If you are contemplating attending nursing school in hopes of ultimately becoming a profession nurse, how do you know it’s the right choice for you? Nursing school takes a great deal of time, money and commitment to complete and shouldn’t be entered into lightly.
First, the best way to know if nursing school is right for you is to decide if you have the temperament and skills to become a nurse. This is a profession that requires a great deal of compassion, patience, helpfulness and caring. Nurses genuinely want to help make people’s lives better during time of illness, stress or injury. If you have always enjoyed helping and caring for others, you’re on the right path for nursing school. Also, nursing school requires a lot of courses in math and science. While you don’t have to be a mathematical genius, an interest in or a willingness to learn more about these subjects is incredibly helpful.
A great resource to tap for information and advice are those individuals who have completed nursing school and are working professionally as nurses. You can even check the Bureau of Labor Statistics for nursing job descriptions to see if they are line with what you want to do. In addition, working nurses can answer your questions regarding the curriculum, what to expect in school and upon graduation, the profession and can truly relate to your situation. The more questions you can ask of the nurses around you, the more prepared you will be to make an informed decision on whether or not to attend nursing school and ultimately become a nurse. Also consider asking a nurse if you can shadow him/her for a day or two. This can give you first-hand experience into their day to day activities and help you decide if it’s something you would like to pursue.
Of course, speaking with career and admissions counselors at the local nursing school is another helpful step in deciding whether nursing school is right for you. School faculty and staff assist students just like you every day and are great resources to tap for information and advice. They can give you a clear picture into the types of classes, coarse material and work you could expect to encounter at nursing school. Another way to gain real world experience is to volunteer or take a part time job with a local hospital or clinic. By working as a courier, office assistant or other entry level employee, you can still observe nurses, their work environments, their activities and even ask them for advice.
Attending nursing school is a big step both in your education and in your career. Knowing whether that step is right for you or not is a decision only you can make. But by doing your homework, knowing yourself and talking with as many relevant sources as possible can help make that decision easier.
