Do you experience jealousy from friends/family members?

[Ms. Nurse Assistant]

To any RN/LPNs do you experience jealousy from friends/family members or even co-workers over the fact that you actually accomplished a diploma/ADN/Bachelors Degree or higher in nursing? If so, what do they say and how do you react to it?

[ShayRN]

I am the second RN in my family with a BSN. My cousin will be graduating in December with her BSN as well. All my family has been wonderful and supportive in my career choices and goals. I only remember one instance from many years ago. I had worked a full time job and a part time job while in college. So I only went to school part time until I was actually in the nursing program. It took me 10 years to get a four year degree. My brother in law (who never went to college a day in his life)had a party and said in front of his friends, "Yeah, she has been in school a long time, I actually wonder if she will ever really graduate." I smiled as pleasantly as I could and replied "bet I have my degree before you have yours." He looked me right in the eye and said, Ok, you are right. LOL. I feel very fortunate to have the career I have. I look at where some of my friends are in life and it breaks my heart to see them struggle, but that is NOT my fault. I went to school and worked very, very hard to get my degree.

[smartnurse1982]

I've had family members refer to me as a home health aide or can even after I've repeatedly told them I'm an Rn. I believe they don't want to believe I could had achieved it,but I did. I come from a family of deep poverty a lot of my relatives don't have a high school diploma,and only one relative I know of has graduated college.When I was an lpn I had a cousin who would make snide comments because he was going to medical assistant school around the same time as I was for the lpn. He never did geta job as a med assistant,but when I became an Rn he stopped talking to me.

[smartnurse1982]

I have steered some family members not to become nurses at this time,however,because its getting really hard for new grads to find jobs,and I don't want to see anyone wasting $20,000.

I'm not jealous,but I don't know how to be supportive without telling them about this.I've been accused of being jealous when I point that out because they say "there is a nursing shortage"

[NurseFrustrated]

:bdyhdclp: They're not jealous that I have to work every other weekend and a lot of holidays while they all get those days off.

[canesdukegirl, BSN, RN]

Just the opposite in my case. My fam is horrified that I am "only a nurse". They think I should have gone to MD school...I laugh at them because I HAVE A LIFE!! Outside of call, of course...

[enchantmentdis, BSN, RN]

My mom kvetches about being a porter for 7 dollars an hour in a casino at 67 years old. My sister cries about working at Walgreen's for $9/hr. My brother whines about being a waiter who has to wait for tips. They all came from the same background as i did and wonder how i went to school and became an RN. Everyone of them criticizes college education and say it is boring and takes too long to learn. I tell 'em, no education= no cash. They just don't get it.

[DizzyLizzyNurse]

I think part of the reason my former best friend and I are no longer friends has to do with me being excited to almost be done with school and being excited about my future. She also has a psych degree and works in retail (like someone else said). She hates her job, but for some reason won't finish her master's so she can do something with her psych degree. She started making snide comments to me about nursing.

I've also had trouble with some coworkers. I was a CNA with the CNAs there and they had trouble when I became an LPN. Now I'm having trouble with the LPNs now that I'm almost an RN. I've heard "It must be nice!" several times. Well my work offers scholarships and I took advantage of them. Am I supposed to feel bad about that and all my hard work????