Does anyone else plan to stay in bedside?

Nurses General Nursing

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I'm 24 and it seems that all my nursing friends my age and older only use bedside nursing as a stepping stone to CRNP,DNP, CRNA, and NM. I have no issue with that, it just seems like I'm the only one in the group that truly love bedside nursing and when I tell them that they are shocked. I also feel like they think it means I'm settling, but I didn't become a nurse not to work in bedside. I can totally see myself being one of those nurses still working the floor until I'm ready to roll over and die.

I started nursing 8 years ago. I went from a CNA, LPN, RN and now on my way to BSN. So I do understand the politics and the stresses of working in bedside. However, the pros outweigh the cons in my opinions.

My long term goal is to do part-time in bedside and part-time teaching clinicals for LPNs and RNs at a CC. In my area, you need a BSN to teach clinical.

So am I the only one who truly loves being a bedside nurse?

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

I'm actively trying to leave the bedside for the OUTside!!!!! Problem is, I can't seem to get those darned two nickels rubbed together!:down:

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I do not love bedside nursing but I find it... tolerable... and I intend to continue doing it just as long as I'm able.

I work under a collective bargaining agreement which gives me a bit of a buffer against age discrimination and I am mindful that some of my coworkers today will be my management in the years to come.

I would love to be a CRNA (what's not to love about that gig, right?) but that's just no longer practical for me.

I have toyed around with the NP thing but (a) the market is becoming saturated with NPs and (b) I have no interest in primary care and the critical-care NP path is probably not practical for me, either.

I'm a lifer at the bedside.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Float Pool, MICU, CTICU.

I'm a new grad nurse, but haven't started working as a nurse yet. At this point, I'm okay with either options. I have a goal to become an ACNP and specialize in Cardiology. However, I'm in noooo rush. As I progress further into my nursing career, I'll re-evaluate my goals and go from there. I am the only person in my family with a Bachelor and I am satisfied with that, as are my parents. I do know that I will become certified in anything related to my specialty that will advance my nursing knowledge and skill like CCRN, ACLS, etc. I would also like to be involved in leadership positions within my unit and take on charge nurse duties.

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Specializes in Cardiac.

I'm a CNA and in nursing school. I love bedside nursing, and plan to be at the bedside for several years, but I know I will leave bedside eventually.

Not because I think I'm too good to or dislike giving care to pts, but because there's more in our field to do and learn besides bedside care.

Also, I'd rather not completely destroy my body, which has happened to nurses who've been in the biz for >20 years.

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There's nothing wrong with using nursing as a stepping stone for other things. It just so happens a BSN is required to be an NP or CRNA, just like a BS is required to go on to graduate school. I know very few people who go to undergrad planning to stop there - it's a stepping stone to a PhD, MD, NP, whatever. It's a good thing - desiring higher education should be praised.

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There's nothing wrong with using nursing as a stepping stone for other things. It just so happens a BSN is required to be an NP or CRNA, just like a BS is required to go on to graduate school. I know very few people who go to undergrad planning to stop there - it's a stepping stone to a PhD, MD, NP, whatever. It's a good thing - desiring higher education should be praised.

Can't agree more, higher education should never be looked down upon.

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Specializes in Trauma, Teaching.

I've been bedside, LTC, camp nurse, children's home volunteer, and back to bedside. I was charge off and on for a lot of years, but quit doing that a few years ago. Did the Masters in Nsing Ed, and teach part time now; but am still primarily bedside (ER) 32 years worth; Nurse's Aide at 16 (no such thing as Certification then, lol) and Candystriper at 14.

I was offered a full time teaching position, and was very tempted but didn't leave bedside for 2 reasons. 1) I earn more at bedside than teaching (and still have a mortgage!) and 2) just not ready to give up the ER.

I like bedside, no interest whatsoever in admin/mgmt., enjoy teaching and generally quite content with my life. Although being a widow was not in my plans so early on..........

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After reading this, I did some Googling and found that while according to the NYS Labor Department there is NO minimum age for becoming certified as a CNA, in practice it's quite different. I couldn't find one school (in NYS) that would allow someone to enroll under the age of 17. I found some were 18. Requirements for having a high school diploma was common, but if you were enrolling in the BOCES classes at 17, you don't need the diploma (although the school had requirements for testing, etc). Quote

Many, many years ago I worked with an LPN who got her education while in high school, she was a PN upon graduation from high school. I'm pretty sure it was New York state.

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Specializes in FNP, ONP.

Yup, I knew a PN who got her LPN and highschool diplomas on the same day, at age 17, in New York. She was 50 when I knew her and that was 10 years ago at least, so it is possible they don't offer this type of vo-tech education anymore.

That being said, my daughter was observing the very same phenomena in her undergrad program. All anyone talked about was where they were going to grad school and whether it was for "pure" mathematics, math education or some type of engineering (many people were interested in propulsion systems it seems, which I would have though to be a different kind of engineering, but it turns out needs a mostly mathematics back ground. who knew?). The fact of the matter is, a masters degree is really necessary for professional success in many if not most fields these days. Nursing is not unique in this regard.

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Specializes in critical care.
I'm a CNA and in nursing school. I love bedside nursing, and plan to be at the bedside for several years, but I know I will leave bedside eventually.

Not because I think I'm too good to or dislike giving care to pts, but because there's more in our field to do and learn besides bedside care.

Also, I'd rather not completely destroy my body, which has happened to nurses who've been in the biz for >20 years.

This. I am a new nurse in a great work environment, and I am LOVING my job right now. I'm sure I will miss bedside care when I decide to leave, but I don't want to miss out on any of the other opportunities nursing offers, either.

Also, I work in ICU and have heard that ICU is tougher on a nurse's body than the floor. On the floor, the CNAs/techs do the majority of the physical stuff (god bless them!) In ICU, our techs still do more physical work than the nurses, but for every turn, lift, bed bath, etc., there is a nurse right there alongside the tech.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.
This. I am a new nurse in a great work environment, and I am LOVING my job right now. I'm sure I will miss bedside care when I decide to leave, but I don't want to miss out on any of the other opportunities nursing offers, either.

Also, I work in ICU and have heard that ICU is tougher on a nurse's body than the floor. On the floor, the CNAs/techs do the majority of the physical stuff (god bless them!) In ICU, our techs still do more physical work than the nurses, but for every turn, lift, bed bath, etc., there is a nurse right there alongside the tech.

Then either our floor is equivalent to your ICU or your ICU is equivalent to our floor. With 30 patients on just one of our med/surg floors and only two techs per unit, there is NO way the work would get done without the nurses' involvement. I've missed many a phone calls from doctors, other departments trying to give report, etc., because I was elbow-deep in :poop: and couldn't answer the phone! This teaching hospital lives up to its name in that it is really teaching me a hard lesson. That's why I only do two spaced-out days per week.:sneaky:

And, might I add that I am no new nurse. I have 3 RN years and 24 LPN years, with the latter half of that being strictly med/surg and the first half being a combination of med/surg, home health vents, visiting nurses, and a 7-year stint in charge of a detox unit. My next move in nursing will be out and ONLY OUT! Until then, I'm almost done with BSN just in case it takes longer than I hope for the door to open outwardly.:yes:

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Specializes in leadership, corrections.

Nursing is my life however, in my role as a bedside nurse, I promised myself that I will always learn something more. So going back to school for each degree was a must for me. I will probably volunteer later on when I start back traveling but for now I will focus on health prevention through education and lifestyle modification. I volunteer at the indigent care clinic alongside physicians to reduce the number of admissions. And because nursing is my life, I will always be in search of ways to be innovative and bring the best to my patients.

Cheers!

Lexi

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