4 answers
Jennifer
Student
Apex, North Carolina
2
Questions
Updated
941 views
How can I decide if Nursing is for me?
Hi! I am a college student who is currently trying to decide what health science field I want to focus on. I have been in community college for 3 years constantly changing my mind about what I was doing with my life. And I have started to settle on the idea of Health Science. I am leaning towards Sonography because of the programs in my area. But Nursing has also peeked my interest. I have heard that Nursing is hard however I feel like it would be more "rewarding" especially pediatric Nursing. Before I decide a concrete path, I would love to get some advice, insight thoughts or even self-reflective questions that might help me think more about my choices.
4 answers
Téa C.
Diagnostic Medical Sonographer
18
Answers
Salt Lake City, Utah
Updated
Téa’s Answer
Hey there! Both pediatric nursing & sonography are great career choices.
As others suggested, you should look for student job shadowing/"observership" opportunities. Simply look at hospitals' websites to see if they have any shadowing or volunteer opportunities. Even if it's not specified online, you can still contact a hospital near you to see if there are any opportunities- the worst they can say is "no."
For example, in North Carolina there's WakeMed & UNC Health. Both seem to have student volunteer opportunities & opportunities for learning & shadowing/"observership". I'll provide links below, but for example, WakeMed has a learning opportunity in July called "Spotlight on Pediatrics: Champions for Children: A Look Into Pediatric Professions." Before then, they have a "Navigating Health Care Careers Conference" in May.
Pediatric nursing- It'd be great if you like working with babies & children, can handle a stressful work environment, & have a lot of patience. Of the couple of stories I've heard from peds nurses, sometimes the hardest/worst part was actually dealing with the parents. Some parents will quite literally breathe down your neck & give you 0 space, while also being completely on-edge (sometimes understandably so). You may also see mean, neglectful, or abusive parents.
Sonography/Ultrasound- We might have more interpersonal interaction with patients than some other types of imaging since we're right beside them scanning a body part & talking to them, rather than stepping away to take images. BUT once we finish imaging them, that's it - we're done & out of the patient's room. There's also some stress about either missing abnormalities or (with wrong settings) making something look abnormal when it's actually normal. We directly influence patients' diagnoses since the doctors (radiologists) use our imaging & reports to make diagnoses. For example- I heard about a US tech who kept saying her vein ultrasound patients had blood clots in her imaging & reports (at least around 50-60% of the time, when it should've been maybe 10% of the time). Then patients get put on medications that thin their blood (treatment for blood clots), which increase risk for bleeding & can delay healing for wounds/injuries - imagine being put on those meds when it's not needed.
Since you're also considering pediatric nursing, there's the OB/GYN or pediatric sonography specialties. I've never worked with a peds sonographer, but job opportunities might be more limited depending on where you are. OB/GYN sonography is focused on imaging pregnant & non-pregnant women. A nice example from my experience- imagine being the first person to show new parents their baby's face, adorable little hands/feet, etc. The downside, though, is you may come across fetal (baby) abnormalities or even a heart that's not beating anymore, & may still deal with rude or bickering parents, too.
Things to consider-
1) Could you handle stress, needles, bodily fluids, etc.?
2) Could you (professionally) handle rude, uncooperative, or very "unsanitary" people?
3) How much of a "people person" are you & how much time do you want to be spending with patients?
4) How well do you think you can grasp physics (sonography) vs chemistry (nursing)?
5) How good is your attention to detail?
6) Do you think you'd be okay with "poking" your patients with needles (nursing) or would you rather guide the needles with imaging while a Physician's Assistant (PA) or doctor handles the needle (sonography)? It can depend on where you work, but I've never had to handle the needles besides setting up procedure trays. Also, many of the PAs & doctors I've worked with prefer to hold both the ultrasound probe & needle, while I just work the ultrasound machine.
7) Would either job pay enough to support the lifestyle you'd want in the future?
8) Could either job give you the kind of work-life balance you'd want? (remember: we work to live, not live to work) I can't say much about nursing, but many ultrasound tech jobs involve on-call shifts in addition to the usual day-time shifts. The exact shifts vary, but for my hospital we're on-call at least x1 weeknight per week (5:30pm-7:00am) & at least x1 whole weekend per month. While on-call, we're not at the hospital (could be at home) but we could get called in to scan patients, even in the middle of the night.
All in all, it helps to at least have a genuine interest in or passion for whichever career you choose!
Shadowing at UNC Health- https://www.uncmedicalcenter.org/uncmc/support/volunteer-services/shadowing/
Learning opportunities at WakeMed- https://www.wakemed.org/careers/student-program/high-school-students
Observership at WakeMed- go to "How do I participate in a student observership?" at https://www.wakemed.org/careers/student-program/faqs
Volunteer opportunities at WakeMed, for example- https://www.wakemed.org/volunteer/junior-volunteering
As others suggested, you should look for student job shadowing/"observership" opportunities. Simply look at hospitals' websites to see if they have any shadowing or volunteer opportunities. Even if it's not specified online, you can still contact a hospital near you to see if there are any opportunities- the worst they can say is "no."
For example, in North Carolina there's WakeMed & UNC Health. Both seem to have student volunteer opportunities & opportunities for learning & shadowing/"observership". I'll provide links below, but for example, WakeMed has a learning opportunity in July called "Spotlight on Pediatrics: Champions for Children: A Look Into Pediatric Professions." Before then, they have a "Navigating Health Care Careers Conference" in May.
Pediatric nursing- It'd be great if you like working with babies & children, can handle a stressful work environment, & have a lot of patience. Of the couple of stories I've heard from peds nurses, sometimes the hardest/worst part was actually dealing with the parents. Some parents will quite literally breathe down your neck & give you 0 space, while also being completely on-edge (sometimes understandably so). You may also see mean, neglectful, or abusive parents.
Sonography/Ultrasound- We might have more interpersonal interaction with patients than some other types of imaging since we're right beside them scanning a body part & talking to them, rather than stepping away to take images. BUT once we finish imaging them, that's it - we're done & out of the patient's room. There's also some stress about either missing abnormalities or (with wrong settings) making something look abnormal when it's actually normal. We directly influence patients' diagnoses since the doctors (radiologists) use our imaging & reports to make diagnoses. For example- I heard about a US tech who kept saying her vein ultrasound patients had blood clots in her imaging & reports (at least around 50-60% of the time, when it should've been maybe 10% of the time). Then patients get put on medications that thin their blood (treatment for blood clots), which increase risk for bleeding & can delay healing for wounds/injuries - imagine being put on those meds when it's not needed.
Since you're also considering pediatric nursing, there's the OB/GYN or pediatric sonography specialties. I've never worked with a peds sonographer, but job opportunities might be more limited depending on where you are. OB/GYN sonography is focused on imaging pregnant & non-pregnant women. A nice example from my experience- imagine being the first person to show new parents their baby's face, adorable little hands/feet, etc. The downside, though, is you may come across fetal (baby) abnormalities or even a heart that's not beating anymore, & may still deal with rude or bickering parents, too.
Things to consider-
1) Could you handle stress, needles, bodily fluids, etc.?
2) Could you (professionally) handle rude, uncooperative, or very "unsanitary" people?
3) How much of a "people person" are you & how much time do you want to be spending with patients?
4) How well do you think you can grasp physics (sonography) vs chemistry (nursing)?
5) How good is your attention to detail?
6) Do you think you'd be okay with "poking" your patients with needles (nursing) or would you rather guide the needles with imaging while a Physician's Assistant (PA) or doctor handles the needle (sonography)? It can depend on where you work, but I've never had to handle the needles besides setting up procedure trays. Also, many of the PAs & doctors I've worked with prefer to hold both the ultrasound probe & needle, while I just work the ultrasound machine.
7) Would either job pay enough to support the lifestyle you'd want in the future?
8) Could either job give you the kind of work-life balance you'd want? (remember: we work to live, not live to work) I can't say much about nursing, but many ultrasound tech jobs involve on-call shifts in addition to the usual day-time shifts. The exact shifts vary, but for my hospital we're on-call at least x1 weeknight per week (5:30pm-7:00am) & at least x1 whole weekend per month. While on-call, we're not at the hospital (could be at home) but we could get called in to scan patients, even in the middle of the night.
All in all, it helps to at least have a genuine interest in or passion for whichever career you choose!
Téa recommends the following next steps:
Hi Téa! Thank you for your response and your introspective questions. I have definitely been thinking about them for the last few days. I really appreciate the links that you provided and am looking into volunteering/shadowing opportunities at Wake Med and UNC Health. I wanted to ask since you are a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer, if you went through a 2 year school or 4 year? If I went down the Sonography route, I was thinking about doing a 2 year program and getting my Associates. But I do not quite understand where I would go if I wanted to get my Bachelors.
Jennifer
Hey Jennifer, I'm glad you found the info & links helpful! I graduated from a 2 year program. Regarding that, I'll take a look at the other question you posted :)
Téa C.
David F. Keely
Public health physician
1
Answer
Rock Hill, South Carolina
Updated
David F.’s Answer
Hello Jennifer --
In deciding to study to become a physician, I spent a summer (10 weeks) as a Red Cross Volunteer in a major medical center, but your local hospital would hopefully provide you the same opportunity to get a first-hand view of both the nursing profession and the ultrasound technician profession. Alternatively, your college career placement office might be able to line you up with an "internship" summer experience in a multi-specialty outpatient medical office practice where you could also see about nursing outside of the hospital setting. With my experience in family medicine and public health practice, I can also recommend looking into nursing practice observation at your local health department.
I think if you then become inspired to seek one of these health science careers, the motivation to do well with your studies, however challenging you might think they might be, will carry you through.
You have already received some excellent advice to this point from other CareerVillage.org contributors, so you can well see the thread of encouragement to get some direct observational experience and to have plenty of opportunity for conversation with established professionals in your stated fields of interest.
In deciding to study to become a physician, I spent a summer (10 weeks) as a Red Cross Volunteer in a major medical center, but your local hospital would hopefully provide you the same opportunity to get a first-hand view of both the nursing profession and the ultrasound technician profession. Alternatively, your college career placement office might be able to line you up with an "internship" summer experience in a multi-specialty outpatient medical office practice where you could also see about nursing outside of the hospital setting. With my experience in family medicine and public health practice, I can also recommend looking into nursing practice observation at your local health department.
I think if you then become inspired to seek one of these health science careers, the motivation to do well with your studies, however challenging you might think they might be, will carry you through.
You have already received some excellent advice to this point from other CareerVillage.org contributors, so you can well see the thread of encouragement to get some direct observational experience and to have plenty of opportunity for conversation with established professionals in your stated fields of interest.
Bonnie Allen-Fadzl
Physical Therapist
3
Answers
Cleveland Heights, Ohio
Updated
Bonnie’s Answer
Hi Jennifer. Wonderful questions. Wonderful professions. I would suggest the following actions.
Please speak with people in these professions. Ask to shadow or observe them. Do so for a long enough period to see if you have a real interest in the field. Ask them lots of questions. When I was considering physical therapy school, I had to volunteer in several P.T. settings over a period of several weeks. During those periods, I learned in which settings I would like to work and those in which I absolutely did not.
You have chosen 2 diverse professions. Determine what's important to you. Sonography is important and rewarding as you make certain that critical diagnostic studies are given to doctors that can very well save a life. However, it does not give you the interaction with patients and families that nursing will. You cannot share what you see.
Pediatric nursing can be very, very stressful. Can you handle stress? Can you handle life and death situations? You will see death as a nurse. Seeing the littlest among us succumb to illness is heart wrenching. On the other side, there is no better feeling than to see one of them survive and thrive. You must be prepared for both as a Pediatric nurse.
Read, study, ask, observe!
Please speak with people in these professions. Ask to shadow or observe them. Do so for a long enough period to see if you have a real interest in the field. Ask them lots of questions. When I was considering physical therapy school, I had to volunteer in several P.T. settings over a period of several weeks. During those periods, I learned in which settings I would like to work and those in which I absolutely did not.
You have chosen 2 diverse professions. Determine what's important to you. Sonography is important and rewarding as you make certain that critical diagnostic studies are given to doctors that can very well save a life. However, it does not give you the interaction with patients and families that nursing will. You cannot share what you see.
Pediatric nursing can be very, very stressful. Can you handle stress? Can you handle life and death situations? You will see death as a nurse. Seeing the littlest among us succumb to illness is heart wrenching. On the other side, there is no better feeling than to see one of them survive and thrive. You must be prepared for both as a Pediatric nurse.
Read, study, ask, observe!
Hi Bonnie! Thank your for your advice. It has opened up my eyes to things that I had not considered before. And I am taking the time to carefully think about my choices. I have started to look into local volunteering opportunities!
Jennifer
Neh S
Project Manager
39
Answers
Lexington, South Carolina
Updated
Neh’s Answer
Nursing is a profession where you will have to interact and communicate with people on everyday basis. Here are a few suggestions -
Explore Your Interests and Strengths: Consider what aspects of healthcare excite you the most—whether it's direct patient care, technology, diagnostics, or working with children. Reflect on what feels meaningful to you personally.
Research Day-to-Day Realities: Look into what a typical day looks like for both Sonographers and Nurses, especially in pediatrics if that interests you. This can help you visualize where you might feel most fulfilled.
Gain Hands-On Experience: Try to shadow professionals in both fields or seek volunteer opportunities. Firsthand exposure often provides valuable insight you can’t get from reading alone.
Ask Yourself Key Questions: For example: Do you enjoy fast-paced environments? How do you handle stress? Are you comfortable with emotional situations like caring for sick children? Your answers can guide your decision.
Consider Long-Term Goals and Flexibility: Think about career growth, work settings, and the types of shifts or schedules you prefer. Nursing offers diverse specializations and flexible options, which might align with your goals.
Explore Your Interests and Strengths: Consider what aspects of healthcare excite you the most—whether it's direct patient care, technology, diagnostics, or working with children. Reflect on what feels meaningful to you personally.
Research Day-to-Day Realities: Look into what a typical day looks like for both Sonographers and Nurses, especially in pediatrics if that interests you. This can help you visualize where you might feel most fulfilled.
Gain Hands-On Experience: Try to shadow professionals in both fields or seek volunteer opportunities. Firsthand exposure often provides valuable insight you can’t get from reading alone.
Ask Yourself Key Questions: For example: Do you enjoy fast-paced environments? How do you handle stress? Are you comfortable with emotional situations like caring for sick children? Your answers can guide your decision.
Consider Long-Term Goals and Flexibility: Think about career growth, work settings, and the types of shifts or schedules you prefer. Nursing offers diverse specializations and flexible options, which might align with your goals.
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