Why should I be a nurse if it's so awful?

[dudette10, MSN, RN]

I've been reading allnurses.com for about six months. Started posting today. I've read over and over and over about nurses in tears--not due to patients, but due to other nurses. This is disheartening, and as one who is starting school full of the enthusiasm and idealism that is the norm for student nurses, I'm truly beginning to question whether or not I will have wasted a LOT of money and my time, only to find the work environment so horrible.

A sincere question: if this profession has a work environment that is extremely hostile more often than not, why should I become a nurse then? If patients are hardly ever the "problem," then they aren't the solution, i.e. "You're helping people!"

[applern]

Then don't!

[wlb06]

I wouldn't let that stuff decide what you do. Haters gonna hate and you can't let them hold you down. If you check out nursing and like it, just do it and deal with people and situations like that as it arises.

[dudette10, MSN, RN]

I interpret your answer to mean, "Yes, the work environment is quite horrible, and no one should become a nurse if you really don't like hostile work environments?" Is my interpretation correct?

ETA: This is in reply to applern.

[RscodADN10]

Nursing is like every other field. There are good job environments and bad ones. Push forward and get your experience in. There are tons and tons of jobs out there. That is the best part of being a nurse. You can find your own fit. Make your own conclusions don't let others influence you.

[dudette10, MSN, RN]

I wouldn't let that stuff decide what you do. Haters gonna hate and you can't let them hold you down. If you check out nursing and like it, just do it and deal with people and situations like that as it arises.

I like your answer. Every work environment has it's "haters," and I've dealt with them in my previous chosen profession. It just seems to me that, from reading so many posts, that nursing has an especially high incidence of really awful people, which I consider ironic. It's my impression from reading here...it may not be a fact.

[dudette10, MSN, RN]

Nursing is like every other field. There are good job environments and bad ones. Push forward and get your experience in. There are tons and tons of jobs out there. That is the best part of being a nurse. You can find your own fit. Make your own conclusions don't let others influence you.

Thank you. If it really is no different from other work environments, I think it will be ok. Maybe I'm reading the wrong threads.

[redbull68w]

dudette10,

Don't let the negative things on this site deter you from going to school. Bad news and gossip is always more interesting to read than good, and most people use sites like this to vent anonymously (sp?). Nursing is a stressful job and most people do not know how to handle stress properly.

If you want to be a nurse, then do it. Take most of the complaining on this site with a grain of salt.

[dudette10, MSN, RN]

dudette10,

Don't let the negative things on this site deter you from going to school. Bad news and gossip is always more interesting to read than good, and most people use sites like this to vent anonymously (sp?). Nursing is a stressful job and most people do not know how to handle stress properly.

If you want to be a nurse, then do it. Take most of the complaining on this site with a grain of salt.

I do want to be a nurse...a good one...desperately! I appreciate your advice.

[alem-tsahai]

In the six months that you've been reading this board you have had to come across at least one thread poster that has asked the EXACT same question you're asking. If not, do a search.

Once again-

nurses use this board to vent- we don't chronicle every day of our workweek. This means that maybe once or twice in a given month something will happen at work (good, bad or maybe just confusing) where we post to get some feedback. Or sometimes we post just to "get it off our chests". You know, venting...

Do your research. Volunteer at a hospital and shadow a nurse. And remember, you don't HAVE to be a nurse. If it's not for you then no big deal, find something else. Just don't use this website as the reason for opting out of nursing though, because folks will look at you crazy.

Good luck

[Ruthiegal]

Ever heard, "mines bigger than yours" when men are that way? Well it's similar with a room or facility full of women.... "Mine's better than yours" or "my way is better than your way"....The nursing profession is predominately women so it happens, what you have to do is learn early how not to let the negativity suck you in, so that you don't become part of it.

Just my 2 cents worth!

[dudette10, MSN, RN]

In the six months that you've been reading this board you have had to come across at least one thread poster that has asked the EXACT same question you're asking. If not, do a search.

Once again-

nurses use this board to vent- we don't chronicle every day of our workweek. This means that maybe once or twice in a given month something will happen at work (good, bad or maybe just confusing) where we post to get some feedback. Or sometimes we post just to "get it off our chests". You know, venting...

Do your research. Volunteer at a hospital and shadow a nurse. And remember, you don't HAVE to be a nurse. If it's not for you then no big deal, find something else. Just don't use this website as the reason for opting out of nursing though, because folks will look at you crazy.

Good luck

Yes, I did do a search. Most posts were extremely negative.

Hrm...I sought this website of all nurses because I thought it would be the most reasonable site to increase one's knowledge of the day-in/day-out of the profession...work environment or otherwise. Silly me. However, from other helpful posts in this thread, I'm beginning to understand this there is some venting going on, which is completely reasonable. Thank you for the confirmation.