Need Experienced Nurse Advice

[belle005]

I am a first semester Nursing student. The negative threads are really scary, and the positive threads are not much better. Do all nurses make serious errors, or operate under the constant fear of making a serious error? Are you constantly afraid your license will be revoked? Are you forced to work different shifts every week (ie, first days, then nights, suddenly weekends), or have to stay for hours after your shift has ended, and constantly called in on your days off? Are the patients, visitors, and superiors typically mean?

To start, my concerns centered around learning a lot of complicated procedures and complicated meds and dosages... now I'm worried about a whole bunch of other stuff!

Is it really that bad? I would like to get through Nursing school, find a nursing job with a regular schedule (doesn't matter if it's 1st, 2nd, 3rd) so my children can have a set and regular schedule, not be called in on my days off (maybe occasionally would be ok), and not make any errors (I am VERY detail oriented, so I wasn't initially concerned there). Am I being naive? What do the experienced RN's think??

[oMerMero]

You need to keep in mind that a lot of posts on here are nurses venting about their jobs. It is easier to explain problems to other nurses and get advice/ support from them than it is with family/friends who have no idea what is involved with nursing.

No, all nurses do not make serious errors. Errors are going to happen, as nurses are people, but everything must be done in order to avoid the errors. You can learn from errors of other nurses, and always remember you can ask someone for advice/help if you are unsure of something.

Am I always concerned about losing my license? No. But it is something I have worked hard for, and I am going to do what I have to do in order to keep it.

In terms of the schedule nurses work, that varies from hospital to hospital, and nurse to nurse. Some nurses are always on the same shift, others rotate, that is something to consider when applying for a job. If the hospital calls you on a day off, you are not obligated to go in and work. If you want to great, if you don't want to, that is ok as well. You can always use caller id and not answer the phone if it is work calling. Do I stay hours after my shift? Nope, never have, never will. Yes, there are times I leave half an hour late, but nursing is as 24 hour job. Tasks that are not completed are to be passed on to the next shift.

Like any job that deals with the public, you are going to meet people from all different backgrounds, and all different personalities. Some people will be nice, so won't. It just goes with the job. I actually enjoy meeting people I otherwise would not meet.

It can be frustrating to constantly hear negative comments. Just remember, nursing is what you make it to be. If you go to work with a bad attitude, you are going to have a bad day.

I hope this helps.

[belle005]

That's a good point. A lot of the negatives are probably about venting frustrations and not necessarily nurses who "hate" their jobs. At least, I hope!