How Do You Know If You Possess The Right Talents To be a Nurse??

Catlover71 · Aug 13, 2005

Sagebutterfly! Wow you sound like an absolute benefit to the folks you work on!I wish you the best in your pursuit of your G.E.D and L.P.N degree!

6. If you don't have some of these skills, it's not the end of the world. All of them can be learned. But it's important to know that they are things nurses deal with on an everyday basis.

I understand what you are conveying.

Cute_CNA, CNA · Aug 13, 2005

This link about being a CNA should help (in case you've forgotten some of the details about being one ):

https://allnurses.com/forums/showthread.php?t=115279

Catlover71 · Aug 13, 2005

Cute.C.N.A can you believe in CT a C.N.A was not allowed to check blood sugars? I did vitals etc. but work mostly consisted of bathing, feeding, cleaning, etc.

allnurses Guide · Aug 13, 2005

In response to James Huffman's post... he's right. There will be some days when you honestly don't give a flying you-know-what about your patients.. especially days when you are caring for that 65 year old COPD patient who is back on your floor for the 7th time in a month, and you happen to know for a fact that that same person still smokes two packs of cigarettes a day.. it's frustrating.

I'm the one who originally said that "caring" was an important attitude to have, but I guess that comes from my own personal experience as a nurse. In reality, I myself often feel pretty inferior as a nurse, and I sometimes wonder that, if I just CARED about these people more than I do... would I be a better nurse?

Maybe the answer is no. I mean, I've often thought about going into pediatrics because I have such a huge HEART for children. But, when I really sit down and think about it... I don't think I would be all that good at it, and may actually be quite awful at it. As it is, I already take care of SOME peds patients on the floor that I work on, and I tend to get VERY nervous taking care of them. Mostly it has to do with the parents; they can get VERY upset and excited and nervous, and I've found that it just makes me MORE nervous.

Fortunately, our peds patients are generally NOT very sick, and are mostly in the hospital for observation.

I'm good at taking care of adults though, and VERY good at taking care of said COPD patients. But, do I feel very sorry for them? I don't know... I do know how hard it can be to stop smoking. But geez. Have some of these people EVER made much of an effort?

So, I amend my first post. Yes, caring is a GOOD thing, and may make you a better nurse... or it may not, necessarily. WHAT do you need to posess to be a nurse? I still think common sense is practically a must =), but beyond that... I don't know. =) If you think you want to be a nurse, about the only thing you can do is jump right in there with both feet. That's how you will find out.

Now if I could just apply that to my own life, and go ahead and get a psyche nursing position and find out if I will really like psyche nursing. I've always thought I'd like to be a psyche nurse, but I'm afraid to really try to make that jump and instead stay here in med-surge. I keep thinking that I'd like to move on, but can't seem to ever decide.

William_SRNA · Aug 13, 2005

At least you recognize yourself as a hoop jumper. However, just remember 1/2 of that CRNA title includes what you are using as a stepping stone: RN
It is my opinion that you are never anything less than an RN when you move forward into advanced practice. It is those who loose site of this that sully the profession. You will still deal with patients -- at a bedside that now is an OR table -- and you will still deal with paperwork. As to the time spent at it, I don't have a quantifier. But you will never get away from documentation and patient involvement, even as a CRNA. And now, you will deal with surgeons as well -- good luck -- I don't envy you.
BornRN[/quote
CRNA has RN in the title but it is so far from bedside nursing. The paperwork is so much less than critical care and I have not mmet one CRNA who does not enjoy the job unlike the majority of RNs I have encountered and I understand their frustration completely.

Dalzac, LPN, LVN, RN · Aug 13, 2005

I think one thing I didn't know before I became a nurse was that it is a thankless job. If you want lots of backslapping thank yous you won't get it in this profession. I have always worked in Critical care or the Emergency room and most of the time the patients don't even remember me but I love doing what I do so it doesn't bother me. To me nursing is always interesting and every patient is different. On the other hand I will always have a job somewhere. There is always someone who wants my talents and abilities. I have worked for the same company for 15 years and I love it.

William_SRNA · Aug 14, 2005

Hoop Jumper, please pardon my ignorance what is a CRNA?

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist

look at the AANA website for more info.

http://www.aana.com

Cute_CNA, CNA · Aug 15, 2005

Cute.C.N.A can you believe in CT a C.N.A was not allowed to check blood sugars? I did vitals etc. but work mostly consisted of bathing, feeding, cleaning, etc.

I'm not allowed to check blood sugars, as a CNA.

I love cats, too. They're my favorite animals.

BornRN · Aug 15, 2005

Remember, you are what you title implies. An assistant to the nurse. This means that the work you do assists nursing. If it is deemed that CNAs do not check blood sugars, then that is absolutely fine.

I permitted a CNA to check one for me in the ER and I ended up in court charged with malpractice. The CNA reported incorrectly the blood glucose level --three times, using two different machines -- and I preformed actions based on those incorrect readings. Even though the symptoms the patient was presenting with did not "fit" the readings I was given. Guess what -- the patient could have had a serious problem if I had not questioned those three subsequent readings 5 minutes later and took corrective actions.

To do something is not enough -- you must have the knowledge and ability to critically think through situations in which you or someone else has done something. This knowledge and critical thinking is possessed by the RN. Not the CNA. So, if you want to be involved in that critical thinking and increased knowledge process -- go to school and become educated and licensed as an RN.

In the meantime, you are essential to the nursing team that provides care for the patients. Do your role with excellence and caring.

BornRN

Catlover71 · Aug 15, 2005

Born Rn, I think the laws vary from state to state on what a C.N.A can do. For instance, though this was ten years ago, in the state of CT C.N.As could NOT do Accucheck. Or perhaps it was simply the regulation of the nursing home I worked in.

Now HERE in the state I am in now, Maine, that is one of the job discriptions for a C.N.A.

Sagebutterfly · Aug 19, 2005

Sagebutterfly! Wow you sound like an absolute benefit to the folks you work on!I wish you the best in your pursuit of your G.E.D and L.P.N degree!

6. If you don't have some of these skills, it's not the end of the world. All of them can be learned. But it's important to know that they are things nurses deal with on an everyday basis.

I understand what you are conveying.

Thank you Catlover. The GED math is pretty tuff for me, I'm on Trig. right now. I really don't think there will be much Trig. on the test but I'm going to cover my bases. Fractions, proportions, solid concepts I understand pretty easily, but Algebra drives me nutts! All that x +y stuff! My mom is 56 and she is trying to get her GED and go to LPN school too. She works 7pm-7am as a CNA. So she really has not had much time to study. I quit my job to study full time. My boyfriend and I just bought out first house, so it's nice being home. Thank God for good men! He is supporting me while I go back to school.

Anyway, thanks again for the well wishes.

showbizrn · Aug 19, 2005

i posted this in the student section but thought this maybe a better place for this question. how does one know if they possess what it takes to be a nurse. i suppose my number one fear,if i did become a nurse, would be making a mistake and killing someone.

rest your fears...

like any other profession, if you feel, think and do nursing and what i mean by do is if you are a caretaker by nature, half the battle is won.

:uhoh3: the other half of the battle is education. if you can persevere the rigorous curriculum of the biological/behavioral sciences, clinical demands of papers and exams, and of course pass the state boards exam, you will become a nurse.

:rolleyes: the rest is up to you.

do you have what it takes to be a nurse?

:stone the choice is yours.