ARE THERE ANY NURSES OUT THERE THAT ACTUALLY "ENJOY" or HAPPY WITH THEIR JOB.

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Its kinda of scary reading a lot of the posts on here. It seems as if, so many nurses are not satisfied with their careers. So many people are so tired, aggrevated or stressed. This is so discouraging because, nursing has been a dream that I have felt for so long now. Im currently in my second semester and so far loving it, but is that all going to change once I graduate? Does everyone hate it, is any one happy??? PLEASE SHARE SOME POSITIVE STORIES IF THERE ARE ANY?????

I have been a nurse for 23 years. Have been in many areas, mostly women and childrens. I still love it and could not think of anything that I would rather be doing. Sure there are very hard days, even weeks, but the good outweighs the bad.

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Some days I love it...others I hate it...but I've been doing it for 27 yrs so its doable. ;)

Its a tough job and definitely not for everybody, but a caring profession is like that. Definitely takes a lot out of a person, and I sure do agree with Nitengale 326 about the politics!! I do agency for that reason.

I know many nurses who have taken time off and do something totally different for awhile to 'recharge their batteries'.

Try not to get too overwhelmed by our whining posts...we come here for a safe place to vent with other folks who understand...nurses! :)

I agree with this totally. Like any other job, you have to learn how to deal with lots of different personality types.. There's just such a variety of personalities in this job to deal with: patients, fellow nurses, physicians, family members, etc. It can take a lot out of a person. I've been burnt out a few times and taken a few months off here and there, but I always come back. And I love to be nurse. I get mad, vent at anybody who will listen, and then hit the floor running again. I love reading the posts on this site. It provides validation, inspiration, laughter and good advice from fellow nurses!!
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Love my patients! Love the real job, that I have. I do get stressed by some of my co-workers' antics (we have some divas, drama quenns, and chronic sickies) and a couple of physicians personalities. Overall, I like what I do which is mother-baby, L&D, GYN, NSY, and special care nsy in a small community hospital. I could be in all of the different areas in the course of one 12 hour shift. I could also have to transport a patient to another facility in an ambulance. There's lots of variety and a lot of independence. I couldn't have done this right of school. I needed more support and worked in a hospital w/ 24 hour in house docs for everything you might need. It is nice to be challenged, yet usually not overwhelmed, each day. We only have 60 deliveries per month so sometimes, we are bored. I have been a nurse for 17 years and am happier now than ever professionally. Though like Matts mom and Tweety, I agree there are ups and downs. I really want to go for my MSN, I just need the $. I wish nursing paid more. I often am in charge. I go to many of CE programs and help to teach EFM and various unit ed activities. I wish I could say I was making 30-50% more than a new grad. I think as experienced nurse we are an invaluable resource and should be tx'd like experts in other fields.

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Specializes in Clinical Risk Management.

Yes, I actually love my job. That's not to say that there aren't times when I want to walk out. We call it stress. It can be the actual patients, coworkers, or technology that's giving us a headache on the particular day combined with the demands of our lives. Heck, some days I just want to walk out of my own life when it gets really stressful!

The nurses on this board come here to vent, get support from their peers & just let their hair down. Let's face it, as nurses, we can't vent much at work. Telling the person who's called to ask me gross questions three times that day to go away just wouldn't be acceptable. Not even if I am in the midst of a family crisis. It just wouldn't help us remain in our careers. So we come here.

Good luck to you as you continue your studies!

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

I don't know if "love" is the word, but I am satisfied with my job. As a 49-year-old woman who graduated with my BSN at the age of 22, I am not a "starry-eyed kid" anymore and don't expect a gushy "love" relationship with my job. It's hard work and it takes a lot of energy to maintain a successful career over time -- so, I do think of it as "work" not "fun" -- but I am grateful that I have such a satisfying job in which I get to do important things that matter to me and in which I am treated very well by my colleagues.

I got my Master's Degree at the age of 26 and have spent most of my career in CNS and Staff Development roles. I got my PhD at the age of 42 and now work in a role that is part Staff Development and part administration. Yes, I get a decent paycheck ... and have a nice hours, etc. ... but the burden of a leadership role is heavy at times. I have earned and continue to earn my pay and perks on a regular basis.

But yes, I am happy with my job.

llg

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I can honestly say I love my job.

I've been a nurse over 20 years and I've done a lot of different things. I think nursing is a wonderful profession and is well suited to the demands made on women in this world. Where else could you work and make $20 (or more) dollars an hour and pick and choose the place, days and hours you want to work.

When my kids were small I did part time and PRN, usually working 3 days a week and always no more than 2 weekdays. Yet I always made enough money to support my side of our family bills and still had time to be able to do the fun things we all liked to do.

I don't think I could do another job. Nursing is tied very closely to WHO I am not just WHAT I do.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

**raising hand here**

99% of the time I love my job. Ups and downs go with the territory, naturally.

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Yes! I love my job.

Of course, after 20+ years of clinical nursing (Med/Surg, OB/Nursery), I have been in Quality Management / Performance Improvement for the past 7 years. That's the beauty of nursing, there's always a challenge and always something else out there waiting for you.

Even when, as in my case, your health will not allow you to perform clinical duties, your experience and knowledge is needed in other ways.

As others have said, it is a job where you are dealing with all kinds of people usually when they are in crisis and at their worst. It is also a job where there are more and more regulations and policies, but isn't that true in almost every profession?

There is nothing I would rather do and I am proud to say I am a nurse!

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Specializes in Psych, Med/Surg, Home Health, Oncology.

Hi

I've been doing this for 38 yrs. I've been staff & in management and back to staff. I LOVE NURSING!! I don't always like my job and some of the things it entails, but the bottom line is- I do love nursing, so I continue on.

One of the good things with nursing is that there are so many areas open to you--if you don't like the hospital, try long term care, home health or anyone of many options.

There are so many opportunities open to us nurses if we want them.

Oh, I know as a group we love to complain, but we wouldn't do it unless we loved to work with people.

I hope this helps.

mary Ann

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Monday(labor day) was the worst day I have ever seen as a nurse. In my 12 hour shift we cracked 2 chest + had another code that lasted 2+ hours. I was exausted by the end of the day but still full of adrenalin. Not a single patient listed above lived, but it still a positve learning experiance. Obviously this is not the normal day on the unit there are day when we are short staffed and just about everyone has a p__s poor attitude but I keeep going back because I love what I do and like and respect the people I do it with. I have autonomy, the doctors and other staff listen to what I think and if i am wrong tell me why. Nursing is the smartest thing Ihave ever done.

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Specializes in Critical Care/ICU.
Nursing is the smartest thing I have ever done.
I LOVE this statement!

And that's another thing I admire about nursing and experienced nurses...you really get to use your brain. There is so much thinking (critically) and problem solving involved in my ICU position.

It's so incredibly rewarding when I have a really sick patient and I'm given the tools (collaboration with the team, technology, meds, etc), and then I'm given the automony to piece together what to do with these tools to turn a bad mysterious situation into a stable one.

The human body with all of it's intricate and subtle workings leave me in awe just about every day! And with the workings of the human body being so interconnected and so complicated, I feel so smart for knowing how things actually relate and work together and how I can manipulate the care that I provide to get an outcome that's desirable! :) I LOVE that!

I'm currently precepting a new grad to our ICU (my first new grad!). Poor thing is so hard on herself about not immediately understanding the things that take a couple of YEARS to really comprehend. I remember being exactly like that about 4 years ago.

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I have been working with Hospice for almost a year. It is the most rewarding job I've ever had. I really get to know a lot of my pts and families, and most appreciate the services we are able to provide. It certainly has its challenges, like any nursing field, but I don't see myself doing anything else in the forseeable future.

One of the best aspects of my job is that we are a small Hospice and a close knit group. I can say with honesty that I like everyone I work with. Wow, what a concept. No politics. No backbiting. No gossiping. Of course, future personnel changes could upset that equation, but I'm enjoying it while I can.

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