Negativity toward nursing as a career choice

[MssNurse2b]

I wanted to start this thread for awhile, and since today I am in a particularly bad mood, I decided it was definitely time to do so.

So many times I've seen pre-nursing students starting topics here asking for advice regarding applying to nursing schools, competition, learning process, denials, challenges, difficulties finding a job, etc. And as a trend, I see lots of replies saying that all pre-nursing and nursing students should take their rose-colored glasses off and look reality in the face.

They say that nursing is a bad career choice since the field is over-saturated, we will not find a job, everybody will treat us like crap and the pay is much lower than what we expect it to be. Now, I do understand that everybody have different experience and are probably trying to help, but some advises these people give leave me super puzzled. So many times they encourage us to choose another specialty like PT, OT, Pharmacist, PA, etc. Let me tell you something, ALL of these specialties require higher education = more years in school + more debt as a result. If you choose to go for PA, PT or OT you will have to have a Bachelor's degree before applying and schools usually require additional medical experience as well. These schools are extremely competitive, even more competitive than nursing. So, for many people, to get a Bachelor's in Science (aka in Microbiology, Biochemistry, etc.) and NOT to get into program will lead to limited career choices. What are you going to do with this degree if you don't get in? Work in a lab for 9$/hour? Well, at least no one will treat you like crap, right?

In addition, many of these "better" jobs have lower demand than nursing (pharmacy, for example, is super competitive, the debt after school is astronomical and jobs are extremely hard to find).

About other negative sides of the profession. Some say that doctors, PA's, patients and their families will treat you like crap and you will overwork yourself for the money you get. Give me an example of a profession in the medical field that will pay you the same as nursing with only Bachelor's degree, where everybody will treat you the way you deserve, the jobs will lay down in front of you and, in addition to that, you will not have to work hard for your money? Anyone?

Every job will have its pros and cons, including nursing. I think it is a good career choice with great opportunities. To all of you who want to do it - go ahead! There is no "perfect job" nor "easy money". We all have to work for it and try to make the best out of the experience we get, unless you win a lottery and can afford helping people for free...

[Isis Phoenix]

My post is directed to people who are unable to find jobs in the hospital,nursing home,home care ,medical offices,or assisted living,or those who are faced with negativity. The idea is that a few nurses with the capital,and resources could get together,and establish a small care home. A typical three br. home with a few added amenities could safely accommodate five residents;then expansion could be gradual.....to include a number of homes.

[Isis Phoenix]

My post is directed to people who are unable to find jobs in the hospital,nursing home,home care ,medical offices,or assisted living,or those who are faced with negativity. The idea is that a few nurses with the capital,and resources could get together,and establish a small care home. A typical three br. home with a few added amenities could safely accommodate five residents;then expansion could be gradual.....to include a number of homes.

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

My post is directed to people who are unable to find jobs in the hospital,nursing home,home care ,medical offices,or assisted living,or those who are faced with negativity. The idea is that a few nurses with the capital,and resources could get together,and establish a small care home. A typical three br. home with a few added amenities could safely accommodate five residents;then expansion could be gradual.....to include a number of homes.

There are places like this; however, more and more pts are sicker and need constant monitoring more than the care home/ home care setting, unfortunately.

There are subcontractors in nursing (currently still have my subcontractor position) as well as nurses who have their own Medicare number; sometimes the states have very rigorous standards that one should have in place before assigning such a number, to ensure a population such as the elderly not to fall into the trap of neglect for the almighty dollar.

I'm not sure what you mean by "faced by negativity"; we can approach situations either: negatively, positively, or objectively...we have that choice.

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

What LadyFree said. A relative of mine started peppering me with questions a few years back; she was thinking of starting a nursing home for a small number of residents. By being in a large house with no more than five people, she figured she had the finances and resources to be able to set up a quality care environment that embraced a very specific set of values, etc (she would be marketing to a specific demographic). Not a nurse or medical person in any way, she did see the need for such a home/business and wondered how to make it a reality.

Once she investigated quite a bit further, she found that the State regulations, Medicare/Medicaid regulations, County regulations, and on and on would make it darned near impossible to do...or at least to maintain. She didn't want to charge a fortune so that it would be entirely private, but she couldn't do what she wanted and have it be public (meaning Medicare/Medicaid could be accessed for residents to help pay for it). Honestly, if she could keep it private it would've been alot easier.

In the end, the realization that the greatest cost was not in the setup, but in the upkeep of compliance: the cost of having qualified personnel who could file the right paperwork, keep up with the ever-changing rules, and then be able to absolutely rely on a support staff to keep it all safe. After hearing of my experiences over the years with low quality staff being in abundance (calling out or no-shows, lousy work ethics, poor skills and general ignorance contributing to poor care) she knew she had to employ only the top-notch staff which is very hard to come by, harder to keep, and impossible to replace as necessary. She should expect many late-night and weekend and holiday phone calls about coverage and issues, all year long.

Many, many people over the years have certainly had the very same idea: a quality, safe and happy home environment for the elderly, on a small scale enterprise (boutique, if you will). Ultimately it's the very same rules that were created to ensure such safety that stifle these business attempts, unfortunately.

In the end, she invested in something else.

[applesxoranges, BSN, RN]

Oh man. I love the one girl in my micro class who swore she was going to go become a flight nurse after graduating with a local helicopter because her friend work's there and he supposedly promised he could get her in. Never mind the lack of critical care experience (requires 3 years ER or 2 years critical care experience minimum) and the lack of an EMT certification (I think it's now paramedic because they got rid of the intubation for EMTs). Plus it's ground units for 1 year and then you may rotate to the flying schedule.

My friend's dad actually was the manager for that program and he laughed when I told him about what she said. He said there were policies regarding hiring in place to prevent having an underqualified nurse or paramedics from being hired. Especially as 90% of the helicopters were nurse-led teams.

She wasn't in the program yet so she had unrealistic expectations. I think she was a bit upset when I told her that she'd need at least critical care experience either through an ICU, ER, or true 911 EMS.

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

Oh man. I love the one girl in my micro class who swore she was going to go become a flight nurse after graduating with a local helicopter because her friend work's there and he supposedly promised he could get her in. Never mind the lack of critical care experience (requires 3 years ER or 2 years critical care experience minimum) and the lack of an EMT certification (I think it's now paramedic because they got rid of the intubation for EMTs). Plus it's ground units for 1 year and then you may rotate to the flying schedule.

My friend's dad actually was the manager for that program and he laughed when I told him about what she said. He said there were policies regarding hiring in place to prevent having an underqualified nurse or paramedics from being hired. Especially as 90% of the helicopters were nurse-led teams.

She wasn't in the program yet so she had unrealistic expectations. I think she was a bit upset when I told her that she'd need at least critical care experience either through an ICU, ER, or true 911 EMS.

It's ones like this, so clueless that they don't know how clueless they really are, that cause many of us to give them the deer-in-the-headlights look when they sound off about something as stupid as your classmate. They don't know how ridiculous they look, but at least we can hope that either (1) she GETS a clue and realizes what she needs to do to become employable upon graduation, or (2) drops out of the program early enough to allow someone with a clue to take her seat.

There will always be those who want the sexy jobs immediately, without putting in much effort or time. And there will always be people like me, who will chuckle and push her out of the way. That's not negativity, that's real life

[OCNRN63, RN]

My only issue here is that may be true for your area. Where I live, and MUCH of the south there is a HUGE shortage. Every day, I see thousands of jobs posted in my state alone for nurses (and many are hiring new graduates.)

Beyond that, I will agree, I have seen a plethora of posts (especially regarding the low GPA comments) that do not understand that succeeding takes hard work and maintaining good grades is IMPORTANT.

I had a teacher who told me once that "C's get degrees." No one, and I mean no one, wants a Nurse who made C's in their classes. To me, that's alarming!

I got the occasional "C" here and there in nursing school. It didn't prevent me from passing NCLEX on the first attempt (the old school, 2 day, paper and pencil NCLEX) and doing well in all categories. It didn't prevent me from getting jobs I wanted, nor did it prevent me from being board certified in 5 different specialties over the years. I oriented new nurses, and in one job was responsible for developing and running the annual competencies.