Pros and Cons of nursing

If nursing gives panic attacks, a PA will give heart attacks. Those poor PAs have to be the single most overworked and underpaid provider.

PLEASE!!!!!!!!! IGNORE THIS ABOVE COMMENT. There are many out there who want to degrade nursing who have no true experience with it. Notice this above individual only has 3 posts, just 3. And also see that she is only a student. If you are asking for real life, professional advice, remember you are taking it from real life, professional nurses.

Why do so many nurses return to school for higher education? Because they enjoy their career and want to further their knowledge levels. I am also returning to school for my BSN, because after only 1 year of being a nurse, I want to learn more about my profession.

Pros: Independence, integrity, ingenuity, advancement opportunities, etc.

Cons: Long hours (but 4 days off if you work 3 days a week), not much else.

Please understand that if nurses truly hated and despised their job, they would have an incredible nursing shortage, and wouldn't have websites devoted to nursing, such as AllNurse.com! The nurses who complain about their jobs, are doing simply that, a job. They don't have the love and passion that comes from working in a Profession, and yes, all of us have said sometime that we dislike/hate something when it come to the job, but on the whole, most nurses you ask will tell you how much they love this Profession!

Pros: working 3 days a week (I LOVE my 12-hour shifts), making new friends, meeting new people, seeing people at their best, helping them when they are at their worst, hearing "thank you" (but it doesn't happen very often), stimulating environment, change- medicine is always evolving, making a decent (not rich) living, going home and knowing you made a difference with that "one special patient"

Cons: High nurse-patient ratios, high acuity levels, poor economy (hospitals cutting corners in staffing, etc), working 12 hours without a break and having to stay past your scheduled time to chart, abusive patients AND family members, administrative/management nonsense, and working nights, holidays, and weekends.

I

Know this: most nursing students hate nursing school. It's a whole different story come graduation day. I am SO glad that I didn't let this nursing board stop me from going to nursing school! I only say this, because I SEARCHED out the bad stuff. I WANTED to find a reason to quit and find something else. But I was missing all the wonderful and even heartbreaking stories of why everyone became nurses. I haven't met one person after a lifetime of nursing who regrets going into the profession. Always keep your patients in mind.....screw those who make work difficult. They are not the reason you'll become a nurse. The good days will outnumber the bad!

Register for A&P! We're all here to help you out. One day at a time!

McKnis, the is a nursing forum. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, even though it may not reflect yours. Telling someone (and everyone) to ignore another member's post (however you may disagree), goes against the spirit of this forum.



Regards,

Michael

Have you worked as a tech? I too had second thoughts as I was finishing my pre-reqs. So I worked as a care tech while completing them. I got a grasp of what the profession is like and it helped me decide, yes, I want to be a nurse. At graduation an instructor told the class that, "nursing is not a job, it is a ministry." I believe that to be true, and love my profession. It is not one for everyone, but anyone interested can certainly find their place. There are multiple areas of practice. I work med/surge, on a very fast paced and high acuity floor. You are constantly moving and have to use critical thinking a lot. I'm new, and learning everyday, and love it. Your possibilities are wide, bedside nursing, OR, emergency, clinic, too many to name, you can even work behind a desk. You have to think about the type of person you are. If it is what you want to do, that decision is only the beginning of a long journey. I never wanted to work in med surge, but ended up precepting on a med surge floor because I had been told, I would learn a lot in preparation for boards (I did, and surprisingly I really liked med surge). Anyway, do not rush yourself, and best of luck.

What is wrong with working your way through nursing school?????

Free?? Who do you think pays for it?

Sorry... just my

best to you,
Diane