am I insane

RNbrat · Jul 16, 2002

Maybe you are a little bit confused with some of the stuff? could that be the problem? :-/

thisnurse · Jul 16, 2002

i was like you.

i didnt volunteer to do all the procedures. i didnt get excited when someone had to have an NG inserted. i wasnt a happy bather. i dreaded some of it.

at one point i discussed this with my instuctor. i felt very insecure and worried that i had made the wrong career choice.

ill never forget what she said....

"these procedures are not nursing. any monkey can be trained to give a bath. nursing is THINKING."

dont worry about the way you feel...i think its normal. i have no problem telling you that im a great nurse. im not bragging ..i just am. its probably the only thing in my life i am absolutely certain of.

to answer your question....

all nurses are insane...if they werent they wouldnt be nurses.

ERNurse752, RN · Jul 16, 2002

Sounds like I've found some kindrid spirits here...

I hated a lot of things in nursing school, but I like "real-world-nursing", and I do a good job if I do say so myself.

It gets better once you start clinicals, and you can apply what you're learning and actually see pts. I only liked about half of my clinicals, which made things rough...a lot of it is finding something you enjoy, and there are a lot of things out there to find! Good luck! :)

Cherry Soda · Jul 16, 2002

don't feel bad.....I hate giving baths and all that stuff too....

CATHYW · Jul 16, 2002

Welcome to the real world of nursing. Perhaps you can see a broader picture than the classmates you refer to. Also, your personality is likely entirely different than theirs. You may be excited by things that they would look at, and say, "oh yeah."

If, in your heart, you want to better yourself through education, help other people through some of the roughest times of their lives; and, in so doing, get your hands dirty and your heart touched, you are definitely doing the right thing.

stevierae · Jul 17, 2002

I second everything everyone above said. The "real world" of nursing is light years different than nursing school, which is composed of a lot of scut work and theory. The fact that you are questioning things and not wondering what your fellow students find so exciting about this basic (but necessary) step in your learning process tells me that you are alreading becoming skilled at critical thinking. Critical thinking skills are what today's nursing is REALLY all about.

NO ONE feels skilled enough to "go out there" and really put into practice what you have learned, even upon graduation, but guess what? We have ALL been there. You will not be left on your own to fly by the seat of your pants, and the RNs who teach you will show you that everything--in fact, very FEW things--are done by the book, or as you learned in nursing school. Relax and enjoy the nursing school experience.

Here's a funny story about my friend Al, the only guy in our nursing school class. He always volunteered to do what he thought was the "fun stuff," like (in HIS mind, NOT ours!) trach suctioning, NG insertions, colostomy care, "shots"...He was going to work med surg, and wanted to be REALLY good at those skills upon graduation. The rest of us let him do them ALL.

Flash forward 3 months later--I am working in the OR (where, thank God, I will never have to insert an NG, or do trach suctioning or colostomy care. In over 20 years, I have only given maybe, 10 IM injections! I'm a master at IV starts, though!)

I call my friend Al, on the med-surg floor, and say, "How's it going? Do you like your job?"

Al: "Oh, yeah!! We get to do all kinds of cool stuff, like trach care, etc."

I tell a seasoned OR nurse about it. She says, "Yeah, just ask him the same question in a year, after he has suctioned the nasty trachs of a few hundred old gomers." I am shocked and offended at this response, but keep it to myself.

1 year later, I am still in the OR. I call my friend Al on med surg, above us. "How's it going? Do you still like your job?"

Al: "Man, all we do is gross, disgusting stuff like trach suctioning, colostomy care and NGs and tube feedings. You are so lucky. I wish we could give all our meds IV push, like you guys do. I'm always behind. I never get a break. I wish I could get the he** outa med-surg."

So much for the "fun" stuff learned in nursing school!

stevierae · Jul 17, 2002

P.S. Barb, I just noticed you are from Portland!! e-mail me privately or call me sometime if I can be of any help to you. Mario Ragucci, who also posts on this board, is also from Portland!! Are you going to Linfield?

teeituptom, BSN, RN · Jul 17, 2002

Howdy Yall

From deep in the heart of texas

Only you can decide what is right for you, but dont give up to easily

l.rae · Jul 17, 2002

yep...all you guys are sooooo right.....been at in 22 yrs myself......kind of like ER.....no baths...we do some mucky stuff, but not like on the floor over and over and over...........all shift long. i was working in triage the other noght and l was assessing a pt when the sec walked over and asked me...''what does RSD stand for?''.....l thought a minute and rplied,''l don't remember if l ever knew.''.....my pt jokingly said ''you need to give back your license.'' l told him l was considering it after 22yrs cause l hear waitresses get better tips.....kind of got a funny look from that....l could not say itbetter than Thisnurse's instructor...nursing IS thinking much more than doing....if l do a proceedure and a pt is better off, that's good.....when l perform an assessment and catch something that changes a pt's outcome....that's great....that is NURSING.......good luck with your decision.....LR

Jeanine · Jul 17, 2002

As you start talking to your fellow students, you'll see that you are not the only one who feels this way. You will wind up with three or four others who feel exactly the same as you. The really "excited" students will get on all of your nerves and you'll be sending eachother non-verbal messages whenever they get going. I made some really good friends that way, and we helped eachother get through the tough times and boring stuff in nursing school. Don't be afraid to mention your feelings with the others as you feel them out. It makes the years go much quicker and more tolerable.

Nurse Ratched, RN · Jul 17, 2002

When I decided to become a nurse after many years as an aide and previous degrees in unrelated fields, it was in large part to have the ability to get a decent-paying job no matter where hubby and I went due to the nature of his work. While I loved being an aide (except for the pay) I didn't necessarily have a burning desire to be a nurse.

Now that I am, I love it - especially the critical thinking aspect. It's a great day when you pick up on something and it turns out to be what is wrong with a particular patient (OK - technically, that's diagnosing, but it's still cool!)

Nursing has so many opportunities, I suspect you'll find your niche :).