Nursing - if you are considering this a career, what are the barriers?

I'm doing some research in to nursing education and would like to know why people who want to go in to nursing don't manage it?

Whether it be time commitments and family or anything else, what do you think is/would/may have stopped you going in to nursing?

What barriers do you need to / have you overcome to realise your dream?

During my nurse training quite a few members of my group failed to complete the course. From what I could see there were a number of factors.
1. lack of ability to complete academic work, perhaps they had not studied for years and found the essay writing and examinations hard going
2. the difficulty in fitting in working a shift pattern on the practical side and finding time to complete papers and essays
3. difficulties at home, juggling husband, children, etc
4. conflict with others, whether it be lecturers or staff members in the hospitals
5. conflict with other students
6. the inability to deal with the stresses of the practical job, i.e body fluids, people in pain, people dying
7. literacy and numeracy problems

Personally, nothing would have stopped me from completing my course, my marriage broke down and I had to move house, but I still made it to the end.

One reason is a lot of people switch careers to get into nursing. Since most people can't quit their existing day job to attend school full time, they have to juggle both work and school at the same time. Often, they already have a family too. Any educational program is going to be mighty tough to complete under these circumstances. I think you'd find if you compared raw 18 year old freshman who wash out of a nursing program isn't really any higher than any other science-based approach program.

For me, the one barrier that almost made me quit school was finances. Nursing school is a full-time committment, and it makes it difficult to hold down even a part time job. College is expensive, and the prospect of taking out thousands of dollars in loans was scary, but I had to do it because my hubby couldn't support us 100% while I was in school.

I now have $40k in loans that will take years to pay off, but it was in investment in my future, and if I hadn't done it, I wouldn't have finished school, and been stuck in a dead-end job forever.

Nursing school is tough by design, and this serves a valid purpose. Nursing requires mental and emotional strength. Nursing sometimes requires the ability to push yourself physically for long hours The only way equip future nurses for the rigors of the profession is by applying consistent mental and emotional pressure throughout the training that requires the exercise of internal strength. The only way to acclimate students to working long hours and to develop physical stamina is in requiring long hours of study, clinicals, and meeting personal obligations the student already has (possibly including a family and job). As a new graduate, you certainly don't want to get into the field and fall apart because you were inadequately trained. Nursing school is far more than just acquiring book knowledge, clinical skills, and people skills. It must also strengthen you personally so that you are equipped to serve people who are ill or who otherwise need your skills and help. Because the training is so intense and rigorous, at times you will feel, "This just isn't fair!" At those times, remember that training and learning to discipline your mind and emotions are critical to nursing practice. You often must set aside your desires, agenda, and preferences in order to provide the care that patients need -- and that the difference may be a matter of life and death to them.
The financial and time pressures of enduring any educational program also accompany nursing school.
However, it isn't all negative! Nursing is one of the most fulfilling of careers and the shortage of nurses (especially *good* nurses) makes it financially rewarding, too.