Nurses General Nursing
Published Feb 10, 2008
maggijo
127 Posts
I'm making a career switch to nursing at 33 with 2 young children. Please tell me why I will love being a nurse. I need some affirmation that I'm making the right choice, even though I am thrilled about my plans. Thanks!
nghtfltguy, BSN, RN
314 Posts
that totally depends on you....
many ppl love being a nurse for a numerous amount of reasons...
you are not old.....
what is your career now?
if anything i would have to say pride..
pride in being a nurse is a wonderful thing...
nursing is a very highly respected profession...
ppl trust you...
don't let them down..... don't do anything stupid...
be a good pt. advocate... and just as importantly...
talk to the family members that are freakiing out about their loved one...
keep the pt. and family informed as much as you can...
enjoy your job...
be proud of your job...
whatever you do... don't *demand* respect..
let respect find you.. if you do your job right.. it will...
have fun...
laugh....
cry.........
make a lot of good friends..
do what your heart tells you is right...
just listen to your heart.. and follow it........
if for one second you think you are not making the right choice to be a nurse..
then... re-evaluate your decision... and i'll bet you will realize...
it is the right choice.....
i only became a nurse because i couldn't go to medical school as a paramedic..
honestly..
but... now that imma nurse... i realize it is more than that...
it is nursing~~
locolorenzo22, BSN, RN
2,396 Posts
getting through to "difficult" patients,
listening to them,
providing a simple handhold for a elderly confused patient,
tenderly cleaning up accidents,
saving a life when someone codes....
People come to you when they are not doing well....sometimes stay for days, then leave much better than they came in.
people also compliment you on your care, and tell you"You've made my stay MUCH better today....thanks."
the number 1 reason you'll LOVE nursing? Because at the end of the day, you can look yourself in the mirror and say " I CARED today. my patients are my family while I'm on shift. Personally, I wouldn't last long if I couldn't say that."
UM Review RN, ASN, RN
1 Article; 5,163 Posts
Saving a life is a lot like having a baby. It's a miracle, but there's a lot of pain involved.
Being a nurse, you get to be part of that miracle.
racing-mom4, BSN, RN
1,446 Posts
I was 32 when I began nursing school and had 4 children at home ranging in age 11mos to 13years. I also had a husband who though loved me did not understand why with 4 little kids at home I thought now was a good time to become a nurse. I heard a variation of this statement every semester.
Fast forward 4 years. I am now a collage grad, and an RN. I am so proud of myself, it was a very hard road but the pride I feel is over whelming.
Why i love being a nurse? I really am making a difference in others lives. It amazes me that patients will trust me enough to talk openly about their conditions, many of times they will tell me things they do not tell thier Dr. I then can be the go-between. I am still amazed that the Drs listen to me.
Another reason why nursing and mother hood are a good combo. Flexible hours, where else can you work at 3am on a Tuesday and make a decent hourly wage? I can work a few nights a week 3rd shift, be able to attend my little ones feild trip, take them to the dentist, go to my High School sons Football games etc etc etc. Even though I am gainfully employeed I still feel like I am a stay at home mom. Yet I have a nice paycheck at the end of the week.
Being a nurse also makes me my familys health advocate. I can talk to my grandparents about thier meds/dr appointment/diets and they know I know what I am talking about. I have an impact on not only my patients but my friends and family.
The down side? My 9 year old son gripes because I read all the food labels and no longer buy him lunchables.
I no longer wear pretty red nail polish.
I have been puked on by someone who was not my own child!
You know---Florence Nightingale started her career at age 31.
I wish you the best of luck. Take it one semester at a time. You can do it and the world will be a better place because of it.
CHATSDALE
4,177 Posts
some people work with their hands and some people work with their brains, nurses work with both at the same time
this is also the reason that nurses work is so stressful with a lot of burnout
it is said when you are physically tired do mental work and when you are mentally tired do physical work nurses don't have that option
trmr
117 Posts
you'll love being a nurse if its something you are really wanting. There are so many wonderful things about being a nurse, but be cautioned, its not all peaches and cream either. There are the times the family members sincerely thank you for all you have done, the respect you get ( most of the time ), the feeling that you have really helped someone. The longer you are a nurse the more you grow, and you see yourself getting better, and that's rewarding. But there are also the times when it doesn't turn out so well, when family are jumping down your throat, for things that are really out of your control, for when you see a young patient suffer and die no matter what interventions you've done, those people that live in your mind forever because you can't get them out. Its scary and rewarding all at the same time. I can't imagine what else I would be if I weren't a nurse.
MzMouse
295 Posts
You make a difference in people's lives.
You learn something new every day.
You can work a flexible schedule and have many different specialties and workplaces to chose from.
You greatly appreciate your time away from your job because you work so hard and give so much when you are at work.
Your good coworkers will almost always outnumber the bad, because there are some incredible nurses out there. Some of the most inspiring and wonderful people I have ever met have been some of the nurses I have been lucky enough to work with.
showbizrn
432 Posts
nursing
comes from the heart
or you're really
not playing the part.
one patient dies
the next patient lives
it's all in a day's work
never saying to yourself, "what gives?"
if you want to be a nurse
hang in there
for better or worse.
you won't make it
if you try to fake it
if it's not your calling
no magic words can stop your falling.
be a nurse
with all your heart, passion, and zeal
because your patients will know
if your dedication is true and real.
no one can sell you
we can only tell you that...
[[wiki]registerd nursing. the best profession healthcare dollars can buy!][/wiki]
vashtee, RN
1,065 Posts
In addition to everything already said, it's not boring.
bollweevil
386 Posts
I'm not sure you'll LOVE it. It's like anything else - some good, some bad. Just do your best and I think you'll find your reward.
ZootRN
388 Posts
Read around this board, we have many threads about realities of nursing (and some of them may be shocking). I hate to burst anyone's bubble, but nursing is a tough profession and requires a lot. Nursing school is very hard; job is physically demanding, you'll be dealing with bodily fluids that most people hate. You'll be on your feet for 8-12 hours, sometimes without lunch breaks. You have to be able to think on your feet, as pt's lives will be in your hands. Good thing about nursing is a variety of settings you'll be able to work, and once you'll find something that works for you, you may enjoy it. Try to shadow a nurse for a few hours to see what her responsibilities entail and is it something that you would like to do. Nobody is going to tell you why you will LOVE nursing, because you may not like it at all, and this is fine too, not everybody is suited for nursing. Good luck.