Is it just my idealistic view of what a nurse should be or does this bother other nurses? I have heard several times lately and have read articles of people who are going to nursing school, not because they want to be a nurse but because they want the paycheck and a stable job. My sister in law is one of these people. She said to me, " I really don't want to be a nurse but I figure that I can work as a nurse while I go back to school." I find that mentality very frustrating. I worked very hard to become a nurse. I worked as a nursing assistant before I became a nurse so I could make sure that I knew what I was getting myself into, I shadowed nurses when I was in high school. I really feel that this is what I was put on this earth to do and to hear people talk like this who have absolutely no concept of what they are getting themselves into and who have no respect for the profession just boils my blood. I feel like these people, who have no intention of staying in nursing for an extended period of time just make it harder for the nursing student who actually wants to make a career of nursing because they take up spaces on the wait list for getting into nursing school.
Maybe some of these people will be excellent nurses and will contribute well to the profession but I personally would not want a nurse to take care of me who only got into the field because they wanted a stable paycheck.
Don't you agree that to do well in nursing you have to have some desire to be here in the first place? These are people's health and lives that we are dealing with. This field isn't just about a paycheck!!!
I know I'm probably being naieve and idealistic when I say this but I really feel that nursing is a calling, not a JOB!!! I've been doing this type of work for going on 10 years now and I have felt that way about it from day 1.
What do you think? Does it bother you that people are getting into nursing who have no desire to actually be a nurse? Just wanting to hear other people's perspectives on the issue.
There is an Art and a Science to the nursing profession.
All who enter nursing and successfully exit nursing school have to pass the science portion in order to obtain their license.
After many years, I've come to the conclusion that the Art portion to nursing comes into play when we have to be Actors/Actresses in front of our patients so that they have no clue as to what we are really thinking when we're having a bad day.
There is an Art and a Science to the nursing profession.
All who enter nursing and successfully exit nursing school have to pass the science portion in order to obtain their license.
After many years, I've come to the conclusion that the Art portion to nursing comes into play when we have to be Actors/Actresses in front of our patients so that they have no clue as to what we are really thinking when we're having a bad day.
Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
What good pay?Are you kidding me????
The pay is good.
Many people who have earned advanced MA/MS degrees from prestigious universities will never earn as much money as the nurse with the associate degree from the community college or technical school. I know of social workers with masters degrees who earn less than $40,000 per year. I know of unemployed people who have masters degrees in fine arts or sculpture.
So, yes, it is my personal opinion that nursing pay is good for the level of education that most RNs receive. Keep in mind that 70 percent of all RNs are educated at the ADN/AAS level.
And, yes, I am not kidding. I realize I've got a better job situation than many people in this economy, and I feel thoroughly blessed because of it.
Oh, aloe. I cant stress this enough....................
Laguna Beach is a the beach I judge all others by. I lived in CA, hawaii for 3 years and on the east coast.
Go, and you will be amazed.
I second that. I was sitting at The Cliff for lunch the other day [casual spot situated on a cliff with a 180 degree ocean view], and I was thinking about how much I take for granted the fact that such an amazing place is so nearby. Easily some of the most beautiful coastline I've seen.
[For a real treat, try lunch/diner at the Montage. Such an amazing hotel with even more amazing views...]
But, to return to the original topic, the above is one more reason [and a good one at that] why you can't really blame someone for chasing a paycheck....
Many people who have earned advanced MA/MS degrees from prestigious universities will never earn as much money as the nurse with the associate degree from the community college or technical school. I know of social workers with masters degrees who earn less than $40,000 per year. I know of unemployed people who have masters degrees in fine arts or sculpture.
I was talking with a friend who is about to graduate with a BA next semester about this. It really is surprising how useless a BA/BS is these days when it comes to making actual money. In many fields, it seems like you need a MA/MS before you really start to see a significant paycheck. Hmmm....6+ years for a MA, or 2 years plus pre-reqs for nursing? It really shouldn't come as a shock that a lot of people would be attracted by this....
As long as the nurse gives competent and compassionate care, it doesn't bother me so much if they are in it for the stability/paycheck.
I have been off work for a year now with the baby, and will soon return. Most of my reason for returning is for the $. I miss having some spending money! (dh can cover the bills and put a little in savings, but there isn't much play money left) I am also doing it as a mandatory way to get a break from the house/kids. :chuckle Yes, I do enjoy being a nurse, but I would not do it for free!
Those who don't really have an interest, will more than likely drop out due to the difficult curiculum. But those who do make it, well if they provide good patient care I don't really care what they do on their own time.
I could not disagree more. Nursing school was a breeze. Sure, I had to put in time with my nose in the books just like everyone else but in retrospect, it was not a hard road to hoe. The NCLEX shut off for me at 75. The true test for a real RN does not come in the classroom or at the testing center during the NCLEX. The true test comes at the bedside and those who dont have a real interest in the profession are in for a reality check when life leaves the classroom and becomes reality on the unit. Those that stick it out and keep their license are those that really had a real interest whether they realize it or not going in. I agree that the motivation for going to nursing school does not matter in the grand scheme of things. Its the care provided at bedside that counts and when the rubber meets the road, you need to ask yourself, "Am I compotent?". If you become comfortable with your judgment but you still find yourself after years of experience going home at the end of the day and rehashing that particular patient's care in your head over and over.... then you did your job to the best of your ability and that is what being an RN is about... you have compassion and you are getting paid for it.
lovehospital
654 Posts
Whatever floats your boat...