Does anyone ever get tired of people thinking Nursing is easy?

[Nsco2018]

I saw a forum the other day where a bunch of men were talking about how easy it was to be a nurse. They referred to us as "glorified maids" and we get "paid a lot to wipe asses." When I first started nursing school (I will graduate in a few months), a family member asked me, "So do you know how to use an actual sphygmomanometer now?" That was pretty offensive because that seemed to me like she was insinuating that was the highest extent of nursing knowledge.

A lot of pharmacy students in my area refer to Nursing as their Plan B if pharm doesn't work out.

They say that Nursing is so easy to pass, and the pay is decent for the relatively little education we receive.

If only they really knew how much hard work and brain goes into nursing school, and how much more we do in practice than "wipe asses."

Sometimes it really discourages me to hear what little some people think of nurses. Sometimes it makes me wonder if people think I was just too lazy/dumb to go to med school or whatever. But then I remember what nursing school is really like. How much time and brain I've put into it, how much I've sacrificed, and what I'm REALLY in this field for- making a difference in patients' lives. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter what others think, it only matters that i made a difference. This is what I try to remind myself of daily. But I would be lying if I said that some people's negative perception of Nursing doesn't get to me sometimes.

If it's so "easy," then why is everyone not doing it? Sorry for the negative post, just needed to vent. I'm sure some of you have experienced this as well.

[brownbook]

I've never heard these comments. If someone is saying them online, get off the internet and do something else.

Nothing more needs to be said. Except I saw a comment on the internet that a unicorn was seen flying over Waco, Texas. Now that I believe 😂.

[ponymom]

I've seriously never had anyone speak condescendingly of my career choice when I was a nurse.

[bgxyrnf, MSN, RN]

They say that Nursing is so easy to pass, and the pay is decent for the relatively little education we receive.

I don't really give rip what other people say about my choice... it's my choice and it works for me. That said, I though nursing was easy to pass and the pay *is* decent for relatively little education.

If only they really knew how much hard work and brain goes into nursing school

Yeah, though by comparison to some other rigorous fields, nursing education isn't terribly challenging... at least, that was my experience comparing nursing to my prior fields of study (engineering and chemistry/biology).

Sometimes it really discourages me to hear what little some people think of nurses.

Why? If you're happy with your choice then why do you care what other people think? It's your life and the only person who needs to believe that your choice is a good one is... you.

Sometimes it makes me wonder if people think I was just too lazy/dumb to go to med school or whatever.

They might... but again, why give any thought to what they may or may not think about you. If they're a friend or someone who loves you then they care about you and will be supportive of you. If not, then that's their problem.

But then I remember... what I'm REALLY in this field for- making a difference in patients' lives.

There you go... finding your own source of satisfaction... well done.

But I would be lying if I said that some people's negative perception of Nursing doesn't get to me sometimes.

That's mostly a reflection of some issues of self-confidence and/or self-esteem. With practice and time, you can improve (I know because I've had huge issues with self-esteem which have improved greatly over the decades.

If it's so "easy," then why is everyone not doing it?

Well... I think "everyone" is trying to do it; many do not simply because there isn't enough room for all of them.

~~~~~

To anyone who's dismissive of my career choice, I just chuckle... today I spent 8 hours sitting in triage... didn't wipe a single ass (though did have to vitalize a kid covered in puke)... and got paid $104/hr for doing so. The joke's on them, huh?

Not bad for a job that only requires an associate's degree.

[brandy1017, ASN, RN]

Sounds like you care too much about what other people think. What does it matter that a bunch of men clearly jealous of nurses pay shout out insults on the internet. I wouldn't give them two cents of my time. Frankly I would avoid being around a bunch of men in the first place, they are probably drunk and causing trouble. When the time comes these fools end up in the hospital they will have an eye opening experience where they realize how much they need to depend on a nurse to care for them and keep them safe.

The real question is why do you care so much what others think? As long as you worry about what people think you will never be happy. Why compare yourself to others. If you're not happy as a nurse you can always go back to school for pharmacy or medicine as some nurses have. Yes they make a lot more money than nurses, but also have a lot more student loans these days and med school especially a lot more stress. Even after med school they have to compete to get a residency slot period not just the specialty they want and some aren't selected at all as there are more doctors than residency slots. Then you have to move to wherever you get in, not like moving to a place you really want to live. As a nurse you can work anywhere and you can choose where you want to live from staying where your friends and family are to moving to exotic places like Hawaii or the mountains of Colorado! Basically you can live anywhere your heart desires and be able to get a decent paying job and that is a very good thing and pretty rare these days!

You don't have to prove anything to anyone that is the life lesson you need to learn. Simply live your life and be happy with your choices!

[brandy1017, ASN, RN]

I've actually experienced the opposite more. That is, people think that because I am the nurse, I know everything and when the crap hits the fan I am the one they look to for help. They look up to me and think I can slay dragons. It's really quite unnerving. Very rarely do I hear that nurses just wipe ass or that we are dumb and nursing school is easy. On the rare occasions when I suspect that might be the sentiment of the person I'm communicating with, it is always a doctor who thinks EVERYONE is stupid and below him or her. That is unnerving too, but oddly, more easy for me to deal with.

This is the same response I've received. People come to me with their medical problems and are surprised that I don't know everything. I tell them even doctors don't know it all and that is why there are specialist doctors. There is too much knowledge out that for one person to know it all.

I have never been belittled for being a nurse and for the patients I needed to clean they were very appreciative and embarrassed at needing help. If we live long enough we all will find ourselves in need of help from another. I had to have surgery as a child and spent three months of bedrest having to use bedpans and not being able to take a bath or shower because of my casts. Ever since I relish taking a hot bath, it is a luxury I'm grateful for. What I've seen in my life as a nurse makes me realize the frailty of life.

[Rocknurse, MSN, APRN, NP]

Comments like that are kind of ridiculous when you think about it. I'd love to take them into the cardiac ICU for a day with an actively bleeding post-op open heart patient getting multiple blood products, on an IABP, CRRT, vented, on multiple pressors, 2 a-lines and an open chest. Would be kind of fun to see their faces actually.

[Daisy Joyce]

LOL stay off the internet!

Seriously, a lot of people lose their manners and turn into jerks when they log on line.

But I'm not sure it's a common perception that nurses have easy jobs.

I usually hear "ew how can you stand all that blood/suffering people/smells/whatever".

[Guest219794]

Obvious Schmobvious

And by the way, try to raise your opinion of yourself. That you don't think Nursing is academically challenging, and definitely less challenging than Pharmacy, is sad.

Hey Kooky-

Sorry I made you sad.

But, You may have missed the point.

It took me ten years to get my act together enough to go to nursing school. Once there, I worked my a** off to do well. Since finishing, I have earned multiple certifications that are not required and take a lot of work- I pay out of pocket, and get no financial benefit- just to make myself better at my job.

All that work payed off. i like my job, and am often able to really help somebody. I even save a life every now and then. So, don't worry, no need to raise my opinion of myself.

The OP resented that pharmacy students considered nursing a fall back. As far as I know, becoming a pharmacist is more academically challenging than becoming a nurse. (If I have this wrong, please correct me.) It is reasonable for them to have a fall back position. So, there is no reson to be offended or feel belittled.

[JerseyTomatoMDCrab, BSN]

My concern is less with people thinking nursing is easy (although a member of my husband's family did tell me nursing was "just memorizing" and I was not happy) but moreso with people having unrealistic expectations of what nursing actually is. They might think, as some other posts mention, we are the endless fountain of free healthcare advice everyone in the family should turn to for everything. For example: my cousin said "my ankle hurts when I run on a treadmill. What should I do?" My response? "Don't run on a treadmill." I was still in college then and now I have over six years experience and that would still be my answer. Even a doctor needs diagnostics, not a random complaint or cluster of symptoms, to make a diagnosis.

Then there are people who think we are the servants to physicians, "yes doctor"-ing our way through the hospital, while the MD passes meds, draws blood and does patient care. I blame TV and movies for this and I blame the idiots who believe it even more.

For the most part, the people in my life think my job is gross, tiring and interesting. They're not wrong. But until you've walked a mile (or 12 hour shift) in my ugly but supportive shoes, you'll never get it. And I'm ok with that.

[RNperdiem, RN]

Don't spend so much time on forums with immature boys who have grandiose dreams and little real accomplishment. They tend to be down on nurses and just about anybody else. You don't need negative people like that in your life. Spend time with us here instead; we understand.

[Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN]

Meh... I have never visited but hear of a site where anti-nurse posts like that happen.* Somehow I doubt that actual medical students have time for things like that.* * People lie and/or troll online all the time; it stands to reason that some will lie about being in medical school and/or troll nurses.*

I have worked with MANY residents over the years and have never once heard them disparage nurses. (I have heard gripes about specific nurses' decisions, but hey they were bad decisions.) In fact most of them really listen and take our assessment seriously. During the whole ebola thing after the ICU nurses' stories got on the news, I remember Sanjay Gupta telling about how early in his med school clinicals, his instructor introduced them to the charge nurse and were instructed to LISTEN TO THESE PEOPLE.

I wouldn't say nursing school was easy, (and I'm sorry to sadden the previous poster who said this assertion is sad) but it B]is[/b] less rigorous than pharmacy.* While I haven't been to pharmacy school, I do remember pharmacology being the class I studied most for.* Now picture a doctorate degree in that subject.* That isn't a lack of respect for my profession or an issue of self-esteem, it's fact.

Personally I feel like insisting that nursing school is just as academically rigorous as pharmacy or medicine or engineering makes us look silly.* Or as my 16 yr old says, "try-hards."

Having a fall back isn't even unreasonable.* I actually had this conversation with my 13 yr old son the other day.* He wants to be a voice actor and singer, but is also a huge video game nerd and is good with tech stuff.* He is a talented kid and has a very good voice (he gets blind-audition-with-trained-adjudicater selected for state honors choir even).* BUT.* Nobody graduates high school or even* with a BA in drama and gets full time voiceover work.* I have told him that it's wise to get some education in a tech area or even in a blue-collar trade to support himself -- at least until he gets enough/consistent voiceover work to support himself.

Not everyone is going to get into pharmacy school.* Should they NOT make a backup plan?* If they excel enough to be considered for a pharmacy program, should they leave higher education for blue-collar work when not accepted?* Or should they choose a different profession?*

And why would the nursing profession NOT want candidates who were strong enough to be considered for pharmacy school?* Personally I feel better about them being in my profession than those who can barely pass college algebra or A&P I... or those who have to take the NCLEX 5, 6, 7+ times.

But anyway, as many others have said, it's not worth your energy to worry about what other people say. One more quick story -- I have heard things about the suits in the C-suite making tons of money while everyone else works. Well my husband is one of those and he works his gluteus maximi off! Do I get offended on his behalf? Not really...they don't know. Neither do those who say we wipe butts all day.

[Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN]

weird asterisks... not sure why those happened.