Getting into Nursing Just to Get a JOB!!

[allison_lpn]

I'm a nurse and I've ALWAYS wanted to be a nurse. I decided to be a nurse because I am a nurturer by nature. I absolutely love taking care of people and doing my part to make them feel better when they are feeling their worst.

I am having a problem with the fact that so many people are deciding to get into the medical/health field, just so that they can get a paycheck. This job is one that requires not only talent, but especially heart. It will be interesting to see where the industry goes over the next few years as people get into nursing that don't belong there. I see all the time the media pushing that people go into healthcare, because it is uncrushable. Because no matter what is going on with the economy we still need clinicians. But how qualified are they? And what will happen when the economy bounces back and those people go back to their high paying executive jobs.

I know this is going to have an impact on the ability to get into nursing school as well...because you have that many more people applying, therefore making the waitlists even longer.

:twocents:This is just something I've been thinking about lately!! I'm interested to find out what other people think!!

[RN1982]

I have a problem with nurses who are quick to judge those that chose nursing for the paycheck rather than "the passion of nursing". People have families to support and this seems to be the reason why most people who have been laid off of their jobs recently have decided that healthcare is the field of choice. I don't care if they came into this profession for the money. I just care that they are competent at what they are doing. So my final thoughts on this topic would be to mind your own business and get over it. This constant bickering over why someone became a nurse only further divides this profession.

[zuzi]

You know, since I'm not a nurse yet either but I can apply common sense and life experience to this situation. The bottom line is we can't say one nurse is better than another without looking at her individual work ethic and history.

My statements have come primarily from my observations of my husband as a police officer. He doesn't like the criminals he arrests and interviews. He doesn't like the city he works in. He doesn't like the department for not supporting its' officers when it should. He chose the job more out of a career choice than a "calling." Yet he is an awesome cop, a hard worker, well liked in the department, and NEVER gets rough with suspects. His Sgts choose him over other officers for difficult assignments. He does all this with his logical mind. It's all about the choices you make.

It doesn't mean he doesn't have a heart, he loves his fellow officers like brothers, and he still cries when he comes home sometimes when bad things happen. I don't know what that person was talking about with the "bionic" nurses thing. Nonsense.

Is a intentional twisted analogy... you don't need to love criminals, YOU need to love THE TRUTH, this is the calling for a policeman. Is the same in nursing, you don't need to love patients, you need to love the health and nursing care of your patients. If you are a BIONIC nurse you will fallow the rules ONLY, not mind involved, not logical thinking, they will teach you rules, you will act ONLY fallowing rules........if "the heads", will told you THIS patient is green even if you "can" see him white, a bionic nurse will tell YES SIR is green, you have right is green, green, green, are nurses for money, not for patients.

Only who have eyes to see the difference will see it.

The personality of any human is builded in time based on multiple factors one is sociocutural factors. If you all your life developed your personality to be a good high level manager or executive director, or banker or seller, or whatever, , ....don't tell me that in 2-3 years of nursing school they will rebuild your personality to be nurse. At 30- 50 years old is hard that! They could build skills, good or bad, depend of aptitudes, but in essence you are still, deep insiede you, the manager, the director... and never you will be happy with JUST a bed nurse postion. This country has enough bosses... they need nurses, NURSES! And if you don't have calling for it, you will be just a director, a seller, a banker, whatever in nursing scrubs, just true!

Instead to give money to work reorientation, give money for young teenger ones to start nursing schools, they are hopes. We are too old for it!

Take teeneagers, push them throught nursing carrier, you could help them to become good nurses with good educators, at 17-18 years they still have time to become good ones, and characterial and skills.

I meet one of the woanderfull nurses who came from a fromer CNA, and a worst nightmare charge nurse came from a bhoemian life poet background, a night mare nurse from a fromer oil manager and a beautiful potential nurse young working hard and learning hard, and a worst triky mind potentail nurse who just dream nothing lese than a managerail position.... you need nurses, who choosed to be nurses for calling not for money, young nurses, to build them strong untwisted one.

I am not american, one day I will be out from here, but for your parents you don't want an former executive banker in nursing scrubs, applying nursing strategis learnt in 2 years and thinking in the same time how the stocks are working today, loooool

This country deserve good nurses, no bionic ones no ones for money.

[~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN]

I agree with alot that was said in the previous postings, however, my problem is the waiting lists that are being created most recently due to the overwhelming number of applicants (people who have a "calling" or not) trying to get into nursing school. I am on a waiting list and have been trying to apply to other schools but am facing the same porblems, they want you to come in and test and then be placed on a waiting list because of so many applicants, whereas a couple years ago, it may have been nothing to apply and get right in.

I just wanted to say, I applied in March 2006, I JUST NOW got my acceptance. When I start in the Fall it will be 3.5 years I waited. So a couple of years ago it was just as bad. In fact now, the WL at my school is 2-2.5 years, When I applied it was 3-4

[EastBayCAStudent]

Wow, zuzi, I guess you have figured out all of human nature, and you are the only one capable of explaining things. We should inform the media.

Maybe you can tell me what I should do for a living, since you are more qualified than I. If you get a good editor, you can write a book while you're at it.

[~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN]

Believe it or not there are Nurses out there who had a 'calling' to come into nursing who are actually fantastic all round nurses with a caring attitude.

Thank You for this, their was this old saying I was taught growing up, 2 wrongs don't make a right.

It seems like a group of people got offended by a generalization that was implied, so in turn made their own generalizations offending another group of people that should not be held responsible for anyone else's comments. It's been implied MANY times in this thread that the nurse with the calling is stupid and incompetent and lazy. Just as it was been implied many times if you go into it for strictly the money you are a bad nurse.

Both generlizations are wrong. I didn't have a calling to be a nurse per say, but I did have a calling to be in a profession where I worked with others and helped others. Don't think it was so much of a calling as it was stemmed from my own childhood. I wanted to do for others what wasn't done for me. So call it whatever you want. Nursing wasn't my first choice, but again I did know I did want to directly work with people in a supportive helping way. I am not dumb, nor lazy, nor imcompetent. I know I will make a good nurse.

Nursing wasn't what I dreamed of doing either, and that doesn't mean I am more intelligent then a nurse with a calling. Doesn't mean they are just jealous because I am smarter and so on.

At the end of the day, I want to be a nurse and I will be a nurse and I have no doubt I will be good at my job.

I do though agree with the comment made about not liking your job you will eventually be (I don't remember the wording) but basically said you will be unhappy.

I agree with that fully and don't think it has anything to do with nursing. Who is gonna be happy at any job they hate??? I mean there has to be something keeping you there and if it is ONLY a paycheck and no other reason, then I do think you will most likely be unhappy and resentful. I think it's human nature. I think though if their are more benefits to your job over all than you can for sure grow to be happy in your job.

Like some have said here, paycheck, benies, flexibility, 3 days on 4 off. Combining all those things can surely make you have a job that may not have been your calling but one you like and enjoy overall.

Not sure if that made sense, it's late and I have had a rough day and am tired ( can't sleep though).

[~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN]

Oh and for the record, I am starting to think that an Emotional IQ test would be useful for any job dealing directly with people. I swear I am so tired of rude and belittling CS people at stores that make it obvious they can't stand their job or people. Hello you chose to work with PEOPLE. You might want to have a tolerance for them before perusing that path. Ok sorry, saw a clerk today being totally rude to a Customer and it was completely uncalled for and she was mumbling under her breath what a pain dealing with customers is :|

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

there are a few sure fired ways to get a thread going here at allnurses. in the top ten list seems to be the 'nurses in it for the money' topic, which seems to be coming up frequently of late.

some others:

'are bsns better?'

'should fat people become nurses?'

'i was fired because i'm drop dead gorgeous!'

'i'm getting eaten by mean, worn out old nurses!'

don't forget "nurses eat their young, and i know it's true because they're eating me." (usually followed by the explanation that the mean old nurses are eating her because she's so cute, and so much smarter than they are.)

and don't forget "all those old dogs who won't learn new tricks should just move out of my way and quit."

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

is a intentional twisted analogy... you don't need to love criminals, you need to love the truth, this is the calling for a policeman. is the same in nursing, you don't need to love patients, you need to love the health and nursing care of your patients. if you are a bionic nurse you will fallow the rules only, not mind involved, not logical thinking, they will teach you rules, you will act only fallowing rules........if "the heads", will told you this patient is green even if you "can" see him white, a bionic nurse will tell yes sir is green, you have right is green, green, green, are nurses for money, not for patients.

only who have eyes to see the difference will see it.

the personality of any human is builded in time based on multiple factors one is sociocutural factors. if you all your life developed your personality to be a good high level manager or executive director, or banker or seller, or whatever, , ....don't tell me that in 2-3 years of nursing school they will rebuild your personality to be nurse. at 30- 50 years old is hard that! they could build skills, good or bad, depend of aptitudes, but in essence you are still, deep insiede you, the manager, the director... and never you will be happy with just a bed nurse postion. this country has enough bosses... they need nurses, nurses! and if you don't have calling for it, you will be just a director, a seller, a banker, whatever in nursing scrubs, just true!

instead to give money to work reorientation, give money for young teenger ones to start nursing schools, they are hopes. we are too old for it!

take teeneagers, push them throught nursing carrier, you could help them to become good nurses with good educators, at 17-18 years they still have time to become good ones, and characterial and skills.

i meet one of the woanderfull nurses who came from a fromer cna, and a worst nightmare charge nurse came from a bhoemian life poet background, a night mare nurse from a fromer oil manager and a beautiful potential nurse young working hard and learning hard, and a worst triky mind potentail nurse who just dream nothing lese than a managerail position.... you need nurses, who choosed to be nurses for calling not for money, young nurses, to build them strong untwisted one.

i am not american, one day i will be out from here, but for your parents you don't want an former executive banker in nursing scrubs, applying nursing strategis learnt in 2 years and thinking in the same time how the stocks are working today, loooool

this country deserve good nurses, no bionic ones no ones for money.

i can't follow your train of thought at all, and your logic seems faulty. but i have to say that it's really not your call who should be a nurse and who shouldn't. so stop worrying about people's motivations for getting into the field and maybe worry more about your own practice. as long as people are competent, it's all good.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

wow, zuzi, i guess you have figured out all of human nature, and you are the only one capable of explaining things. we should inform the media.

maybe you can tell me what i should do for a living, since you are more qualified than i. if you get a good editor, you can write a book while you're at it.

i think she needs to work on her written communication skills before writing a book. i can't follow her logic, but the judgementalism (if that's a word) comes through loud and clear.

[zuzi]

Is just an opinion we live in a country with a freedom of speach.... if you feel like a judgemnt I am sorry is just my opinion...take it or live it... I didn't attacked you, you did it!

I was in Salinas...is full of teenagers without a goal, there are crimes, are gangs are families without money, kids who growup kids, I talked with them, meet in "the celebrity mall", I asked if they want to be nurses... I talked with 5, 3 gurls and 2 boys. All of them want it. When money are less and necesities huge, what you choose to save, the future of this country or the past of it?

Youngs need money, as low income or high crime area it is, as much money need to be pumping in there. They don't have jobs, youngs are on street, crimes and drugs, is easy to put them in schools and give them a goal to be "the nurse", instead to make another nurse who will dream at another high position.

Is just a opinion, you know better how this society works, but US from my dreams take care of it future!

[blue note]

It seems like a group of people got offended by a generalization that was implied, so in turn made their own generalizations offending another group of people that should not be held responsible for anyone else's comments. It's been implied MANY times in this thread that the nurse with the calling is stupid and incompetent and lazy.

It has? I've been following the discussion pretty closely and have not seen any such generalizations, only hypothetical or anecdotal examples of some nurses who think they are better than everyone else because they have "the calling." And I have definitely not seen anything as offensive as that illogical, practically incomprehensible post that, from what I could gather, managed to generalize and/or insult: bionic nurses, anyone who had different careers before they went into nursing, nurses with ADNs, 30-50 year olds who go into nursing.... :icon_roll

Is just an opinion we live in a country with a freedom of speach.... if you feel like a judgemnt I am sorry is just my opinion...take it or live it...

Yes, and freedom of speech gives us another option: to respond to what we don't agree with, especially when it is ridiculous nonsense.

[zuzi]

I am so sorry, I didn't try to offend you in any how...but if me I was to decide what to do with my taxes money from my hard work,........ i am so sorry for seasonated asspirants....all my taxes I would like to go for young kids to push them in nursing carrier, THEY are an asset for this country, and special in areas with high low incomes and no jobs. Instead to push them in gangs and drugs, push them in nursing schools. I meet couple of them, I love them, they and them family deserve it... and yes when you are young "the call for nursing" is heard better than "the call for money and positions". But is not my country...... just I love the people that I meet, simple hard working pure hearts and souls people.... the others....not for me, just for money and for them sleve!

You can hurt me but you can't change the reality.... we had 10-20 years of super life (in super duper positions that now was cutted, lol, we had houses, cars, trips), these kids just started them life, they deserve also to have a decent live, always I will be on them side. I am so sorry... my virtual bank don't credit you,

Beetwen a single mom of 18 years old, living with all unemployed family who wish to be in nursing badly and a 35 years old former manager of a shoes store with a house already paid, who you will choose to enter in nursing program also badly... ? Who do you think that has "the calling", who do you think that will develop in a easiest way the nursing skills. Who do you think that will stay on NURSE BED position longer?