any POSITIVE comments????

RN4ev'r · Apr 23, 2003

:)

Absolutely recommend it! I have been nursing for 27 years, fulltime. Although I have spent it doing direct patient care, nursing provides opportunities for you to move in many directions. I found that by being involved in other aspects. like nursing council, chart auditing, program development, preceptoring, etc... offsets some of the more difficult times of direct patient care, yet you still feel you are making positive contributions. If you treat nursing as just a job, I don't think you get as much from it. You may have a lot of negativity, but one honest, warm, thank you from a happy patient makes up for the others. Good luck in your future and enjoy!

llg, PhD, RN · Apr 23, 2003

Most of the reasons I went into nursing 30 years ago is just as true today as they were then. Of course, the idea of having a meaningful profession that actually helped people was high on my list of priorities. I couldn't imagine having to "sell widgets" for a living for my entire life! At least with nursing, when you have a bad day, at least you know that you are helping people.

Also big for me has been the flexibility that a nursing education career can provide -- again, not available in many professions. Nurses can work part time or full time. We can work in education (teaching patients or staff) ... or administration ... or direct patient care in a hospital ... or outpatient ... or do research ... with children ... or with adults ... or with the elderly ... we can work in occupational health ... or a correctional institution ... or a school ... or a university ... or a hospital .... or a clinic .... etc. etc. etc.

I think some of the people who are burned out and bitter have simply not found their niche. They wouldn't have to leave nursing if they would give some of the other roles and some of the other nursing career possibilities a try. Bedside, inpatient nursing is not for everybody -- but when some people realize that, they then jump to the conclusion that "nursing" is not for them. Maybe it's just that they were in the wrong kind of nursing for them. One of the greatest things about getting a nursing education is that it offers so many (and so varied) opportunities.

llg

studentdeb · Apr 23, 2003

Originally posted by SmilingBluEyes
I am a 2nd career nurse and I LOVE WHAT I DO..I do it on MY terms, work when I can/want to and make fairly decent money doing so. It really does work for me and I was born to it, I believe!

Deb, I love reading posts like this. I too will be a 2nd career nurse and sometimes have my doubts about leaving my current position. I am due to begin clinicals in the fall and hopefully I will feel the same way you do.

Thanks for the encouragement!!

just tired · Apr 27, 2003

GO FOR IT!!!!!!!!! Nursing is great!!!!!!!! It's one of the hardest,underpaid careers that you can choose but the rewards are priceless.

just tired · Apr 27, 2003

GO FOR IT!!!!!!!!! Nursing is great!!!!!!!! It's one of the hardest,underpaid careers that you can choose but the rewards are priceless.

love4neos · Apr 27, 2003

Nursing is my passion. I love my job and look forward to going. My husbnd is military and we are on a temporary move. I wasn't going to work since we will only be here temporarily. 2 weeks into it, I realized how much I love nursing, I was so unhappy. A part of me is missing when I'm not nursing. Needless to say, I got a job!

love4neos · Apr 27, 2003

Nursing is my passion. I love my job and look forward to going. My husbnd is military and we are on a temporary move. I wasn't going to work since we will only be here temporarily. 2 weeks into it, I realized how much I love nursing, I was so unhappy. A part of me is missing when I'm not nursing. Needless to say, I got a job!

JULZ · May 8, 2003

I AM GLAD I FOUND THIS POST BECAUSE I WAS BEGINING TO THINK ALL YOU NURSES HATED YOUR JOBS!! I WILL BE STARTING SCHOOL IN THE FALL AND I'VE BEEN READING ON THIS SITE FOR A FEW DAYS NOW (QUITE ADDICTING) AND WAS BEGINING TO WONDER IF THIS WAS GOING TO BE A GOOD MOVE FOR ME. I THINK I WILL LOVE IT! YEAH HARD WORK, LONG HOURS, AND PUTTING UP WITH PEOPLES CRAP--IT'S ALL ME!! RIGHT NOW I'M A SAHM, RAISING 3 KIDS AND BABYSITTING FOR EXTRA MONEY! PUTTING UP WITH PEOPLES CRAP IS WHAT I DO BEST!!!! PUTTING UP WITH HUSBAND CRAP, NOW THATS ANOTHER THREAD!

NICE TO KNOW THERE ARE AT LEAST SOME THAT ENJOY THEIR JOBS!

JULZ

healingtouchRN · May 8, 2003

Sweeite, babysitting is great training for nursing. You're dealing with family members wh care deeply for something so precious to them, crying babies (what ever age) that need something at different intervals, & are over worked & underpaid for what they do. But I still wouldn't do anything else, as I believe it's a calling to serve in our profession!:kiss

luvbug · May 20, 2003

I had said in one of my earlier posts that a nursing career can be very rewarding. I think people need to get into it for the right reasons, because there are as many trials and challenges as there are rewards. it is wonderful to be there to help people and to make them smile. Anywhere you go, in any type of job, you will always have those people who cannot be satisfied or happy. You have to learn how to take the good with the bad. I was glad to read that the money doesn't discourage you. I work in a clinic, so the pay rate here is a little less than it would be in a hospital or long-term care facility. Also, there are pools out there that pay extremely well. The drawbacks to that? I hear they don't take out taxes (you pay big money in to the government at tax time), and you work at so many different places, it would be hard to learn everything (I think, anyway :) )

Personally, I went into the Nursing profession only for the actual concept of nursing-to help people. The smiles from the babies, the thanks from a patient in the long-term care facility after you helped them bathe or get dressed, helping a frazzled patient with their insurance companies and getting bills reduced for them-these are a few of the things I like. I know, every nurse has their share of not-so-good memories, but if you dwell on those, you will not be happy. I work in a small town, too, so everywhere I go I get asked a medical question or have to take a note back to the doctor, But, things could be alot worse. If nursing is your true passion, go for it!! I LOVE my job!!

healingtouchRN · May 20, 2003

I luv to hear someone say "I love my job"! So rare in this day & time!

magRN · May 21, 2003

In one of my classes we were asked to do personal story...and in it I evaluated where I'd been, and who influenced me and how I became a RN.

I love being an RN, esp. a NICU RN! I've worked in the NICU for 25 years now and still enjoy my job. Sometimes I fear I won't be able to keep-up and do what I love...that's why I'm working toward the BSN and MSN.