Are there any nurses that actually LIKE nursing?

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Specializes in Psych RN.

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There are so many posts about how awful nursing is, how it's ruining lives, how people drink to cope with it, etc. I have never seen a single blog post, article, or nursing meme that says nursing is great, I love my job, etc.

It's super scary - I don't want to be miserable. Are there ANY nurses out there that don't constantly complain about it?

I seriously need some encouragement ?

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

I love my job- most days. Not gonna lie, there are some days I’d just like to turn the alarm off, pull the covers over my head, and go back to sleep. But 99.9% of the time, I have nothing to complain about. A lot of nurses feel safe coming here to vent- as a forum for nurses, we understand whereas families at home who don’t work in nursing don’t. For many, it’s also a relief to see someone else experiencing what they’re experiencing, so they also chime in. And then there’s those of us who have been there, done that passing on advice. One of the benefits of nursing is the variety- if you don’t like your first job, you can try something else, whether it’s another employer or another specialty. 

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Specializes in Physiology, CM, consulting, nsg edu, LNC, COB.

Yup, I love what I’ve been doing the last 16 yrs or so. Before that, I loved PACU, CVICU, float pool, teaching, critical care clin spec, case management, and consulting. 
Are there days when you just want to go back to bed and veg out? Sure, but that’s not just nursing, that’s pretty much anything. 
It’s always good to have a career path in mind, but always keep your peripheral vision ready and alert for something else to attract your attention.  At very least you’ll never be bored. 

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You have to realize several things.  First, many people come here to vent amongst like minded people.  People that are not nurses don’t get the struggles.  Other nurses are the only ones to understand.  And you won’t understand until you are there.  

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Specializes in EM.

My wife loves her practiced and is very excited to go to work most shifts.

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Honestly, I think it's a mindset thing. Yes, this public and anon forum for nurses is a great place to vent and relate with others going through the trenches. I have honestly only had one job in my whole life that I would look forward to going to, and that was a haunted house I worked at in high school. Besides that, it's a little different to be "excited" to go to work. Work is hard, even if you love what you do. Nursing of course is pretty easy to burn out on if you're not in the right place. My current job is good. I don't hate it, don't love it. I'm ready for a change for sure. It's not all bad though. 

 

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Specializes in Community health.

Yep, I like it, and have said so on AllNurses many, many times.

The internet is what it is, and on the internet everything is terrible: Nursing is awful, America is awful, being a parent is awful, marriage is awful, the state you live in is awful. Take it with a grain Of salt. 

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Specializes in Cardiac, Telemetry.

It’s difficult to get those “loving” positions in nursing. You have to start in a terrible position with terrible hours first and by the time you get the required experience, you’re burnt out sometimes. I like talking to the 20+ Yr nurses. Nice to hear about how nursing was actually a pleasant career at some point before

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Meeeee.  I love my job and look forward to going everyday — except day three because I’m tired by then.  Some days are more challenging then others, and it is definitely not easy.  However, if you are fortunate enough to find your niche it will be bliss!

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I think there are more nurses who love their jobs and not. As someone said, people vent on here and discuss nursing things that others can relate to or give advice on how to solve problems. Nursing is what you make it. As with any job, there will be people you want to smack and people you will love working with and there will be bad and good days, it's not exclusive to nursing. If nurses absolutely hated it, they would have walked out during covid, especially considering the way many hospitals across the country mistreated nurses as a whole.

Having said that, I've been a nurse since I left high school and don't regret any of it. I knew what I wanted to do since before I was a teen so I'm doing what I set out to do all my life.

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I really do like my job but for me nursing is just a job, not a passion, it is a way for me to make good money.  As someone posted above, just gotta find your niche - took me a couple of positions before I found my happy place. 

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Specializes in Geriatircs/Rural Hospitals.

I am learning to love nursing again. I have learned med/surg is not for me. I love most of the patients, but at the floor I am on, no one wants to help each other and I am over it. I have to change jobs every 3-5 years. I am one of those people that constantly have to be learning.  Good luck to you. 

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