negative comments/reality

Nurses Career Support

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Hello,

Just need some advice. Iam a 33yo male, currently taking pre-req's at a local community college for entry ,hopefully, into a adn or bsn program, depending on the grades. I am also in a caregiving field (funeral director) so I'm used to the grief bereavement and blood. I've been surfing this site for months now and see so much negativity towards the profession. I understand some of this reality, I can handle that, but my question is ,is it worth a career change? I love the medical sciences and I believe I need a new challenge. Or should I just try to become a tech (cardiovascular). I need some honest opinions.

Thanks

Shadowing some nurses is a great idea, at least do that before you change careers. Also ask your self what do you expect from nursing as a job, if you want plenty of autonomy and prestige, I certainlly would do something else. If you have the personality of someone who wants to be the quarterback and call the shots, definitely don't go into nursing. In addition, ( and I probably will take heat for saying this) what they don't tell you in nursing school is that to get to the really good jobs in healthcare i.e., plenty of autonomy, respect, good compensation, usually requires at leat a master's degree ( MD,PT,Phram D, NP, CRNA, and physician assistent) these jobs offer much more autonomy and respect than bedside nursing, but you have to pay the price with more education. As the old saying goes there are no short cuts, you can't go to a community college for two years and expect to receive the same treatment as professionals who went to college for least six years. I can't tell you how many nurses I know who think they are smarter than all the doctors they work with. Not that undergrad nursing is not hard, it is as you will find out if you go to nursing school. But I would not go through all of that to be a bedside nurse again, I just find the negatives outweigh the positives. My biggest negatives are: lack of autonomy, compensation and the attitiude that the nurses should have to do aid work, clerical work and act as waiters besides performing nursing duties. Good luck with your decision, nursing is a good profession for the right person and is a noble career, but it is not for everyone.

In response to TraumaRU's, mapleton, Ill. I have a very strong interest in Trauma or the OR, but I know they are very competitive to get into. I Definitely will look into a shadow or trying to get some exposure. Thanks for the advice!

I have been in nursing for almost 8 years. It is funny, things have changed so much in only 8 years. My only advice is you can't help everyone, and when they are ready for help, they will ask for it. I am a ER nurse and find that it is usually when people want to do things their way, but get the outcome that they want that it stresses me out the most. I think nursing is a great field, but I am sure it is not for everyone. Now, blood and grief don't normally bother nurses. It is usually the fact that you can work your entire shift playing "waitress, maidservant, etc" and then when the family complains about you, it is not usually the nursing skills they are talking about. It is most often that someone wanted tea and you served them coffee, or you got a drop of blood on the blanket when you were starting the IV, or something like that. It is rarely that they doubt your ability as a nurse. THAT IS VERY FRUSTRATING!!! But it is all worth it when you can save lives and change lives occassionally. Just always be able to bite your tongue, smile and remember the few times that you were glad to be there for the patient or family.

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