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!!
Here's the easiest way to end this entire debate. There are a lot of nurses out there just like me who got into nursing for the profession (Job security, money, flexiblity) with no "calling" to help society, the poor, or whatever else. Some of us are good, some are not. Some nurses with a calling are good, some are not. But until the end of time there will always be a lot of nurses in the profession (with long careers in the field) for the security and salary. Those who don't like this can either accept it, move on and enjoy whatever they do in their personal life, or not accept it and stew over the intentions of those entering the field for years until they retire.
Either way, we're here and always will be. Now excuse me while I spend the afternoon I have off thanks to my flexilble job playing a sport that takes a salary like nursing provides, golf. Good luck to all! Even you greedy nurses like me.
I agree with that completely, madwife2002. However, the OP and many others seem to think that a nurse can ONLY be wonderful, caring nurses if they felt this mystical "calling", and I think that is just a bunch of bunk. Some seem to suggest that those with the calling should get preferred placement in nursing school than those without. My comment was meant to illustrate that it may be preferrable to have an intelligent, yet "uncalled" nurse versus one who feels this deep inner calling but can barely pass her prereqs.
It was in no way intended to insult those many good nurses who do feel they were called to this profession.
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.
Believe it or not , I believe your assertion to be true , I think what has generated the response to this thread , was the inference ,from the OP's title to the thread and some comments in the thread , that you should not enter into nursing , if you feel it is just a job .
Bottom line is it doesn't matter what motivated you to become a nurse , but that once you become a nurse you act professional at all times , when you are practicing your profession .
I don't know about anyone else, but I wish the OP and others like her would stop worrying about my intentions/reasons for going into nursing, and spend that time helping me answer call lights or catch up on my charting, etc.
do we really care? i sure don't. instead of complaining about why certain people are get into nursing, how about we unite once we become nurses.
i feel to a certain degree we are crapped on because this profession is a 'calling' therefore we shouldn't complain and demand respect and fair wages.
op, although i get what you're saying, i feel that most likely these people will be weeded out at some point or another. in the meantime, i'm working on empowering patients and families to advocate for themselves, so if they come across an uncaring nurse, doctor, cna, dietary worker, etc.-they know what their rights are.
Specializes in LTC, home health, addiction, hospice.
I agree with that completely, madwife2002. However, the OP and many others seem to think that a nurse can ONLY be wonderful, caring nurses if they felt this mystical "calling", and I think that is just a bunch of bunk. Some seem to suggest that those with the calling should get preferred placement in nursing school than those without. My comment was meant to illustrate that it may be preferrable to have an intelligent, yet "uncalled" nurse versus one who feels this deep inner calling but can barely pass her prereqs.
It was in no way intended to insult those many good nurses who do feel they were called to this profession.
I NEVER said only nurses "called" into nursing made wonderful nurses....I like many others, have met nurses who "thought" they belong in the field that really should be somewhere else. It takes a balance of compassion and skills. And I personally feel that balance may come alittle easier if a person became a nurse because they have a desire to care for the community then just to make some money. I would imagine that if someone doesn't like it they would leave, but that's not always the case. And if you've ever worked with a nurse who truly hates their job, you'd probably agree a natural desire for the job makes the shift go alittle better.
I would imagine that if someone doesn't like it they would leave, but that's not always the case. And if you've ever worked with a nurse who truly hates their job, you'd probably agree a natural desire for the job makes the shift go alittle better.
Well, unless they are taking it out on patients and being unprofessional, what's it to you if they hate their job or not? I mean, welcome to the real world. Many people in other fields other than nursing may not necessarily like their jobs or even hate them too, but we all have mortgages, bills, loans etc. to pay. There's no law that says anyone has to leave a job if they don't like it! Yes, there is "grunt work" and unpleasant aspects of nursing, but you might be surprised at how much, and how well, some people can suck it up because of the positive aspects of the job like flexibility, the pay and benefits. It is actually very possible for a nurse to care for his or her patients as well as their paycheck!
I don't know what that person was talking about with the "bionic" nurses thing. Nonsense.
Besides, what's wrong with bionic nurses? They have a bionic arm to lift even the heaviest patients, bionic legs to allow them to sprint to any patient's bedside in a flash, and a bionic ear that allows her to hear a call light from anywhere in the building! Adjusting for inflation from 1975, a bionic nurse would only cost $22 million today instead of $6 million.
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.
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!'
Oh, yeah!! You hit the nail on the head with that one! I didn't realize at first how "charged up" some posters would get when responding to some of the threads you mentioned. Some of the responses are definetly interesting!!
I feel I was called to nursing, but I'm not dumb as a box of rocks either. See generalizations can work both ways.
I do feel there are those that feel "called" to a profession. Calling does not mean "working for free". Its an interest, desire, need, etc. I do think this economy is driving some that never thought about nursing into the field. Some will find they like, others won't and will leave. If you want to be a nurse because of the money, I really don't care. That is, as long as you have a good work ethic and care about those you take care of.
And btw I believe nuns do get paid. Even if some groups don't get a salary, they do still get room, board and other necessities.
I don't know about anyone else, but I wish the OP and others like her would stop worrying about my intentions/reasons for going into nursing, and spend that time helping me answer call lights or catch up on my charting, etc.
LOL
And I might add, OP et al really should stop skipping over nurse history (you know that stuff in the first chapter of your textbooks). Or - if for those who feel like browsing next time they're in the library, you can find some interesting books in the nursing section on the subject. The nursing profession as we know it know began because women needed j-o-b-s.
:yeah:
See generalizations can work both ways. 
John20
190 Posts
Here's the easiest way to end this entire debate. There are a lot of nurses out there just like me who got into nursing for the profession (Job security, money, flexiblity) with no "calling" to help society, the poor, or whatever else. Some of us are good, some are not. Some nurses with a calling are good, some are not. But until the end of time there will always be a lot of nurses in the profession (with long careers in the field) for the security and salary. Those who don't like this can either accept it, move on and enjoy whatever they do in their personal life, or not accept it and stew over the intentions of those entering the field for years until they retire.
Either way, we're here and always will be. Now excuse me while I spend the afternoon I have off thanks to my flexilble job playing a sport that takes a salary like nursing provides, golf. Good luck to all! Even you greedy nurses like me.