What does it mean to drop a class, maybe it’s just not the right professor or the class wasn’t much for you? What does it mean to drop out of nursing school, well for me it was the most emotional and hardest thing to do at the time? If you are like me and you started college with one thing in mind, mines were nursing. Starting college was a rough start from choosing classes to choosing the right classes for my major. My goal was to get into nursing school and become a nurse. When I was towards the end of completing my prerequisites all my professors were giving me advise on how thorough and tough nursing was but all my hard work would pay off in the end. Current nursing students were giving me the horrors of the nursing program, like the sleepless nights, constant studying, not being able to spend time with friends and less time for yourself and family. Not to mention the abundance of work that hard to be done. All the advice I got was not going to stop me from putting in my application. Why wouldn’t I want to put all my hard work on hold to think about if I should not apply or apply for the nursing program. Applying to the nursing program at Broward College was tough. First I had to fill out the form, second I needed to get a physical, background check and fingerprinted. Third I had to take the entrance exam, the Hesi, and take extra courses for example CPR and other minor classes some which can be taken online, finally pay the application fee and submit all my documents. Finally, I got my acceptance, it was a big relief I had beat out 100 other applicants for that spot. I received my orientation date and it was just the beginning. When I got to orientation I saw all the other nursing students in my class, they all looked bright eyed and were very knowledgeable about nursing, they were very passionate and would do anything to keep their spot in the program. I, however, was not like them at all, I didn’t have the passion they had. Although all I kept all my doubts bottled up I went out and brought all the required textbooks for all my classes, the required scrubs and shoes, the required supplies and even extra notebooks and paper. I was prepared even though everything cost me almost $1000.
My first day of class, when I got to my first day of class I was a bag of nerves. I immediately texted my friend to find out if she was on her way. The professors entered the room and they split everyone up into groups, each group had a different professor for their class and that same professor would go with you to rotation at the hospital. On the first day we got an ear full of what to do and what not to do, first rule was don not ever be late to class or your rotations, or you will be kicked out of the program.
I went home that night and completely exhausted my paper supply printing forms and documents that were sent for my classes. I started to review my textbooks and the homework schedule that we had to do. On our second day they told us how exams would go, you would have to do some hands on and written portions for your exam and if you gone anything under the score you had to get you are done from the program or you would have to do another program to get back into the nursing program. The afternoon of the second day we had labs, we were split into groups with our professor and we were shown how to make beds and with and without a patient in it.
By the third day I was not communicating with my peers as everyone else were, it was as if they knew all the answers, like they all read some special book that explained everything and no one bother to tell me. I sat there looking lost and confused by what was going on. Finally, my saving grace walked into the room, she was there to give us advices and introduce who she was, she also told us how to get out of the program. While she was talking I was plotting my escape out of this foreign place I thought I had belonged too, but I had to find out the hard way I didn’t belong. I quickly ran after her to explain to her what was happening she told me to contact her so we could get through the details. I email her that night and the next morning my mom and I went to see and advisor to change my major. I immediately got calls and messages from friends about my departure from nursing. I decided that I would take a different approach and change my major to business, you would think that a girl who faints when she sees blood or cries when there is a needle around would not even think about being a nurse but I had to think I could do it. getting out of the nursing program was a run around I mean an actual run around, I had to run from administration to the nursing building and then back and forth because there were complications between advisement and the nursing department.
The emotions alone were overwhelming leaving the nursing program, but the first three days of being in the program were just as hard I cried maybe 100 times those three days combined well I might be over-exaggerating but I did have a plethora of emotions but not of those were happy. Finally, I settled into my business major and suddenly the volunteering at the hospital and other nursing insights were all lessons and dropping out of the nursing program was an even bigger lesson which is kids, know what you love and do what you love. Fortunately, I met a lot of future nurses who are dedicated to what they love and I wish them all the best of luck. I also want to thank everyone who were with me through this journey and with me through all future journeys.