Would YOU recommend to a friend/family member, etc..

[digoe74]

This question is for both seasoned nurses and those nurses who have just entered the field of nursing. What I am interested in is this... would you advise a close friend or family member, or anyone you care about for that matter to enter the field of nursing knowing what you now know? Regarding the economy, the fact that unfortunately there is no longer a 'nursing shortage' ? I am currently a pre-nursing student. I am hopeful, more than hopeful actually as I feel that nursing has been "calling" me for several years. Your posts will not detour me, but I would just like to hear some real 'real life' experiences and perspectives in regard to staring a nursing career NOW. Thoughts?

[MissBrahmsRN]

i tell the truth: it's a tough job where you get almost no respect. nursing is one of the least respected jobs you can take. the pay has been stagnant forever (like many other fields) and the blood & guts factor is not for everyone. it's tough on your body & tough on your emotions.

having said that, i love being a nurse & i enjoy the job for me myself & I, the rest can take a hike. a bedside nurse is the perfect job for me along with mommyhood.

[snickers0417]

I usually tell people that it is not at all what they see on TV and that if they are serious that they should go shadow a nurse for a day to see what it is really like. I just make sure to point out that they should investigate it more before inesting time and money in school.

I absolutley agree with you. So many people think that nursing is just 'good money' and have no idea how much hard work is put into it. I tell people that they should either shadow a nurse or become a cna/lna to test the waters a little bit before going to nursing school.

[netglow, ASN, RN]

I actively discourage people from going to college for nursing. I have been successful in this now for 5 highschool seniors. I told their parents to go meet with CC and university folks and hit them up with the hospital employment rate for the past graduating classes since 2007. What they got was a lot of squirming and no info. I also told them to go tour a few hospitals and look at who is working the floors. Ask management, what percent of U.S. educated nurses they have on staff. Guess how unsettled this made management. LOL. Easy to find all this information once you actually get focused on it, and actually go take a looksy for yourself. I posted on some other thread relating to this subject, about how one father friend of mine was quite persistent in his questioning, which totally rattled hospital management, he actually asked WHY, and what rationale was used in hiring practices...

Hey, if you want to go to school as a "lark" sure go for it. But, if you plan to have a professional career in this business and need job opportunity in order to support yourself and a family, you will be severely limited.

[rnccf2007, BSN, RN]

Good question. Sometimes, when I see nursing students, I want to tell them to get out now while they can. Why? Some of the issues that nurses must face that they are not told about when applying to nursing schools or during their education: short staffing, no breaks, lack of respect, etc., etc. You can listen to the ANA ( I am a member) spout off all about how nursing is a respected profession and see how high nurses rate in the Gallup poll. However, this does not seem to reflect reality. The pay is good (also depends on location), but I do not feel that nurses make enough money for everything they are expected to do with more added every day. There are days that I wish that I chose another profession, but think that at 46, how can I start a new career. Yet I am still pursuing higher education in nursing. Do not get me wrong. I am proud to be a nurse! However, if you get into nursing solely for the money you will find it a rude awakening. I believe that nursing is a calling for people that choose it because they want to be in a helping profession. How many jobs give you the opportunity to you save lives, comfort the ill and their families, and comfort families and significant others during a patient's death. That is what keeps me going and makes my job worthwhile.

[perfectbluebuildings, BSN, RN]

I would lean towards no. Not any more. Even shadowing a nurse for a day I don't think would give a person a real idea of what being a nurse means (either the good or bad parts). I know it didn't for me.

Some days I love my job; kids are special and I love seeing them bounce back and feel better after only a few days. I enjoy mentoring newer nurses to be good at taking care of kids. I love seeing the strength and the capacity for love and joy that human beings can have even when faced with terrible situations. (I see it in both patients/families and co-workers.)

But things like high stress, low respect from other disciplines, five million extraneous paperwork requirements beyond the day-to-day patient care and charting, the increasing pounding in our heads of customer service that makes it seem nothing you do will ever be enough, the people (co-workers and patients/families) who always find something wrong no matter what you do or how hard you work... those are a few of the reasons I would not recommend it.

I guess I should add a caveat to take this with a grain of salt- I need a long vacation.

[Dazglue, ADN, BSN, MSN, RN]

After reading some of these replies all I can say is wow. I agree with shadowing and researching before you jump into nursing but that's with ANY job. I wouldn't just flat out try to DISCOURAGE someone from doing something if they really wanted to do it.

[linearthinker, DNP, RN]

It depends. If they were interested and willing to pursue advanced education, yes. Without the ability or drive to do so, then no.

[perfectbluebuildings, BSN, RN]

edited.....................nvm

[lizeroo]

I would not recommend nursing as a career, despite the fact that I have been one for 24 years. It is a physically, emotionally and mentally demanding career. There is a general lack of respect overall - even after all these years- between physicians and nurses. I spend a lot of money to alleviate the bad back I've acquired along the way. I can honestly say that though I have enjoyed my time as a nurse, for the most part, if I could quit and make comparable wages doing something less demanding on my body, psyche and mind, I would. I know the world of hurt we will all be in unless the profession continues to attract smart, caring people. How to keep those nurses happy, caring and invested in their jobs is the key issue.

[nursemartin00]

Honestly, I would say no! Its the "thankless job" I wish someone would of told me the truth about.

If I could go back, I'd choose differently.

You work work work and it never seems like enough. Its never about what you've done, always about what you didn't get accomplished.

Nurses are caddy towards one another for no apparent reason. Sure, the $$ is ok and job security is great but it has a cost. Long hours, OT, bad back, emotional toll on your mind and body.

Its not for everyone.

[biblepoet]

Love my job but physically and emotionally draining. I am on shortterm disability because of my knees. Miss my coworkers and pts. If yo are in nursing school already suggest you get a tech job it helps with finding a job and gets you in a hospital. In Indiana my hospital hires its tech as RN's. If you are going in for the money I would discourage it not worth it too hard although I make a good wage stress is high and money is no reason to get into s profession.

[blueheaven]

I love what I do on most days. What I don't love and actually hate is the fact that I feel like I have to cover my @ss all the time and chart defensively. This is primarily because I work in a teaching hospital and sometimes the "kids" don't listen. Last week was absolutely horrible and I was ready to be a greeter at wal-mart. If people ask me about being a nurse, I tell them the truth. They can make up their own mind.

My daughters have been asked if they wanted to be a nurse...they replied H%ll NO! Long hours, not being home for holidays etc.