Do you have what it takes to be a nurse?

Although people considering careers in nursing come from all walks of life, many potential nurses share a surprisingly common set of questions and concerns, such as “Can I get into nursing school?” and “Am I crazy to become a nurse at my age?”

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Two nurses and a nursing professor address wannabe nurses’ frequently asked questions.

How difficult is it to get into nursing school?

It’s pretty tough. In many nursing programs, competition is fierce for a limited number of spots, so students need stellar grades from high school or their first few years of college to earn acceptance into a program. Nursing schools simply don’t have the capacity to accept as many students as are qualified. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing reports that US nursing schools turned away 40,285 qualified applicants in 2007-08 due to a shortage of nursing faculty, a lack of clinical placement sites and budget constraints. Persistence may be the key for those who are truly passionate about becoming nurses. “A lot of people I know had to [apply] more than once,” says Karen Burnett, RN, a labor and delivery nurse at Methodist Dallas Medical Center. Some of Burnett’s friends even repeated courses to improve their grades.

Do I need to be a whiz at math and science?

Although basic math and science aptitudes are necessary, you won’t flunk out if you don’t have the periodic table memorized or if you use a calculator when performing long division. “You don’t need to be a calculus genius by any means,” Burnett says. “You do need to be a well-rounded student.”

What if I can’t pass the NCLEX?

Don’t let a fear of failing the NCLEX-RN licensing exam deter you from becoming a nurse. “Don’t decide against nursing because you think you’re not the best test taker,” says Janet Krejci, PhD, RN, an associate professor of nursing at Marquette University College of Nursing. Before enrolling in a particular nursing school, ask about that program’s NCLEX pass rate. Marquette’s pass rate is usually 90 percent or higher, Krejci says. Many nursing schools offer intensive NCLEX review courses and similar programs to support students who have difficulty taking tests.

Am I too old?

Nursing schools graduate nurses of all ages. “I would never tell someone that they’re too old to become a nurse,” says Krejci, who knows of a nurse who started in the profession after a 25-year business career. Age can even be an advantage. “Life experience only enhances a nurse’s ability to be as supportive as they can to their patients,” Krejci says. Adds Burnett: “You need to be energetic, enthusiastic, flexible and have a passion for learning, and those characteristics certainly do not apply to any particular age group.”

Am I strong enough to withstand the job’s physical demands?

Nurses who work in hospitals need a certain amount of strength and stamina to help lift patients and survive long hours and occasional night shifts. Working three 12-hour shifts a week in the cardiac step-down unit at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston, Nicole Lehr, RN, BSN, says her schedule “can be a little straining on the body, but you have four days to rest and adjust.” Krejci notes that many new technologies and lifting techniques help decrease the amount of physical stress nurses experience. And many nursing jobs -- such as those in call centers and community health clinics -- are less physically demanding to begin with.

Am I too squeamish?

If you have to ask, job shadow a nurse for a day or sign up for a “future nurses” camp like the one offered at Marquette’s College of Nursing. How you react to TV medical dramas can also be a clue as to whether you’re cut out for nursing. “If you watch ‘ER’ and say, ‘oh, my gosh, that looks terrible,’ then nursing is probably not for you,” Lehr says. On the other hand, you don’t have to adore working amid blood and guts, either. “There are so many different specialties within nursing where you can avoid that cliche of hospital blood everywhere,” she says. In fact, some of Lehr’s fellow nursing students fainted the first time they were exposed to lots of blood during training. “They stayed with [nursing school] and did just fine,” she says.

Does the profession afford enough respect?

“I think sometimes people still do not understand that nursing is an autonomous, independent profession,” Krejci says. “Sometimes people misperceive nursing and don’t understand the professional nature of nursing.” Before becoming a nurse, Lehr worried that the profession’s reputation was unglamorous and that “society looks at nursing as grunt work.” Lehr’s concerns have proved to be largely unfounded, and she says she gets only positive feedback when she tells people she’s a nurse. The rewards she derives are also greater than she expected. “I get rewarded by helping people,” she says. “Making a little sick child smile makes it all worthwhile.”