Are you happy being a nurse?

lovingtheunloved, ASN, RN · Oct 23, 2008

so i am interested in getting started in the nursing field and i was wondering how happy people are with this carrer choice.
[color=#4b4b4d]do employees perceive that their work is meaningful?
[color=#4b4b4d]do you communicate to individuals that their work is important?
[color=#4b4b4d]do individuals have clear, achievable goals and standards for their positions?
[color=#4b4b4d]are individuals' talents being utilized?
[color=#4b4b4d]are individuals adequately challenged in their jobs?
[color=#4b4b4d]do you recognize individuals for their major accomplishments on the job?
[color=#4b4b4d]are you satisfied with your pay?

i'm too lazy right now to answer each question, but i absolutely love being a nurse, and i love the place i work.

pielęgniarka, RN · Oct 23, 2008

[color=#4b4b4d]do employees perceive that their work is meaningful? yes i think most of us realize our work is meaningful. like any other job there are going to be a few bad apples that have to gripe all the time.

[color=#4b4b4d]do you communicate to individuals that their work is important? i'm always sure to praise a job well done by a co-worker.

[color=#4b4b4d]do individuals have clear, achievable goals and standards for their positions? yes and alot of it is outlined in your job description and by the board of nursing so you have a clear scope of practice.

[color=#4b4b4d]are individuals' talents being utilized? i think each individual nurse needs to find the right job that utilizes their talents. some nurses their strong points are with old folks or rehab or kids, home care, management etc.

[color=#4b4b4d]are individuals adequately challenged in their jobs? i think so, there's always something new.

[color=#4b4b4d]do you recognize individuals for their major accomplishments on the job? answered that above.

[color=#4b4b4d]are you satisfied with your pay? doesn't everyone always want to make more? just kidding, i work part time and can pay the bills as an lpn. soon i will be done with my rn and be in even better shape.

Quaffetti · Oct 23, 2008

[color=#4b4b4d]do employees perceive that their work is meaningful? generally. sometimes when i'm just doing things to keep a person alive that you know is going to die anyway, it's not so meaningful. i know that sounds crass, but the amount of money and time spent on people who are going to die regardless boggles the mind. but other than that, i think the work is very meaningful and you do feel like what you do matters a lot.

[color=#4b4b4d]

do you communicate to individuals that their work is important? no, and it is not communicated to me, either.

[color=#4b4b4d]do individuals have clear, achievable goals and standards for their positions? i would say no. our job is so busy, it's like running from one fire to the next.

[color=#4b4b4d]are individuals' talents being utilized? no. it's a one size fits all if you're a floor nurse.

[color=#4b4b4d]are individuals adequately challenged in their jobs? definitely. very challenging job, both physically and mentally. probably too challenging.

[color=#4b4b4d]do you recognize individuals for their major accomplishments on the job?

[color=#4b4b4d]no, not my position, but i am never recognized either.

[color=#4b4b4d]are you satisfied with your pay? yes. pay is very good.

grandkids4 · Oct 23, 2008

I love being a nurse and have been for many years. I would not change my career. It is fullfilling. Sometimes you think all you do is for nothing but have faith, but we all make a difference. If we don't get our "pats on the back" here we will get them in heaven. But even when someone touches your hand or says a sincere thankyou, or you see someone recover because of the care you have given, makes it all worth it.

Another thing, you can always get a job, and usually with good pay.

SunnyAndrsn · Oct 23, 2008

[color=#4b4b4d]do employees perceive that their work is meaningful? yes

[color=#4b4b4d]do you communicate to individuals that their work is important? yes

[color=#4b4b4d]do individuals have clear, achievable goals and standards for their positions? for the most part

[color=#4b4b4d]are individuals' talents being utilized? usually, but not always.

[color=#4b4b4d]are individuals adequately challenged in their jobs? for the most part

[color=#4b4b4d]do you recognize individuals for their major accomplishments on the job? my workplace does not always do this.

[color=#4b4b4d]are you satisfied with your pay? no.

[color=#4b4b4d]but overall, yes, i am very happy being a nurse.

lsvalliant · Oct 23, 2008

am i happy? i just started my nursing career on a busy med/surg floor. most days i feel like crying the days before i have to go to work. i dread it! however, by the time i'm their and it slows down in the afternoon, im usually feeling ok.

[color=#4b4b4d]are individuals' talents being utilized? i really dont think my individual talents are being utilized. i'm very sociable, and bearly have time to talk to my patients. i would be a better manager or educator. but you gotta due the time to get experience so here i am.

[color=#4b4b4d]are individuals adequately challenged in their jobs? challenging in the fact that your learning every single day and running your butt off.

[color=#4b4b4d]are you satisfied with your pay? nurses earn every penny!

Melinurse · Oct 23, 2008

so i am interested in getting started in the nursing field and i was wondering how happy people are with this carrer choice.
[color=#4b4b4d]do employees perceive that their work is meaningful? most of the time , 90% of the time it is very meaningful.
[color=#4b4b4d]do you communicate to individuals that their work is important? yes. i value my co-workers who are awesome.
[color=#4b4b4d]do individuals have clear, achievable goals and standards for their positions? i think so most of the time
[color=#4b4b4d]are individuals' talents being utilized? sometimes
[color=#4b4b4d]are individuals adequately challenged in their jobs? oh, yes! that is the best part.
[color=#4b4b4d]do you recognize individuals for their major accomplishments on the job? i always do
[color=#4b4b4d]are you satisfied with your pay? no!!! no matter what nurses are underpaid for what we do, but i can't think of any reason i would want to do anything else, even with the frustrations we encounter from time to time. it is a totally wonderful career.

good luck in your career decision. personally, i think nursing is wonderful and can't imagine doing anything else. although alot of us do gripe alot, most of us would not consider a job change. it is a most rewarding, demanding, exciting, frustrating, challenging, career choice.

nurseinlimbo · Oct 24, 2008

so i am interested in getting started in the nursing field and i was wondering how happy people are with this carrer choice.
[color=#4b4b4d]do employees perceive that their work is meaningful? some do, some don't, it depends where you work, what you do, what you expected from nursing.
[color=#4b4b4d]do you communicate to individuals that their work is important?do you mean other nurses? confused by the question...
[color=#4b4b4d]do individuals have clear, achievable goals and standards for their positions?not really, duties are clearly set out from the get go as a staff nurse, unless you are in a management or teaching or research position, or take on committee work i don't think it applies to the every day nursing job
[color=#4b4b4d]are individuals' talents being utilized?i think it depends on where you work, what shift you work, whether or not you have supportive management that funds and encourages learning opportunities etc.
[color=#4b4b4d]are individuals adequately challenged in their jobs? again, depends on where you work. for myself, no, but i work nights in ltc so there's not a whole lot goin' on when i'm here, most days.
[color=#4b4b4d]do you recognize individuals for their major accomplishments on the job?not usually, i have found that what does get rewarded is nurses who do lots of ot, pick up extra weekends, etc. actual quality of work is not as important where i have been, and in some cases will actually get you in the bad books with your coworkers, if they are slackers and you are making them look bad.
[color=#4b4b4d]are you satisfied with your pay?

yes, and no. if my job were like everyone elses, and i worked set hours for a set number of days, and could count on my days off and could get vacation when i asked, the money would be fine. but when you factor in the personal sacrifice involved and the expectations placed on us to go the extra mile, i think we should get paid more. nurses sacrifice alot of their lives to their jobs, and if they don't they will hear about it.

Valerie Salva, BSN, RN · Oct 24, 2008

[color=#4b4b4d]do employees perceive that their work is meaningful?

[color=#4b4b4d]yes and no. caring for the pts and improving their lives is very meaningful to me, but a lot of paperwork and stupid meetings have no meaning at all and are a waste of time.

[color=#4b4b4d]do you communicate to individuals that their work is important?

[color=#4b4b4d]yes. i always thank and praise my co-workers for a job well-done. i wish mgmt would do this more often.

[color=#4b4b4d]do individuals have clear, achievable goals and standards for their positions?

standards, yes. achievable goals- no. the work loads are too great, and we are given too many pts for this to be possible. sometimes, at the end of the day, you have to just be glad that everyone is alive, major disasters were averted, and call it good.

[color=#4b4b4d]are individuals' talents being utilized?

yes and no. sometimes, due to lack of autonomy, nurses are not able utilize all of their knowledge and skills, which can be frustrating. on the other hand, i have developed skills i never knew i would need, such as fixing paper jams, unclogging a toilet with a coat hanger, navigating through long complicated situations in order to get pts what they need, and so on.

[color=#4b4b4d]are individuals adequately challenged in their jobs?

yes. usually more than adequately!

[color=#4b4b4d]do you recognize individuals for their major accomplishments on the job?

mgmt usually is not into this. they are worried about their own stuff.

[color=#4b4b4d]are you satisfied with your pay?

overall, yes. for the level of education that i have, the pay is good.

reckless63 · Oct 24, 2008

Yes I love being a nurse, could not think of anything else that I would rather be. I am currently doing a post grad in mental health and am amazed daily at how people cope with daily stressors and build coping mechanisms and strategies and how we all can become stronger and more resilient.

NeoNurseTX, RN · Oct 24, 2008

[color=#4b4b4d]do employees perceive that their work is meaningful? very much so!

[color=#4b4b4d]do you communicate to individuals that their work is important? no, and no one in nursing communicates that to me, either. however, everyone outside of my nursing friends and colleagues goes on and on about what an honorable job it is. maybe if i did it for free, but it's like the military. it's my job, no need to thank me!

[color=#4b4b4d]do individuals have clear, achievable goals and standards for their positions? some do...they want to advance and become this or that. some are happy being a staff nurse.

[color=#4b4b4d]are individuals' talents being utilized? sometimes. the more difficult kids are given to those that can 'handle' them or would like to learn how to handle them, and some nurses are just given level ii babies.

[color=#4b4b4d]are individuals adequately challenged in their jobs? with our staffing, yes

[color=#4b4b4d]do you recognize individuals for their major accomplishments on the job? i don't, management does a little.

[color=#4b4b4d]are you satisfied with your pay? it's not horrid, but it's livable. some nights i feel like i'm paid way too much (like tonight) and others i feel like you couldn't pay me enough to do it again!

but i love being an rn and it's fulfilling for me. definitely not boring!