Does this bother anyone else?

[stdntnurse]

I was just reading a post in another thread and came across the following statement that alarmed me: "i wish that i had chosen nursing in the first place because i need a recession Proof career".

I understand that the economy is facing, and will continue to face, hard times. I also realize that as a result of this people are now more then ever looking into job security when choosing a career. It scares me however, that people are now choosing nursing as a profession based on the thought that it is said to be 'recession proof' and not because they truly have a passion for it.

All I know is that if and when I am a patient in the health care system, I want a nurse looking after me who actually wants to be there and is dedicated to looking after her patients, not one who chose her profession based on job security and is more concerned about cash flow. Am I living in a dream world?

[Purple_Scrubs, BSN, RN]

In my experience and opinion, the nurses or students who readily admit that nursing is their "passion", and their whole life revolves around it, are the first to burnout and either leave the profession or at the very least become sorely disillusioned with it once they encounter the "real world" of nursing.

Who am I (or you) to say what the "right" reasons are for entering any career? There is nothing wrong with choosing a career that you are good at, and that allows financial stability, without allowing yourself to be defined by it or let it run your life. As long as you are a good nurse, I could care less WHY you chose the profession. If we eliminate all the nurses who do not feel this so-called passion or who fully define themselves as a nurse before anything else, there would be few left.

[jschut, BSN, RN]

I would love to have a nurse taking care of me that was competent and loved nursing. Unfortunately, I see so much of the ones that are in it for smoke breaks, in it for sucking the time clock (we have one nurse that will take an hour lunch, then stay after work 2 hours to "do her charting" most of which is outside smoking).

I am definitely NOT against taking your allotted amount of breaks, but the excess really gets to me.

So does finding pertinent labs and orders stuffed in drawers and under the books on the desk when I come in.

We have 1 nurse that works 12 hour days and since the boss is her "buddy", how convenient that she doesn't have to do ANY of the 2nd shift work... and when I say NONE, I mean NONE..., but when I come in at 6p, I have to do all 2nd shift work from 6-10, then switch and do my 3rd shift work. It's said that since she has 3 meals to go through, that she shouldn't HAVE to do anything else. (How's come when I worked 1st on 12's that I stil had to though?)

Oh well..... being a team player is hard when some has team and others don't.

Don't want a nurse like that taking care of me... any time.....

[catshowlady]

It so irks me when anyone in the healthcare field, whether its a CNA or RN says they are in it for a paycheck. If you want a paycheck go work for McDonalds!

Then will you give me your paycheck?

Seriously, I would not do this work for free, and I doubt many others would either. We are entitled to earn a living. Ultimately, yeah, I'm in it for the paycheck.

I don't see anything wrong with that. Maslow's hierarchy, and all that. My pts do not know the difference. I'm 100% there for them, with all my energy & passion, when I'm at work, but when I'm not, my time & energy are mine.

[WoofyMutt80]

I love what I do, I dont care how much I am paid. There are some who just want to be in healthcare for the $$$ and dont have pride in their work

[Fiona59]

I see it more and more with the Accelerated BScN students. Their first degree was in their "dream" area of study. Unfortunately, they are finding out those degrees don't pay the bills. So Nursing here they come.

One our unit, has an IT degree. Failed the registration exam twice. Last in, first off the floor for breaks. People hate picking up her patients. Foleys unemptied, Drains clogged, meds may or not have been given but all are signed for.

She's the first to admit that she went into nursing because of the paycheque. Sounds cruel but we've all got our fingers crossed that she fails her next attempt because then she will have to find another field of employemnt or go back for remedial eduation. Because what good is a BScN if they can't pass the CRNE?

[genabrie]

Anyone who goes to nursing school just because it is "recession proof" will quit before they finish once they start their clinicals and see what is in store for them. I love nursing, but it is not for everyone!

[genabrie]

You'd be surprised of how many make it through nursing school and not having an ounce compassion.

Some people can survive nursing school with just the thought of the being a " recession proof" career.

ALot of them start out compassionate and have the "compassion" knocked out of them by the time they graduate. Nurses can be pretty mean to student nurses, and then there are the patients and Dr's to contend with as well.

[cardiacRN2006, ADN, RN]

It so irks me when anyone in the healthcare field, whether its a CNA or RN says they are in it for a paycheck. If you want a paycheck go work for McDonalds!

When McDonalds pays me $40/hr with benefits then maybe I'll consider it. But for now, I stay in bedside nursing for the MONEY! EEks, such a bad word...

I love what I do, I dont care how much I am paid. There are some who just want to be in healthcare for the $$$ and dont have pride in their work

Please don't equate staying in this field for money with not having pride in their work. The two are unrelated. I have enormous pride in my work, love teaching families and precepting students and am constantly educating myself in my field. I am quite proud of the care I give, TYVM.

Anyone who goes to nursing school just because it is "recession proof" will quit before they finish once they start their clinicals and see what is in store for them. I love nursing, but it is not for everyone!

Blanket generalizations serve nobody well. I went into Nursing because I was tired of 'doing all the work' as a PCT for PCT pay. Yes, I learned very quickly that being a PCT wasn't even 1/10th the work of a nurse. But my main reasons for going into nursing were:

Pay

Schedule

Flexibility.

And what's wrong with that? I'm committed to my unit, my education, my patients, and quite frankly, I kick butt at what I do. I rule. So what if I went to nursing school for those reasons? Plenty of single mothers went into nursing to provide for their family. Are you gonna tear them down for that too?

As long as the nurse is a good nurse, who the heck cares why they became a nurse? What does IT have to do with YOU?

I just don't understand why everyone is all up in everyone elses business all the time.

[RN1982]

I think people who criticize those who go into healthcare for the money and benefits are hypocrits themselves. Think about it, they say that they don't care about the money and thats not what they went to school for but say "well, then take that 27 buck an hour salary you make and cut it down to 15 and come back and tell me you would work for that amount." I bet they would say no.

[UM Review RN, ASN, RN]

I love what I do, I dont care how much I am paid. There are some who just want to be in healthcare for the $$$ and dont have pride in their work

You don't care how much you're paid? Then why not just volunteer your services?

[fun-key]

I think whomever is writing that they don't care about their paycheck is just trying to get a rise out of most of us level headed nurses out here who do a great job and earn a living doing it... too ludicrous of a statement for anyone to pay attention to.

With regards to the profession being recession proof...

I think it is unfortunate that nursing has to deal with people who take excessive breaks, are last on and first off, and do not fulfill their duties. In many other professions this is not tolerated, but in nursing, due to the infamous "nursing shortage," it seems that a warm body is a warm body.

Some of you wrote about hospitals laying people off. Nursing opportunities abound in places other than the hospitals. Home care has been my calling.

[tele jelly]

Wow....someone is awfully high and mighty if they think that the only good nurses are those that "have a calling" or are "passionate" about their work. I wasn't called...and frankly I'm not that passionate either. Nursing is my job, I am good at it and it puts food on the table. So what?