Are most people just against nursring as a profession?

[1moretime]

This is a brief background about me, Hispanic, male, 21, 4.0 gpa 3rd year towards my BSN.

The main reason I mentioned that was to give you a little heads up about why I feel that nurses are unappreciated.

I grew up telling myself "I want a job that involves patient care". Off-course everyone assumed on me being a MD because i have a way with math and science (it just clicks to me with ease) and graduated top 8 in my class. I however do not want to become a MD. I don't know if it's because of so much more schooling or the cost $$$ or just because I don't want go that route.

So I got into the nursing field and I love what I am learning. However, my family and best friends disagree with what I am doing. They constantly tell me "you're a leader not a follower that's what MD do not nurses" my parents background is still stuck from where we came from( IN Dominican Republic nurse are so limited to only what an AID can do in USA ). So I try to educate them and tell them the huge difference and how our primary care was a NP! But off course they think I can do better so it brings me down at times.

Not Only do I have parents that think I should change my mind but the friends i group with tell me in a "nicer" way " dude you're so smart just become MD so you can take charge and make a lot $$$, besides you'll get more respect because DR do all the important stuff ". I could not hold my tongue to my peers and tried to informed them with the reality of how much work nurses do and how we are the gate keepers between DR and clients how we pretty much make sure they don't kill clients be double checking everything and how we give that comfort which draws me into nursing:nurse:.

The whole point of this is to see if anyone else feel unappreciated how do you handle it:mad:. Also, I usually don't care what people say about my personal decisions but it hurts when it comes from your loves ones

Nursing student.:redbeathe

*Excuse my bad grammer

[EricJRN, MSN, RN]

Sometimes that sense of satisfaction must come from within - or from the work you do with your patients. Your family members and friends won't understand until they see an example (you) that opens their minds.

[MissJulie]

I've been through a similar situation...

I started off wanting to be a PA because I always noticed that the doctor's office I go to as my primary care has a PA and when you see her, you seem to get more one-on-one attention because she's not worried about getting to rounds on time, office politics, etc. She's an employee doing her job, and is more than competent to do it. So, I decided I wanted to do that. I went to the local community college and got my AS in Biology then went off to a four-year university to work on my BS in Biology. Well, I got burnt out, mainly because the classes I was taking had nothing to do with being a PA; at the CC, my classes were Biology, Organic Chemistry, Anatomy - things that I could understand would help me later in PA school; but the classes at the university were Botany and Herpetology - which confused me as to how they would help me later, considering PAs don't take care of plants or reptiles/amphibians!!!

So, I was sort of confused about what I wanted to really do. I took a temporary job during the summer at the doctor's office that my Aunt just happens to be part-owner of. Well, I realized that I really did want to do the medical field, but maybe doing PA was all wrong for me, maybe nursing was where I needed to be. So, I disenrolled from the university and went back to the CC. I had to take just a few classes to get my prereqs (Microbiology and Nurse Aid- my CC does this as a separate course so that the nursing program jumps straight in), then I applied and started that fall.

The whole time, I've had people telling me that I should use a BSN to back and do PA, or that I should do this, or do that, because like you "you're just to smart." The thing is, people don't understand that I want to be a NURSE!!! Yes, PA, NPs, MDs, and DOs are extremely important to the world of medicine, but at the end of the day, it's NURSES that are actually putting into action the majority of the care, even if it's an NP that orders the care, its the RN/LPN that puts the plan into action. Plus, physicians, etc. usually tend to get tied down and usually end up working in a specific place, whether it be a private office, clinic, or ED, and they get almost stuck, but NURSES can work almost anywhere they want - offices, clinics, ED, Med/Surg, OR, L & D, schools, and so much more! Plus, when I become an old nurse, I can choose to go back and get my MSN to be able to teach new nurses to hopefully take care of me one day!

I say good luck to you, and who cares what the other people think. At the end of the day, you can't make everyone happy, but you can make yourself happy. If nursing is what you think you should be doing- do it!

[JROregon, ASN, BSN, RN]

I agree, the satisfaction is going to have to come from within for awhile. You'll find that other cultures don't have any idea what RNs do. Because you are a guy, lots of patients will think you are the doctor. You will have a lot of educating to do. I think of all the stuff that my male classmates have to put up with.... I will say that most people have a lot of respect for nurses.

My husband works with engineers from different parts of the world. His North American coworkers think it's cool that I'm going to be a nurse. The people from Arab countries think that this is a lower level of work, more like the type of work a servant does.

[Pneumothorax, BSN, RN]

has to do with pre determined gender roles in what guys should and should not do... if you want to be a nurse.. DO IT because it makes you happy and in a career you should be happy :)

Im a firefighter myself, & im a little 125lb girl..but i do it and love it...so,damn what people say..if u like it then roll with it :)

[cyncare4u]

I am really amazed how people always project their insecurities on their love ones. The same people who look down on nurses are the biggest cry babies as patients. They are the ones who are scared to ask their doctors questions, and they even espect the nurses to explain how their sugical procedures are done. When you informed them that only their surgeons can explain the procedure to them, they get extremely upset. People dont realize how difficult nursing school is; you have to be smart to survive it. Being a nurse is a big responsibility--you are in charge of people's lives. So please explain it to your friends and famalies that you will be in charge of everyone's life when you are assigned to take care of them. Good luck with your nursing career, and if you should consider marriage--please marry a nurse because only:twocents: they will understand.

[MN-Nurse, ASN, RN]

You don't owe anyone an explanation. You explained yourself just fine, if that isn't good enough for them, too freaking bad.

[Streamline2010]

1moretime, if you like RN, then pursue RN. But there's an old adage that "the brightest ones go to med school." I used to think that was an insult to nurses, but I really don't, now that I've been in RN school for a year and have had more exposure to the work environment. Depending on your interests, and the way nursing and its pay scale may evolve and change over the next 2-5 years, you might want to consider cramming some pre-med biology and chem courses in, or start working as RN and be taking those part-time, in case you get aspirations as your career evolves. Just because you become a RN does not rule out becoming a physician later.

[sandyfeet]

Don't you love how people have no idea what nurses do?

One thing you can say that people have a hard time coming back to is something personal like "It was a calling for me" or "It helps me complete my life goals" or "My personality is perfectly suited for nursing". But you are always going to have those people who cannot see outside of their traditional gender roles, and so it has to be you that adjusts your expectations of them. People will always have expectations of you, but only you know what is best for you!

[willowita, ADN, RN]

1moretime, I understand what you mean and I think part of the problem is that people see commercials for trade schools that offer "nursing" degrees and so they think that nursing is for drop outs that don't have what it takes to go to college. Little do they know that what those schools offer is different from being an RN. And there's nothing wrong with those paths either if it's what people want to do or if that's the route that suits them. But I do think people think of nursing as some kind of inferior profession because you're not a doctor.

I actually think what you have is a good kind of problem. I am also latina and what I see more from immigrant parents is that they don't really push their kids hard enough and they don't support their educational goals. Many just want their kid to finish high school and take a trade job. So if they want you to be a doctor, I'd say they really care about you.

But you have to do what's right for you. Don't ever feel guilty about that. Your parents probably don't understand but I hope that with time, they can respect your decision and support you.

[Pneumothorax, BSN, RN]

BSN & ADN programs are a far cry from those trade schools...lol

[igus2666]

When picking a career you have to have the passion and the drive to do it. If being a MD not your passion why do it. Yes doctors make good money, and yes u have doctors who have done a lot for this world, but u also have doctor who really don't know what he/she is doing also a lot of them is doing for the money. Nurse are different, doctor really don't get close to their patience like nurse do. I know u love your family, but u should live your life the way u want to not how they want u to live it. FYI I put nurses at a higher level then doctor because without us nurse or nursing student I really think a lot of doctors will b lost. FROM YOUR FRIENDLY NURSING STUDENT!!!!!!!