Is nursing the best career to choose ?

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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So, I am completely new to this forum but I decided to join to learn more about the career path I have chosen. I am a undergraduate student at Broward College and I am doing my last set of pre requisites, so I can go into the nursing program. At first I was pretty much excited about the nursing field
:yes::snurse:
but after a few convos with individuals presently doing nursing, I am starting to have little doubts in my mind.
:unsure:

From what they have shared with me, they absolutely
HATE
their jobs. I absolutely dont want to be in that position where I go through years of schooling to do something I will dislike for the rest of my
LIFE
:(
I wouldn't mind hearing some other opinions or experiences on the matter. For those who are presently doing nursing, what have your experiences been like ? And for those like me who are just about to begin, why did you decide to do nursing ?

How bad do you want to be a nurse?

Are you ready to work evenings and nights?

Are you ready to work holidays an weekends?

Are you ready to be responsible for everything yet have absolutely no control?

Are you ready to be yelled at by families and patients?

Are you willing to "put up" with all of this for those moments that really matter?

I have been a nurse for 35 years. There have been moments that I absolutely HATED my job but I have NEVER regretted my decision. I love being a nurse. I hate the bureaucracy and administrative dismissal of what nurses do that is so prevalent these days. I hate the degree inflation with no effort to preserving the quality.

Would I do it over again? YES.

I really appreciated your input it made me reconsider some things. I'm not expecting a perfect career but just. To be able to think back and the good moments outweigh the bad. I want to be apart of someone feeling better. Thanks

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Who says you have to do it for the rest of your life? A BSN means you can earn a living as a nurse WHILE you pursue what you REALLY want to do, and you have the opportunity to learn valuable translatable skills. I chose the BSN over other Bachelor's Degrees over 20 years ago, and now that I don't have small children, I am able to go get the graduate degree I want for what my true calling is.

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Specializes in ICU Stepdown.

What kind of nurse did you plan on being? It depends on your interests and what you want to end up doing, what is your end goal? I ask fellow nursing students this all the time and it's usually "I don't know." That's cool, but I feel like those are the ones who end up hating their jobs. They probably feel stuck.

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Some people go into nursing because they felt drawn to it, "called" if you will, and always knew they always wanted to be a nurse. And then discovered they hated it.

Some people go into nursing because after an unsatisfying career in their 20's or 30's, they wanted to do something meaningful but still earn a decent paycheck. And then discovered they hated it.

Some people go into nursing because they were tired of being downsized, losing job prospects because of outsourcing, and had a degree in something no one found of use; they needed a good job. And then they discovered they hated it.

Seeing a theme yet? Point is, people LOVE or HATE nursing REGARDLESS of whether they felt they always wanted to do this and nothing else ("it's my calling!!"). They also LOVE or HATE nursing REGARDLESS of WHY they went into it.

Saying that people who go into it for the money are the ones who end up hating it is short-sighted, half-truthful, and tends to be the opinion of the over-idealized. Those with real, hard-earned experience in nursing KNOW that the only reason to stay in nursing is either you really deep down like/enjoy/love what you do.....or you can't find a job anywhere else (only half-kidding on that!).

People who seem to just 'know' who went into nursing for the love of selflessness and who did it to put food on the table are frequently wrong. I can personally point out nurses whom I know do it for THE JOB, they don't love it, but they are professional to the core and perform very well in their duties. I guarantee you the patients don't know who wanted to be Nurse Nancy from the time she was five and who was a single mother who found a way to support her kids, period.

Me? I went into nursing because the description seemed a good fit with my personality, lifestyle, educational background, experience, and....well....I thought I'd be good at it. I think I was right :)

Some jobs I've loved, some hated. Never ONCE regretted becoming a nurse, but to say that I'm in love with nursing 24/7....or that ANY nurse with an actual license IS.....would be a lie. Sometimes, over the course of ONE day, I love Patient X but kinda want to find a legal way to off Patient Y. And their mother, brother, and girlfriend who is an EMT.....but I digress.

Decide for yourself, OP. What do you like about it....and what you like, is it REALITY, or TV? Be careful, make sure you know the difference. And if you feel like it's something you still want to do...DO it! What's the worst that can happen....you change careers later in life? Most people do :)

Best of luck, whatever you decide.

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Some jobs I've loved, some hated. Never ONCE regretted becoming a nurse, but to say that I'm in love with nursing 24/7....or that ANY nurse with an actual license IS.....would be a lie. Sometimes, over the course of ONE day, I love Patient X but kinda want to find a legal way to off Patient Y. And their mother, brother, and girlfriend who is an EMT.....but I digress.

First I have to say that I can emphasize with this completely. Some patients you are going to love, some you will wish that you could do some pillow therapy with, although never would actually do so. In some ways nursing is similar to working in retail in which you are dealing with the public some are going to be pleasant, others you could nt get away fast enough, added in the stress that you are responsible for the well being of another person.

I know that not everyone will agree with this, but I do think that working as a CNA is a great way to be introduced to the health field and gives you an opportunity to observe many aspects of what nursing involves. It gives you an opportunity to decide if it is a career that you really want to do, or if something else would be a better fit.

Only you are going to be able to decide if nursing is really for you or not.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

I've posted this response in a variable form; however, I will continue to share:

I been through nursing since the early 2000s. I have been a CNA, LPN, and a RN...If I wasn't happy with this profession, or felt I couldn't be objective and assertive or personally happy with this profession, I would've probably found something else to do, or found a rich man, lol. Seriously.

I have friends in healthcare, public safety, military, education, research, business, IT, real estate, construction, public health, social work...people are people are people...personality does not always transcend professions....the most important aspect in interacting with people; especially peers and the public is your expectations of YOU...The only expectations that I have of myself in this profession is to remain objective and to maximize myself and my profession; I have the attitude of "what can be done?" MOST of the time throughout my time in this business in each role I have been in; and I have been able to be an Independent contractor, a W-2'er ( basically employee, lol ); worked in nursing specialties such as Peds, Home Health/Community Health, Rehab (Spinal Cord Injured, Trauma/Traumatic Brain Injury), Wound Care, and Skilled Nursing.

Do I vent? Sure; but I vent and move on; tomorrow is another day; life is too short to be unhappy.

As far as discouragement; I remember going to a career day when I was in middle school in the mid 1990s-around the time when the other financial crisis occurred, there were new changes to insurance and the delivery of healthcare back then as well-sound familiar?-a nurse outright told me not to go into the profession; I'm very fortunate that I was very objective at the time; she was VERY negative; and if I think back on what she stated, it was most of the venting that people talk about ad nauseum; if I had listened to her instead of remembering the nuggets of what my parent and family instilled in me, and being the objective child I was, I would've missed out on a career that has been a wonderful fit in my life. OP, I suggest to be objective; seek out nursing chapter leaders and organizers; nursing union and organizers your area.

I've found wonderful resources, venting sessions, and threads here on AN that I found to be informative, entertaining, and found my way to help contribute with my two copper pieces that I choose to rub together.

I find the Admins and guides and most posters to be intelligent people who provide resources and opinions for professional practice, career experiences, and venting (when applicable) to be a GREAT resource; I am serious; to me, they remind me of the team I am a part of at work, although they are across the country or across the world; across GENERATIONS, yet, have millennials of information and experience that makes this site enjoyable.

Branch out and find the Nurses Rock! Forum; there is also a recent brag thread as well; and plenty of "positive" and inspirational threads as well. Seek and ye shall find...personally and professionally

If you decide to be a part of this business, understand the various people and the intimacy that is invoked with patients and peers of various backgrounds, culture and personalities; this business is NOT for the weak or faint hearted but it can certainly be as satisfying as any other profession, it's what YOU put into it.

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Hello! I'm absolutely new and I am taking pre-nursing classes to eventually get into a program. I actually have an undergrad in a different field---social work/family services, but decided to go start over on a new career instead of going to grad school. It was a decision that took months (okay, almost a year) to formulate. I decided that I want to do nursing because (1) like social work, it is in a helping field, (2) talking to a sexual assault nurse examiner really pushed my decision. I also feel that nursing will allot more opportunities and flexibility than my current field. As far as crazy schedules/shifts, I have experience working those in the past. Overall, I think that every job has its ups and downs. As an individual, I believe that you should look into why you want to pursue nursing and be aware and realistic of what you're getting into :)

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What kind of nurse did you plan on being? It depends on your interests and what you want to end up doing, what is your end goal? I ask fellow nursing students this all the time and it's usually "I don't know." That's cool, but I feel like those are the ones who end up hating their jobs. They probably feel stuck.

I really want to go into L and D nursing

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