Is Nursing the hardest job out there?

brandy1017, ASN, RN · Mar 21, 2015

I think it is one of the hardest jobs out there because of the combination of the lifting we are expected to do coupled with the stressors and high responsibility the job entails. I think it is a dangerous job because there is no limit to what we are expected to be able to move and lift. Common laborers are not subjected to the amount of weight lifting we are expected to do on a daily basis. They at least have lifts and cranes to move heavy objects, while most of us don't. Plus they don't get 300 to 500 pound weight challenges that they are expected to physically move on a daily, even hourly basis like many of us do! I think it is a dirty shame that we are expected to move people of that size when it is not safe and no pretending it is will make it safe! Body mechanics will not change the reality! How many of us have access to ceiling lifts, sit to stands and hover mats? We all should have the necessary equipment, but many of us don't! That is the real reason I think nursing is one of the hardest jobs out there!

I think we need federal legislation to create a safe no lift environment and require hospitals etc to provide all the above lift equipment, just like the federal safe needle legislation! I think this issue harms more nurses and healthcare workers than needle sticks have done! Not to diminish the deadly consequences of HIV or Hep C infection, but more of us are at risk of crippling back and body injuries or living in chronic pain because of a lack of lift equipment!

PMFB-RN, RN · Mar 21, 2015

In my opinion, the stress level and odd hours aren't really worth the pay. The nursing profession just goes to show if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. If you have a good business idea, that might be a better way to earn a living.

To the OP: I can't believe that is a serious question.

To Nola009. I agree, I think that RELITIVE to the level of responsibiliety we bear, nursing is very low paid.

I see it as sort of like the military. Whgen I was in the army I made enough money. Lived a decent life. But the amount of responsibiliety I had and risks I took was WAY out of proportion to my pay. Same with nursing.

NewYorkerGirl · Mar 21, 2015

I would have no problem if one of my kids chose to become a nurse. I would discourage any of my kids from becoming a teacher. It is THAT bad.

THANK YOU! I quit public school teaching for nursing. People can't believe it when they hear that: why give up weekends/holidays/summers off and such an easy job? Because the workload in teaching is unimaginable. Now I'm paid a few hundred dollars a week more, work significantly fewer days and hours, and have about the same stress level. I also don't have to purchase my patient's medications like I had to purchase my student's classroom supplies to the tune of several hundred dollars a year.

Libby1987 · Mar 21, 2015

I think it is one of the hardest jobs out there because of the combination of the lifting we are expected to do coupled with the stressors and high responsibility the job entails. I think it is a dangerous job because there is no limit to what we are expected to be able to move and lift. Common laborers are not subjected to the amount of weight lifting we are expected to do on a daily basis. They at least have lifts and cranes to move heavy objects, while most of us don't. Plus they don't get 300 to 500 pound weight challenges that they are expected to physically move on a daily, even hourly basis like many of us do! I think it is a dirty shame that we are expected to move people of that size when it is not safe and no pretending it is will make it safe! Body mechanics will not change the reality! How many of us have access to ceiling lifts, sit to stands and hover mats? We all should have the necessary equipment, but many of us don't! That is the real reason I think nursing is one of the hardest jobs out there!
I think we need federal legislation to create a safe no lift environment and require hospitals etc to provide all the above lift equipment, just like the federal safe needle legislation! I think this issue harms more nurses and healthcare workers than needle sticks have done! Not to diminish the deadly consequences of HIV or Hep C infection, but more of us are at risk of crippling back and body injuries or living in chronic pain because of a lack of lift equipment!

I think this is just one area where men will begin to dominate. Not all men are strong of course but in general they have testosterone on their side and are not typically the primary parent juggling work and kids ie it seems they are more easily able to prioritize fitness, or at least don't guilt themselves as much as women. Speaking generally and anecdotally.

Libby1987 · Mar 21, 2015

To the OP: I can't believe that is a serious question.
To Nola009. I agree, I think that RELITIVE to the level of responsibiliety we bear, nursing is very low paid.
I see it as sort of like the military. Whgen I was in the army I made enough money. Lived a decent life. But the amount of responsibiliety I had and risks I took was WAY out of proportion to my pay. Same with nursing.

The question itself is not so much serious but I did want to discuss the relatively of our job stress.

We often talk about the higher responsibility that we have as nurses. On one hand, yeah. On the other, for as much as we talk about the potential, I haven't harmed anyone, aside from a accidental skin tear sort of thing, and as long as I follow the basic safeguards I would have to make an effort to do so.

My SO OTOH has a lot of responsibility as well as physical work, he makes a vital mistake and he cuts off the end of his thumb (check) or a significant miscalculation and he will bankrupt himself and put some labor out of work. He calls me stressed over something much more often than I do. I will over analyze the way I handled something but I have never worried about losing my job.

On the other other hand, he's never walked up to his client laying non responsive in the front yard ..

scaredsilly, BSN, RN · Mar 21, 2015

There are loads of "harder" jobs. Some don't pay at all-being a mom, being a caregiver to an ill or disabled family member. Both of these are harder than nursing. As for what pays the mortgage and is harder-Active military, especially in an unsafe part of the world. Street cop in a city where there is gang violence or racial dissention. Oncologist (or any Dr, PA, or NP) responsible for figuring out what life saving therapy to rx to prevent death.

Basically any job where you are putting your life at risk for the job, or are the person most responsible for making a difference between life and death is a harder job. Nurses work hard-really really very hard! We carry a lot of responsibility, but for the most part we aren't going to risk dying everytime we put on our scrubs, and while we may be the link between life and death for our patients in many ways, we aren't the deciding factor on what therapies to use to save a life.

twinmommy+2, ADN, BSN, MSN · Mar 22, 2015

I usually don't have to worry about whether I'm going to walk back in the door of my house in the morning, so I think this job is probably less stressful than say police work. Or being an infantryman (or being in combat in most rolls for that matter).

I used to work jobs where females were definetely in the minority and were singled out for ridicule, so that made work very stressful even if it wasn't too overly physically demanding.

I don't think there is a job where there isn't stress, or deadlines, or pressure. It wouldn't be called work if it was.

PMFB-RN, RN · Mar 22, 2015

The question itself is not so much serious but I did want to discuss the relatively of our job stress.

I asked if it was a serious question becuase it is obvious to me that there are MUCH harder jobs than nursing. I have had several of them.

Overland1, RN · Mar 22, 2015

Having worked in jobs that were far more stressful, I can say that Nursing, while stressful at times, is not the most stressful.

Aside from that, is a certain amount of stress a bad thing? Compare it to doing something else that also pays the bills but is so hopelessly boring that you cannot stand going to and staying at work... where you just wait for the end of the shift. That, to me, would be far worse.

Nursing provides the opportunity to learn, care for those in need, and make a decent living. It is not all that bad... seriously.

PauperRN · Mar 22, 2015

From reading most of this comments on this thread, one can discern that nursing clearly is not close to being the hardest job out there. However, there is so much hype about it that never seems to end. So the question now becomes, is it overrated? I personally think it is.

ready2baRN · Mar 22, 2015

I currently work as a Health Coach and its not stressful just lots of demands and administration BS. I also coach a lot of people to deal with stress better. Every single person I talk with where stress is the behavior that will like to change or cope with many of their stressors are due to their jobs and guess what, NONE of them are Nurses.

My first job was at cinnabon when I was 16 LOL. I would get cursed out by really disgruntle and mean people all the time.

I also worked in a library and the librarians and library assistants would be stressed out some days as well.

So to answer your question, there will probably be some stress with any job environment that you work in. Some jobs cause significantly more stress then others but it's how you deal with and manage the stress. Most of the times stress is self induced and you have to wonder is this really something I need to stress over.

funtimes · Mar 22, 2015

Im not a Nurse, but Ive done a lot of different things in my life and have worked with Nurses for several years, and im married to one. My take is that Nursing is one of the more stressful jobs out there, but there are other jobs that are far more stressful.

In terms of working conditions I think you can do MUCH worse than working in a climate controlled environment that offers you at least some change for sitting down. Ive worked for 10 hours a day standing the entire time on a concrete floor doing heavy lifting for a job that took considerable manual dexterity and had a fairly steep learning curve, with my bosses breathing down my neck to work faster 24/7 and continually replacing people who didn't keep up. The factory was filled with noxious fumes and noise that damaged our hearing. My back ached, my hips ached, my feet ached and swelled, and people would occasionally lose a finger, hand, or worse, for pay that was probably 1/3 what a Nurse makes.

I think part of the reason many patients are so demanding and difficult is the reality that they come from jobs like this, and see hospital staff as pampered by comparison. I can actually see where some of them are coming from. There is a reason so many of these people are age 40 but look 65, and have a ton of health problems at a young age. In many cases its work related. I have many physical scars and health problems related to my previous lines of work.

Also, as someone who served in an infantry battalion several years, I assure you Nursing is NOTHING like the military I served in. Not in terms of physical or mental stress, discomfort, sleep deprivation, and living conditions. Not many Nurses deal with being borderline hypothermic for days at a time. Nevermind deploying in combat, I thought the training was in many ways worse than the deployment. People who serve in the military are young, so you can deal with it better, but there is no way I could endure now what I accepted as a fact of life back then.