Discouraged

cbb1008 · Apr 9, 2002

Daisy16

There is a lot of great responses posted here. I just wanted to add my two cents as well :) I, like you, had always wanted to be a nurse. I lived through nurses by listening to the stories of the few that I knew personally. It is a career where there is A LOT of hard work involved.

Nursing School is hard, YES INDEED. You have to look at it this way....you are dealing with the lives of people and life is precious. As a nurse you will have the ability to help in a way that few can. Yes, there are down sides to the career...but show me which job doesn't.

Some look at nights/weekend work as dreadful...I loved night/weekend work. It provided me the shift needed...I didn't have to place my five children under the care of someone else. (I understand that there are a lot of families that must take advantage of the day care system). There is also the added bonus that it pays more if your employer has the Baylor program.

I love being a nurse and would NOT change it for anything in the world. Good Luck and keep us posted.....if you ever need words of encouragement, I along with a lot of others would be more than happy to give them.

Cindy in Okinawa, Japan

Tookie · Apr 9, 2002

Daisy16

I agree with the above posts - However what interests me is that you have already have had a number of posts in this BB - and you have been registered since Oct last year -that indicates to me great interest and a committment to learn what you can - Put this placement down to just another experience and see if you can get another placement /work experience - the next group might all say 'Yes it is hard work and l wouldnt do anything else'

It a world wide great job - one you can travel anywhere with once you have qualified and if you want to

Good luck and look to the otger persons backyard - it might be greener and they might be happier

regards Tookie

rebel charm · Apr 9, 2002

I think being a CNA is a great way to get a look into whether or not nursing would be a good choice for you. That is where alot of nurses I work with started. School IS hard, but if it's the career for you, it'll be worth every stressful minute of it. I entered nursing at age 40. I get alot of satisfaction out of making what can be an awful time in someone's life a little easier. But I too wish that we had better staffing, shorter hours, no mandatory overtime, more unity in our profession, etc.. but these are things we can work to change.

I don't know if I'd do it all again or not. The satisfaction/stress ratio can get a bit unbalanced at times. But doesn't that happen in every job?

There are so many different fields of nursing out there and maybe those unhappy NICU nurses just need to try a different area. Sometimes it takes a bit of time to find your "niche". But only you can decide if it's for you. Good luck with whatever you decide.

mattsmom81 · Apr 9, 2002

It is so hard when young person asks me if I would do it again.

I think, well, we need nurses but......can I honestly tell him/her I would do it again? Knowing what I know now makes it very difficult for me to say yes...

If your heart tells you that helping others brings you joy, you will feel rewards from this profession. If you tend to 'give' of yourself unselfishly you may find yourself swallowed up, emptied, and maybe injured physically and emotionally if you aren't careful.

I don't think I'm being too melodramatic here.

I wish I had heard something in nursing school about setting healthy boundaries and how to protect and care for myself....I was taught to 'give my all' and that's how so many of us burn out spiritually and physically over the years. The NICU nurses were venting to you out of their years of frustration, and sound burned out to me.

So my advice....if you love to care for others and can care for YOURSELF too in the deal, it can be a great career! Keep asking questions and searching...you'll find out if its right for you!

There are other rewarding 'giving' careers which are (at least physically) less dangerous to a 'giver'...social work, the ministry, occupational and speech therapy, teaching.....keep an open mind!

Good luck to you in your quest! :)

yhemingway · Apr 9, 2002

We all have good days and bad days no matter what we do.....If your heart is in it from day one...you will enjoy being a nurse.....each day is very different and that cannot be bad at all

....I say go for it!!!

From Kent UK

Level2Trauma · Apr 9, 2002

What bugs me is the fact that the posters here are slamming the RN's who, in my opinion, gave this individual an honest apprasial of the profession. We could sugar-coat it and leave out the truths about the working conditions and benefits.........but to whose benefit!!! I think the nurses gave an honest, accurate answer. This is not the most lucrative field to pursue. Too many times we, as nurses, are left with patients' lives in our hands with no staff to perform the needed task. Should we hide this misconception from those considering nursing as a career.... I think not. Usually out mediocre pay raise is not enough to cover the rise of the cost of living for that year. Should we hide this fact......I think not!!! There are numerous negatives about the profession and unless we recognize this and quit sugar-coating it, they will always be there. A house doesn't get cleaned by sweeping the dirt under the rug.....Nor will our profession. Just my .02 cents.

mattsmom81 · Apr 9, 2002

"A house doesn't get cleaned by sweeping dirt under the rug."

Hmm...I like that! Good analogy, Level2trauma!

(looking under my household rugs with a guilty conscience..hehe)

James Huffman · Apr 9, 2002

Does nursing have problems? Of course.

But the bigger picture is that nursing offers incredible opportunities for growth, flexibility, and monetary rewards.

What I like about nursing is the vast array of arenas in which to practice (places, times, schedules, and employment arrangements), giving the individual nurse nearly unlimited choices in where, when, and how to practice the field (not to mention having a professional area that is virtually recession-proof -- something not to be sneezed at in 2002).

Nurses also have the chance to participate in the significant times in human lives: birth, illness, trauma, and death. I would not minimize the work that anyone does, but most people don't have the chance to do that.

I have been self-employed full-time in nursing for almost 20 years. Nursing has been good to me and my family and I have been privileged to serve some wonderful people over the years.

Should you become a nurse, Daisy? Only you can answer that. But don't let nurses who might be just having a bad day discourage you. I wish you the best.

Jim Huffman, RN

http://www.networkfornurses.com

Level2Trauma · Apr 9, 2002

"I have been self-employed full-time in nursing for almost 20 years"

Hmmm......How would you know so much about the situation of nurses who work for employers.....when you say you have been self-employed x 20 yrs.

duckie · Apr 9, 2002

Before you make your final decision, I agree with many others that have posted, become a CNA. Test the waters. Yes, we are often over worked, absolutley underpaid, BUT I cannot imagine doing anything else. I work with the elderly and I love them so much, it makes up for the "down side". Only you can be the judge of what you want, how hard you are willing to work and what you want from you profession. I'm probably gonna get blasted by many other LPN's here, but if you have the resources financially, I would highly suggest you go for RN. There are many advantages you can get from that . I personally don't want to further my degree because I have no plans to leave my current workplace and I make as much as some of the RN's but that is not the usual case so if you do choose to become a nurse, I would suggest becoming an RN. I wish you much luck in your decision.