Is nursing really this cutthroat?

[dougRN2BE]

Hi All,

I am new to this forum. I am leaving a PhD program and a very stuffy academic setting to pursue a career (not job) in nursing. I could go to medical school (I have minimal family obligations right now and the grades to get in) HOWEVER, I have specifically chosen nursing with great care because I really admire and cherish the nursing model to patient care. I want to be a part of a community of professionals that work tirelessly for their patients. This brings me to my question...I am leaving academia (only in part) because of the cutthroat nature of academics. There is often very little collaboration and teamwork...everyone is out for themselves. While I am as type-A personality as it gets, I really like working and learning from others and don't particularly care for this type of working environment (of course there will always be a few rotten apples).

I can't help but notice after looking through many of the forums here that there seems to be a LOT of bickering...ADN's vs. BSN's....PA's vs. NP's and so on and so on. I know sometimes people post in places like this to vent, but I am really wondering how representative the comments on these forums are of nursing overall.

I fully expect that there will be those who are always trying to one-up the next person, but, if you had to generalize, would you say that nursing is really a collaborative profession or are most people out for themselves?

Thanks in advance for your responses.

Cheers,

Doug

[CSLee3, ASN, BSN, LVN, EMT-P]

Hi Doug, Tweety is right...don't get distracted by some negative posts. Nursing is wide open... What you make of it. I wish I had entered nursing earlier. A male in nursing can and usually does well, just like a woman police officer. The jobs are there, the opportunities are there just waiting. I am routinely amazed at some nursing jobs and opportunities that come along. Also my main satisfaction in nursing besides helping people is being around "hands-on-educated folks" From LPN's to ASN, BSN, MSN, MD's, Etc...we all have some form of formal education that is vocational or hands on so to speak. That makes us unique. A Master prepared nurse or Phd who has never worked in nursing, remained in the classroom is rare. Their skills would probably not be the best, but their theory....oh man..probably good there. Anyway....Doug.....go for it...pick your poison and jump in. Your knowledge and education will surely benefit many people in life.

ERDude

[LauraF, RN, ASN, CNA, LPN, RN]

I think it also depends on where you work. Nursing school is very competitive. But once you get out there, there are jobs where everyone can contribute to a wonderful outcome. And you can also end up in a place where there is a lot of bickering, back stabbing and end up being miserable. Would I do it again? I sure would. The only thing I would do different is that I would have stayed in school from my LPN to my RN. It was really hard doing the bridge after I had a husband and kids. Would have been a lot easier when I was on my own. Good luck in the choice you make.

[NurseCard, ADN]

Also, once you get into the nursing profession.. as in, once you get your first job in the profession, really whether it be as a CNA or as an RN... try to find the positive folks and stick with them, emulate them and try to learn from them. Stay away from the folks who are constantly negative, constantly putting down others behind their backs, and constantly complaining. Because if you are anything like me, then whether you truly want to or not... you'll find yourself feeling just like they do. Negativity can be SO contagious.

My biggest hope for the new job that I'm about to start is that I will NOT be totally surrounded by people who hate their jobs and don't want to be there.

If that happens, then I'm hoping that I'll at least be able to seek out the ones who DO like what they are doing.

[PANurseRN1]

To be to the point, YES!!!!! it can be just that cutthroat. Nursing is a profession made up primarily of women, and being one, I can attest to the fact that women have their own dynamics in the workplace. Egos play a big role, as do the stresses most women face in the workplace from family stresses to overwork, not enough money, short staffing, etc. When you put a dozen or so together it can be a bit dicey to say the least. But, these things are present in any profession, but I find so much joy from taking care of my patients I can just let the rest of the stuff roll right off. Loving your profession to me is the most important thing. If you do, you will find everything else a minor inconvenience.

Here we go with one of the most hackneyed statements that can be made about nursing...that the workplace can be difficult because it is made up primarily of women. Lord, I hate that!

Put a bunch of people together, working day in, day out in a very stressful environment, and all kinds of behaviors will happen; some good, some not so good. I said in a thread a while ago that some of the "cattiest," whiniest nurses I worked with were men. Does that mean that their gender made them that way? No; it means they had that type of personality.

Really, I just get so exasperated with this notion, because it demeans women and scares the heck out of many guys who are considering nursing. They keep getting the message that nursing is filled with a bunch of she-devils. Not true.

I propose making posters sit in a "penalty box" for making any variation of the following statements:

1. "Nursing is a tough profession because it's mostly women, and women are catty."

2. "Older nurses eat their young."

3. "BSNs are better nurses than ADN/diploma nurses," or "ADN/diploma nurses are better nurses than BSNs."