Is all Nursing bad/scary?

NurseWannabe1129 · Oct 2, 2008

I'm not a nurse yet but have started my clinicals. I can tell you one reason it is worth it. Last week, my first patient that I ever had was a man here visiting friends in the States. He was from Taiwan. Could not speak a word of English. Has multi-lobe pneumonia. He was in terrible shape. I have never cried so much over a stranger!

This week when we come back, they are finally removing his tubes. I got to help another student in his care, and while not totally better, he is able to communicate a little bit with cards that his friends here in the states made for him. The best was when he held up the "Thank you" card. It was so worth it to see him feeling a little bit better and to be able to comfort this poor sick man when he was so far away from everyone he knows and loves.

TopazLover, BSN, RN · Oct 2, 2008

No, not all of it is bad/scary. What you read are many times a place to vent frustration with a health care system that is broken. That does not mean nursing is broken.

There is nothing so rewarding as assisting a new life into being, holding the hand of someone at the end of life, the care of a person who would have died but for your intervention.

The problems we encounter are bad: the families, the doctors, the insurance interference, the corporate mentality, the satisfaction surveys that fail to address the reasons why patients are dissatisfied with the care. Many times it could be alleviated by less interference and more reinforcement of our basic needs as nurses. We need more nurses at the bedside who can defend our profession.

Many of the scary things are related to the above. What scares me is the critical nature of our work while dealing with the above. We need to keep the focus on our patients while dealing with each one of the entities that seem to want to tie our hands.

In spite of all the problems we encounter I really believe in nursing as a great career. I think you will be able to assist in some of the changes if you end up with a double major. We need nurses who understand nursing and have some BA understanding to be able to stand up to the corporate types who have no experience in nursing. We need a balance. You may be one of the people who will, in the future, be able to provide some of this balance.

Best wishes in your future, regardless of what you choose.

november17, ASN, RN · Oct 2, 2008

I like my job.

the six of us · Oct 2, 2008

There is nothing so rewarding as assisting a new life into being, holding the hand of someone at the end of life, the care of a person who would have died but for your intervention.

The death of people is something that I am really not comfortable with and I take it really hard...the few times in my life I have had to deal with it. Is this something that you learn to be accepting of or is it ALWAYS hard?

sicushells, RN · Oct 2, 2008

The death of a friend or family member is very different than the death of a patient. Although it is sad when you care for a dieing patient, it's also a very special interaction. You're able to care for the patient and the family in a way that's completely unique to nursing. You're able to relieve pain, provide education and comfort, and sometimes just be there to hold a hand. So while in my personal life, death still terrifies me, professionally it's just part of our job.

jjjoy, LPN · Oct 2, 2008

Nursing can be a tough field. So can many fields. The stressors and challenges vary from environment to environment. Different people have different strengths and preferences. Only you can decide what works for you. And there are also many things we just can't know til we try. Whether or not nursing is something that you would enjoy or at least be okay with is something that no one else can judge for you. And if you're not sure at this point, that's normal, too.

Since you're concerned about people's bad nursing experiences, maybe you can evaluate how you think you'd feel at a "bad" business/office job as opposed to a "bad" nursing job. Which sounds worse? Being stuck in an office all day? Being stuck on a hospital unit all day (or night)? Working with numbers and accounting? Working with bodily fluids? Making sales calls? Giving painful injections? Taking orders from a rude boss? Taking orders from a rude physician? Being stuck alone in a cubicle much of the day? Never having a moment of downtime for a full twelve hour shift?

Finally, the very best thing is get out there and get some different experiences so that you can find out how you actually feel about or react to these different things - as opposed to how you imagine you'd feel or react. Interview people, ask to shadow someone at work, get some volunteer experience or a part-time job in an area of interest.

I know there can also be the added pressure to decide now so you can start down this path or another. It IS a risk, as are many many things in life. And then you just make the best choice you can given your limited knowledge or experience, give it your best shot, and make the most of it, even it you eventually decide to move in a different direction.

Good luck!

TopazLover, BSN, RN · Oct 2, 2008

The death of people is something that I am really not comfortable with and I take it really hard...the few times in my life I have had to deal with it. Is this something that you learn to be accepting of or is it ALWAYS hard?

I think part of it depends on the situation. Your personal and religious beliefs will be part of it. There are many situations that you might see where you say "This seems so senseless", these are the ones that bother me.

Natural deaths are relatively easy for me with patients of at any age (I hate that kids die, but still can handle that). I can place some professional distance and walk away knowing I helped the passing. Violent deaths are hard for me. Suicide, homicide are the worst for me.

Will it get better for you? I don't know. Death is not to be feared, it is the end of life, period. Perhaps what you fear is your reaction to deaths around you. That does get easier with time.

L&D~VBNurse2B · Oct 2, 2008

I am also making the choice to start Nursing School and I am really glad that I read this string. I also wondered the same things.

The other thing that I am worried about is that I am now hearing more and more that there is "no nursing shortage" and it may take a long while for me to find a job. I want to become an L&D nurse.

I know this is off the subject but it seems like most here have years of experience, any thoughts?

Halinja, BSN, RN · Oct 2, 2008

I am also making the choice to start Nursing School and I am really glad that I read this string. I also wondered the same things.
The other thing that I am worried about is that I am now hearing more and more that there is "no nursing shortage" and it may take a long while for me to find a job. I want to become an L&D nurse.
I know this is off the subject but it seems like most here have years of experience, any thoughts?

To both the original poster....and the person I just quoted....

Some of the job market depends on where you are. But....I graduated last June. I had five job offers from which to choose, two of which were in L&D. I was told by one place that being a BSN gave me an edge for the job, even though I was new. The others didn't seem to care. FIVE offers. I thought that was pretty cool. I'd been a housewife with "no marketable skills" prior to nursing school. (now there's a phrase that makes you feel about an inch tall)

I love nursing. Yes, parts of it weren't fun, and sometimes still aren't. I don't enjoy being the 'new' kid, or not knowing what I'm supposed to be doing. But you learn. And there are soooooo many ways you can go. If you get stuck somewhere you aren't happy you can try something else.

I like what someone above said. Compare a bad day in the office and a bad day at nursing. Bad days are going to happen. What about the good days? Which bad day seems worse, which good day sounds more appealing?

the six of us · Oct 2, 2008

I am also making the choice to start Nursing School and I am really glad that I read this string. I also wondered the same things.
The other thing that I am worried about is that I am now hearing more and more that there is "no nursing shortage" and it may take a long while for me to find a job. I want to become an L&D nurse.
I know this is off the subject but it seems like most here have years of experience, any thoughts?

I live in Newport News and I have seen pleanty of nursing jobs! There are so many hospital systems around our area that are always hiring. Sentara, Riverside, CHKD, Bon Secures...and so much more. They all currently have positions for RN's and LPN's. Even if there may not be a "shortage", if this is what you are hearing, you have to remember, many nurses are reaching retirement and many jobs will need to be filled. Also, I have two cousins that just graduated LPN and both found a job before finishing school with the condition of passing NCLEX-PN. :up: