Nursing Truths: They don't want you to know about!

kellykelly · Feb 8, 2009

$$ vs job responsibilities--The pay is decent but not always in line with the amount of responsibility you've got. Depends on where you work.

Daily Stress--Loads and loads. I work on a cardiac floor in a hospital. The stress can be nearly overwhelming on some days, and others, you're reading a magazine to while away the time. I must point out that the former is far more common than the latter and again, depends on where you work.

Patient interaction--I usually enjoy it, even the more difficult patients. This is my forte. You meet so many really neat people and it's a joy to make people smile and feel better. Sometimes that's nearly impossible but most people are grateful for a caring hand, a smile, and a joke or two. Sometimes they just want to vent. Sometimes they're just jerks. :)

Peer interaction--I have worked with some really superb people, and I am so happy to call some of them my very best friends. We go out together often and we work very well together. I've worked other places where the only thing people seem to want to do is to report every mistake they can find, to run to the manager with every complaint, and to generally try to run everyone down. If that is your experience I suggest you get out ASAP and go elsewhere--it doesn't have to be like that! I gave up a higher-paying job for less pay with wonderful co-workers. It makes a real difference.

Family of patient interaction--just like with patients, it can be great or it can be awful. You never know what you're going to get from day to day. You just deal with it. I am pretty fun-loving and I try to convey that in my job. You can be professional without being grim and Rebecca Rulebook all the time.

Management/Administration--my manager barely notices what we do. That can be annoying but then again, at least he's not all up in our business all the time trying to mete out punishments like at some places. Admin used to suck here but we've got a new crew in that likes to spend money to keep the nurses happy and the patients safe, and I'm all for that!!!

Family/work Balance--never had a problem. It's all my kids can remember, me working nights. I usually only work 3-4 days a week, some 12s and some 8s. I like being able to be home during the day if one of them is sick, and I like being home when they get home from school. Nights is not for everyone but I've been doing it for ten years and I like it, though it takes a toll on your body. I'm not sure I can do it forever.

Any regrets?--Nope, I like the daily challenges and it's rarely boring. The pay is much better for a 2-yr degree than I could hope to find elsewhere, I'm pretty sure, and best of all I find it really interesting work that can be very rewarding.

HappyBunnyNurse · Feb 8, 2009

I feel like personally the money is adequate based on the time I spend. My last career was in education. It is very nice now to actually get overtime pay when I do overtime work.

Valerie Salva, BSN, RN · Feb 8, 2009

I agree with a lot of what kellykelly said.

There are good and bad places to work.

I think the hardest parts of nursing are too much to do, to little time and too few resouces to do it, lack of respect from mgmt/docs/subordinates/families.

And- the many obstacles nurses must deal with in order to just get the basics for their pts at times.

Overall, I think I am paid adequately, and I'm glad I'm an RN.

vashtee, RN · Feb 8, 2009

I'm a new grad, got a job right away, and had no problems passing the boards. The worst part for me (so far) was nursing school, which was a lot like boot camp. My co-workers seem to be very supportive and happy. The pay is adequate when you consider how many people are losing their jobs.

lucky1RN · Feb 8, 2009

$$ vs job responsibilities- how do you put a dollar amount on what we do? how much would you pay someone to take care of your very ill mother in a vulnerable state? if you look at a hospital's budget and compare the % salary distribution, then no, i don't think nursing staff are paid enough. (i.e. compared to administrators). but some days, i can't believe they pay me to do this.

daily stress- totally depends on the day, the pt, the family, the docs, etc. in general, i worry about the long term effects of this job on my physical health (even though i do all the right stuff for stress management).

patient interaction- this is why i do this job. nothing like having someone's life in your hands. nothing like having a patient or their family tell you they "love you" for the care you've given. i could never imagine having an office job.

peer interaction- almost always positive. i couldn't have made it this far without all the help from other nurses.

family of patient interaction- i get more stress from families than i do from patients. i am totally empathetic to how scary it is to have a loved-one in the hospital but i get tired of explaining the patient's entire hospital course to 15 different siblings in a day (an exaggeration of course).

management/administration- don't have any issues with them as long as they leave me alone to do my job.

family/work balance- one of the best perks is working only 3 days a week. and my schedule is 3 on, 4 off so no matter how bad my 3 on are, i get 4 days off to recuperate.

any regrets?- i'm too young for regrets.

good luck!

Magsulfate, BSN, RN · Feb 8, 2009

$$ vs job responsibilities-

When I first graduated I felt like I wasn't getting paid enough for the work that I did... running around on a med surg floor trying to juggle up to 6 patients is very stressful, add to that a new graduate pay, and there ya go.

However, now that I am experienced and work in ICU and sometimes house supervisor, sometimes I feel like I am getting paid too much for my work. But I have to remind myself that I am there using my brains, my experience and my awesome critical thinking skills that not just everyone has,,,, so therefore, I do get paid what I deserve, even though I feel like I don't deserve all that money, somtimes. Don't get me wrong, there are still days that I earn my pay!

Daily Stress- This is something that everyone will give you a different answer on. I believe that there are stressors at work, but if you are a bedside nurse, you leave them at work. I think you would have more stress being a manager,, because you job goes home with you and you are on call a lot.

Patient interaction- I LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS,,, although there are some bad experiences, they come few and far between. You can also go to another thread in this section called "what you would say to the patient IF YOU COULD'" or something like that..... it is very interesting and it is a vent thread.. it might give you a little idea of what can frustrate us nurses.

Peer interaction-- depends on what kind of nurses you work with. Sometimes you're blessed with awesome coworkers, and sometimes you could have a pot full of very very bad nurses(thats when I find a new job)

Family of patient interaction-- Pretty good for the most part,, I have been told many many times that I have awesome bedside manners,, However,,, it comes naturally now, but in the beginning I had to LEARN IT.

Management/Administration-- I'll let someone else answer this! lol

Family/work Balance-- pretty good. in nursing you can find all kinds of shifts to work... find the best that fits you and your family. 12 hour shifts are long, but it gives you more days off!

Any regrets? NO WAY.... well, maybe one,, that I didn't go into nursing sooner.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Feb 8, 2009

nursing is an extremely flexible career. don't like your job? you can find another doing the same thing at a different institution, in a different city or a different shift. or you can find another job at the same institution doing something different, on the same or a different shift . . . the possibilities are endless.

not getting along with your husband? work a different shift and never see him. or schedule all your days off to match with his if you're so inclined.

saving for a house/vacation/in vitro? work a ton of overtime on your unit, get a second job doing something different two days a week or two days a month or make the most of weekend and night differential. have plenty of money and now looking for quality of life? drop down to 24 hours/week and still keep your benefits.

husband self employed? carry the health insurance for your family. work 24 hours a week so you can help out with the business, or work 60 hours a week so you can support the business until it can support itself.

like interacting with patients? there are jobs that allow plenty of interaction -- and there are jobs where interaction is minimal. work in the icu and challenge yourself daily. or work in the gi clinic (sorry gi nurses, i'm just quoting the woman who interviewed me for a job there) and bore yourself silly.

don't believe in child care? work nights while your husband is home with the kids and you'll rarely need child care. want to maximize your family time? work nights and walk your kids to school when you get off work, walk them home when you get up. and the opposite is true. i managed to stay married to my ex for months or even years longer than i should have just by arranging my schedule so i rarely saw him.

justiceforjoy · Feb 8, 2009

one thing i learned, which i never knew before (no idea why i didn't know this) is that nurses' first job is to be there for the patient's mind, soul, spirit, etc. one cannot heal [well] without having their mental needs met. we're not focused as much on their physical needs as we are their mental and emotional needs.

obviously, we are responsible for a truck load of their physical needs... if that makes any sense.

not getting along with your husband? work a different shift and never see him. or schedule all your days off to match with his if you're so inclined.
...i managed to stay married to my ex for months or even years longer than i should have just by arranging my schedule so i rarely saw him.

haha, thank you for that one.

Beijos · Feb 8, 2009

If you value your physical and mental health, do not choose nursing as a career.

marilynmom, LPN, NP · Feb 8, 2009

$$ vs job responsibilities

the job i have now i make way more money that i should. my last job you couldn't pay me enough.

daily stress

depends on the job. the job i have now is pretty much stress free. my last job the stress wrecked my life basically, it even ruined my days off.

patient interaction

this is the best part of nursing! i love patient interacting, even with the difficult patients and families. i just love it.

peer interaction

i've been lucky to have goof peer interaction; have yet to work in a place where nurses eat their young

family of patient interaction

see above

management/administration

i work nights so i dont have to deal with them. i have never had too many problems with management, the only thing that stands out is they are so far removed from the bedside they forget what its really like.

family/work balance

i work nights and this really works well for my family. its hard on the body, but good for family life. as with any working mom, there are issues.....but overall me and my family are happy.

any regrets?

not for me. if i find that i am not happy, i change things.

WantAccel.BSN, BSN, RN · Feb 8, 2009

If you value your physical and mental health, do not choose nursing as a career.

Maybe this is just me, but I don't find this very helpful. I think the OP is looking for a justification--for some reasons you might feel this way. This is not to say that your position isn't totally valid, but it is hard to understand/respect without a little elaboration.