[Ruby Vee]

Originally Posted by Medic2RN

LOL - sorry suanna, but I had to laugh out loud at your remark in parenthesis!! I believe it's figurative poop being thrown at us on a normal basis, but when the poop becomes literal and thrown by the medical staff, then I'm definitely out of there!!!!

Years ago, I had a world famous surgeon chase me down the hall with a bedpan full of stool, attempting to throw it at me because I didn't know who he was. I didn't know who anyone was -- I was new!

[Ruby Vee]

Don't be a nurse because you think you'll have great hours -- unless you WANT to work nights, weekends and holidays. (I do -- Monday - Friday has never appealed to me!)

Don't be a nurse because, as my mother told me, "all nurses do all day is sit at the nurse's station and drink coffee." She STILL doesn't believe I run my fanny off all day most days!

Don't be a nurse because you anticipate dealing with the public will be so much FUN -- read some of the threads on "Dumbest reason to come to the ER," "Things My Patients have Taught me" and anything about open visitation in the ICU. In the past 30 years I've been verbally abused, hit, kicked, punched, spit upon, pooped on, threatened with knives, set upon by dogs and narrowly missed being decapitated with a machete. Two of my friends were shot -- one accidently -- the guy was aiming for his wife, and the other on purpose. I've taken a gun away from a family member.

Don't be a nurse because you want to marry a doctor. Surely there must be easier ways to marry a doctor!

Don't be a nurse to get rich. Although I do know a couple of nurse who are millionaires, one got it by marrying money and the other bought his first house at age 18, fixed it up and sold it, bought another, etc.

That said, I'm happy as a nurse. I have an interesting job, nice lifestyle and lots of time off during the week when everyone ELSE is working!

[mayana]

Someone asked what I do now. I am in teaching. Most nurses think right away - oh, good vacations, less stress...
Teaching is very stressful, oh yes, we get things thrown at us, attacked, weapons is nothing new, and if you don't like entertaining a crowd, it's nasty work. I dare anyone to try it out if you think it's a paradise of holidays.

[stkittprincess]

The worse reasons for going to nursing school:

You want to look cute in a white cap.........

You want to make the big bucks

You love working week-ends and short staffed

Free flu shots.................

Just kidding. Do it because you care about people and love working with medicine. It becomes a part of who you are. If you find out it is not a good fit, please give yourself permission to change your mind.

Respectfully
Kitt

[NurseNora]

A surprizingly large amount of nursing is teaching. You'll fit right in. I've never regretted becoming a nurse and I've been accepted for every job I've ever applied for. Being able to find employment wherever you go is a real plus.

[3rdcareerRN]

A common but bad reason to become a nurse: "I can always find a job as a nurse."

That is probably true, but it is also true for admin assistants, salespersons, retail workers, temp workers, construction laborers, substitute teachers, and many other positions. (Before and between my careers, I've done all these jobs.) Many such positions paid 75% of what I made as a new grad nurse, so they were easily "living wages". These positions are common in urban/suburban areas.

These positions do not require 2+ years of school plus 1-2 years of mandatory experience, do not require working with extremely ill persons, and often have clean, quiet working conditions.

One does not have to become a nurse to have a portable method of supporting oneself.

[flightnurse2b]

i used to work with a nurse who said she became a nurse because she had a gen-ed degree with all the nursing pre-reqs included and it just was "easy school" to make "quick money". as someone who waited years on the ADN waiting list, this didnt make me very happy.

i am in class with a girl right now whose only aspiration is to become a LNC, which is fine with me, but she hates people. at clinicals, she won't touch patients and even looks at them with this kinda disgusted look on her face. she says all the time "once i graduate, i will never touch another patient again. i hate dealing with sick people." alllllrighty then...

your personality sounds like you would be a good match for nursing. but you need to make sure your heart is in it... you need to truly have a love for the profession. i would recommend working as a CNA or PCT before diving in head first to get a feel of the nursing world and make the choice if it is what you really want to do... because like the pp's said, nursing is very rewarding, but can also be very mentally and physically draining.

good luck to you!!!

[Emmanuel Goldstein]

Originally Posted by Ruby Vee

Years ago, I had a world famous surgeon chase me down the hall with a bedpan full of stool, attempting to throw it at me because I didn't know who he was. I didn't know who anyone was -- I was new!

Years ago, I would have run too.

Now, I'd catch it and immediately fling it back into his face.

Wouldn't be the first time I got poo on me.

[santhony44]

Originally Posted by 3rdcareerRN

A common but bad reason to become a nurse: "I can always find a job as a nurse."

That was actually my original reason for going to nursing school.

25 years later, that's not what kept me in it.

[chibear55]

Good Money- Haha Thats Funny