Nursing as a career?!

christianRN · Dec 31, 2002

Maybe you could shadow a nurse you know at work? Or volunteer or work at a hospital? I think the best way to see the pros and cons is to be in where the action is. I'm sure if you read this BB very much, you will learn about the pros and cons that are discussed here. As far as a specific area, I think that is very individualized, depending on your personality, past experience, etc. Best withes and I hope you learn what you want to know!! :)

On-z-go-nurse · Jan 1, 2003

I would recommend nursing to someone I knew personally if I thought they might actually like it. To many people go in for the wrong reasons and get burned out very quickly. Its long hrs, low pay, not much respect or support from Dr's or administration, work nights, WE, and holidays. But if that doesnt bother you and you never want to be out of a job then it may be the thing for you. I would not recommend it for my daughter. I would like for her to have a more normal worklife...one that enabled her to enjoy her free time without the physical hardships that nursing requires. I guess I just want more for her then I have been able to find in nursing. Good luck in whatever choice you make!

K O'Malley · Jan 1, 2003

You might want to look into some other health care fields that have better hours, more respect, better pay. Have you thought about being a physician's assistant, a physical therapist, occupational therapist, ultrasound technician? These all require college degrees and are interesting fields. I didn't recommend nursing to any of my daughters. They have been out of school a few short years and are already making more money than me. But if you want to be a nurse so much that the long hours, shift, weekend and holiday work don't bother you then maybe its for you. There are lots of areas to choose from, you will have to find your own niche. What one person loves another will not necessarily like.

MICU RN · Jan 4, 2003

Shadow some nurses and decide if you willng to accept some of the negatives, such as lack of respect, low pay, hard physical work. Being expected to do plenty of menial task such as nurses aid work ( cleaning plenty of poop), clek work, acting like a waiter it goes on and on. Nursing is stuck in a time warp with some of the things they still expect you to do although when you go to nursing school it will be very hard and you will think that you are training to become a college educated professional. However, once you get out and have days where you clean poop and vomit all day or do some of the housekeeping you will realize what the hospital really thinks of nurses. In some small hospitals if you have a BSN you will have as much education as the CEO but will be expected to do work that they feel is below them.

The positives are job security, a sense of doing something that really matters. The pay is about what skilled labor makes (twenty something a hour). But on the low end compared to other college educated professions. If you compare it to a blue collar trade it is not that bad, you get benefits and job security. And maybe that is the direction bedside nursing is going, I have read that community college nursing programs (ADN) are up with enrollment,however the unversity level programs are seeing a decline (BSN). And in general the new grads I see coming out of two year programs seem to be more content with the job, compared to the new BSN students. Most of which are already either going back to school or getting out of nursing all together. I think it hard for young people who go to college for four years and work their butt off in a BSN program to then find themselves cleaning poop and other menial task and not want something better.

Cin of Sin · Jan 4, 2003

Tough one to answer honestly!!! Lets think 12 hr shifts, weekends and holidays. I have loved my 15 yrs but mostly because 12 were in the AF!!! It was all about education and more then just floor nursing. I am trying having a hard time when my kids ask "Can I be a nurse" and they are 2 & 3 yrs of age... I say yes but how fun it would be to be a physical therapist or pharm