Torn between Nursing and Medicine

OCNRN63, RN · Feb 6, 2011

Well, I feel if you have so many gripes with nursing, go to med school. Of course that is a heck of a lot easier said than done, but if you have so many issues with nursing, why bother with the profession that makes you so frustrated of miserable?
I stick by my belief that it does take some amount of intelligence and determination to be a nurse. Many of you are making it sound as if any common "fool" off of the street can walk in a NS and be a nurse, when that is not true.
Unlike many who are nurses now, I actually want to be a nurse and not a doctor. Regardless if they said we will put you through med school for free. I just don't want to be a physician, if I did I wouldn't have just moved to nursing because it was "the next best thing". I am not so stubborn and arrogant that I can't take orders on a daily basis, not saying that other nurses can't take orders. I don't have to be the boss, again not saying that all nurses want to be the boss. I am just saying I don't have to have all of the "so-called perks" of being a physician. I just want to take care of people. Not all nurses are "up to par" but I still love the profession. I don't mind getting hit, spit, kicked, and urinated on, because I've humbled myself to the point where I have gotten used to it. It comes with the territory. I have found out since working in a hospital as a CNA that nurses and NAs certainly have to deal with some crap, that they shouldn't have to. I know that docs have to deal with plenty of crap as well. But, no matter what profession I enter into I am going to have to deal with "crap" somewhere down the line, so far nursing hasn't scared me off yet, so I am going to "keep on truckin" til I get that RN behind my name.

No one deserves to put up with being hit, spat on, kicked or urinated on. It has nothing to do with humility. Being a nurse doesn't mean you've signed up to be abused. Promoting this mentality is dangerous to yourself and to your co-workers.

PatMac10,RN, RN · Feb 6, 2011

Sigh....you completely misunderstood my entire post, and quite possible the entire thread.. Good luck in your studies

No, CCL RN. Don't just leave me hanging like that. If you feel there is something I am not understanding, please point it out. I truly don't want a conflict. Honestly I don't see what else you were trying to point out. I am simply correcting some of the statements that you claimed I made about you and nurses in general. Explain to me what you want me to understand. And thanks. I hope I do well in my studies as well. I just don't want the op to think that the nursing profession is filled with mindless, unintelligent people, you do have to be some kind of "smart" to be a nurse. Whatever she, the OP that is, chooses is her decision and hers alone. If she chooses medicine in the end, woopdedoo, congrats! But, if she chooses nursing, the same thing is steal in order! A congrats! Because regardless of what many say and think, becoming a nurse can be worth while. That's all i'm trying to say.

PatMac10,RN, RN · Feb 6, 2011

No one deserves to put up with being hit, spat on, kicked or urinated on. It has nothing to do with humility. Being a nurse doesn't mean you've signed up to be abused. Promoting this mentality is dangerous to yourself and to your co-workers.

I agree that no one deserves such treatment. But, the reality is that we get it everyday (at least at my hospital we do), well I do as a CNA. I get cussed out, threatened, and mistreated everyday when I go to work by some patient who is agitated because they want to go home, their on IVC's, their confused or are oin the early stages of dementia. Maybe I should rephrase what I said, mistreatment is something that you most definitely WILL have to deal with in any profession involved with the public. I should say I am prepared to face that, not just take it. I expect such things to happen, not that I will just let them happen. I will and have called many code-greys on combative patients and visitors, because of their behavior, but I don't let the possibility of those things happening scare me away from wanting to be a nurse. That's why we have to learn about patient relations and why it takes a lot of patience to do the kind of work that CNAs, Doctors, Nurses, RTs, etc..... due. Even when your trying to help people there not always going to be happy about it and accept your help. Is that any better? Lolz!

netglow, ASN, RN · Feb 6, 2011

PAtMAc10,CNA :hug:

metal_m0nk, BSN, RN · Feb 6, 2011

I have to address your comment of "You say these students are unintellectual?" I never said they are unintellectual. I said they are not academically prepared. The academic deficits of the students who are attracted to nursing are significant and real and not easily remediated.

As an example:

In a recent discussion (in my nursing program) about the etiology of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, only 2 of about 50 students (myself and another Biologist in a past life included) understood and could explain why X-linked recessive alleles are most often expressed in males. A reminder of the chromosomal differences between males and females was insufficient. The majority of the class was still wrapping their minds around the concept of allele pairs and gene inheritance/expression. To say that students are ill-prepared academically is an understatement.

Some folks will argue that that depth of knowledge is not necessary to perform competent bedside nursing care. While that may be true, the assertion casts a certain light on the "nursing as a profession and not a trade" argument.

Whether or not it will be actively utilized in daily professional performance, it will always be my firm belief that when you perform in a clinical environment where you are responsible for peoples lives, it is important to actually understand the scientific principles that drive and inform your interventions.

SerenePeach · Feb 6, 2011

As an example:
In a recent discussion (in my nursing program) about the etiology of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, only 2 of about 50 students (myself and another Biologist in a past life included) understood and could explain why X-linked recessive alleles are most often expressed in males. A reminder of the chromosomal differences between males and females was insufficient. The majority of the class was still wrapping their minds around the concept of allele pairs and gene inheritance/expression. To say that students are ill-prepared academically is an understatement.

I just popped in to say...Really?? Wow. Makes me wonder about how the people in your class got into the school.

I would think that the majority of the people in my class (and any nursing school) would understand that concept. My program was really competitive to get into (you needed to get good grades and do well on the essay and interview).

ImThatGuy, BSN, RN · Feb 6, 2011

I just popped in to say...Really?? Wow. Makes me wonder about how the people in your class got into the school.
I would think that the majority of the people in my class (and any nursing school) would understand that concept. My program was really competitive to get into (you needed to get good grades and do well on the essay and interview).

Good grades = retention? I don't think so. There ought to be a uniform pretest (not Hesi crap) that gauges an applicant's knowledge of chemistry, physiology, and anatomy. There are several in my class who got A's (or claim to have had) in A&P that couldn't tell you what a scapula or basophil was much less know anything about alleles.

I'm just going to use this little platform to suggest that perhaps all nursing courses should wait until the last few weeks of the term before beginning clinicals after completing other course requirements. Students would get more, consistent exposure. Additionally, they'd go into clinicals with more didactic and laboratory exposure. Good idea! Let NLN chew on that.

metal_m0nk, BSN, RN · Feb 6, 2011

I just popped in to say...Really?? Wow. Makes me wonder about how the people in your class got into the school.
I would think that the majority of the people in my class (and any nursing school) would understand that concept. My program was really competitive to get into (you needed to get good grades and do well on the essay and interview).

As was described several pages back by a nursing educator, I would imagine that most programs balance their admissions criteria with their bottom line. Higher admissions standards pose the risk of admittance of fewer qualified students. Fewer students equates to fewer tuition dollars.

metal_m0nk, BSN, RN · Feb 6, 2011

There are several in my class who got A's (or claim to have had) in A&P that couldn't tell you what a scapula or basophil was much less know anything about alleles.

Yep, again.

There is a sort of "understanding" (as I found when I was refreshing my A&P) among the faculty on my campus that nursing students are to be handled with care. The curriculum was the same as I remembered, but the expectations for comprehension and retention were dismal.

RNbrent · Feb 7, 2011

Sheesh! So much controversy.
OP, do what feels right in your heart. You are young enough to reach any goal that you wish to achieve.
Can we go watch the Super Bowl now?

This is what should have been said from the start. Instead we have people arguing which field is a 'better' field. I didn't mean to offend anybody with my comments. My point I was trying to make is, people feel that M.Ds are a much better place to be in than R.Ns, when it comes down to it, it's where you want to be and not much else. These comments that keep saying "go for doctor" imply (to me anyways) that M.D. is a much better place to be, and to be honest it is to each its own. If you are in it for the money, then sure, go for an M.D. (although I know many nurses who make more than family doctors) but, one can never understand how rewarding the field of nursing is until you've actually been able to experience it first handedly.

DNS, sorry if it seemed like I was attacking you, because I truly see your point, I just felt it was too general.

CharmedJ7 · Feb 7, 2011

I read as much research as I can and discuss as many studies as I can with physicians. It's hard to argue with a physician over patient care if I can't even understand what rersearch they are talking about.
And as much as I love learning, I can't see myself going further in nursing. I've seen many nurses go through their online, fast paced NP program, and yet still not know how to be a bedside nurse. But they sure know their nursing theorists!
I just wish nursing had a REAL emphasis on science, research, etc. And we all know that it doesn't. We all know...

CCL RN, I'm wondering what you are currently and/or plan on doing if you are frustrated at the bedside and do not wish to go further in nursing? Incidentally, I agree with you, or, I face the same reservation about the NP route, that it wouldn't really provide a strong enough science background to provide a good base for advanced practice. But at the same time, it's certainly the easiest route to advanced practice, and provided you could learn on your own, the job description of an NP is nice/not that functionally different from a Dr.

That said, I like the training of PAs better. Dunno. just wondering what you (or others in a similar position) are thinking...

RNbrent · Feb 7, 2011

As an example:
In a recent discussion (in my nursing program) about the etiology of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, only 2 of about 50 students (myself and another Biologist in a past life included) understood and could explain why X-linked recessive alleles are most often expressed in males. A reminder of the chromosomal differences between males and females was insufficient. The majority of the class was still wrapping their minds around the concept of allele pairs and gene inheritance/expression. To say that students are ill-prepared academically is an understatement.

It's obvious how important this kind of information is when it comes to being a good nurse. /sarcasm

I think the majority of people will agree that on the job experience prepares people more for the real thing than any academic program could. Sure, you need the tools, but unless you use them you're not going to build a house magically.