Nurses Who Don't Want to be Nurses

klone, MSN, RN · Oct 3, 2014

Yep, and I really don't care what a person's motivations are for becoming a nurse. I don't think there is anything wrong about choosing a career based on income potential. As long as they are caring and competent, it's all the same to me.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Oct 4, 2014

I never had any childhood dreams of becoming a nurse.

Another nurse's personal motivations for entering the nursing profession are absolutely none of my concern. As long as the nurse performs the duties of the job competently and treats patients with respect, I think (s)he deserves to be paid a "nice paycheck" for all services rendered.

Just imagine if our bosses convened a Monday morning meeting to suddenly announce, "We can no longer pay nurses because we are insolvent." Do you think any nurses are going to continue to stick around? Compassion isn't going to pay the mortgage, concern for humankind isn't going to keep the car's gas tank full, and a helping hand isn't going to keep food on the table.

In summary, money is important. We all work for money to some degree. Physicians, physical therapists, pharmacists and others who work in healthcare expect a "nice paycheck," yet I seldom see anyone questioning their motivations for entering their respective professions.

mrsboots87 · Oct 4, 2014

I don't really care why someone chooses nursing. I don't think it's really anyone's bussiness why someone wants to become a nurse. Except if it's for malicious reasons. But someone having a "calling" to be a nurse is no more deserving of the RN title them someone who just wants a nice paycheck or didn't know what else to do with their life. Most people pick a profession with money as a least a part of that choice. I really love that once licensed I will have the ability to help people in various aspects of care, but I sure not going to do it for free. I expect to get paid for my job and because of the job description, I expect a decent check for it. I don't plan to be rich by any means but I expect a decent livable wage. If some of my classmates are in this for the money that's not by bussiness as long as they are respectful and caring of their patients and peers. Why would they deserve being confronted by someone feeling holier than though about the rationale of their choice of profession?

VANurse2010 · Oct 4, 2014

That probably describes at least half of all nurses. Get over it. Not everyone has some bizarre quasi-religious masochistic calling for this stuff.

mindofmidwifery, ADN · Oct 4, 2014

It's not a big deal if someone chooses to be a nurse for the pay, but for that to be the ONLY reason, I honestly don't get it. I feel like if you don't have a true purpose to being a nurse, you're going to be burned out so fast because from what I've read, it's not an easy job. I've also seen posts about people hating their job and maybe people go into nursing with passion and are excited for the job and end up hating it, but it seems as if you're more likely to end up hating it if you didn't have a true drive to be a nurse in the first place. Also, those who go into nursing just because are taking up spots for those who actually, truly do want to go into the profession and most likely aren't giving patients as much care as another nurse. I'm not judging, but it's a lot to think about and I wanted to know others' opinions.

perfexion, ASN, RN · Oct 4, 2014

It only bothers me when they act like every patient annoys them. To me, if you don't love being a nurse you're just going to burn out sooner. It must suck to hate your job and just come in every day waiting for payday but that's a personal choice. I've been in that position where I'm working for a paycheck at my last job before nursing and I vowed never again!

Despareux · Oct 4, 2014

As long as they do their job and do no harm, I could not care less why someone becomes a nurse.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Oct 4, 2014

To me, if you don't love being a nurse you're just going to burn out sooner. It must suck to hate your job and just come in every day waiting for payday but that's a personal choice.

Loving or hating one's job seems to follow a normal distribution. I'd estimate that about 20 percent of people truly love what they do, another 20 percent of workers really hate their jobs and the remaining 60 percent fall somewhere in the middle, meaning that they don't necessarily dislike their current employment but would happily do something else.

Due to personality issues I've never loved any job I've ever had, nursing or non-nursing. I'm a deeply imaginative type of person who enjoys unstructured free time. Since employment cuts into my unstructured free time, I'll never like working. Ever. My ideal lifestyle would entail two six-month paid vacations per year, but that remains a fantasy.

People are now probably wondering why I continue to report to work day after day. I do it as a means to an end. I do it because I enjoy the comfort of living in a neighborhood where I'm unlikely to be raped if I decided to take a stroll at 3:00am. I do it because unemployment isn't going to keep a roof over my head or food in my fridge.

By the way, I've observed that it's the idealistic nurses who burn out the fastest. I'm referring to the ones who went into nursing for all the 'right reasons' and must now contend with the brutal reality that they're just another replaceable cog in healthcare's money-generating machinery complex. Those of us who compartmentalize effectively are better able to resist burnout.

newohiorn, BSN, RN, EMT-P · Oct 4, 2014

Also, those who go into nursing just because are taking up spots for those who actually, truly do want to go into the profession and most likely aren't giving patients as much care as another nurse. I'm not judging, but it's a lot to think about and I wanted to know others' opinions.

It certainly sounds like you are judging. Exactly what would you "confront" such a nurse about? How is it your business to know why someone chose to be a nurse? Do you ask your doctor the same question, your attorney, your grocer, your mailman/woman, your hairdresser, your garbage man?

If you feel a calling to a particular profession and have the means to attain it, consider yourself lucky. Many people do not feel a calling to any particular profession, but we all deserve the right to make a living in whatever field we are capable. I do not feel a calling to be a nurse. I became a nurse because my previous job was outsourced out of the country with less than a week's notice. I vowed that I would never be in that position again so I chose a field in which I had some background, could make a comparable living, and likely would never be outsourced again. I provide the same excellent care that most nurses do--those who have been called to the profession and those who have not. It is very unfair and judgmental to assume I would not provide as much care as another nurse. I am still a professional and believe in always doing the best job I can, whether or not I was called to this profession with passion and excitement does not matter. What does matter is my work ethic and my competence.

I also do not consider my pay to be a "nice check," rather I consider it to be (almost) adequate compensation for the hard work and heavy responsibility I carry as a nurse.

As for taking up a spot for those who truly want to go into the profession--it's a free country--those folks are free to compete with me for that spot. If I'm the best candidate for the position, I am not going to pass up my spot because someone else has passion for the field. I deserve the right to earn a living too. If someone is that passionate about it I'm sure they'll find a way to get into a program even if it means they have to up their game to compete with the non-calling people.

Just because someone has a passion for nursing doesn't make them the best nurse. Plenty of non-calling nurses are smart as can be and work like dogs to get the job done, and I've seen some of the calling/passion nurses barely get through the nursing program and then struggle once they get out to find or keep a job. Passion/calling doesn't necessarily equal good nurse.

klone, MSN, RN · Oct 4, 2014

No one has an obligation to remove themselves from the pool of candidates because someone else "wants it more." That's a ridiculous idea.

Like I said, as long as they're competent and respectful to their patients, I don't give a flying spaghetti monster why anyone else chooses nursing.

By the way, I've observed that it's the idealistic nurses who burn out the fastest.

Absolutely.

Passion/calling doesn't necessarily equal good nurse.

And absolutely.

SubSippi · Oct 4, 2014

It's not a big deal if someone chooses to be a nurse for the pay, but for that to be the ONLY reason, I honestly don't get it. I feel like if you don't have a true purpose to being a nurse, you're going to be burned out so fast because from what I've read, it's not an easy job. I've also seen posts about people hating their job and maybe people go into nursing with passion and are excited for the job and end up hating it, but it seems as if you're more likely to end up hating it if you didn't have a true drive to be a nurse in the first place. Also, those who go into nursing just because are taking up spots for those who actually, truly do want to go into the profession and most likely aren't giving patients as much care as another nurse. I'm not judging, but it's a lot to think about and I wanted to know others' opinions.

Good nurses are smart, efficient, and proactive. It doesn't matter either way if you feel like your purpose in life is to be a nurse, because if you're not a nurse then you have no idea what it actually means. Burnout is a result of being overworked in a poor work environment, not showing up for work in a nice facility that's adequately staffed, never being forced to work overtime, but you just get burnt out because you were only in it for the paycheck.

Also, I think that some of the best, most dependable nurses are those who are all about the paycheck. You can count on them not to call in sick, flake out, and not do their job...because they need that money!