If you're in or planning on going to nursing school, there are some things that you need to prepare yourself for. You'll get asked a ton of questions about that weird bump on your brothers arm or why your cousin's nose won't stop running. Be prepared for the financial and mental burden that comes along with furthering your degree from just an RN to a BSN or even MSN. You might even feel like you're on Grey's Anatomy at some points. It will all pay off in the end, though.
1. Picking a specialty.
You don't have to pick a specialty, especially right off the bat, but knowing where you want to end up can guide your schooling. Many specialties require further schooling from just becoming an RN. For example, most pediatric programs require an MSN. The salaries for different fields also vary significantly.
2. The financial struggle.
Not all of us are fortunate enough to get great scholarships or not have to worry about paying for nursing school. It can be expensive. Books, scrubs, supplies... It adds up. And it's not pretty, especially when you tack on more years for different degrees.
3. Knowing everything a doctor knows.
Why does everyone think that just being in nursing school means that we can make diagnoses like doctors do? Sure, we have a pretty decent knowledge of medicine, but that doesn't mean we're always going to know what that weird rash is. Go see your doctor and let me get back to studying for my bioethics exam, please!
4. Being on an episode of "Grey's Anatomy."
We might not be getting syphilis from Alex Karev or be Ellis Grey's scrub nurse for 20 years, but some of the drama is still there, especially once we get an internship. Some of the questions you'll be asked in class and the diagnoses that you do have to make will make your head spin like the surgical residents' did when Doctor Shepherd asked for help diagnosing a beauty pageant queen's head injury.
5. Overcoming the squeamish feeling.
Blood and needles can't freak you out. You don't mind seeing pictures of wounds. You might even watch videos of pimple popping or suturing in your spare time (if you even have any). But you'll be judged for not getting grossed out.
6. Not having free time.
Once you really get into it, your entire life revolves around nursing. Between classes, clinicals, interships, etc., you're lucky if you have time to even shave your legs. OK, maybe you'll have time for that, but don't plan on going home every day and being able to have leisure time. You'll spend more time studying than anything. It's like junior med school.
7. Throwing your doctors off guard.
When you're sick or hurt and you go to the doctor, you might surprise them. They're used to people saying "my back hurts," not "I have a pain around my L4 and L5 that extends and seems to be pinched around my sciatic notch." They might even try to prove you wrong and do an unnecessary amount of tests just to tell you that it is, in fact, your sciatic nerve and some physical therapy twice a week will help the pain. Not that I'm talking from experience or anything . . .
8. The feeling of finally being in scrubs.
The feeling you get once you're finally in clinicals and wearing scrubs is undescribable. All of that hard work and sleepless nights have paid off and you're almost at the end. Or at least it feels like it.
