Family not supportive, is nursing really that bad?

Workitinurfava, BSN, RN · Jul 12, 2017

You could shadow a nurse or become a CNA to see what it is like for a nurse. There are some CNA's that say they want to be a nurse afterwards and some say they don't want to. Being a CNA is tough but it would give you the opportunity to work with a nurse so you can see what they do.

RNNPICU, BSN, RN · Jul 12, 2017

Uncertainty in nursing, for example could be that your day is unpredictable. If you are working in an ICU you could have a stable ventilated patient who needs the routine care, meds, assessments, care, no family or updates, OR you could have a patient who is having unstable blood pressure, on/off continuous infusion medications every hour that are keeping your patient alive and you also have another patient just back from the OR whose family is demanding updates, post op labs, frequent assessments. You could also be working in acute care floors with 5 patients, 2 who will be discharged and you are up for first admit.

Nursing every day is unpredictable, it is rarely the same each day. You will need to be able to adapt quickly to changes within your unit and with your patient(s).

You will need to learn to identify signs/symptoms of changes and why it is important for your specific patient. Once you are on your own, you will need to multi-task and anticipate future needs of your patient(s)

If you are unable to control your anxiety or have coping skills for your anxiety it may affect your ability to work as a nurse.

Nursing school is tough, the instructors and professors are going to be strict in their expectations, very little room for exceptions to the rule, or understanding of individual needs. Some of this is because you have to meet minimum standards to sit for the NCLEX

Emm_RN, ASN, BSN, MSN · Jul 12, 2017

I have an anxiety disorder and I can honestly say I am the LEAST anxious at work because my brain turns to nursing mode. It is actually when I leave work that I become anxious about everything else! Also, moderate anxiety is actually helpful because it makes you more focused and careful.

quazar · Jul 12, 2017

Is anyone in your family a nurse? If so, talk to that person and seek their advice. If no one in your family is a nurse, I would take their opinions of your choice of future profession with a grain of salt, and seek the advice of a career counselor. I am not the same person I was at 17, nor do I have the job I expressed the desire to have at 17 (stock broker or lawyer...isn't that a hoot?). You have a lot of time to decide your professional fate, and even then, people change professions all the time when they are in their 30's, 40's, even 50's and 60's. Nothing is set in stone.

If you want to be a nurse, talk to a career counselor and actual nurses first. Take the pre requisite classes. Then decide as you go along whether or not it is a good fit.

brandy1017, ASN, RN · Jul 13, 2017

I would suggest you consider alternatives such as ultrasound tech which pays as much as or more than a nurse and has much better working conditions, you only take care of one patient at a time and more likely to have regular hours with weekends and holidays off. Nursing really is a grind, most places have 12 hour shifts. Sadly the nice thing about it is you are at the hospital less often, but 12 hours is a long day and you don't get overtime for over 8 hours. Day shift tends to be very busy and you may rarely get a break let alone a full 30 minutes for lunch. Personally, I wouldn't recommend nursing to anyone. I feel I have PTSD from all I've been thru with this job and they really work you like a mule!

You can find an ultrasound tech program at your local non-profit community college. It allows you to get good pay, regular hours and not be overwhelmed with all the responsibilities that are pushed on nurses. I think it is a hidden gem in healthcare! Do some research about ultrasound tech there are various specialties from OB to cardiac.

Other options include physical therapist, occupational therapist, speech therapist, or respiratory therapist. Physical therapist requires a Masters so lots of school. Occupational therapists are being negatively affected by the low reimbursements of medicaid which will only get worse in the future. Respiratory therapists have to deal with secretions, contagious diseases and ability to suction and intubate patients, put a tube down their throat to help them breathe. I wouldn't want to do that myself. Don't know much about speech therapists. There is also lab techs, phlebotomists that draw people's blood but that is a low paying job. XRAY techs also a somewhat low paying job. Medical assistant in a Dr's office with pay starting around $10/hr so another low paying job.

Personally I think ultrasound techs have the best job around for both pay and working conditions. That is what I would recommend instead of nursing to anyone!

Julius Seizure · Jul 13, 2017

I would suggest you consider alternatives such as ultrasound tech which pays as much as or more than a nurse and has much better working conditions, you only take care of one patient at a time and more likely to have regular hours with weekends and holidays off. Nursing really is a grind, most places have 12 hour shifts. Sadly the nice thing about it is you are at the hospital less often, but 12 hours is a long day and you don't get overtime for over 8 hours. Day shift tends to be very busy and you may rarely get a break let alone a full 30 minutes for lunch.
You can find an ultrasound tech program at your local non-profit community college. It allows you to get good pay, regular hours and not be overwhelmed with all the responsibilities that are pushed on nurses. I think it is a hidden gem in healthcare!

I've often wished that I had known about this job option when I was younger!

OrganizedChaos, LVN · Jul 13, 2017

I would suggest you consider alternatives such as ultrasound tech which pays as much as or more than a nurse and has much better working conditions, you only take care of one patient at a time and more likely to have regular hours with weekends and holidays off. Nursing really is a grind, most places have 12 hour shifts. Sadly the nice thing about it is you are at the hospital less often, but 12 hours is a long day and you don't get overtime for over 8 hours. Day shift tends to be very busy and you may rarely get a break let alone a full 30 minutes for lunch. Personally, I wouldn't recommend nursing to anyone. I feel I have PTSD from all I've been thru with this job and they really work you like a mule!
You can find an ultrasound tech program at your local non-profit community college. It allows you to get good pay, regular hours and not be overwhelmed with all the responsibilities that are pushed on nurses. I think it is a hidden gem in healthcare! Do some research about ultrasound tech there are various specialties from OB to cardiac.
Other options include physical therapist, occupational therapist, speech therapist, or respiratory therapist. Physical therapist requires a Masters so lots of school. Occupational therapists are being negatively affected by the low reimbursements of medicaid which will only get worse in the future. Respiratory therapists have to deal with secretions, contagious diseases and ability to suction and intubate patients, put a tube down their throat to help them breathe. I wouldn't want to do that myself. Don't know much about speech therapists. There is also lab techs, phlebotomists that draw people's blood but that is a low paying job. XRAY techs also a somewhat low paying job. Medical assistant in a Dr's office with pay starting around $10/hr so another low paying job.
Personally I think ultrasound techs have the best job around for both pay and working conditions. That is what I would recommend instead of nursing to anyone!

The only thing about that is you're stuck as an ultrasound tech, there is no career advancement.

matcha-cat · Jul 13, 2017

You don't immediately have to jump to being an ultrasound tech because you're unsure of nursing. That's huge. How long have you been thinking about nursing? Why do you want to do nursing, do you think? You can watch documentaries, read articles, read books... Educate yourself to the best of your ability, and try to see how well you think you'd do in nursing and if it's something you can really see yourself doing in years to come. Don't just completely toss it away because your family wouldn't bother to give it a second thought, or because there are easier options out there.

shibaowner, MSN, RN, NP · Jul 16, 2017

There are plenty of nurses who suffer from anxiety, depression, etc. When you say you are an anxious person, what does that mean? If you feel it is a problem, seek treatment. Otherwise, if it does not interfere with your ability to function, then don't worry about it. Nursing is a difficult job, but there are also different nursing careers - not everyone works in the ER or ICU. My advice is to take a CNA (Certified Nurse Assistant) or "tech" course, which can be done through the Red Cross or a community college. I took a course through the Red Cross for a few hundred dollars. It met every weekend for 8 weeks.

The course will include clinical time and then you will get first hand experience to see if you can do the work and like it. CNA is hard, and yes, you have to deal with all sorts of bodily fluids, but if you go home tired, but happy that you did something good, then nursing is definitely a field to consider. Also, working as a CNA is a decent job for a college student. If you can get a job as a CNA or a "tech" for a larger organization, they may also pay for part of your nursing school. You can also do volunteer work in a local hospital or nursing home. In addition, you must be a good student with good grades. Nursing school is extremely difficult. Good luck!

babyNP., APRN · Jul 22, 2017

Are you from the United States? I ask due to some of your word choices makes me think that- and the answer to that question would make my answer different. Nursing outside of the US is generally poorly paid with less autonomy.