Do you encounter a lot of mean people or bad situations in this field of nursing?

[Nickey21]

I am someone looking to possibly join the nursing field however if I was to join it my main and only interest would be in ob/gyn or maybe the nicu. I have heard that nurses have to put up with a lot of stuff on the regular basis, and I was just wondering how true this was for nurses who are in the field that I am interested in. I'm someone who is rather quiet and shy when you first get to know me and sometimes can be very easily hurt and maybe not able to handle mean spirited or I'll-willed people, so a lot of my friends and family have warned me against being a nurse. However I have yet to hear from someone who actually is a nurse. So I would really love to know what is you guys exactly have to put up with, and if you think someone of my disposition could handle it or not.

[klone, MSN, RN]

It's no different than any other area of nursing (with the exception, perhaps, of OR, where there is very little patient interaction). Which is really no different from real life. Most people are nice. Some are *******s.

[ixchel]

You are going to face a full range of personalities no matter what field you go into, but in nursing, you will potentially face them coming at you from all directions. Patients, coworkers, management, everywhere. Thick skin required, most definitely.

Starting in nursing school, if your professors do their jobs right, you will get honest, critical feedback. They can't fluff your ego. It's not a "everyone gets a trophy for trying their best" sort of world. And think about it - it really shouldn't be. You will be trusted with vulnerable people, bring required to know when things are going wrong, and how to fix those things. If you're getting praise all day long even though you are not actually doing well, your patients pay the price of that oversight.

After school, you will be paired with a preceptor. Your success during orientation will not just reflect your ability. It will reflect your preceptor's ability to teach, as well. If your preceptor can't give you concise and honest feedback, your preceptorship, you will not be able to be successful.

And then when you are on your own, you will face patients and their families. You'll have doctors and management. Some will be pleasant. Others, not so much. For patients, you're helping people through some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives. This brings out the good, bad and ugly. For doctors, one would think they are capable of behaving professionally, but not always. And management, in theory, should be giving you constructive criticism for growth, just as your preceptor would.

If you think you can thicken your skin and toughen up against negative feedback, go for it. If you crumble easily, honestly, I don't recommend nursing for you. I don't say that to be mean, but to be honest. I commend you for asking this up front, because it is a very good question that plenty of people don't consider before diving in head first. You see this theme in many, many threads here.

Best wishes to you as you choose your path, love!

[j0yegan]

It doesn't matter what field of nursing you're in. And it doesn't really matter what kind of career you have. You're going to be interacting with people in some way most likely. And you'll have to develop thick skin eventually... and I'll have to be honest - especially in nursing. I've had doctors treat me like ****, even in front of the patient like I didn't know what I was doing. You can't let them get to you. And there will be people who don't do their jobs and make YOU look bad and blame YOU. Just because you don't have thick skin now doesn't mean you will never. Go into a field you want. And don't let people get in your way.