Is nursing the best job ever?

[heatherwood]

I do not know of any job that if you are bored or jaded that allows you to switch specialties so easily. Our basic training allows us this unique privilege and also not suffer dramatic drops in pay. We work with highly intelligent individuals who are generally compassionate and respectful, in varying stages of age, background and race. Every day can be an adventure depending on your perspective.

[heatherwood]

My opinion?

Not the best job ever for most - sometimes it is the worst job ever.

Definitely the best profession ever though.

And that's an important distinction. I'm hopeful, though, that if we nurses can work together - our jobs can reflect our professions a little more accurately in the future.

That to me is the only drawback, this inability to work together. I mean it's only to be expected, after all we are dealing with people and their foibles however it would seem that would be the primary prerequisite for the job. Like a fireman being brave and unafraid of fires.

[heatherwood]

Yeah! Thanks for the affirmation! I like to think this is true but alas, I haven't been in the trenches yet. I have lived life long enough to know that we can get stuck in any career track, but I agree that I have yet to find one that offers such diversity.

Like anything in life, it will be problematic however with the right perspective and knowing what a terrific job it can be, you might be able to overlook some of these hindrances.

[heatherwood]

What a great,positive post. I hope you can keep this outlook through all the challenges you'll meet.

Thanks! Ditto.

[heatherwood]

Thanks OP! As a nursing student it is nice to know that I picked a rewarding career change.:)

Imagine if you wanted to travel anywhere in the world, with this profession it's possible and more easily than others, re. transferring qualifications. It generally includes housing etc. Also the diversity is amazing. Think of how many specialties that are available and to work them usually involves very little effort, unlike most other professions.

[Antikigirl, ASN, RN]

I really believe the answer to that lies within the individual and factor heavily on your own personal goals and character and location location location!!!!

For some people this has been a long standing dream, and certainly has its benifits for mind, body and spirit. I envy these folks! Others came to it not knowing what to think really...working hard towards a goal, and found it to not be their favorite thing...but lets face it, hard to leave nursing for many reasons (mostly financial) and find a job that offers the same perks easily!

Location...well that is a given, some of us work in areas that seem to appreciate professionals and helpfulness where others tend to be more "you owe me" or down right rude.

Then you have someone like me...someone that was offered a grant into nursing school because I showed promise in the medical field. I really didn't honestly know all that was involved being a nurse, and learned through more hardship than light some of the less appealing aspects of the career of nursing. I am excellent at what I do because I choose to be the best I can be in whatever I do...so basically nursing to me is a career choice that I work on daily to improve and grow with day to day (I do that as a personal goal anyway!)...so as far as do I feel it is MY perfect job...NO!

My perfect job would be something involving animals or plants and making a great living at it from my home so I can be home with my family instead of strangers! Completely different from traveling to a hospital, dealing with sick folks all day (and all forms of fluids, solids, gasses known to the human body and then some), getting chastized by family members that feel that nurses have the skill of either that of the doctor and expect that...or that we are overpaid waitstaff that need to be watched incase we miscount their change at the end of the meal! And what about all those lovely diseases that you bring home on your lovely scrubs day in and day out as your feet scream to be freed of their shoes, and your back yelling for the flat of a bed! The rules and regulations that contradict one another dependant on what protocol book you find deep in the recesses of some shelf with 10years of dust on it...some even with print from the times of the carbon copy phase of industrial development! (I found two protocols still in effect two weeks ago involving immunizations on such paper/print! I gave it to our nursing supervisor for the hospital to put in the history of nurses showcase!).

There are good points of course (but lets face it...the not so savory points lend more to artistic wordage choices in my posts..LOL!). However I have yet to find those that outweigh the negative in my particular hospital, patient type, economic area, and client base!

So as nursing may not be my "favorite" job in the world, I choose to do it well and let my personality shine for the patients that need a bit of cheer (which is my calling). It is certainly one of the most challenging and diverse careers of my life...and I will stick with it till...hopefully, I gain a very early retirement! LOL! (if my body and mind make it that long...LOL).

[kristenncrn]

why do think it isn't such a good job?

Hey Heather...

I assume that's for me. =)

I think that nurses in general face many challenges. They lack political clout and prestige, respect for their practical expertise and generally they lack much say-so in any organization if they are a bedside nurse - even though that group is the largest in numbers. We're currently in a nursing "shortage" - or whatever you want to call it. Bottom line is that many nurses feel that they are short-staffed enough that it impacts their ability to give safe care.

Nurses face long hours - longer than most professions allow - frequently without taking the obligitory breaks. They work in a dangerous profession - with nurses being more likely to be injured on the job than coal mine workers. Nurses have to deal with a public understanding of nursing that is shaped by media that portrays nurses as either sex toys or handmaidens for the most part.

And all of that has lead to a job satisfaction rate that is abysmal (recent ANA survey - just over half of nurses say they are moderately or better satisfied??) - in a field that I would like most would agree has some pretty serious job satisfaction potential!

HOWEVER - my point isn't to say that nursing stinks. Really! I just think we all need to work to make things better. All of the above can change... what can't change is that nursing is the only profession that I know of that can confront and face human suffering and triumph from a holistic view point - follow it and support it and influence it from start to finish, independently and autonomously, while recognizing and educating the individual and still get to play with cool technology if so inclined. And then, if you don't like that, you can....

You know what I mean.

I :heartbeat nursing! I just acknowledge the obstacles that many of my peers and I face... and want to make them better.

Just my opinion though...

Kristen

[ecnav]

Nurses can be scary to work with. The nursing profession - where there are professionals - is an awesome vocation. Helping people in need... what a blessing! Helping 'needy people', well, that's another thing entirely.

[heatherwood]

I really believe the answer to that lies within the individual and factor heavily on your own personal goals and character and location location location!!!!

For some people this has been a long standing dream, and certainly has its benifits for mind, body and spirit. I envy these folks! Others came to it not knowing what to think really...working hard towards a goal, and found it to not be their favorite thing...but lets face it, hard to leave nursing for many reasons (mostly financial) and find a job that offers the same perks easily!

Location...well that is a given, some of us work in areas that seem to appreciate professionals and helpfulness where others tend to be more "you owe me" or down right rude.

Then you have someone like me...someone that was offered a grant into nursing school because I showed promise in the medical field. I really didn't honestly know all that was involved being a nurse, and learned through more hardship than light some of the less appealing aspects of the career of nursing. I am excellent at what I do because I choose to be the best I can be in whatever I do...so basically nursing to me is a career choice that I work on daily to improve and grow with day to day (I do that as a personal goal anyway!)...so as far as do I feel it is MY perfect job...NO!

My perfect job would be something involving animals or plants and making a great living at it from my home so I can be home with my family instead of strangers! Completely different from traveling to a hospital, dealing with sick folks all day (and all forms of fluids, solids, gasses known to the human body and then some), getting chastized by family members that feel that nurses have the skill of either that of the doctor and expect that...or that we are overpaid waitstaff that need to be watched incase we miscount their change at the end of the meal! And what about all those lovely diseases that you bring home on your lovely scrubs day in and day out as your feet scream to be freed of their shoes, and your back yelling for the flat of a bed! The rules and regulations that contradict one another dependant on what protocol book you find deep in the recesses of some shelf with 10years of dust on it...some even with print from the times of the carbon copy phase of industrial development! (I found two protocols still in effect two weeks ago involving immunizations on such paper/print! I gave it to our nursing supervisor for the hospital to put in the history of nurses showcase!).

There are good points of course (but lets face it...the not so savory points lend more to artistic wordage choices in my posts..LOL!). However I have yet to find those that outweigh the negative in my particular hospital, patient type, economic area, and client base!

So as nursing may not be my "favorite" job in the world, I choose to do it well and let my personality shine for the patients that need a bit of cheer (which is my calling). It is certainly one of the most challenging and diverse careers of my life...and I will stick with it till...hopefully, I gain a very early retirement! LOL! (if my body and mind make it that long...LOL).

I think if you allow nursing to simply just be a job and not a life choice and use it for income, to further satisfy and make you life good, always knowing that if I wanted a change, it would be so easy, or if I wanted to move or travel, no other job may be as easy to do so. Don't let nursing fulfill your life use it to achieve the fulfillment.

[heatherwood]

Nurses can be scary to work with. The nursing profession - where there are professionals - is an awesome vocation. Helping people in need... what a blessing! Helping 'needy people', well, that's another thing entirely.

Touche

[heatherwood]

Hey Heather...

I assume that's for me. =)

I think that nurses in general face many challenges. They lack political clout and prestige, respect for their practical expertise and generally they lack much say-so in any organization if they are a bedside nurse - even though that group is the largest in numbers. We're currently in a nursing "shortage" - or whatever you want to call it. Bottom line is that many nurses feel that they are short-staffed enough that it impacts their ability to give safe care.

Nurses face long hours - longer than most professions allow - frequently without taking the obligitory breaks. They work in a dangerous profession - with nurses being more likely to be injured on the job than coal mine workers. Nurses have to deal with a public understanding of nursing that is shaped by media that portrays nurses as either sex toys or handmaidens for the most part.

And all of that has lead to a job satisfaction rate that is abysmal (recent ANA survey - just over half of nurses say they are moderately or better satisfied??) - in a field that I would like most would agree has some pretty serious job satisfaction potential!

HOWEVER - my point isn't to say that nursing stinks. Really! I just think we all need to work to make things better. All of the above can change... what can't change is that nursing is the only profession that I know of that can confront and face human suffering and triumph from a holistic view point - follow it and support it and influence it from start to finish, independently and autonomously, while recognizing and educating the individual and still get to play with cool technology if so inclined. And then, if you don't like that, you can....

You know what I mean.

I :heartbeat nursing! I just acknowledge the obstacles that many of my peers and I face... and want to make them better.

Just my opinion though...

Kristen

When you are right you are right!

[heatherwood]

When you are right you are right!

You seem insightful and well educated, my insight is that it is just a job that allows me such freedom and reasonable income to do the things that make happy and also the amusement of watching the "wranglings" of so many other nurses with their egos and power struggles. Sorry! But sometimes other people just want to be unhappy and will look a gift horse in the mouth.

[Antikigirl, ASN, RN]

I tend to see things a bit differently on the financial side of the choice of nursing as a career…just as many people have their own twists on it to fit into their lives. All are just as valid to me…

I have always been one to give all of myself towards others…before I was a nurse, and now. When I got the opportunity to become a nurse…that was my basis in choosing it…not that I can have many different career paths, not that I get to have the satisfaction of helping others to take home with me, or some sort of Sister Teresa complex of angelic or even saintly work for my fellow man…I simply thought, wow…I can help people, I definitely have medical savy and a will to improve upon it, and I can have a career that will be always in need of employees…and the pay is great and I can support my family on it! That is it!!!! The humble realistic view of my foundation of nursing career choice!

See, I had worked in service centered jobs before…I know the good and bad side of the human condition. I knew this would NOT be a job where I need to depend or even feel that my client base will lift me up and make me feel of worth…or at times even give me the slightest human kindness of making eye contact or saying thank you. Personal fulfillment…That can only truly be done by the self and personal accomplishment, motivation (which at the time was certainly money founded for me), good working ethics, and realistic goals.

What matters to me comes from different sources, and a few of these are very realistic and I find overlooked or even shunned. Financial is a big one! Why is it a person in other careers don’t get the slack that nurses do if you say “I did it partially for the money!”. Money is a major motivator in choice, and I have a family and home to care for…what, are patients going to jump out and help me with my bills when I am having troubles…heck no, in fact…they don’t want to even discuss anything to do with me when I am caring for them…and rightfully so, it isn’t MY time…it is theirs. It is my JOB to tend to the sick, and I have a natural nack of being able to do it with a smile, patience, and knowledge! There is nothing wrong with that…to realize that nursing is your JOB, and to be the best you can be just like with any job! To take in the financial and benefits of such a job is totally reasonable and should be considered in the top three reasons! I mean, we don’t look at a employment opportunity saying…”well maybe I should work at that facility that barely pays and has no benefits because obviously those patients may need us more since they can’t afford competitive wages!” Money is a motivator…even when we candy coat it in the guise of the all giving sacrificing humble nurse stereotype. Heck, most of the nurses I know won’t even fork out 5 bucks for an annual birthday cake for employees for just a bit of appreciation for others!

So all in all…money is a legitimate and profound reason to get into nursing, however you must be able to actually do the job on many levels most people do not comprehend at first. It takes your mind, body and SPIRIT to do this job…it takes a very disciplined self insight to handle issues that come up from moment to moment that effect you in the facility and out…and for some, they find it overwhelming…some drink the pains away…and some find it the best most wonderful moments in their lives. It takes all types…and I appreciate that! Another area of the career that makes it unique… Nursing is NOT for everyone, nursing can be okay for some, and nursing is some peoples perfect fit! I hope for the latter in most nurses I know J.

Do I like nursing…yes on many levels…do I want to do it for 10 more years…not really, but I more than likely will…would I recommend it to a friend…depends on the friend…would I encourage nursing as a great career, I would if I can make sure that person really knows what they are getting into just like any career! Do I find it the best job…nope, my long term goals innately have a change in store towards the more private end of personal satisfaction that will not include medical at all…I want a change eventually to reward myself for my work in nursing to one of harmony and peace in my garden providing happy little plants for others on a small scale family farm environment…