Any nurses that love nursing and love their job??

Nurses General Nursing

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I start nursing school in the fall and have gotten a lot of negative feedback from nurses I work with who are really miserable as a nurse. Some are very encouraging, but most have told me to turn around now while I have the chance. Even the ones that say they like nursing usually only like it for the schedule flexibility and the money they make.

I am just wondering if there is anyone out there that absolutely loves nursing and loves their job? I don't plan on changing my path...I guess I am just looking for some positive reinforcement that I am making the right decision and that there are actually nurses out there than truly enjoy what they do. Thanks in advance!

First of all, as in every profession out there, you will encounter toxic, unhappy people who hate their jobs. It’s not exclusive to nursing. Some people just hate the thought of going to work.

Second, I personally feel like you go through phases. Phases of loving it, and phases of hating nursing. It’s a very hard job. It’s mentally draining.

I have a good support system around me that helps me bounce back from the hard days. It’s helps me recharge to come back and do it all over again.

Last week was a great week. Great patients, not long days. Everything fell into place. This week it’s a struggle. We had a tough loss. I’m struggling. But, a good hard cry in my car and hugs from my family have been good for my soul and I’m ready to fight again tomorrow.

But again I ask, where is this great pay???? No. Seriously.

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20 minutes ago, OUxPhys said:

Im not sure teaching is the way to go anymore. Alot of young teachers are leaving because of bad parenting and no support from upper administration (some of the kids play a role in this too).

Agreed. You couldn't pay me enough to be a teacher. I can't understand why anyone would ever choose that. Maybe go into teaching nursing classes at a college??

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13 minutes ago, LovingLife123 said:

First of all, as in every profession out there, you will encounter toxic, unhappy people who hate their jobs. It’s not exclusive to nursing. Some people just hate the thought of going to work.

Second, I personally feel like you go through phases. Phases of loving it, and phases of hating nursing. It’s a very hard job. It’s mentally draining.

I have a good support system around me that helps me bounce back from the hard days. It’s helps me recharge to come back and do it all over again.

Last week was a great week. Great patients, not long days. Everything fell into place. This week it’s a struggle. We had a tough loss. I’m struggling. But, a good hard cry in my car and hugs from my family have been good for my soul and I’m ready to fight again tomorrow.

But again I ask, where is this great pay???? No. Seriously.

I think great pay is mentioned a lot because of the potential for overtime, shift diffs, and holiday pay that you would never get from an ordinary salaried job elsewhere. Not sure where you live, but nurses in my area make great hourly wages and the other extras make it even better.

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2 hours ago, OUxPhys said:

Im not sure teaching is the way to go anymore. Alot of young teachers are leaving because of bad parenting and no support from upper administration (some of the kids play a role in this too).

that's true.. my friend also left teaching job after 5 years.. before she quit, she kept telling me that she burned out and she wanted to quit.. I thought it was just a talk on the weekends, and she really quit for good without securing another job. She's doing blogging now, and she really loves it.. and now I'm following her steps.. also quitting without another job haha. the only difference is that she knew what she's gonna do after quitting, while I'm still doing some soul-searching.

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1 hour ago, nets5010 said:

Agreed. You couldn't pay me enough to be a teacher. I can't understand why anyone would ever choose that. Maybe go into teaching nursing classes at a college??

this is really sad, actually. Some countries, like Japan and Singapore, really value teachers and the pay is really high. I wonder why teachers are not valued well here. I mean come on, they have important roles for the future generation.

I prefer teaching kids.. adults are really intimidating me.. lol.

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This might sound weird, but I think nursing is a calling. I used to have a roller-coaster ride of emotions back in nursing school and when I finally became a nurse. There were times I just wanted to run and quit. The stress of it all ate me alive. I came home crying and hiding in my closet during the first couple of months. Always remember, we are dealing with human life, human realities - the reality of sickness and death. It was hard for me to grasp this. I didn't want to be in a job that reminded me of how fragile life was. But there was something about nursing that I couldn't run away from, the reality of love, that despite how short and horrible life is, as a nurse, I could be a ray of sunshine for someone, maybe if it only lasts for a shift, or maybe a moment. All emotions would collide all at once, anger, frustration, urgency, sadness, empathy, love, mercy...welcome to nursing. Maybe, one day as I lay dying in a hospital bed, I hope and pray there would be nurses who are in the profession, not because of money, or prestige, but because they genuinely cared, even if it meant sacrificing their time and sanity (and back).

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6 hours ago, nets5010 said:

I think great pay is mentioned a lot because of the potential for overtime, shift diffs, and holiday pay that you would never get from an ordinary salaried job elsewhere. Not sure where you live, but nurses in my area make great hourly wages and the other extras make it even better.

I guess it depends on what people consider great. Yes, you can make some extra money picking up shifts. But then it’s 48-60 hours a week which is utterly exhausting and will burn you out in no time. Shift differential means you are working nights. Both of these situations are trade offs. Night shifters deserve the small differential they make. Night shift completely disrupts your life.

I know the hourly rate sounds great. We do make more than teachers, and they have to work a ton off the clock. I just don’t see the pay equating with the type and amount of work we do and the crap we put up with. But, I do realize that’s my opinion.

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Specializes in New Critical care NP, Critical care, Med-surg, LTC.

I never felt called to nursing. It's a second career for me, and the school requirements fit with much of my previous degrees and background. It was a practical decision, and coming from a much higher paying field, I usually laugh when people say the pay is great. If I want to work 60+ hours a week, I can almost make what I used to make, but not quite. There are jobs out there that pay better that don't include anyone's bodily fluids on me. So, if the money is a main draw for people I tell them not to bother. However, in the seven years I've been a nurse, I've found great satisfaction in many of my encounters. I am privileged to provide care for some very sick people, and have even cared for them and their families through life and death transitions. It's an honor to hold someone's hand as they take a last breath, or comfort a family and help them find peace with a dignified death. There are some tough days, and some aggravating days, but I think that somehow nursing is where I was supposed to end up. It wasn't my first choice for a career but it will certainly be my last, I'll do this is some way until I can't work anymore in a way that brings me fulfillment.

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I love actually taking care of patients and talking to families about difficult decisions. What I don't like is how greedy the health care industry has become and just pushes nurses to the limit so they are totally exhausted (can't eat or pee during my shift) I wish the management would respect us and at least acknowledge the fact that nursing is a very difficult and stressful job and allow us to have some opportunity for a few moments to de-stress during our work shifts. I want job that is less stressful than the one I have now and due to the physical demands may eventually leave nursing altogether.

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15 hours ago, nets5010 said:

Why PA over NP? I have applied to PA school in the past...got waitlisted but never accepted. I realized it was a blessing in disguise because after reviewing the role of NP vs PA, I felt like NP fit much better with what I was trying to achieve.

1. NP education is severely lacking compared to PA education, and there is a resulting theory-practice gap that should scare you if it doesn't already.

2. PA's don't specialize in school and have the freedom to move between specialties without additional schooling

3. Personally, I want to work in trauma as an NP, and it's going to be a much steeper uphill battle for me than for my pre-pa counterparts for the reasons I just outlined above

Sorry for getting on my soapbox, @MauraRN--I wasn't trying to put words in your mouth.

Also, sorry for slightly derailing this thread--I'm making 34.64 base as a new grad!

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I love the job minus the charting, and short staffing. Those are the two things that make me want to do something else. However I do enjoy time I spend with my patients. If I can just find the time...

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7 hours ago, RNstat123 said:

This might sound weird, but I think nursing is a calling. I used to have a roller-coaster ride of emotions back in nursing school and when I finally became a nurse. There were times I just wanted to run and quit. The stress of it all ate me alive. I came home crying and hiding in my closet during the first couple of months. Always remember, we are dealing with human life, human realities - the reality of sickness and death. It was hard for me to grasp this. I didn't want to be in a job that reminded me of how fragile life was. But there was something about nursing that I couldn't run away from, the reality of love, that despite how short and horrible life is, as a nurse, I could be a ray of sunshine for someone, maybe if it only lasts for a shift, or maybe a moment. All emotions would collide all at once, anger, frustration, urgency, sadness, empathy, love, mercy...welcome to nursing. Maybe, one day as I lay dying in a hospital bed, I hope and pray there would be nurses who are in the profession, not because of money, or prestige, but because they genuinely cared, even if it meant sacrificing their time and sanity (and back).

I don't think it is a calling, of course you are entitled to your opinon. I wonder if other (paid)professionals think this way about a "calling"? Many people I talk to say they decided to do what they are doing because they are good at it (no calling involved), it pays well etc., but not because something in them said, hey do this, you are meant for it, and look for nothing in return. To me a calling is something you devote your time to, without pay and get very little back for it. We are getting paid to do this work. If we weren't how many of these, nursing is a calling nurse would still do this work? I think some people choose or have it in them to do the work in a caring way. I wasn't called to be a nurse, as a matter of fact, I ran from the profession due to the working conditions and because I didn't want to deal with death. However, I decided that patients deserve respect and caring nurse so that is what I give them but I don't have to be called to do this.

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