Is nursing what you thought it would be?

Jenni811, RN · May 19, 2012

I will say nursing has changed my personality in so many ways. Some good, some not so good. it is not all rainbows and butterflys like i thought it would be. Nursing is soooo different than what i expected. Even in nursing school i didn't see the real side of it.

MN-Nurse, ASN, RN · May 19, 2012

When you became an RN, were your expectations met?

Pretty much. I worked in LTC, Home Health, and a Med Surg floor as an aide while going to school so it's pretty much what I expected.

Morainey, BSN, RN · May 19, 2012

Mostly, yes. I worked as an aide through school, so I sort of knew what to expect. Some parts are terrifying, like feeling clueless in an emergency. Most of it is very mundane and repetitive, at least where I work. I thought there would be lots of hand-holding and bonding with my patients, but truthfully, while I get along well with the vast majority of my patients, they have started to all look the same to me. And I've been a nurse less than a year...

allnurses Guide · May 19, 2012

It is and it isn't. I had realistic expectations for the nitty gritty of nursing. I worked as an extern so was familiar with the hospital environment, the family issues, the nursing issues, the doctors, the insane amount of charting. What I was not prepared for was the sense of being completely overwhelmed. I expected more problems from other nurses but thus far that has not materialized. I was asked the other day how I am liking my new career and was surprised at the depth of my hesitation to gush about loving it. I don't love it. There are parts of it that I absolutely hate. But I still would not want to be doing anything else. It is a career that I cannot paint with a rose-colored hue is all. Nursing is hard and nothing in school prepared me for how hard.

canesdukegirl, BSN, RN · May 19, 2012

It's kinda like when you visit another place in the country that you hadn't been to before. You get a glimpse and taste of the culture, but you don't know what it's like to actually LIVE there. Nursing school is the visit, working as a nurse is living there.

OnlybyHisgraceRN, ASN, RN · May 19, 2012

I had my head in the sand before working in nursing. I thought nurses were bright, bubbly, warm and fuzzy people who loved their patients as well as eachother. I was disappointed with the dynamics and polictics of nursing, I didn't expect this at all. I also didn't expect to leave work crying or to have anxiety worrying if I made a mistake.

On the other hand, I didn't expect the satisfication I have when helping someone breathe easier or holding patients' hand when they took their last breath.

allnurses Guide · May 19, 2012

I have to admit I always shake my head and laugh a little when people are shocked that nurses are people just like everyone else, who get along and don't, who help one another and don't, who fuss at one another and don't, who backstab and don't. The nursing populaiton is the same as any population - full of humanity and politics, pitfalls and inspirations. Any career made up of real people is going to have all the foibles you get when you get real people working together. I honestly have yet to see nursing any different than any other job I have had in terms of the politics and conflict. It is only the expectation of some kind of angelicness that makes it stand out so much worse.

Altra, BSN, RN · May 19, 2012

I have to admit I always shake my head and laugh a little when people are shocked that nurses are people just like everyone else, who get along and don't, who help one another and don't, who fuss at one another and don't, who backstab and don't. The nursing populaiton is the same as any population - full of humanity and politics, pitfalls and inspirations. Any career made up of real people is going to have all the foibles you get when you get real people working together. I honestly have yet to see nursing any different than any other job I have had in terms of the politics and conflict. It is only the expectation of some kind of angelicness that makes it stand out so much worse.

I agree, not.done.yet. It seems that many are heavily emotionally invested in a concept of what a nurse is *supposed* to be, rather than the reality of the people who are nurses.

OnlybyHisgraceRN, ASN, RN · May 19, 2012

I have to admit I always shake my head and laugh a little when people are shocked that nurses are people just like everyone else, who get along and don't, who help one another and don't, who fuss at one another and don't, who backstab and don't. The nursing populaiton is the same as any population - full of humanity and politics, pitfalls and inspirations. Any career made up of real people is going to have all the foibles you get when you get real people working together. I honestly have yet to see nursing any different than any other job I have had in terms of the politics and conflict. It is only the expectation of some kind of angelicness that makes it stand out so much worse.

I totally agree with you. However, in my work experience nursing takes the cake for the most toxic work environment. I suppose its the stress of the work environment.

Lynx25, LPN · May 19, 2012

I am annoyed with the "customer service" bit. I am not a fluffy bubble angel who sprays glittery joy out of their nether regions. It irks me that I am expected to be something I am not. I expected nursing to be 50% medical 45% paperwork, and 5% fluff, but it appears that is not the case here.

Zookeeper3 · May 19, 2012

I despise and was unaware of how nursing would evolve to a press gainey, patient satisfaction or financial penalty environment.

I am even more in awe, every day, how strangers place trust in me to do right by them, advocate for them and allow me into their lives at their most trying times. This last thought is why I haven't become hardened and just go through the motions.

I am in an inner city poor catholic hospital with every non compliant, uneducated and frequent flyer patient population I have ever practiced in. I have surprised myself from not being steriotypical, I am respectful, introspective and caring to this unique inner city culture. In turn, my patients are less sterotypical of a "southern" white blonde, and I am re-learning about what nursing is about.

So, no! Even after 17 years, I am continuously learning how to nurse and meet my patient needs. Right now, it's pretty cool again, and I am liking it!