A Day in the Life of an RN?

roser13, ASN, RN · Apr 2, 2016

Glad you're interested in the field of nursing. Try looking around here at the hundreds of threads and you will be able to gather exactly what a "day in the life" entails.

enuf_already · Apr 2, 2016

Hello everyone!
Currently I am taking my pre-nursing courses at my local community college. Next year I'm supposed to start nursing school, so I've been thinking a lot about what working as an RN really is like. I'm worried I don't have what it takes. I'm a good student, so I haven't been so worried about the school portion of becoming a nurse; I've heard so many things about how difficult it is to work as an RN after graduation so I'm afraid I won't be able to handle it.
How would you describe a day as an RN? I know that everyday must be different, but also what kinds of skills do you need to be a "good" RN?

Skills needed can vary depending on what type of nursing you choose to practice. The best skill is good communication with your team (including MDs, NPs, patients and families and coworkers).

I have worked in a variety of settings and honestly, there is no typical day. Some days go better than others and some days I question why I really want to be a nurse. In spite of this, I continue to go back the next day and the next.

Thirty-five plus years and no two days are alike. Just when you think you've seen it all, you will see something new. Nursing is about constantly learning new things, learning how to adapt to new situations (new equipment, hostile patients, new diseases), and learning how to care for yourself so you don't burn out.

Depending on where you work, you will see things you will never be able to forget (both good and bad). You may witness a patient fight with everything they have to live just one more day. You may also witness the tragedy of what one human being can do to another (shaken baby, stabbings, domestic violence, elder abuse).

Being a nurse can be difficult, rewarding, challenging, and frustrating all within the same day. My experience may differ from my coworkers. That's part of what makes being a nurse a unique experience.

Good luck to you!