Do it all over again? Aaaaaaa

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Having been continuously employed as a hospital staff nurse and assistant supervisor for almost 25 years, I sometimes wonder how I would respond to a young person seeking career advice and contemplating a future in nursing. No sour grapes here, as nursing has afforded me many opportunities, much flexibility, and an overall good quality of life. However, in light of the educational attainment-BSN, consider that many engineers and accountants for example, also having four-year degrees yet, enjoy a much higher professional status (my opinion), definitely better working conditions-no exposure to infectious bodily fluids..., better hours, and an earning potential that far exceeds nursing! Yeah, I know all about the suffering humanity and "it's a calling" bit, but it makes me think that if I had it all to do again.....well, I'm not so sure!

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.

I don't know which road I'd travel. But it would definitely not :smokin:be nursing. End of story.

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The "would you do it again?" question is hard for me to answer. On one hand, I like my work more than ever. On the other, just for the sake of something new and/or adventurous, I would like to see if I could do something different.

Nursing has been good to me, but I see how others don't feel that way so it's difficult to advise someone else. One thing I believe for sure, eyes need to be wide open to all aspects of the working conditions and expectations.

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
I don't know which road I'd travel. But it would definitely not :smokin:be nursing. End of story.

Same. Health care isn't about the health care anymore. It's all business and the bottom line is far too much of a focus. I get needing to reign in costs, but to cut nursing staff while paying half million dollar bonuses to execs is ridiculous. It's profit over human lives.

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Because I was never afraid to float, step outside my area of comfort, I have enjoyed my varied nursing career. I have no exceptional skills, talents; am not the go to nurse for "what is this, how do you do this" etc. I am just an average ASN nurse!

The great thing about nursing is there are 100's of different jobs, areas, types of nurse to be. I would definitely do it again.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.
Because I was never afraid to float, step outside my area of comfort, I have enjoyed my varied nursing career. I have no exceptional skills, talents; am not the go to nurse for "what is this, how do you do this" etc. I am just an average ASN nurse!

The great thing about nursing is there are 100's of different jobs, areas, types of nurse to be. I would definitely do it again.

I'm a float nurse and the pay and flexibility are awesome! It paid my son's way through college. But I still wouldn't choose nursing twice in the same lifetime. Come to think of it, I didn't choose it the first time around...my dad threw me into this mess.:cautious:

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Specializes in Geriatrics, med surg, telephone triage.

Absolutely not. No question. It wasnt a calling or a dream. There are no medical people in family. I should have done something else. It pays the bills (mostly) but so do lots of other professions. 26 years in nursing. I have another year to 4 years that I will stay in it and then I am done. I'll go work at Costco (lol) or something. Anything.

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