Does anyone enjoy nursing?

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Hi everyone, I am new to this forum but I have been reading posts on this website for over a year now.

My question is does anyone enjoy nursing anymore? Some post are pretty negative about the career. I am 25 year old mother of two very young kids, 2 and 3 years old. I am going to school and recently decided to sign up to start LPN training in the summer. I wish to go all the way to get my ADN pretty much without a break inbetween. Somedays I am very hopeful that this will be a great career for me to get into but then I read a bunch of post about nursing and I start to question my career choice. I'm just wondering if its worth putting my family through the rigorious routine that I will have to follow once I start the LPN training. Any feedback, good or bad would be greatly apprectiated. Thank you.

I have been an RN for 17 years. The profession is a mixed bag, especially for a man (which I think I still am!) I would say in these times, a nursing license is a mighty valuable employment document. I have said many times recently I would be quite up the creek financially (and psychologically) if not for having one. That being said, it is a matter of finding your place in the field and working at a decent place and having compatible co-workers. And a combination of THOSE factors can be tricky at best to achieve! Nursing can be a living hell. I have lived through those living hell times, trust me. But all in all, it is worth the effort. Good luck to you, me, and all of us.

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Specializes in Nurse educator,correctional,LTAC,Med/surg Tele.

Dear Jedimom09 (and anyone else this applies to) I love being a nurse m very passionate about it..having been an LPN for 9years and just raduating an LPN to RN program i am just putting this out there for you an anyone else considering the same thing...if you are going for the LPN why not just go straight for the RN...the reason i ask that is because the way they are phasing out the LPN kinda forces you in a way to go back for the RN anyways..nursing school has it's challenges (not going to lie about it)so if you are gonna do it you may wanna just go straight thru..there are two things i regret(in a small way)not following through when i was enrolled in nursing school at 18years old and not going right for my RN when i graduated LPN school 9 years ago...I believe GOD wanted me to do this and i believe some were born to be Nurses...when you are able to comfort those in their most difficult time, when someone is taking their last breath and you are with them holding their hand and smiling at them and you see them take comfort in having you there with them is truly priceless...I also believe there are alot of nurses out here for just the money and have no "heart" for nursing, my belief is they should'nt being doing this....if i were independently wealthy yeah i think i'd still be a nurse it gives me that much satisfaction even going thru the worst days! And no i am not "new" i have been around in different challenging areas of nursing and i still love it like i did when i was a candy striper at 13 and a CNA at 18...I wanna do this (bedside nursing) until i am too old to do it. Good luck hope this helps in a small way:D

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Specializes in Nurse educator,correctional,LTAC,Med/surg Tele.

See this is what i don't get...i am by no means knocking anyone but if someone hates nursing that much why not just silently leave? Why scare someone who may have that passion for it? Maybe the discipline you chose in the nursing field is not the best fit for you, maybe you need to do ortho instead of med/surg (just an example)...or maybe it's simply looking at the big picture...yeah nursing is sometimes (alot of time) grunt work...this is the time when people are at their worst so they will behave their worst...yes you will get hit, crapped on, ****** on etc etc...the flip side is not everyone will do that to you, you will get hugs, thank you's etc every now and then...there are alot of burnt out nurses around and their lousy attitudes are infectious and influence others and that's bad...there are many different disciplines in nursing maybe you just need to change things up a bit....:nurse:

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No not really. Thats why we have such bad nurses out there today. And thats why we have to be extra great! That way we make up for the other jerks who have waited on our patients!!

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Specializes in geriatrics.

Do i love my coworkers...no. My boss...no. Calling the Dr at home at 2am on a holiday...no. Being the only nurse caring for 50+ patients with two cna's ...hell no!!!

But, i absolutely lovehaving my patients look at me and say "I am so glad you are here, i feel safe at night with you here." Or having a grieving family come out of their loved ones room after saying goodbye and hearing them say "I'm glad you were here to comfort mom at the end."

I love the hugs, the kisses on my cheek, the little old lady walking in the dark saying "where is my Forrest at?" That is the heart of being a nurse...the love between patient and nurse...

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Specializes in CVICU.

I have been a nurse for almost 3 years now and I am still loving it! Yes, my job is hard. Yes, SOMETIMES, my coworkers suck and yes, SOMETIMES my boss is less than understanding and yes, the docs can be mean and rude at times and the families can be demanding. But the patients are great! I just changed jobs to a CT Stepdown unit and I'm learning so much! I have renewed that love of nursing that I thought was starting to fade. :heartbeat I can't imagine doing anything else.

If you think you are losing the love of nursing, maybe it's time for a change...a different floor, different patient population, etc. :cool:

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No matter the line of work you will find people who bellyache about it. Nursing is an amazing profession. It is challenging, rewarding, exhausting, fulfilling, autonomous, flexible, wonderful and every day is different. I've been a nurse for 28 years and wouldn't change a thing.Go for it and make your own decision about whether or not you like it. Those who are so negative about the profession just haven't found the right fit. Opportunities abound. Good luck.

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I have been a nurse now for almost 2 years. I went thru the ADN course at a local community college. It was a challenge but I met it. These 2 years of working have taught me that i will never stop learning as a nurse. Some days I think I will not survive but I do. Most days I feel really good about what I can do. Yesterday was a challenge, I cried when I got home. But I am going back today because I do enjoy nursing and find great satisfaction in what I do.

Good luck to you.

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I have worked in a variety of nursing jobs over time and have come to the conclusion that nursing has afforded me a great living wage, allowed me to explore hospitals, businesses, insurance companies, etc, in the public as well as private sector. I think you will be very happy that you never have to worry about a job, your wages will be competitive with others, and you will be respected.

I am proud to be a registered nurse, and I've worked with good LPN's and CNA's ( and other professionals) in each job I've held. Each job has people I've loved and enjoyed, as well as some who are negative. I don't know any job that doesn't contain both kinds of people.

If it only takes two years to get the nurse education, go for it. You won't be sorry, especially when the paycheck arrives. :nurse:

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Specializes in family, internal, pediatric.

I used nursing as a stepping stone to becoming a nurse practitioner. I stayed an RN for 7 years including time in school. I enjoy being a nurse practitioner, have been doing this for 6 years now.

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, Case Management.

I've been in nursing for 29 years - wow, that makes me sound so old! :eek: Anyway...I'm not going to lie to you; there were times when I wondered why I chose this path, but overall, I have enjoyed my nursing career tremendously. It's not for everyone, but you don't know what will make you happy until you try it! Good luck!

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Specializes in Labor & Delivery, Med-surg.

There's nothing like nursing! There is so much variety here. If you get tired of one type of nursing you can do another. I retired twice but I can't leave because I still love it so much. For me it is a perfect fit, even though there are some types of nursing that don't interest me. The field is vast. There is something for everyone if you find medical stuff fascinating.

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