Is it okay to love parts of nursing and hate others?

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I'm a first year RN student, and I'm admittedly pretty green. However, so many areas aren't what I expected. I'm getting the impression from my instructors that "If you don't love ALL of nursing, that you are in the wrong profession..." Obviously, no one has said that directly, and I have a positive attitude, so I doubt that these comments are directed at me. I'm just curious at what you all experienced nurses have to say about this...

As always, I love lurking and reading your posts... you guys really do educate this poor girl!

Michelle :)

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I need to proof read before posting! Argh! That should be "all of you experienced nurses..."

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Specializes in HIV/AIDS, Dementia, Psych.

I think there are elements of any job that people don't like. It's just that in nursing, we are dealing with people's lives and well being so if you don't like a part of the job, you still have to muddle through it and never slack off. I, for instance, HATE doing med passes...but of course they have to be done, and be done accurately every time. I'd much rather be educating and doing hands on care, but there's more to nursing than that, of course. I also don't like the paperwork, but that has to be done as well. It's bad because I usually like to do the things I like the least, first so they're overwith...but you can't really do your charting until the end of the shift.

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

Your instructors must surely have dealt with some of the, uh, less lovely aspects of nursing at some point in their careers........NOBODY enjoys cleaning up incontinent diarrhea, or smelling feet that haven't been washed in a dog's age, or dealing with a patient who's crabby, mean, combative, or obnoxious. It's perfectly OK not to love everything about nursing......all of us have areas and/or tasks that we dislike (I, for one, could never in a million years work in a detox center or one of those private "specialty" hospitals........as a recovering alcoholic myself, I have little tolerance for patients' excuses and rationalizations, and I don't appreciate it when people act like @$$****s just because they can).

Don't worry, you'll find your niche in nursing........even though you won't be ecstatic about every single aspect of it either. That's why nursing is such a great career: if you don't like one area, there's always another one to try! :)

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Specializes in ER.

For Pete's sake; you can't love all of nursing! How could anyone love doing painful dressings, or seeing someone die senselessly. I think that great nurses get rewards from what they do that far exceeds the many situations that could break your heart. Maybe that was what she was trying to say, and didn't.

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i too have wondered this very same question ..for example..... i pretty much know i do not want to work in a hospital setting..and i have thought to myself..then what the heck are you doing going to school to be a nurse..especially since thats where you train and get experience..but i have to remind myself that i can do ltc nursing or home nursing or school nursing..and it doesnt mean i shouldnt become a nurse if i dont feel i will like certain aspects xo jenn

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

yes, it is ok. Yes, it is normal. Love what you do, do what you love, my friend.

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Yes, its normal.. There are certain areas that I would hate to work in... Pulmonary and Cardiac are two of them.....

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Anyone who loves all of nursing is probably severely mentally ill. :chuckle

Seriously, do you think your instructors became instructors because they love bedside nursing? Fortunately, different nurses enjoy different areas of nursing as well as have a preference for certain tasks within that area.

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Don't worry. I love cardiac, but pregnant women make me nervous as hell; therefore, you won't find this nurse working OB, ever.

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Don't worry. I love cardiac, but pregnant women make me nervous as hell; therefore, you won't find this nurse working OB, ever.

That is sooooo me. I agree w/ my whole heart & soul. Funny thing with me is, if a pregnant woman is walking in one door, I will walk in another. After doing clinicals 2 times in PACU, it amazes me that the human race still goes on. :rotfl:

Give me a nursing home, hospice, or PACU w/out pregnant aftermaths & I am fine.

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I'm the opposite. I hate sick adults. They are so whiney and gross. If not for maternal child, I wouldn't even be a nurse:)

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