Can I get an Amen?

mncna08 · Mar 17, 2009

im not even in nursing school and i have my doubts, every time i read complaints and stuff, or im working and people get bossy, mean, demanding,and difficult i think to myself, do i really want to do this for the rest of my life? because i cant stand doing the whole customer srevice stuff. im going to school so i can stay away from the retail enviroment for good. and i dont know if your a cna or not, but when you take care of people its very different, i think you have a profesional attitude, where you just do what you have to do and you dont think about it.the whole washing deceased people, i think you have to acquire the ability to do that well. anyways good luck!

Vito Andolini · Mar 17, 2009

show of hands, how many of you who are still in nursing school are occasionally nervous about whether you've chosen the right career? how many of you who now love your jobs were worried one, too? all the folks on here complaining all the time, you're starting to scare me! but it could really be worse. i've been doing this for several decades and i sometimes have regrets. [color=sandybrown]nothing is ever perfect.
[color=sandybrown]
what if i can't find a job? people are saying there really isn't a shortage and some people haven't found a job a year after graduating. - this has more to do with hr being such screw-up's, i'd bet, than anything else. [color=sandybrown]talk [color=sandybrown]directly to the hiring person if you want to get hired. ..when all i want to do so bad is finally be able to move out of this state. half the nurses i hear seem to have nothing but complaints! i could theoretically kill someone if i made a bad enough mistake...i'm often not even comfortable holding hands on a first date, but i'm going to be bathing people's privates? old people? children? (i wasn't even allowed to change diapers when i worked in a church daycare back when i was 14, because the insurance said men doing that was a child abuse risk...now i have pedo-paranoia) bathing dead people? (whole nother kind of freaky.) people with open wounds? and i'll be sticking needles in them? using a huge needle to follow the collar bone to a vein in the neck?! i got weak and dizzy the last time i had an iv in me. i wanted to curl up and die when the nurse missed my vein and had to try again...and i know i'll do that to people. i have a hard time making myself touch worms in the garden, but i'll be doing all kinds of gross medical things all day long? [color=sandybrown]you get used to it gradually. just remind yourself that you are doing all of this to help the patient.
[color=sandybrown]
then again, if i'm worried about not finding a job as a nurse, what kind of job could i have found as a sociology major? good lord, what about all my friends studying history and music? philosophy? in comparison to other things, this seems like the best choice hands down...i've gotten way less squeamish even over the last few months, but i'm still so nervous sometimes.
i'm so psyched about being able to volunteer on medical missions and make a real difference in people's lives. i'm excited about being useful and undeniably helping others. therapy, social work, activism, none of the other careers i've thought about have been so clear-cut and simply good. i can finally get out of my own way, shut my ego up, stop being such a know-it-all, and work to make people better. i'm told i can find a job almost anywhere, especially since i'm willing and actively looking to move as soon as i graduate. i can finally afford take out student loans because i know i'll be making enough money when i start working to pay them off quickly. i'll be able to afford to shop in whole foods all the time! i can buy furniture! i can afford all those classes i've wanted to take! i won't feel like a sell-out for what i do, i'll literally see people's lives improving because of my work every day, and at the same time i can be comfortable. even if i go back to school and study other things, i'll always have those skills and experiences to fall back on and help people.
most of all, i'll always have the option of working in a meaningful, important field, and not sitting behind a desk all day! i hated trying to sell people things they didn't need. i hated having to always agree with even the most ridiculous customers.
people say "this is a hospital, not the hilton." well, i actually did work at a luxury hotel - blood and urine will be a pleasant change after fetching cork-screws for bachelor parties at 3 in the morning. (and please, poo on me rather than ask me to kiss up to another rabid mother of the bride.) [color=sandybrown] no matter what, you will not like pee and poop on yourself. blood, sweat, saliva, vomit, pus - these are not good. give me corkscrew fetching any time. see how the grass is always greener on the other side?
[color=sandybrown]
at least bacteria do not scream at you about other people's failure to provide chocolate fountains for their buffet. [color=sandybrown]no, bacteria don't scream but they do make you sick - maybe terminally so. and if someone has paid for that fountain, well, they should have it. i agree that screaming is not good.
the girl in 314 lost her leg to cancer and didn't even complain about her air conditioner breaking in july...did you seriously just yell at me for 20 minutes over napkins and cheesecake? again, we each are dealing with stuff that matters to us. it's not the fault of the second person that the other person has such a heavy burden. i personally would not stand there and be screamed at. i would fix the problem.
you want me to find you what kind of dancer, sir? (and what is that enticing scent you're wearing? she'll be charmed.):heartbeat
the state prosecutor booked the murder victim's family and the defendant adjoining rooms? maybe he wants another murder - good for business. or it was an oversight which i hope you too the initiative to get corrected once you became aware of it.
could the defense team please stop calling the prosecution's rooms? we know it's you. you're going to lose this case. stop acting like you're 12 and let the other lawyers get some sleep, please.
yes, i know your room number. no, i will not be coming up to "visit" once things quiet down. i don't provide that kind of hospitality, bub.
no recognition? ridiculously self-centered patients? hey, at least in nursing what you do matters more than bridezilla's chocolate frosting, and you're getting paid more than 8 bucks an hour. the benefits at my last job were fruit trays.
i guess it just hit me. loans for school. i'm really doing this. if i back out it will cost me. if i go through with it and then hate it it will cost me. but if i go through with it and even just have my expectations halfway met, this'll be great. i know i want to do this. i know i can do this.
anybody else feeling nervous? wondering if that other degree was a better idea after all? what about confident? glad to have your pre-nursing days behind you?

you'll be fine. i really enjoy your stream of consciousness writing style. maybe you can write for money? best wishes.

feralnostalgia · Mar 17, 2009

im not even in nursing school and i have my doubts, every time i read complaints and stuff, or im working and people get bossy, mean, demanding,and difficult i think to myself, do i really want to do this for the rest of my life? because i cant stand doing the whole customer srevice stuff. im going to school so i can stay away from the retail enviroment for good. and i dont know if your a cna or not, but when you take care of people its very different, i think you have a profesional attitude, where you just do what you have to do and you dont think about it.the whole washing deceased people, i think you have to acquire the ability to do that well. anyways good luck!

thanks =)

you'll be fine. i really enjoy your stream of consciousness writing style. maybe you can write for money? best wishes.

haha thanks - i'll stick to blogging for now, but who knows? the most frustrating thing about the other job was that i was reprimanded if i ever left the desk...half the job was being complained at for when other staff members messed up, and i was never allowed to do anything but apologize and tell the manager. soooo frustrating. i definitely prefered cleaning up after animals to apologizing for other people's mistakes all the time when i didn't have the authority to fix them myself. (i'd imagine getting human stuff all over you is a bit different from dogs, though, you guys who've been doing this for a long time have a lot of respect from me:up:)

It'sMe, RN, BBA, MBA · Mar 17, 2009

Just some quick comments:

1-the inability to get a job is a temporary situation. Don't forget, the nursing shortage is going to blossom to 500,000 short. Employment is out there even for new graduates. You just have to look a little harder. With you being so flexible you should have no problem at all. Spend your time applying and networking wth every working RN you can find. You will find your place.

2-Us old guys broke the barriers down for good thirty years ago. Be professional at all times. Don't fall in the trap of risque joking. Be an example for other male RNs. You have no more risk than the females if you follow these rules. And always protect yourself. If you are uncomfortable in a situation then follow your instinct, have a female attend you. Believe me, you will be asked to do a lot of things to compensate.

3-All the things you may find strange now, urine, feces, sputum, drainage, emesis, wounds, internal organs popping through the skin, brains coming through burr holes and patient bad breath will all become the normal and you will handle it like the professional you become. The only instinct we are all born with is the fear of falling. Every other fear is learned. You will learn to overcome your fear and use this power to help your patients. And they will love you for it. Sometimes they have a problem showing it but they do.

Don't worry, learn all you can and then go and be successful. You will not find a career more rewarding.

eriksoln, BSN, RN · Mar 17, 2009

As far as reconsidering your choice for nursing goes, think back to what it was that truly made nursing attractive to you in the first place.

Sometimes, I think in an effort to give nursing more credit for its place in society, people put nursing on a pedistal and say you can not perform the duties and succeed unless you are "in it for the right reasons".

I dont disagree with that. What I do disagree with is the assertion that nursing is unique for this. I dont think one can truly reach their potential in any career choice unless something other than being employed attracts them to the field they choose.

My advice, focus on the things that made nursing stand out to you. Dont lose your vision. Nursing offers many choices and working in one specialty field is nothing like working in another. The same principals and theory is used, but the work is completely different. Dont be distracted by the aspects that are not so attractive to you and stay focused on what you do like about nursing. Eventually, as your knowledge base grows, you will find that niche that contains more things you like and less you dont like.