Do you regret being a nurse

Nurses General Nursing

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Do you regret becoming a nurse?

Specializes in Orthopaedic Nursing; Geriatrics.

NEVER! I have been a nurse for 37 years and have loved it all of this time. My husband asks me when I plan on retiring. (I'm ONLY 55!) I ask him why should I? Why stop working at a profession that I love? I get so much more frommy patients than they could ever get from me. They have all enhanced my life - even the hitters and spitters!

But my advice for those of you who DO regret it is to get out as soon as possible! Nursing is a field for people who love what they do - not tolerate it. Our patients deserve nothing less than that. :nurse:

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No i don't I regret being a Nurse. It's all the politics that go with it and all the back stabbings. that i regret. These are my thoughts use them as you wish

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My little sister talked me into going in to nursing and I thank her every day. I have loved almost every minute of it. This has got to be the best job ever in my book.

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No,because it is self fulfilling when you are helping people. I like to listen to their stories because it is their way of showing trust in the person caring for them.

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Specializes in Cardiology, Research, Family Practice.

Not one single regret, I LOVE being a nurse. I don't particularly care for poop, and trachs are so incredibly disgusting...I think I threw up a little in my mouth just imagining the sound of suctioning. However, I love patient interaction, patient teaching, pathophysiology. And I only encounter problems with doctors very, very rarely.

To the people who say they don't like their co-workers or the "politics": There is no job in the world, where you actually have co-workers, that is free of these problems. And it is no worse in nursing than it is in other field.

Oh, you can work days, nights, office, 12's, 8's, weekends. And you get to go work basically in your pajamas. Seriously, what's not to love?

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Sad to say, I do now. I quit a good job with benefits to pursue the dream of becoming a nurse, and here I am 2.5 years later trying to find a decent job, with huge student loans to pay off. My brief employment at a SNF was the worst job I can imagine, with 28 patients (rehab and skilled), no clerical support, money-grubbing administrators and backstabbing coworkers (not all of course, just the ones that had influence). But, I had two amazing hospital preceptorships, and I'm really hoping I can turn my next one into a job on a good unit. I love caring for patients, don't even mind the difficult ones, love teamwork and love medicine. But today, I really regret going into nursing.

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Specializes in Psych, EMS.

I don't regret it, I don't love it either..I'm apathetic. I'm a twenty-something who has steady employment and gets $28.75/hr, after only a year of school. Nursing is tolerable and a slam-dunk when it comes to practicality.

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Specializes in Women's Health.

the question is.... do you regret being a nurse? If so, leave.......... those who do not like the profession cause more trouble for those of us who love it..... my daughter followed into nsg with no prompting from me... she said " you always made it sound like so much fun"..... colleagues told me not to let her... my response... you are the reason there are no nurses!!! Daughter also loves nsg.

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Yes... Feel bad for saying it, but yeah. I've worked in inpatient psych, nights, for over 6 months now. I can't sleep. I rarely see my friends anymore because of the weird hours. Or, if I do, I have to stay awake for 24+ hours. It's almost impossible for me to take time away. Work every other holiday without holiday pay. No opportunity for growth thats outside management (unless you go back to school for NP).

That, and I feel like I'm making absolutely zero difference. Psych seems like a rotating door. People come in for a few days. Go back out. Come back in. Either they are not motivated to change their lifestyle, or they don't take their medications (even after lots of 'motivational interviewing'), or the medications simply don't work, or some combination of these things. All the time I ask myself, "What am I doing for these people?" I feel like I'm just providing a place for people to stay for a couple days, not treating their conditions.

Finally, my work is so slow paced. I find myself sweeping the floors, cleaning countertops most nights to keep myself awake. :( I see these posts where people are overwhelmed by how many sick patients they have, how busy they are with cares, and I'm a bit jealous. (Six months in, is it better to be overwhelmed or bored to tears?)

I'm trying to find another job that would challenge me, or at least be better hours, but the nursing market is bust. THERE IS NO NURSING SHORTAGE! And I can't list my current job as a reference because I can't let my manager find out I'm searching.

I really like health, pathophysiology, pharmacology, and how that applies to nursing skills, but I find I use my knowledge in these areas only 25% of the time. The rest is spent calling insurance companies, calling admissions, making sure this and that paperwork is signed.... and, of course, night shift cleaning and stocking.

I'm really considering looking outside nursing for work.

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Specializes in Med Surg, Specialty.
Finally, my work is so slow paced. I find myself sweeping the floors, cleaning countertops most nights to keep myself awake. :( I see these posts where people are overwhelmed by how many sick patients they have, how busy they are with cares, and I'm a bit jealous. (Six months in, is it better to be overwhelmed or bored to tears?)

Being overwhelmed means you can't provide high quality care to your patients and you go home feeling like you've failed them. Being overwhelmed means there are multiple emergencies at once, and not enough staff to help, and patients suffering because of it. Being overwhelmed means you may not take your lunch, or may delay going to the bathroom in an effort to try to catch up, to the detriment of your own health.

Being overwhelmed is not something to be jealous of. While it is understandably frustrating not being able to use your skills, why not spend your free time researching diagnoses or medications, or pathophysiology? Why not research and study ACLS, and then take the class and pass (having this will look good on your resume too). Your institution may have a tuition reimbursement program too that you can look into. There are a lot of area-specific certifications too you could look into, though usually they require a certain amount of hours worked in that area before you can take the actual test.

HRs are used to seeing resumes where it asks that they not contact the current employer, so don't let that hold you back from applying elsewhere. Good luck!

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I regret my degree, I just happened to graduate during one of the worst so called economic downturns.

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Specializes in Med/Surg/Tele/SNF-LTC/Supervisory.

Yes, I feel chewed up, and spit out...

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