Does anyone enjoy being a nurse???

Butterfly0328 · Mar 7, 2011

Thank you all for the encouragement. My faith has been restored.:)

eriksoln, BSN, RN · Mar 7, 2011

For me, its not being a nurse that gets old it is all the other things associated with working at a hospital that gets on my nerves.

I hate nights and my hospital has issues staffing its night shifts. Once I do too many nights, I hate any job. Having to pay too much for parking get's old. The "constant crisis" with regards to staffing that seems to be going on at the hospital every single day every single shift is.......well........I'm over it.

Anyway, I find job satisfaction has more to do with the big picture than just liking/disliking nursing.

CMALynzer · Mar 7, 2011

Most days, if you were to ask me I would say yes. I do enjoy knowing that in a small way I am helping others and making a difference in the world. But there are times when my answer would be no. I don't enjoy the lack of gratitude from anyone, not you boss, not the practicioner you work for, not your co-workers, and the least gratitude you get is mostly from the patients.

I'm not asking for a medal or a pat on the back or anything...but a thanks would be nice once in a while. Kind words seem far and in-between anymore.

Right now where I work I'm dealing with a lot of back-stabbing and smack talk and I'm getting blamed for things I have not done.

I don't appreciate it in the least.

I was very hurt today when I was called down to the supervisors office and all this was made aware to me.

I feel as if I hate my job and I want to quit.

But right now, (trying to be rash and not do something I would regret) I'm trying to remember the reason I became a nurse. I'm trying to remember that I want to help people and make a difference and save lives.

Sometimes, this job can be very stressful and upsetting and you have to do that. If you forget the reason you chose this path, you will surely burn out and be very unhappy and maybe even quit the career path you had chosen.

LouisVRN, RN · Mar 7, 2011

I love my job...most of the time. The things that wear on me is that I have a bachelor's education and spend half my night fluffing pillows who live independently at home. But usually I can smile and be glad I am getting paid $10 to arrange your bed for 20 minutes. Annoying because it is taking me away from things that I actually went to school for yes... but its all part of the job. Embrace the parts you love, grin and bear it through the rest. :lol2:

FancypantsRN · Mar 7, 2011

I love nursing as well. I hate the politics, but I love the career path of it. I think for me, it's like any other relationship, with ups and downs. I have left work at times, completely content with my job - and other times envying the cashier at the convenience store.

Like others have said, volunteering is an excellent idea - so you don't go into it blind.

Good luck to you!

tewdles, RN · Mar 7, 2011

I have been practicing nursing for over 30 years in a pretty wide variety of settings. This is my profession of choice and I enjoy it very much. I enjoy it in different ways now than I did earlier in my career.

Just like with any other profession or career, there are aspects of your work which can be tedious or annoying on occasion. It is important to establish early on what gives you "warm fuzzies" about your practice...find ways to practice that feed your soul.

Because nurses provide a professional service, we work directly with people...and this can be very challenging. Dependent upon the type of nursing you choose, you will either see the same patients over and over, or, you will see a variety of people in your day to day work. The labor and delivery nurses you envied have more of the latter type job...they generally see different people every day.

Your posts sound like you will do well in nursing. Good luck!

MassED, BSN, RN · Mar 7, 2011

I think the choice for nursing school is such a personal decision and one that should be evaluated and researched carefully. First: know thyself. Only you know what you want/need out of life. Only you know what you are capable of. You know what you are TRULY interested in, so if nursing school is that, then go for it. Just remember, the beginning is difficult, the learning curve is steep, but if your foundation is on target with your true path, then keep your nose to the grind stone and you'll get through. If one wants it bad enough and wants to work very hard for it, you can get it.

My days as a nurse are rewarding, challenging, interesting, sad, happy, exhausting, laughable, ridiculous, scary, anxiety-ridden at moments, but always always I know that this is my calling.

I love and hate my job sometimes within a few moments, hours, or every shift. There are patients who make me wish I had never chosen nursing as my profession. There are also patients who teach me so much and are so grateful for my care, direction, education, and compassion that THEY are the ones that remind me why I am in this career. With each shift I work, the more I realize I knew much less the previous shift and learn so much every day. The patients I take care of are going to know what is going on, they are going to understand, to the best of my ability, why, how, when, what of this chaotic health care and disease/illness/injury process. They are better off with me, as I am certainly better having crossed paths with each and every one of them, for it has made me a better nurse, but more importantly, a better human being. Some days my compassion/patience tank is on fumes, but then it takes a sweet smile from a baby to take that all away and refuel my tank a bit. A sweet old man who is having a life ending MI holds my hand and tells me how wonderful his marriage to his wife of over 50 years was and he just wants her to be taken care of. Tender inescapable moments that can never be duplicated. Holding a dying man's hand while he herniates from a massive head bleed because no one else was in the room while we extubate him and wait for his heart to stop. Being there when someone dies really is a supreme honor. If nothing else at the end of the day beyond all of the muddle of work/stress, I find that I am a cushion at the worst of times and a laugh at the best of times. I hope that my patients remember me as I remember them.

MassED, BSN, RN · Mar 7, 2011

I love my job...most of the time. The things that wear on me is that I have a bachelor's education and spend half my night fluffing pillows who live independently at home. But usually I can smile and be glad I am getting paid $10 to arrange your bed for 20 minutes. Annoying because it is taking me away from things that I actually went to school for yes... but its all part of the job. Embrace the parts you love, grin and bear it through the rest.

$10??? Are you a nurse?

noahsmama · Mar 8, 2011

$10??? Are you a nurse?

They said $10 for 20 minutes, which works out to $30/hr (not $10/hr).

noahsmama · Mar 8, 2011

I'm a second career nurse and I'm loving it -- getting my BSN was the best career decision I've ever made. Enjoyed most aspects of the 1.5 years I worked in a peds hospital, but hated the hours. Am now working M-F 8:30-5 as a PHN working with foster kids, and loving that even more than the hospital job.

Do I love every second of it? No, of course not -- but I love it most of the time, and am very very happy with my decision to go back to school at the age of 48 to become an RN. No regrets here.

Good luck!

MassED, BSN, RN · Mar 8, 2011

They said $10 for 20 minutes, which works out to $30/hr (not $10/hr).

well that's odd, haven't seen someone break down their fluffing pillow job to 20 minute intervals. That threw me. Thanks!

allnurses Guide · Mar 8, 2011

Yes, I love being a nurse.

I like my job most of the time, and I really like the people I work with (most of the time :lol2: ).

I have traveled the world as a nurse, and settled down at home with family long term.

I got my BSN at 21, and my MSN at 49.

I like teaching too, and trying to get "the point" across to students.

Second the volunteering, all the hospitals I've ever been at have pink ladies (auxilliary) in some form.

I started at 14 as a Candy Striper (still have the striped pinafore somewhere, lol).

Became an aide at 16 or 17.

It still isn't the same as what an RN acutally does, but does let you know if this an atmosphere and situation you want to be in.

Go for it! As for the fibromyalgia, well, lots of us have chronic pain of one type or another. Can't let it stop you doing what you want to do.