Would You Rather....

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in ED, ICU, Education.

What would you rather do?Work at the bedside for 20 plus years?ORGo back to school for a doctorate in nursing after only about 10 years of bedside nursing?Who would you say has more respect in the world of nursing? I'm torn.

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

Why would you make a career decision based on what others think? Why would you be more concerned about the respect of the profession rather than the respect of the person in the mirror.Do what makes you proud of yourself as a nurse.If you worked bedside for 20 years and were a damn good nurse why would you be ashamed?

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Specializes in ED/ICU/TELEMETRY/LTC.

Do what you feel is right for you at your stage in your career. What someone else thinks should not be a concern.

Do you want to be at the bedside? What would your doctorate afford you besides respect.

Just think about it.

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Specializes in Certified Med/Surg tele, and other stuff.

Some of those with advanced degrees don't deserve respect because they don't give it themselves. Respect shouldn't be based on degree.

If you are happy where you are, isn't that all that counts?

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Specializes in Pedi.

Some days, I think I'd rather leave nursing all together and go work at a grocery store.

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Meh. IMHO. Respect is overrated and fleeting. I do what makes me happy..and that happens to be bedside care...

What job would you end up with your Doctorate anyway? Don't they end up often in research or teaching or administration?

I like the idea of MSN NP someday where I would still be working closely with patients...just for the challenge of it..I love the academic setting and learning more about my 'craft' and to get to make more decisions :)

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Aww. :( KelRN215. Been there at times!

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Specializes in Trauma, Teaching.

The only respect you need to be concerned about is your own.

But, for what its worth, I did the bedside route for around 20 years, then decided to get a Masters in Nursing Ed. I do both, work ED at the bedside and teach at a local community college.

Quite a few of my colleagues have a masters; a good number are ADN RNs. What gets respect? How well they individually do their jobs.:up:

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I would look at the job market and the demand for your higher education.

Just because a university decides to create doctorates in nursing, doesn't mean there is a high demand for them.

What exactly do you see yourself doing in the future?

Maybe you can contact others working in a field you are interested in before you invest the time and money.

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