I have been a RN for 11 years now, have seen much as many of you have. One thing that continues to irk me are nurses that think because they are a nurse are somehow a cross between Florence Nightingale and Jesus--and act like it. You know, "super nurse syndrome"
I was at my local gym and saw the a T shirt that said:
I sacrificed my life, so I could save your life. I am a nurse.
Really? You sacrificed your life to be a nurse? WOW, I never realized that going to nursing school and getting a job involved life sacrifice.( like so many 100.000's people that go to college to get jobs).
GET OVER IT ALREADY, your a nurse, your not mother Theresa, you don't walk on water and you DID NOT sacrifice your life to become a nurse.
Nursing school and how hard it is, another thing that people want to whine/brag about I get tired of hearing about. Really? I'll bet becoming a chemical engineer is very hard, I'll be learning computer coding is very hard, in fact I'll bet most any college degree--they just don't hand them out for showing up. You have to work for them and earn them---just like nursing school.
What I am saying is being a nurse does not somehow set you apart from the rest of the world, or make you a better person---just because your a nurse.
Doing your job, being courteous to patients AND coworkers AND people in general is what we and everyone else on the planet should be doing----we are all members of the human family.
Don't worry, we make fun of those people too. Those shirts are for the tryhards in life. I would rather most people not know I am a nurse. Its not because I am ashamed, but I hate hearing all about how hard it must be, whats the worst thing you have seen blah blah blah.
or they ask for you to look at their rash or what could this pain be? I tell them I ain't a doc... not even a nurse yet, just a nurse tech :)
Yeah, I wouldn't be caught dead wearing that particular Tshirt. How ridiculous.
When it comes to education I personally don't think that a nursing degree qualifies as one of the more difficult ones. Of course it's all relative and different people find different things challenging depending on their individual strengths and weaknesses.
As far as the job itself, I do believe that it is a rather demanding profession.
I think that the mix of shift work (which is common in healthcare even if not everyone does it), inadequate staffing levels, the very real possibility that a human being gets seriously harmed or even dies if you make a mistake and the frequent and close contact with human suffering, the various emotional manifestations of loss (of function, ability, health) and death sets healthcare work apart from many other professions. So yes, I think that it can be a hard job.
If I'd venture a guess, I'd say that the rate of burnout and compassion fatigue is significantly lower among for example librarians and botanists (but what would I know, I'm neither).
So yes, I think that nursing has its challenges but you certainly don't have to sacrifice your life in order to be a nurse. I find that kind of martyrdom attitude rather off-putting.
Definitely not one of the difficult majors. Try pre-med or any type of engineering.... That's where you find the über smart. I had to go on for my NP as I am one of those who cannot take orders from providers. Now that I am a provider, I have the true opportunity to call the shots and make a real difference in the lives of my patients rather than emptying a colostomy bag.
I wouldn't say that I like or dislike any given profession in healthcare, as long as I am given the opportunity to make a true difference in someone's life then I feel like I am making a change.
If I had to do it all over again I prob would have gone straight into biology or pre med as I am practicing medicine now at a discount to my employer. I know it may be bass akwards, but I have seriously thought about just going to med school and calling it a night as opposed to beginning my DNP in the Fall at a very prestigious institution. I do want to teach at grad level in addition to being a medical provider in a clinical setting. I know this is all it will help me with at this time, although the DNP will phase out the MSN in the future....maybe not within the next 5-10 years, but eventually.
Sadly enough, the physician will always have more respect and admiration than any nurse, NP, or PA and they deserve it. The schooling and training to become a physician far outweighs that of a mid level and until that changes, well, nothing will change.
I work alongside 2 brilliant physicians everyday and appreciate the insight they bring to my medical decision making.
I had to go on for my NP as I am one of those who cannot take orders from providers. Now that I am a provider, I have the true opportunity to call the shots and make a real difference in the lives of my patients rather than emptying a colostomy bag.
RNs just empty colostomy bags and don't make a real difference in patients' lives?
The other folk that I told about this, most of them promptly asked if i played the nurse card. I did'nt. The officer brought it up. In 15 years of being a healthcare professional, this is the first time I've weaseled out of a ticket due to it.
I almost offered him some of my chips too. ;-)
I didn't even know there was a "nurse card" to play to get out of tickets. Man, I'm gonna start speeding more often....
Also, I'm feelings a little uncreative, but my favorite chips are just plain old ruffles potato chips - no dip. Guess I'm boring.
Definitely not one of the difficult majors. Try pre-med or any type of engineering.... That's where you find the über smart. I had to go on for my NP as I am one of those who cannot take orders from providers. Now that I am a provider, I have the true opportunity to call the shots and make a real difference in the lives of my patients rather than emptying a colostomy bag.
I wouldn't say that I like or dislike any given profession in healthcare, as long as I am given the opportunity to make a true difference in someone's life then I feel like I am making a change.
If I had to do it all over again I prob would have gone straight into biology or pre med as I am practicing medicine now at a discount to my employer. I know it may be bass akwards, but I have seriously thought about just going to med school and calling it a night as opposed to beginning my DNP in the Fall at a very prestigious institution. I do want to teach at grad level in addition to being a medical provider in a clinical setting. I know this is all it will help me with at this time, although the DNP will phase out the MSN in the future....maybe not within the next 5-10 years, but eventually.
Sadly enough, the physician will always have more respect and admiration than any nurse, NP, or PA and they deserve it. The schooling and training to become a physician far outweighs that of a mid level and until that changes, well, nothing will change.
I work alongside 2 brilliant physicians everyday and appreciate the insight they bring to my medical decision making.
Man. I just got into my ASN program two weeks ago and its comments like this that really hold me back from being as excited as I originally thought I was going to be. I want to climb the ladder and be an NP too (I want the autonomy and I desire the diagnostic aspect of the career) but to subtly imply that anyone under that is only good for changing colostomy bags is really disheartening and discouraging.
Definitely not one of the difficult majors. Try pre-med or any type of engineering.... That's where you find the über smart. I had to go on for my NP as I am one of those who cannot take orders from providers. Now that I am a provider, I have the true opportunity to call the shots and make a real difference in the lives of my patients rather than emptying a colostomy bag.
I wouldn't say that I like or dislike any given profession in healthcare, as long as I am given the opportunity to make a true difference in someone's life then I feel like I am making a change.
If I had to do it all over again I prob would have gone straight into biology or pre med as I am practicing medicine now at a discount to my employer. I know it may be bass akwards, but I have seriously thought about just going to med school and calling it a night as opposed to beginning my DNP in the Fall at a very prestigious institution. I do want to teach at grad level in addition to being a medical provider in a clinical setting. I know this is all it will help me with at this time, although the DNP will phase out the MSN in the future....maybe not within the next 5-10 years, but eventually.
Sadly enough, the physician will always have more respect and admiration than any nurse, NP, or PA and they deserve it. The schooling and training to become a physician far outweighs that of a mid level and until that changes, well, nothing will change.
I work alongside 2 brilliant physicians everyday and appreciate the insight they bring to my medical decision making.
Gee, guess I'm just a stupid knuckle-dragger. Never felt the need to become a provider to prove I'm smart.
And, FYI, over the last 40 years I've done a LOT more than "just" empty colostomy bags.
Frankly, over the past year and a half I've dealt with some NPs who are total idiots, terrible diagnosticians, without the common sense of a cocker spaniel puppy, who really do think they're all that and a bag of chips too.
Thank Jebus they aren't allowed to touch our Hospice patients. It's getting much too easy to become an NP.
Man. I just got into my ASN program two weeks ago and its comments like this that really hold me back from being as excited as I originally thought I was going to be. I want to climb the ladder and be an NP too (I want the autonomy and I desire the diagnostic aspect of the career) but to subtly imply that anyone under that is only good for changing colostomy bags is really disheartening and discouraging.
That being said...bagel chips and hummus, anyone?
My nursing experiences have roughed me up a fair bit. There will be days when you feel like all you did was change a colostomy bag (and the patient complained that you didn't do it right), but there are also days when you and the patient both leave the experience a different person. There are days you catch something that is wrong and get it treated before it becomes serious. There are days when people say "Thank you for everything you do." There are days when you know how much you matter, both by contributing to nursing as a profession and by making a difference in an individual person's life.
HUMMUS! Now you've got me. *cracks open the Fritos Scoops and creamy spinach dip*
I didn't even know there was a "nurse card" to play to get out of tickets. Man, I'm gonna start speeding more often....
Also, I'm feelings a little uncreative, but my favorite chips are just plain old ruffles potato chips - no dip. Guess I'm boring.
I've heard several nurses say they've gotten a wink and a nod instead of a ticket because they have our state's "be a nurse" plate. Reminds me, I've been meaning to get one...
Oooo.....spinach dip..... anyway far from using my occupation to weasel out of the ticket, he said slow down and stay safe and my parting comment was "yes, sir and stay safe yourself. My point is we all have vitally important jobs and have every right to be proud of it, but broadcasting that by denigrating or minimalizing others just isn't nice. For the Christians out there, think Jesus and the Pharisees.
Gee, guess I'm just a stupid knuckle-dragger. Never felt the need to become a provider to prove I'm smart.
And, FYI, over the last 40 years I've done a LOT more than "just" empty colostomy bags.
Frankly, over the past year and a half I've dealt with some NPs who are total idiots, terrible diagnosticians, without the common sense of a cocker spaniel puppy, who really do think they're all that and a bag of chips too.
Thank Jebus they aren't allowed to touch our Hospice patients. It's getting much too easy to become an NP.
I went looking for an applause icon. This was the nearest I could find...
And, FYI, over the last 40 years I've done a LOT more than "just" empty colostomy bags.
Don't hit me...but I've been a nurse for 20 years, worked ICU, Post cath lab unit, stepdown, endo, and OR, and I've never had to change a colostomy bag.
Don't hit me...but I've been a nurse for 20 years, worked ICU, Post cath lab unit, stepdown, endo, and OR, and I've never had to change a colostomy bag.
(Ducks and runs off with hands covering head)...
Don't talk to me until you've placed a wound manager on an enterocutenous fistula
blackberry74
36 Posts
or they ask for you to look at their rash or what could this pain be? I tell them I ain't a doc... not even a nurse yet, just a nurse tech :)