymore.
Completing or not completing your nursing degree (purely from the perspective of changing careers) has both pros and cons. On the one hand, you'll have a degree and that counts for a lot plus you'll always have a source of income if you do decide to re-train. Conversely, bare in mind that rules on student finance are getting tighter and tighter and you often don't get any funding for a second degree once you already have one.
Sorry if I'm just creating more questions, in the interest of full disclosure, I'm actually in the process of moving on from nursing and re-training. Don't let that take away from anything I've said about the pros of the job, if it's what someone wants to do it can be a wonderful career, my situation is quite specific. I would emphasise though that while there's nothing wrong with taking a couple of years to decide what you want to do and you shouldn't feel like it's "a waste of time" it is easier to change early on. I considered changing careers in my 20s and would've started my hypothetical new career at 28 - at the time that seemed sooo late to be starting a new career, now I'm looking at starting my new career at 39, ie: if I'd bitten the bullet then I'd be 7yrs into my new career by now despite it seeming "too late to start again" back then.
Original post by sivikasi
Your tutor might say that in the first instance for all the reasons we've already discussed, they will want you to make sure that your doubts aren't just teething problems, but they are the best ones to give you advice about how you're doing and they can give you a realistic view on what the other options might be.
Unfortunately, no one else can tell you what career you should persue, even now I'm not sure what my dream job is but no one else is going to know that except me. I know it sounds simplisitic but I would look at what you enjoy, what areas do you find interesting, what things do you find yourself going down youtube rabbit holes about, who do you look at and think "oh I wish I could do that job"? Then you can decide if that area is something you'd like to do as a career or keep as a hobby, for example I'm a major history nerd but I know if I did that as a career I wouldn't find it fun anymore.
Completing or not completing your nursing degree (purely from the perspective of changing careers) has both pros and cons. On the one hand, you'll have a degree and that counts for a lot plus you'll always have a source of income if you do decide to re-train. Conversely, bare in mind that rules on student finance are getting tighter and tighter and you often don't get any funding for a second degree once you already have one.
Sorry if I'm just creating more questions, in the interest of full disclosure, I'm actually in the process of moving on from nursing and re-training. Don't let that take away from anything I've said about the pros of the job, if it's what someone wants to do it can be a wonderful career, my situation is quite specific. I would emphasise though that while there's nothing wrong with taking a couple of years to decide what you want to do and you shouldn't feel like it's "a waste of time" it is easier to change early on. I considered changing careers in my 20s and would've started my hypothetical new career at 28 - at the time that seemed sooo late to be starting a new career, now I'm looking at starting my new career at 39, ie: if I'd bitten the bullet then I'd be 7yrs into my new career by now despite it seeming "too late to start again" back then.
Unfortunately, no one else can tell you what career you should persue, even now I'm not sure what my dream job is but no one else is going to know that except me. I know it sounds simplisitic but I would look at what you enjoy, what areas do you find interesting, what things do you find yourself going down youtube rabbit holes about, who do you look at and think "oh I wish I could do that job"? Then you can decide if that area is something you'd like to do as a career or keep as a hobby, for example I'm a major history nerd but I know if I did that as a career I wouldn't find it fun anymore.
Completing or not completing your nursing degree (purely from the perspective of changing careers) has both pros and cons. On the one hand, you'll have a degree and that counts for a lot plus you'll always have a source of income if you do decide to re-train. Conversely, bare in mind that rules on student finance are getting tighter and tighter and you often don't get any funding for a second degree once you already have one.
Sorry if I'm just creating more questions, in the interest of full disclosure, I'm actually in the process of moving on from nursing and re-training. Don't let that take away from anything I've said about the pros of the job, if it's what someone wants to do it can be a wonderful career, my situation is quite specific. I would emphasise though that while there's nothing wrong with taking a couple of years to decide what you want to do and you shouldn't feel like it's "a waste of time" it is easier to change early on. I considered changing careers in my 20s and would've started my hypothetical new career at 28 - at the time that seemed sooo late to be starting a new career, now I'm looking at starting my new career at 39, ie: if I'd bitten the bullet then I'd be 7yrs into my new career by now despite it seeming "too late to start again" back then.
I’m sorry for the amount of questions I’m asking you but what do you mean by not being sure about what your dream job is? Was nursing not your dream job? How did you come to decide on choosing to study nursing? How do I know whether my doubts are ‘teething’ problems? To be honest, half of me kinda just wants to say f—k it and choose another course but a part of me is scared about being unemployed and that I have done a year and maybe should just stick it out and see how it goes. I think one of the pros of nursing was it’s employability as I’m scared of not finding a job after I graduate and I feel like choosing a course that’s not related to healthcare would mean that. To be honest my plan was to continue nursing while learning another skill like coding and then doing a boot camp and hopefully find a job than leave the course but my parents are saying that would be a waste of money and time. Also, if I chose to stay in nursing and wanted to not work in the ward, is it possible for me to work at the GP as a practice nurse without a year of experience in ward? My plan was to later on become a school nurse and idk if that’s possible cause I’m doing adult nursing.
Hi,
Sorry for the delay replying, was on the late last night. Don't apologise, ask my anything.
My situation is kind of the reverse of yours, I would need about 5 lifetimes to do all the jobs I want to do and my problem has been choosing which one to persue. Honestly, I think I did nursing because I didn't think I was bright enough to do Medicine and I had done volunteering in hospitals in the developing world when I was at 6th form and I really did feel the satisfaction in helping people and was interested in the science and theory so I did nursing with a view that I would eventually go on to work for the Red Cross / MSF etc. So it wasn't my dream job but it was the vehicle that I hoped would get me there. At the end of my nursing degree I again considered doing Medicine via a Graduate entry route but again I found my lack of science A-levels (and not quite good enough GCSEs) meant I couldn't meet the standard.
Also, by that point I had done a placement in A&E and seen the job that ANPs did and so set my sights on doing that job eventually because it seemed to tick all my boxes. I won't ramble on my with entire career history but to cut a long story short, I'm now at 35 doing what I should've had the courage to do at 22 and am due to start my new degree (Veterinary Medicine, not Medicine as I've now realised that isn't for me either).
It's hard to determine if these are teething problems or not, that's what I think your tutors can help you with because they'll have seen it all before. I suppose on a very simple level - if I could click my fingers and make you suddenly able to understand all the technicalities of what everyone is talking about and put you on a placement in an area without angry patients - deep down would you want to do that job? Can you see a role in nursing that you would CHOOSE to do and be happy doing? Please bare in mind that wards are not the only option, I wouldn't have lasted a year in the job if I'd been working on a ward, I really hated ward work. You can do community, GP, schools, nursing homes, private hospitals, cruise ships, humanitarian work, military, occupational health for a private company, etc - it's not ward nurse or nothing. Also bare in mind that the NHS is in the worst state I've seen in in 17yrs and so coming into that is going to tough for anyone.
I wouldn't be too worried about being adult trained and wanting to work in a school, a relative of mine is adult trained and is now an ANP in neonatal ITU and has spent her whole career in neonates. You may find newly qualifed jobs in district nursing but you probably do need some experience before doing practice / school nursing. If for no other reason, I wouldn't want to be a newly qualified nurse and working in a role where I am the only nurse on shift as you would be as a practice nurse. Qualifying is another steep learning curve and you want to have people around you on shift to support you. Even if you did do 6 or 12 months acute nursing before moving on, if you picked the right area you might find it's managable or as I say, you might find a newly qualified DN post.
Sorry for the delay replying, was on the late last night. Don't apologise, ask my anything.
My situation is kind of the reverse of yours, I would need about 5 lifetimes to do all the jobs I want to do and my problem has been choosing which one to persue. Honestly, I think I did nursing because I didn't think I was bright enough to do Medicine and I had done volunteering in hospitals in the developing world when I was at 6th form and I really did feel the satisfaction in helping people and was interested in the science and theory so I did nursing with a view that I would eventually go on to work for the Red Cross / MSF etc. So it wasn't my dream job but it was the vehicle that I hoped would get me there. At the end of my nursing degree I again considered doing Medicine via a Graduate entry route but again I found my lack of science A-levels (and not quite good enough GCSEs) meant I couldn't meet the standard.
Also, by that point I had done a placement in A&E and seen the job that ANPs did and so set my sights on doing that job eventually because it seemed to tick all my boxes. I won't ramble on my with entire career history but to cut a long story short, I'm now at 35 doing what I should've had the courage to do at 22 and am due to start my new degree (Veterinary Medicine, not Medicine as I've now realised that isn't for me either).
It's hard to determine if these are teething problems or not, that's what I think your tutors can help you with because they'll have seen it all before. I suppose on a very simple level - if I could click my fingers and make you suddenly able to understand all the technicalities of what everyone is talking about and put you on a placement in an area without angry patients - deep down would you want to do that job? Can you see a role in nursing that you would CHOOSE to do and be happy doing? Please bare in mind that wards are not the only option, I wouldn't have lasted a year in the job if I'd been working on a ward, I really hated ward work. You can do community, GP, schools, nursing homes, private hospitals, cruise ships, humanitarian work, military, occupational health for a private company, etc - it's not ward nurse or nothing. Also bare in mind that the NHS is in the worst state I've seen in in 17yrs and so coming into that is going to tough for anyone.
I wouldn't be too worried about being adult trained and wanting to work in a school, a relative of mine is adult trained and is now an ANP in neonatal ITU and has spent her whole career in neonates. You may find newly qualifed jobs in district nursing but you probably do need some experience before doing practice / school nursing. If for no other reason, I wouldn't want to be a newly qualified nurse and working in a role where I am the only nurse on shift as you would be as a practice nurse. Qualifying is another steep learning curve and you want to have people around you on shift to support you. Even if you did do 6 or 12 months acute nursing before moving on, if you picked the right area you might find it's managable or as I say, you might find a newly qualified DN post.
Original post by Pandalovesfood
Hi, I'm a first yr adult nursing student and I'm basically about to finish my first year. It has been a really difficult year for me as at the start of my course, I felt really depressed and hated it. It got worse when I started my first placement at the hospital, having to do 12hr shifts at the hospital, feeling like I wasn't having the 'uni experience' that I see other people at my uni have or my friends. I hated getting up at 5 to go to the hospital in the dark and finish at 7:30 in the dark. I felt like my whole day was gone spending time in the hospital. Also, I'm an introvert, shy around strangers and possibly have social anxiety so I felt really anxious whenever I had to talk with other patients. Some of the patients were really nice including some of the nurses who I do appreciate but I think I mostly hated my experience, like when a patient was screaming at me to clean them up after they had pooped but they needed the assistance of 2 and the nurse I was with left me to work with the 2nd yr nursing student to do drug rounds :') I hated having to see a patient pass away right in front of me and I felt so anxious, and in shock and had to go back to doing drug rounds, while my hands were shaking. Then had to help clean another patient after they had passed away and again, I felt scared and in shock. I thought I would get 'braver' and not be in shock again but no I was anxious again. Not understanding anything during the handover and feeling dumb. I really hated my first placement at the hospital. Then I had my 2nd placement in primary care at a GP which was a bit better, I liked the hours and being able to see patients one by one but the problem is that I felt anxious and awkward with the patients.
Hello @Pandalovesfood
I hope you're well. I am really sorry to hear about your experiences with bereavement etc I cannot imagine how hard that must have been. You have done well to keep going. I think it sounds like you had a bit of first year blues which is so common, it is so hard not to feel anxious on placement. But what I can honestly say is, it will get better as you go along you will understand more during handover and you will find the more patients you speak to, the less anxious and awkward you feel. If you do still enjoying the roles & responsibilities of a nurse, I would say continue as these feelings you have will become less and less as you progress through the degree.
It is common to have one placement area you prefer more than one area, and it may be that when you qualify that is the place for you really. Just have a think if nursing is for you and if so, keep persevering!
It would also be worth communicating with university about lack of support following patient deaths etc and if you feel comfortable enough, to communicate with nurse in charge if you don't feel you are being looked after properly when working with a certain mentor.Kind regards,
Jade
Cov Uni Student Ambassador
Original post by sivikasi
Hi,
Not necessarily the end of 2nd year, I just know from experience that the winter semester is never when you're feeling at your most positive so I was thinking of giving yourself until maybe April.
It wouldn't be fair for me to say "just stick with it, I promise you'll come to love it" because everyone's different and every job isn't for everyone. All I would urge you to do is to bear in mind, as I said above, that in some ways, you're currently at the most stressful part of the course and everyone struggles whether they say so or not (incidentally, well done for speaking up). If as time goes by you feel that this really isn't for you then there's nothing to be ashamed of in that. I'm in my 30s now and looking back, it's very harsh to ask people in their late teens/early twenties to make decisions about a career, particularly since, through no fault of your own, you don't actually have a full understanding of it yet.
If I could give you 2 more bits of advice, if it doesn't sound too patronising, I'd say (and these might sound contradictory)
1 - if you have a "dream job" in mind don't settle for anything other than that, you have to work for a long time and doing something you don't enjoy makes it much harder. Pick the career that excites you, not the one people tell you is "the sensible option".
2 - at the same time, don't be intimidated by the thought of "wasting" a year here or there, believe me, in the grand scheme of things it's no time at all. I'm assuming you're 18-20 in which case you're going to be working for approx the next 45yrs, even if it takes you 5yrs or more to find the career that's right for you, that's nothing and it will absolutely pay off.
Lastly, reach out to your tutors and lecturers, they can give you a realistic view of your academic position and they can support you both with the course/placement and in making the right decision for you. I certainly wouldn't make a big decisions without talking to them first. I know this is a really hard time, but please believe me, whatever happens, in 5yrs time you'll either be fully qualified and pleased you stuck it out, or you'll be in a new career and making progress in that - either way you'll be succeeding.
Not necessarily the end of 2nd year, I just know from experience that the winter semester is never when you're feeling at your most positive so I was thinking of giving yourself until maybe April.
It wouldn't be fair for me to say "just stick with it, I promise you'll come to love it" because everyone's different and every job isn't for everyone. All I would urge you to do is to bear in mind, as I said above, that in some ways, you're currently at the most stressful part of the course and everyone struggles whether they say so or not (incidentally, well done for speaking up). If as time goes by you feel that this really isn't for you then there's nothing to be ashamed of in that. I'm in my 30s now and looking back, it's very harsh to ask people in their late teens/early twenties to make decisions about a career, particularly since, through no fault of your own, you don't actually have a full understanding of it yet.
If I could give you 2 more bits of advice, if it doesn't sound too patronising, I'd say (and these might sound contradictory)
1 - if you have a "dream job" in mind don't settle for anything other than that, you have to work for a long time and doing something you don't enjoy makes it much harder. Pick the career that excites you, not the one people tell you is "the sensible option".
2 - at the same time, don't be intimidated by the thought of "wasting" a year here or there, believe me, in the grand scheme of things it's no time at all. I'm assuming you're 18-20 in which case you're going to be working for approx the next 45yrs, even if it takes you 5yrs or more to find the career that's right for you, that's nothing and it will absolutely pay off.
Lastly, reach out to your tutors and lecturers, they can give you a realistic view of your academic position and they can support you both with the course/placement and in making the right decision for you. I certainly wouldn't make a big decisions without talking to them first. I know this is a really hard time, but please believe me, whatever happens, in 5yrs time you'll either be fully qualified and pleased you stuck it out, or you'll be in a new career and making progress in that - either way you'll be succeeding.
This is so true. Sometimes you have to figure out what you don't want to do, to find out what you want to do.
Original post by EmsStudent23
This is so true. Sometimes you have to figure out what you don't want to do, to find out what you want to do.
Yh now that I know nursing is not something I don’t wanna do long term, but now I don’t know what I actually wanna do.
Original post by Pandalovesfood
Yh now that I know nursing is not something I don’t wanna do long term, but now I don’t know what I actually wanna do.
Yh now that I know nursing is not something I don’t wanna do long term, but now I don’t know what I actually wanna do.
I had a similar “oh no” moment last year — granted, I’m not at uni yet, but I basically did a 180 on my uni options.
I wanted to go into computer science because I was good at it. Then I studied tougher maths, got bored with the repetitiveness of the computer science course, freaked out when I realised places like Oxbridge would require super-curricular knowledge about the subject… and realised that I don’t actually like computer science. It was so scary not knowing what I wanted to do, especially as I had planned out my life revolving around the intersection between tech and law.
I, like you, was worried about job prospects. I didn’t want to end up without a decently paying job in this economy. But I couldn’t bring myself to apply for computer science, because I just wasn’t passionate enough about it. I did work experience under my father at a financial tech firm and it just… really wasn’t for me. I knew it paid well — I’m my father’s daughter, after all — but I knew I’d be miserable.
I love lots of subjects I’ve studied over the years, but the thought of building a career around e.g. psychology was just so off-putting to me.
Then I realised the obvious. I’ve been writing all my life. Storytelling is the thread that connects all of my hobbies. I was terrified of changing plans to a creative writing degree. A friend literally said to me “why would you study that????” and she writes as a hobby too, which really wrecked my confidence for a while.
Eventually, I bit the bullet and changed my subjects, almost a year into my two-year sixth form education (I’m an IB student). I’m the happiest I’ve been about the future in a long time, with better grades and with offers for fantastic uni courses.
I’m not worried about job prospects. Sure, a lot of writing jobs are being overtaken by AI, which… 😬 but there’s more I can do with a creative writing degree. I could do 1 year postgrad and become a lawyer. I could complete teacher training and work in a school. I could work in a library, or an archive, or more obviously, a publishing house. And the best part is, the journey there is going to be fun. Perhaps I’m being shallow or cynical, but I’m planning on just working with whatever I have. With the state of the world, I’m nervous we’ll even have a future past uni. May as well have as much fun while we still can.
If you have an interest in computer science, explore it! With the direction the world is going in, IT literacy is going to become more and more valuable. That’ll make you instantly more employable, no matter what you go into. Tech is only going to keep expanding, and people will always need a hand in that. Controlling the technology that’s going to taken over so many jobs seems to me like one of the most secure positions there is.
All this to say, see if there’s anything obvious you’ve missed. See if there’s any “no, that’s stupid” “no, that won’t pay well” “no, I’m not [whatever] enough for that”. My one regret about this process was sitting in that miserable maths class for 8 hours a fortnight for months longer than I had to. If you’re truly unhappy with nursing, please please PLEASE don’t hesitate to dive into something new. Being stuck on a path you don’t want sucks.
I’m sure you’ll find something you enjoy. I believe in you 💫
Original post by furtherfrommaths
I had a similar “oh no” moment last year — granted, I’m not at uni yet, but I basically did a 180 on my uni options.
I wanted to go into computer science because I was good at it. Then I studied tougher maths, got bored with the repetitiveness of the computer science course, freaked out when I realised places like Oxbridge would require super-curricular knowledge about the subject… and realised that I don’t actually like computer science. It was so scary not knowing what I wanted to do, especially as I had planned out my life revolving around the intersection between tech and law.
I, like you, was worried about job prospects. I didn’t want to end up without a decently paying job in this economy. But I couldn’t bring myself to apply for computer science, because I just wasn’t passionate enough about it. I did work experience under my father at a financial tech firm and it just… really wasn’t for me. I knew it paid well — I’m my father’s daughter, after all — but I knew I’d be miserable.
I love lots of subjects I’ve studied over the years, but the thought of building a career around e.g. psychology was just so off-putting to me.
Then I realised the obvious. I’ve been writing all my life. Storytelling is the thread that connects all of my hobbies. I was terrified of changing plans to a creative writing degree. A friend literally said to me “why would you study that????” and she writes as a hobby too, which really wrecked my confidence for a while.
Eventually, I bit the bullet and changed my subjects, almost a year into my two-year sixth form education (I’m an IB student). I’m the happiest I’ve been about the future in a long time, with better grades and with offers for fantastic uni courses.
I’m not worried about job prospects. Sure, a lot of writing jobs are being overtaken by AI, which… 😬 but there’s more I can do with a creative writing degree. I could do 1 year postgrad and become a lawyer. I could complete teacher training and work in a school. I could work in a library, or an archive, or more obviously, a publishing house. And the best part is, the journey there is going to be fun. Perhaps I’m being shallow or cynical, but I’m planning on just working with whatever I have. With the state of the world, I’m nervous we’ll even have a future past uni. May as well have as much fun while we still can.
If you have an interest in computer science, explore it! With the direction the world is going in, IT literacy is going to become more and more valuable. That’ll make you instantly more employable, no matter what you go into. Tech is only going to keep expanding, and people will always need a hand in that. Controlling the technology that’s going to taken over so many jobs seems to me like one of the most secure positions there is.
All this to say, see if there’s anything obvious you’ve missed. See if there’s any “no, that’s stupid” “no, that won’t pay well” “no, I’m not [whatever] enough for that”. My one regret about this process was sitting in that miserable maths class for 8 hours a fortnight for months longer than I had to. If you’re truly unhappy with nursing, please please PLEASE don’t hesitate to dive into something new. Being stuck on a path you don’t want sucks.
I’m sure you’ll find something you enjoy. I believe in you 💫
I wanted to go into computer science because I was good at it. Then I studied tougher maths, got bored with the repetitiveness of the computer science course, freaked out when I realised places like Oxbridge would require super-curricular knowledge about the subject… and realised that I don’t actually like computer science. It was so scary not knowing what I wanted to do, especially as I had planned out my life revolving around the intersection between tech and law.
I, like you, was worried about job prospects. I didn’t want to end up without a decently paying job in this economy. But I couldn’t bring myself to apply for computer science, because I just wasn’t passionate enough about it. I did work experience under my father at a financial tech firm and it just… really wasn’t for me. I knew it paid well — I’m my father’s daughter, after all — but I knew I’d be miserable.
I love lots of subjects I’ve studied over the years, but the thought of building a career around e.g. psychology was just so off-putting to me.
Then I realised the obvious. I’ve been writing all my life. Storytelling is the thread that connects all of my hobbies. I was terrified of changing plans to a creative writing degree. A friend literally said to me “why would you study that????” and she writes as a hobby too, which really wrecked my confidence for a while.
Eventually, I bit the bullet and changed my subjects, almost a year into my two-year sixth form education (I’m an IB student). I’m the happiest I’ve been about the future in a long time, with better grades and with offers for fantastic uni courses.
I’m not worried about job prospects. Sure, a lot of writing jobs are being overtaken by AI, which… 😬 but there’s more I can do with a creative writing degree. I could do 1 year postgrad and become a lawyer. I could complete teacher training and work in a school. I could work in a library, or an archive, or more obviously, a publishing house. And the best part is, the journey there is going to be fun. Perhaps I’m being shallow or cynical, but I’m planning on just working with whatever I have. With the state of the world, I’m nervous we’ll even have a future past uni. May as well have as much fun while we still can.
If you have an interest in computer science, explore it! With the direction the world is going in, IT literacy is going to become more and more valuable. That’ll make you instantly more employable, no matter what you go into. Tech is only going to keep expanding, and people will always need a hand in that. Controlling the technology that’s going to taken over so many jobs seems to me like one of the most secure positions there is.
All this to say, see if there’s anything obvious you’ve missed. See if there’s any “no, that’s stupid” “no, that won’t pay well” “no, I’m not [whatever] enough for that”. My one regret about this process was sitting in that miserable maths class for 8 hours a fortnight for months longer than I had to. If you’re truly unhappy with nursing, please please PLEASE don’t hesitate to dive into something new. Being stuck on a path you don’t want sucks.
I’m sure you’ll find something you enjoy. I believe in you 💫
Hi! I’m in my 2nd yr of nursing now and I have tried my best to enjoy it or to at least try to find an area in nursing that I don’t hate so much. Currently I have done placement in 2 areas of nursing which wasn’t so bad, GP and day surgery. I didn’t hate it but I know I definitely don’t love it, it feels like I am just compromising myself for the sake of my parent’s expectations. The crazy thing is that I also had a interest in storytelling, especially since I was a kid, I loved writing stories, I feel like it was the only way of letting my creative side show. The issue with this is that first of all, I know my parents and siblings have told me already when I told that I wanted to be an author when I was younger that I would not earn much money or get a job and the biggest issue is that it’s been years since I have wrote any stories, and the ones I wrote a couple years ago sucked so bad. It’s like all my creativity just disappeared since I was a kid. I also had the dream of becoming a psychologist but this ended shortly when I took A level Psychology and I hated it, and ended up changing the course to sociology which I also hated. At the moment, I’m hoping maybe nursing will be better once I have graduated but I’m so scared at the same time, I know that once I have graduated, I can no longer use the title of student nurse to hide behind. It’s so difficult to motivate myself to carry on with something I don’t have a passion for, it’s difficult when people tell me to remember the reason why I chose nursing or why I wanted to be a nurse because I don’t have a reason except my parents wishes. Currently my plan is to graduate and do nursing for 1 year, maybe GP or outpatients 🤞 if I end up liking it by some miracle then I might stay on but if it’s the same and I hate it then I’m planning on doing another degree in uni. I have some worries about doing another degree as well after this one, the financial worries, like does student finance even offer funding for a 2nd degree and the massive student debt I’m gonna have 🥲 the biggest issue is not knowing what to pursue after nursing, I figured out im not a fan of nursing but now I gotta figure what I actually wanna do. I have thought about computer science as you mentioned and I have no skills or knowledge about this. I have looked up some websites like boot camps that offer training but I don’t know reliable these are 🤷*♀️ Would you recommend boot camps as a way to learn about coding? Is this enough to get a job or would you recommend a degree? If you have any advice or tips on what a beginner should do or look into for computer science, please let me know. Also, I wanna mention I suck at maths so do you think computer science is still a good idea?
Hi,
I'm sorry to hear that things haven't improved. If you're certain that nursing isn't for you, and being nearly half way through the course now you probably are - I think it's something you know deep down is for you or not. I would definitely talk to someone at your uni about what your options are. I know from personal experience that normally getting funding for a 2nd degree once you've graduated is very difficult. I would also say, based on my own experince, that continuing with something you know you don't enjoy just delays the inevitable. There are things I'm doing now that I wish I'd done 10yrs ago, I didn't because there was always another "solution to try" in my then-current situation.
Working out what you do want to do is very difficult. If you can, try and get some experience (even just 1 day) in a prospective career and see what you think.
I'm sorry to hear that things haven't improved. If you're certain that nursing isn't for you, and being nearly half way through the course now you probably are - I think it's something you know deep down is for you or not. I would definitely talk to someone at your uni about what your options are. I know from personal experience that normally getting funding for a 2nd degree once you've graduated is very difficult. I would also say, based on my own experince, that continuing with something you know you don't enjoy just delays the inevitable. There are things I'm doing now that I wish I'd done 10yrs ago, I didn't because there was always another "solution to try" in my then-current situation.
Working out what you do want to do is very difficult. If you can, try and get some experience (even just 1 day) in a prospective career and see what you think.
Original post by sivikasi
Hi,
I've been nursing since 2009 and am currently an ANP in A&E so getting pretty long in the tooth now. What you are going through is difficult but entirely normal I promise you. I still remember my first placement, getting up at stupid o'clock and walking through the dark, wind and rain to go to a placement I hated. You're currently at the steepest part of your learning curve, everything is new and everything is weird.
You WILL find that things get easier as you gain more experience, you'll become more familiar with common situations and learn how to handle them. You'll also develop resilience in how to manage your anxieties and how to deal with those hard times. Those initial experiences - seeing someone pass away, getting yelled at by a patient, feeling like you don't have the first clue what's going on - those are experiences that will reoccur but you'll be more and more used to them. As for not understanding what's going on - that gets less and less with every placement, you're at the very beginning so everything is new. Imagine it like learning a language, to start with even simple words are hard to understand but as you learn more you understand more and so it becomes less daunting.
I still have days now where I feel like I'm basically pretending and at some point someone "will find out" that actually I've no idea what I'm doing. This was something I felt almost continously until about 5yrs qualfied (then you move into a higher role and it starts all over again) - it's called Imposter Syndrome and it never truely goes away - but deep down you'll come to realise that you DO know what you're doing.
You're also putting a lot of pressure on yourself very early on. I presume you're already dealing with the stresses of living independently which is hard enough. No one expects you to know much in your 1st year, you're there to learn the basics and build that solid foundation and everyone knows that. I'm guessing you're about 9 months in? I remember my final placement of 1st year and trust me, I understood next to nothing and I looked at the 2nd/3rd year students thinking "wow I'll never come close to knowing all the things they know" but trust me you will. There will be a time in the next 12 months when a junior student asks you something and you realise that you know the answer and that you have learnt a lot.
I'll be honest with you, I think the Uni side of things leaves a lot to be desired, I sincerely hope its improved but I really didn't find the "academic" part of my training very useful. You're also right that placements and long uni weeks does impact your "uni experience" but it's about taking those opportunities when they come, taking advantage of your non-placement time to go out and have fun, managing your workload to build in that chill time. Also, if I could offer one final tip - don't let the course consume you, I realised half way through my final year that I was nearly finished at Uni and hadn't really taken advantage of any of the perks of being at Uni. Basically, as much as you can, jump in with both feet, join all the societies, go to all the socials, emerse yourself in it as much as possible because I promise you it shoots by. I know the course makes that hard but as you settle in it will be possible.
Give it time, re-assess the situation through 2nd year and then decide how you feel. I promise you the more you experience, the easier it gets. If there's anything I can do to help, just say
I've been nursing since 2009 and am currently an ANP in A&E so getting pretty long in the tooth now. What you are going through is difficult but entirely normal I promise you. I still remember my first placement, getting up at stupid o'clock and walking through the dark, wind and rain to go to a placement I hated. You're currently at the steepest part of your learning curve, everything is new and everything is weird.
You WILL find that things get easier as you gain more experience, you'll become more familiar with common situations and learn how to handle them. You'll also develop resilience in how to manage your anxieties and how to deal with those hard times. Those initial experiences - seeing someone pass away, getting yelled at by a patient, feeling like you don't have the first clue what's going on - those are experiences that will reoccur but you'll be more and more used to them. As for not understanding what's going on - that gets less and less with every placement, you're at the very beginning so everything is new. Imagine it like learning a language, to start with even simple words are hard to understand but as you learn more you understand more and so it becomes less daunting.
I still have days now where I feel like I'm basically pretending and at some point someone "will find out" that actually I've no idea what I'm doing. This was something I felt almost continously until about 5yrs qualfied (then you move into a higher role and it starts all over again) - it's called Imposter Syndrome and it never truely goes away - but deep down you'll come to realise that you DO know what you're doing.
You're also putting a lot of pressure on yourself very early on. I presume you're already dealing with the stresses of living independently which is hard enough. No one expects you to know much in your 1st year, you're there to learn the basics and build that solid foundation and everyone knows that. I'm guessing you're about 9 months in? I remember my final placement of 1st year and trust me, I understood next to nothing and I looked at the 2nd/3rd year students thinking "wow I'll never come close to knowing all the things they know" but trust me you will. There will be a time in the next 12 months when a junior student asks you something and you realise that you know the answer and that you have learnt a lot.
I'll be honest with you, I think the Uni side of things leaves a lot to be desired, I sincerely hope its improved but I really didn't find the "academic" part of my training very useful. You're also right that placements and long uni weeks does impact your "uni experience" but it's about taking those opportunities when they come, taking advantage of your non-placement time to go out and have fun, managing your workload to build in that chill time. Also, if I could offer one final tip - don't let the course consume you, I realised half way through my final year that I was nearly finished at Uni and hadn't really taken advantage of any of the perks of being at Uni. Basically, as much as you can, jump in with both feet, join all the societies, go to all the socials, emerse yourself in it as much as possible because I promise you it shoots by. I know the course makes that hard but as you settle in it will be possible.
Give it time, re-assess the situation through 2nd year and then decide how you feel. I promise you the more you experience, the easier it gets. If there's anything I can do to help, just say
Im so glad I came across your reply to this because I am in second year and I feel like an imposter. I have had a year off as well between 1st and 2nd year - had a baby! and now im back in the thick of it. Done my first round of placements before christmas which was more stressful then i expected. I love placements and being hands on and learning on the job is how i best learn, academic side - i dont feel like i have learnt anything , all the biology etc i just cant seem to retain and studying and revising I put this of so much cause i just feel so tired and i cant retain the info. I am enjoying the degree and will be a useful degree to have but its tough at times.
Original post by Pandalovesfood
Hi! I’m in my 2nd yr of nursing now and I have tried my best to enjoy it or to at least try to find an area in nursing that I don’t hate so much. Currently I have done placement in 2 areas of nursing which wasn’t so bad, GP and day surgery. I didn’t hate it but I know I definitely don’t love it, it feels like I am just compromising myself for the sake of my parent’s expectations. The crazy thing is that I also had a interest in storytelling, especially since I was a kid, I loved writing stories, I feel like it was the only way of letting my creative side show. The issue with this is that first of all, I know my parents and siblings have told me already when I told that I wanted to be an author when I was younger that I would not earn much money or get a job and the biggest issue is that it’s been years since I have wrote any stories, and the ones I wrote a couple years ago sucked so bad. It’s like all my creativity just disappeared since I was a kid. I also had the dream of becoming a psychologist but this ended shortly when I took A level Psychology and I hated it, and ended up changing the course to sociology which I also hated. At the moment, I’m hoping maybe nursing will be better once I have graduated but I’m so scared at the same time, I know that once I have graduated, I can no longer use the title of student nurse to hide behind. It’s so difficult to motivate myself to carry on with something I don’t have a passion for, it’s difficult when people tell me to remember the reason why I chose nursing or why I wanted to be a nurse because I don’t have a reason except my parents wishes. Currently my plan is to graduate and do nursing for 1 year, maybe GP or outpatients 🤞 if I end up liking it by some miracle then I might stay on but if it’s the same and I hate it then I’m planning on doing another degree in uni. I have some worries about doing another degree as well after this one, the financial worries, like does student finance even offer funding for a 2nd degree and the massive student debt I’m gonna have 🥲 the biggest issue is not knowing what to pursue after nursing, I figured out im not a fan of nursing but now I gotta figure what I actually wanna do. I have thought about computer science as you mentioned and I have no skills or knowledge about this. I have looked up some websites like boot camps that offer training but I don’t know reliable these are 🤷*♀️ Would you recommend boot camps as a way to learn about coding? Is this enough to get a job or would you recommend a degree? If you have any advice or tips on what a beginner should do or look into for computer science, please let me know. Also, I wanna mention I suck at maths so do you think computer science is still a good idea?
You need to look at student finance and funding for second degrees. They dont offer funding for a second degree unless its within healthcare and classed as one of the exception degrees - search it on here theres lots of discussions about it.
Have you thought of careers such as therapy ones. Play therapist for children, occupational therapist degree etc ....
Heres a list of roles relating to health courses and degrees, you will need to look into them but generally if you are able to get a NHS bursary then its an approved second degree. Usually on the uni websites it will say if the degree course gets the bursary.
I am in two minds about my nursing degree, i love working with and helping people and its a great degree to have to springboard you into other professions, thats my plan anyway!
Original post by Pandalovesfood
Hi, I'm a first yr adult nursing student and I'm basically about to finish my first year. It has been a really difficult year for me as at the start of my course, I felt really depressed and hated it. It got worse when I started my first placement at the hospital, having to do 12hr shifts at the hospital, feeling like I wasn't having the 'uni experience' that I see other people at my uni have or my friends. I hated getting up at 5 to go to the hospital in the dark and finish at 7:30 in the dark. I felt like my whole day was gone spending time in the hospital. Also, I'm an introvert, shy around strangers and possibly have social anxiety so I felt really anxious whenever I had to talk with other patients. Some of the patients were really nice including some of the nurses who I do appreciate but I think I mostly hated my experience, like when a patient was screaming at me to clean them up after they had pooped but they needed the assistance of 2 and the nurse I was with left me to work with the 2nd yr nursing student to do drug rounds :') I hated having to see a patient pass away right in front of me and I felt so anxious, and in shock and had to go back to doing drug rounds, while my hands were shaking. Then had to help clean another patient after they had passed away and again, I felt scared and in shock. I thought I would get 'braver' and not be in shock again but no I was anxious again. Not understanding anything during the handover and feeling dumb. I really hated my first placement at the hospital. Then I had my 2nd placement in primary care at a GP which was a bit better, I liked the hours and being able to see patients one by one but the problem is that I felt anxious and awkward with the patients.
Can I just ask do you get much time off for holidays? My daughter is starting in September but doesn't know when she will be on placement....are they flexible for holidays etc?
Original post by Lisaray1972
Can I just ask do you get much time off for holidays? My daughter is starting in September but doesn't know when she will be on placement....are they flexible for holidays etc?
It might have changed since my day (2006-2009) but we used to get 2 weeks at Christmas (and I was still on placement on 22nd Dec!), maybe a week or two at Easter and then we'd get maybe a month over the summer, I was certainly still on placement in July/August when everyone else went home in May. Nursing students always tend to get the rough end of the deal when it comes to holidays, it's because they condense what should be a 4yr course into 3.
You may find there's a tiny bit of flexability when it comes to the timing of placements but generally not, everyone in the cohort goes out at the same time.
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