Thinking of changing my mind......

nialloh, RN · Jul 15, 2003

It's called venting. People here have been there, done that, so know what each other are going through. We're a big strong shoulder for each other. :)

If you want to find out what nursing is about, volunteer in a hospital, and take a good look around. Ask the nurses there how they like it. Lastly, ask your family, they are a great resource.

allnurses Guide · Jul 15, 2003

Wasn't this question asked recently by the same poster? The same signature line seems awfully familiar.

We vent here . . .. we love being nurses for the most part.

Ask your family for recommendations before asking strangers on a bulletin board . . . they don't have complaints and want the best for you so listen to them.

iliel · Jul 15, 2003

I would have never thought that nurses here hate their jobs. I can only guess that if any other job (teacher, plumber, bank teller) had their own message boards you would hear the same! You have to vent, no one is happy 100%

For the record, nothing I hear here makes me not want to be a nurse, it only makes me want it more.

You should do what you want to do and not let others sway you.

echo*echo · Jul 15, 2003

Originally posted by iliel
For the record, nothing I hear here makes me not want to be a nurse, it only makes me want it more.

I totally agree. I am like a sponge absorbing every ounce of information I can. And I am reading EVERYTHING here! If anything reading posts here have only strengthened my desire. Its something that I have wanted to do for a long time, and I decided I would no longer justify doing something I hated. Nor would I let naysayers sway my opinion. I sincerely doubt I will wake up in the morning and say wow I ought to become a hairdresser, an accountant, or a mechanic. You really have to follow your heart and do this for the right reasons, if not you won't make a good nurse and you will surely be miserable.

LauraF, RN, ASN, CNA, LPN, RN · Jul 15, 2003

I started out at a volunteer when I was 14 years old. I then worked as a CNA in a nursing home. I applied for the LPN program got in and have been a nurse ever since. I am currently back in school to get my RN. Do I love nursing? Heck yes! Do I have bad days? Heck yes! But the good days far out number the bad days. But nurses are not all like the little fru-fru women you see in the stiletto heels on TV. We are men and women. We are short and tall. But we are all strong! Sometimes you have to put up with a lot, but the rewards are numerous.

In the current long term care facility I work this is what happened on my first day. I went into a patients room, knocked announced myself. He told me to come in. He promptly threw his breakfast tray at me. You know what......a year later that same patient would call me into his room because he just needed someone to talk to and he knew he could trust me.

I agree with the above I think StevieLynn said talk to your family. They know you and they know how strong a person you are. Maybe go with one of your parents on take your kid to work day. Or ask them to talk to their admins about letting you tag along one day to see what you think of it.

Noney · Jul 15, 2003

Wannab, the best part of nursing is you can swith to different areas of health if you don't like the area you are in. I can think of other profession that I would enjoy, but I can not think of another profession with all the choices nursing has to offer.

I think any interested in nursing should consider working as a cna first.

Good luck.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Jul 15, 2003

I guarantee that your mom, dad and sister are together or with other nurses they sound the same.

As was said above, it's called venting. Which for me is very, very important. I wouldn't survive without it.

passing thru · Jul 15, 2003

wanna b a nurse:

Are you sure you want to go into the health profession as a nurse or as an x-ray tech?

It's hard to believe you haven't heard your three family members complain.

Have you come right out & ask them their opinions ?

I have a hunch they WANT you to go into nursing. And THAT is why they aren't telling it like it is.............at home.

Have they had a discussion amongst themselves and said,

"let's put up a unified and positive "front" for _________, so he/she will go to nursing school?

If it is all they know as far as working, it is unlikely they will advise you to try something different.

What you read on this BB , it is the "real thing."

Nursing is a very hard and dirty job.

You have to answer to the doctors, the supervisors, the patients, their familys', your co-workers. It is stressful.

Most of the nurses I know would not go into nursing if they had it to do all over again. And, it is much harder now than twenty, ten, or even five years ago.

The nurses I have talked to say that the nurses graduating out of

nursing school NOW, "will never make it 20-30 years in this business."

The hospitals are literally working the nurses to death....injuries, emotional and physical exhaustion,

"burn-out", stress......

How many years can a person work that way? forty hours a week?

Without anyone at work to support and protect you?

Nursing is a grim business, IMHO. I would not advise anyone in my family to go into it.

And, why spend all that time & money to obtain a license to quit in 5 or 10 years?

With any other degree/ profession, that is when you would finally -actually be getting into it - and coming into making real money and attaining advancement.

In nursing, you'd be looking for a career change.

webbiedebbie · Jul 15, 2003

I don't think we necessarily hate being nurses. A lot of us are put out by how we are treated or how things are being done. We can voice our concerns to administration, but very little gets done.

I feel this forum is our sounding board. Sometimes it feels good to vent and know that others care about how we are feeling.

Your relatives are very lucky if they don't have something to complain about. Obviously, they are in a good place.

Zee_RN, BSN, RN · Jul 15, 2003

Nursing is hard work. And stressful. You are the person in the middle...you are caught between the patient, the family, the doctor AND administration.

But I cannot imagine doing anything else. I love being a nurse.

We do come here to vent; we are relatively anonymous and can vent without repercussions to our careers or reputations. So we may indeed be more vociferous in our complaints on this board than you're likely to hear "in person." Take that into consideration when reading our posts.

(P.S. In case you didn't know, typing in ALL CAPS on a bulletin board is the equivalent of yelling. Please don't. Thank you.)

ava'smomRN · Jul 15, 2003

i sometimes wonder if i really want to go into nursing after hearing various opinions.but after seeing and doing basic hands on and also hearing the ups and downs, it makes me want to be a nurre even more! you should question your true desires on wanting to be a nurse.