Is nursing REALLY that difficult?

[lilythorburn]

I'm in my final year of high school now, and I know that I really want to be a nurse when I finish school. It's the perfect job for me: I'm fascinated by the human body, I LOVE to be able to care and nurture for others, I love the adrenaline rush that comes with the job (I'd love to work in ER), and I love knowing that I'm making a meaningful contributing back to the world. The idea of working 3-12 hour shifts a week is also really appealing, getting 4 days off. But when I research to see what nurses think of their own profession, a lot of the articles are really whiney, and they just complain how stressful the job is, how long the shifts are, how they always go overtime, how they have sleep deprivation etc. It's rare for me to actually come across articles written by nurses who highlights the good aspects of the job and how much he or she loves being a nurse. I know that it will be difficult, I know that the shifts will be long - I'm expecting all of this. But is it REALLY that bad? Is it doable? Can I be a nurse and still live a balanced, happy life? Do nurses really hate their jobs that much?

[Serhilda, ADN, RN]

It's not "whiny," it's simply a fact of life as a nurse or nursing student from time to time. Many nurses and nursing students have managed to balance work and life but in my opinion, it takes time and practice. It's an incredibly rewarding profession that pays well and nursing school for me has been the absolute time of my life. A time for growth, making friends, and of course learning. That being said, it's still exhausting and sometimes you'll still go home in tears and question if this is even right for you. It doesn't come without its drawbacks but still, personally, I love it.

[Rionoir, ADN, RN]

If you have read online forums other than this one, then you will know that the fastest way to ruin your opinion of something is by reading an online forum about it. Most of the people who are perfectly content with what they are doing are not posting in online forums unless they are looking for some specific information. Take this pre-nursing forum for example - it's mostly full of people in the most competitive areas worried about getting into nursing school. Yet where I live I got right in, and at my school almost all those that meet the requirements are able to get into the nursing program (granted it's very tight, but as of now they have just enough room to accommodate most qualified applicants). Hell I've been a truck driver for the last several years - you think nursing is hard? At least you get to go home every day. Try not seeing your family for a month at a time and working 7 days a week. Granted all you're doing is holding a steering wheel, but mentally it's extremely difficult and in the grand scheme of life, not terribly rewarding.

I know a lot of nurses, and I don't know any who think their job is what most people around here make it out to be. They all manage to raise families, get sleep, and love their jobs. I don't mean to minimize the emotional drain that must go with being a nurse, but stop buying all the horror stories, they aren't typical from what I've seen.

My advice to you is stop reading forums unless you can take everything you read with a grain of salt.

[dylfitch92]

Yeah I talked to a nurse in the hospital my grandpa was at, the other day. She says, " honestly we do more work and probably know more than some MD's".

To this, I reply: " really? Why do you say this. Why didn't you go for that degree then?"

She says, " too much time, money, work and learning".

With, that she realized the huge contradiction of her dialogue. Not all of them are like this, of course. There are douches in all professions.

Quick joke: how do you know your dating an LPN? Don't worry she will tell you

[AlexKanaan]

lol I hope this person ended up going to nursing school. You guys just basically shat on all her dreams ?...all joking aside, in my opinion nursing at the bedside was difficult, and had some pretty hairy situations, particularly when working in CVICU. The job can be extremely high stress depending on the area you work in. If you compare ICU to med serg, the stress is different and the stackes vary. For example, in an ICU, the cost of you using the restroom can mean the death of your patient...that said, the job overall was worth it and prepared me for what I am now, which is an ARNP. I have so far worked in two areas as an NP (family and inpatient psych) and can handle various work flows and loads. This is because, in large part, of my 4 year RN education and experience. I would advise you to shadow a nurse if you haven’t already. And if your dream is to become an RN, then do it! Good luck ?