No I wouldn't recommend nursing

Nurses Career Support

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It surprises me how many students are going into nursing. I had my BSN since 1992 and have worked in the hospitals since then. Nursing is back-breaking labor with the reoccurring role of cleaning poop. There is no way my back can last another 20 years until retirement. Pick something else to go into.

Manuel

RNMania-

Listen to your own heart and thoughts despite what others may say. The more you hear what others say and try to align yourself with them, you will undoubtly lose who you are and who you were meant to be. You get lost in the midst of someone else's opinion. Your opinion of what you are doing is more important than what anyone else could tell you about nursing.

The people who thrive in nursing are those who are supposed to be there. Yes there are some that are disenchanted with their own ideals of nursing and perhaps they haven't gone deep enough within themselves to see that nursing is a professional vocation not just a "yeh that looks like something that might be good and it pays ok" Those that take the time to determine their own motives, desires, capabilities and knowledge about themselves undoubtly are the ones who make a difference to many around them.

I say if you are cannot stand nursing there are so many fields available that use other talents that you may see that you have. One thing about this world is that there is room for everyone to discover what they are good at.

Please don't come on this thread and give a negative view of nursing without giving a diplomatic view of both the negatives and positives. Not everything is negative about nursing or you would not have entered it in the first place. Every vocation has its drawbacks - it's how you deal with those and anything else that is difficult in your life that shows who you are.

If you don't like it - Get Out - but don't take any other innocent lives with you. Anything that is worthwhile is difficult. If difficult overwhelms you like caring for those who cannot care for themselves, then perhaps choosing a less taxing career is more up your alley. Nursing is not for the faint of heart, it is for those who consider meeting challenges as a way to improve themselves and those around them and ultimately change the world they live in. Facing illness and death repeatedly has a direct impact on how you might view yourself in the same situation. If you cannot place yourself in your patient's shoes, then you have no business being among the nurses who can. Not everyone can do that or really wants to. Nurses are a special breed of their own not to be confused with the ones who just couldn't hack it for whatever reason like cleaning up poop. I would certainly want a nurse like myself taking care of me who overlooks the not so pleasant situations that we all find ourselves in at one point or another and treats me like a dignified upright human being. Bless those Nurses who can see beyond themselves and make a good name for the profession they love.

HB

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Specializes in Critical Care, Pediatrics, Geriatrics.

It's nice to see some pro-nursing posts. It really encourages me as a student when I get down and feel overwhelmed. I know everyone needs their time to vent, but it is great to see that despite the bad times many of you can see through to the reasons you still love nursing.:)

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Specializes in Med/Surg <1; Epic Certified <1.

hbncns35:

bravo!! your words are true for any profession!

i hope to be able to live up to the standards and beliefs that you set forth!!

from those of us just beginning this journey -- thank you!

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for thoughs of you that discourage nursing ...what profession would you suggest that doesn't kick you in the ass here and there? really, i'm being serious? what career do you suggest that you can earn $20 an hour as a new grad ?

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hb: I couldn't have said it better myself. I applaud you.

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I am a mature nursing student. I have worked for 20 years in the same field and am ready for a change. Over the years, I have started and dropped my pre-requisites repeatedly and I am now finally on track. I have not chosen this field for money or glory. I have made my choice based on what my heart tells me.

I work full time then go to class. After a horrible day at my current job, just the thought of getting to class brightens my mood.

I look forward to the day when I can spend my day/night/holiday making someone's life a little more comfortable, rather than chasing the whims of those that cannot be satisfied.

I do not need a pt or dr to tell me I have performed well; I know when I do.

I have met nurses who have touched my heart and inspired me to pursue my goals. Perhaps someday, I will do that for someone else.

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I keep hearing about low pay, but is there really another career where you can get a 2 year degree and make the amount of money a nurse does? Even a four year degree? I have looked at so many, but nursing offered the highest pay. Am I wrong? Is there a degree that I haven't heard about that pays better than nursing (in 2-4 yrs)?

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Specializes in Emergency, Outpatient.

There certainly aren't many fields that you can go into making 20.00 an hour with a two year degree, like nursing. However, consider this.....I have a master's degree in nursing and 20 years experience I make 24.50 an hour. Not many fields except nursing where so much is expected with so little recognition or compensation.

BTW my degree is in nursing education however I can not afford to teach because of the pay CUT!

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Okay, here goes nothing. I know a bunch of you long term RN's are going to kill me for this but from where I come from (high tech industry/electronics) constructive confrontation is not only welcome but expected.

I hear lots of people saying they hate what they are doing but what are you doing to change it??? I am not a nurse or even a nursing student yet but that is my goal and it is really depressing reading all of these posts:o about how awful nursing is, the abuse, etc, so I feel like I have to say something!From an outsiders perspective, one of the things I LIKE about a nursing opportunity is the variety of opportunities to pursue. What do you like??? Children - then go for pediatrics! Teaching people - then be a clinical instructor at a community college or, if you have the degree, at a university. Tired of the hospital setting but still want patient contact - how about a doctor's office, clinic or school nurse. Want to use your experience but are sick of the sick???? How about the ole insurance route??? Not something I would want but hey, there is something for everyone. Most employers have some type of education reimbursement, so go for more training, so that you have even more opportunities! There is hospice, home health care and long term care facilities. It seems to me (again from an outsiders perspective) there are tons of things an RN can do, depending on their interests, needs, financial requirements and geography.

Hope I haven't offended too many folks - just a contrarian opinion! Let me have it!:angryfire

DC

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RNMania-

Listen to your own heart and thoughts despite what others may say. The more you hear what others say and try to align yourself with them, you will undoubtly lose who you are and who you were meant to be. You get lost in the midst of someone else's opinion. Your opinion of what you are doing is more important than what anyone else could tell you about nursing.

The people who thrive in nursing are those who are supposed to be there. Yes there are some that are disenchanted with their own ideals of nursing and perhaps they haven't gone deep enough within themselves to see that nursing is a professional vocation not just a "yeh that looks like something that might be good and it pays ok" Those that take the time to determine their own motives, desires, capabilities and knowledge about themselves undoubtly are the ones who make a difference to many around them.

I say if you are cannot stand nursing there are so many fields available that use other talents that you may see that you have. One thing about this world is that there is room for everyone to discover what they are good at.

Please don't come on this thread and give a negative view of nursing without giving a diplomatic view of both the negatives and positives. Not everything is negative about nursing or you would not have entered it in the first place. Every vocation has its drawbacks - it's how you deal with those and anything else that is difficult in your life that shows who you are.

If you don't like it - Get Out - but don't take any other innocent lives with you. Anything that is worthwhile is difficult. If difficult overwhelms you like caring for those who cannot care for themselves, then perhaps choosing a less taxing career is more up your alley. Nursing is not for the faint of heart, it is for those who consider meeting challenges as a way to improve themselves and those around them and ultimately change the world they live in. Facing illness and death repeatedly has a direct impact on how you might view yourself in the same situation. If you cannot place yourself in your patient's shoes, then you have no business being among the nurses who can. Not everyone can do that or really wants to. Nurses are a special breed of their own not to be confused with the ones who just couldn't hack it for whatever reason like cleaning up poop. I would certainly want a nurse like myself taking care of me who overlooks the not so pleasant situations that we all find ourselves in at one point or another and treats me like a dignified upright human being. Bless those Nurses who can see beyond themselves and make a good name for the profession they love.

HB

Bless you HB - and right on!!! I couldn't agree more and I am sure that most folks that have ever been in a hospital and/or needed nursing help, would recognize the difference between your ministrations and some of the others on this board. You are what you think and there is no way to hide some of the utter despair I see in writing here. Your patients will see and feel this too, no matter how hard you try.

DC

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Regarding respiratory therapy, I don't think it's any nastier than nursing. The difference is RT's deal with sputum, nurses deal with poop. I advocate for RT a little too much on this board considering that I'm a nursing major, but I did spent a semester in RT school, and I loved it. It's true that it is very specialized - I mean, it's RT - you will be doing respiratory work...but there are some additional opportunities. Once you've been in the field for awhile, you can do case management, you can teach, you can do polysomnography (most hospitals will train RT's for that), patient education, etc. And, although you'll still be working with respiratory issues, you can do ICU, NICU, sooo many things. Most RT's in my state start around the same as a new grad RN, with tuition reimbursement and sign on bonuses. It's not a bad career. If you're very concerned about upward mobility, you can get your BS in RT and go to grad school.

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After reading all these posts I can't help but agree with something my EMT friend Paul said, since he's planning to go into nursing himself. I mentioned all the negative stuff I've heard and showed him this thread, and his response was that the largest complaints about nursing usually come from people who don't want to work and don't give a damn about their patients, healing, or any aspect of medicine. And after reading most of these posts, I can agree with him. Sure, you need to protect your right to fair work conditions and not let your employer, patients, etc. trample over you or treat you poorly, but there's a difference between keeping people from trampling on you and trampling on the entire profession of what you do.

I don't know how it is outside California, but in California there's a patient ratio law...my friend said it was 5, I've read other people say it was 4, but either way it sounds like in California a nurse can't be in charge of more then 4-5 patients so the horrible understaffing conditions that have been mentioned here don't exist atleast in California. I would be very surprised if most states don't have the same thing. Regardless though, the more you discourage hopeful nursing students from becoming nurses, the more you're /contributing/ to crappy work conditions, understaffing where there's no law against it, and patients not getting the care and attention they need.

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