Have you ever questioned if you wanted to continue with your nursing profession?

Did you ever have a moment or event in your journey that made you question if you chose the right profession?

I did and it was a very frightening time in my career. I was working as a psychiatric nurse and I was pregnant. A patient had tried to attack me out of the blue. The patient thought that the baby I was carrying was conceived illegally with another patient. The patient came towards me with a knife and wanted to cut the baby out. Thankfully, my coworkers were able to help me and divert the patient and prevent this individual from getting close to me to harm me.

That day I questioned if Nursing was for me. I was so frightened and did not want to work on that ward anymore. My whole being was frazzled. I of course was frightened for my unborn child as well. My coworkers assured me that they wouldn’t let anything happen to me. I was a young nurse and wasn’t quite sure that they could protect me.

So what did I do?

I re-evaluated if that was the correct career path for me. I thought about the risks and benefits and if it really fulfilled me. I eventually decided that I did not feel safe working with unpredictable patients and changed the field of nursing that I worked in. I tried to be a school Nurse but I didn’t like that and was nervous being the only health professional on site. I then found my passion of working with elderly residents in Long Term Care.

The journey of a nurse is not without its challenges, and it’s not uncommon to experience moments of doubt and darkness that make you question your desire to continue in the profession.

Are you struggling with this decision?

Here are a few ways to help you Navigate through these feelings.

1. Acknowledging Your Feelings: Give yourself permission to do this. Nurses often feel guilt when they question their path and sometimes stay when it is no longer self fulfilling.
2. Try to identify what the challenges are and if their are alternatives other than leaving the profession.
3. Seek Altenative profession if you believe it is your time to change careers. Shadow a person who already is doing the job you think you may want to do so you can make an informed choice.
4. Try to rediscover your “why” of becoming a nurse before you exit. You may find an avenue to rekindle your why.

Remember that challenging times can be opportunities for growth and self-discovery, ultimately leading to a more fulfilling and rewarding nursing career.

The information presented is informative and does not constitute direct legal or regulatory advice

September 2024\Skilled Nursing Support\maria.messina@skillednursingsupport.com

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