Hi everybody. This is my first day on this site and I've read a lot of interesting threads. I'm sad to say that I am SO discouraged right now! I've worked in a healthcare setting for 11 years and I know a lot of nurses. I know that nursing is a grueling job and that there are a lot of negative things about it, especially with the healthcare industry being affected so negatively by the economy. I've always wanted to be a nurse. Two children, one divorce and one remarriage later...I've been accepted into an ADN program, due to start this Fall. It took me over TEN years to get all of my prerequisite and supportive classes done and I'm finally in with a 3.6 GPA. I'm old enough to not have that wide-eyed, naive outlook on nursing, but would LOVE to hear some of the positive aspects of nursing from some of the RN's on this side. I implore you to share some of the "up" sides of your jobs...please!