Think about it: The bedside nurse (aka, the staff nurse, the direct caregiver), is what this whole thing called nursing is all about. All other aspects of nursing serve only one purpose: to support the bedside nurse, because he or she is the single most important element in healthcare along with the physician.

Nursing school instructors serve to produce bedside nurses. Managers manage so the bedside nurse can more efficiently do their job. Researchers with DNS and PhDs only exist to provide information that ultimately can be used by the bedside nurse. The nursing shortage is all about the bedside nurse. Think about it: almost all functions in a hospital revolve around the bedside nurse and the physician. Even the cook in the kitchen is only there so the patient's nurse doesn't have to go and cook the meals.

Of course, "bedside" includes any bedside, not just a hospital bed (hospice, home health, LTC, etc.,). The point is, the apex of nursing practice is the bedside nurse. It is ironic that the lowest status in nursing is also had by the bedside nurse.

I wonder why that is? Whatever the case, who can deny that the whole of the nursing profession rotates around the bedside nurse? Why would anyone ever want to be anything else?

Originally posted by ADNRN

Why would anyone ever want to be anything else?

Ok I'll bite;)

There is so much more out there than just bedside nursing....

I personally have NO desire for med-surg.....

Even the cook in the kitchen is only there so the patient's nurse doesn't have to go and cook the meals.

wtf?????!!!!!!

i am sooo not even getting into this...........

wow, ADNRN, you actually said something that wasn't ENTIRELY offensive to everyone!

Yes, the bedside nurse is very important. But you are WRONG about one thing: it's not ALL ABOUT the bedside nurse. IT'S ABOUT THE PATIENT!! And there is a need for all types of nurses, not just bedside nursing. Some people need to branch out, gain experience or just LEARN more.

I will then put this to you - imagine a career structure that was deliberately flattened to allow for progress within nursing while retaining nurses at the bedside - now imagine that those on the highest rank of bedside nurses can. in fact earn more than managment nurses.

Imagine it???

Don't believe it??

Welcome to Queensland's nursing career structure.

Originally posted by ADNRN

almost all functions in a hospital revolve around the bedside nurse and the physician. I wonder why that is? Whatever the case, who can deny that the whole of the nursing profession rotates around the bedside nurse? Why would anyone ever want to be anything else?

Am I wrong, or does the functions in a hospital revolve around the patients, not the nurse?????

Yes, I love being a bedside nurse, and will be for the rest of my career, but if it were not for the patients, there would be no need for us.

:roll

Originally posted by gwenith

I will then put this to you - imagine a career structure that was deliberately flattened to allow for progress within nursing while retaining nurses at the bedside - now imagine that those on the highest rank of bedside nurses can. in fact earn more than managment nurses.

Imagine it???

Don't believe it??

Welcome to Queensland's nursing career structure.

Was this for me or the OP? (sorry, a little confused today)

Originally posted by happystudent

Ok I'll bite;)

There is so much more out there than just bedside nursing....

I personally have NO desire for med-surg.....

By "bedside" I mean direct patient care, not necessarily at the bedside or med/surg.

Originally posted by sagarcia210

Am I wrong, or does the functions in a hospital revolve around the patients, not the nurse?????

Yes, I love being a bedside nurse, and will be for the rest of my career, but if it were not for the patients, there would be no need for us.

I'm talking about the operation of the nursing profession, not really about the reason for the existence of the profession.

Originally posted by gwenith

I will then put this to you - imagine a career structure that was deliberately flattened to allow for progress within nursing while retaining nurses at the bedside - now imagine that those on the highest rank of bedside nurses can. in fact earn more than managment nurses.

Imagine it???

Don't believe it??

Welcome to Queensland's nursing career structure.

That sounds really interesting. I wish you would elaborate a bit on that.

Originally posted by nekhismom

wow, ADNRN, you actually said something that wasn't ENTIRELY offensive to everyone!

Yes, the bedside nurse is very important. But you are WRONG about one thing: it's not ALL ABOUT the bedside nurse. IT'S ABOUT THE PATIENT!! And there is a need for all types of nurses, not just bedside nursing. Some people need to branch out, gain experience or just LEARN more.

Some people need to read an original post more carefully. All areas of nursing are important, but they are only important in the service they provide to the bedside nurse (the direct caregiver). If this is not so, show me.

Originally posted by ADNRN

It is ironic that the lowest status in nursing is also had by the bedside nurse

Are you sure about that?

Why would anyone ever want to be anything else?

Of course bedside nursing is the foundation of all nursing practice. There are, however, reasons to be involved in other aspects of nursing.

What about nurses who aren't physically capable of sustaining the energy/strength to manage the physical and mental stresses of understaffed 12 hour shifts of bedside nursing?

What about nurse lawyers or SANE advocates who go to court to send rapists to jail?

Or nurse practitioners who get better compliance than doctors because they know how to treat a patient with respect?

FYI I plan on being an ER bedside nurse for the entirety of my nursing career.