Need feedback on nursing job description

[Sera Blue]

I am currently a nursing student and taking an anatomy class. ( In NY)

I currently need feedback based on what one of my professors have said to me concerning a nursing job.

She explained to me that i should consider a different career, because as a nurse, I will be working in a militaristic environment.

She said as a nurse, I will be expected to act like a robot, and to just say yes. She said I will not be expected to think.

She also cautioned me about the doctor/nurse relationships. She said doctors will always try to blame the nurse, and the head nurse will also try to blame the nurses for errors on their part, and then you will have no way of defending yourself.

I can say that the thought just horrifies me, and would like to know if their is any truth behind her warnings.

[vindy]

Hello,

Do not let anyone discourage you or put negative thoughts into your head. Nursing is a wonderful profession with endless possibilities. You can work in many departments such as ER, OR, mother/baby, a legal consultant, school nurse, etc. You can even work as a nursing professor! I am currently in nursing school, and there are times when I get discouraged but I think about the patients I will help and treat and I just can't wait to get in there! Read this article. I hope this can give you a little insight... Why become a nurse? - by Miss D Charnia - Helium

[Sera Blue]

Thank you very much for your words of encouragement.:)

I was rather upset when my professor had said that to me ..

[darlink]

Oh please that is so 50 years ago. Today nurses are part of the team and while there is still some old school doctors out there, most respect and treat nurses as colleagues and not handmaidens. As for back up, from my fellow nurses on the floor to my charge nurse/clinical managers to my house supervisor to my director, I am backed up 100%, as long as I'm acting within my license and in the best interest of my patient.

[beckster_01, BSN, RN]

What? Not expected to think??! Haha last year my nursing professor stumped us daily and all she would say was "Think!" That's what nursing is (or at least what studying for the boards is)...pure critical thinking, sorting through what is important and what is not important. And as far as nurse/doctor relationships go, it truly depends on the floor and the doctor, but where I worked nurses were very much part of the team in determining the care of the patient and there was a great deal of respect between both parties.

I'm going to go ahead and assume that your A&P prof is not a nurse but a scientist, in which case how would she know what nurses really do?

[talaxandra]

I'm with beckster - consider the source, and compare her comments with the opinions of those actually working in the profession. If you go ahead with nursing you'll undoubtedly run into doctors who think everything's the fault of nurses, and you may also have NUMs who fail to support you in disputes between you and other members of the team, families or patients.

However, that hasn't been my experience, particularly over the last decade or so. I've never felt as though my work environment was militaristic or unnecessarily hierarchical, and my patients would die if I didn't think for myself.

Reading the threads on AN you'll find a lot of venting, and from time to time you'll find nurses who were (or felt they were) unfairly treated, actively attacked and picked on, and who've had unpleasant interactions with doctors. But these are the minority.

It's not a bad thing to be forewarned about potential pitfalls of any career you enter, but weigh the information you receive and consider where it comes from, how informed the source, and how it fits in with the other information you have. Good luck :)

[ILstudentnurse]

My A&P professor said something similar to me when I was in his class. He told me that I was too smart to just pass meds and that I would be cheating myself if I didn't become a doctor or CRNA. I accepted his opinion as a compliment and as an insult all at the same time (weird emotion to feel- you face kind of looks like ).

[ILstudentnurse]

Oh and he is doctor and cardiac surgeon. He is the best instructor I have ever had, I don't think he meant any harm...just trying to inspire--I guess.

[beckster_01, BSN, RN]

I don't know how many times I've been asked the question "so why didn't you become a doctor?" The best answer I've come up with so far? I don't want to be a doctor. Probably wouldn't matter what I said, no thanks to our media/culture people truly do not understand what the nurse's role is, unless they have had a good one.

[Sera Blue]

Yes, My A and P professor is a doctor.

I took it as a compliment, but at the same time felt insulted.

But thank you all for the responses, it's inspired me and helped me felt better about my choice to become a nurse.

Right now, I feel more prepared and happy :)

[racquetmom]

Aren't all jobs somewhat robotic? Even CEO reports to a Board. I had micro instructor (MD) who basically said if you want to follow orders then be a nurse, but if you want to be in control of the situation then you need to become MD. I didn't take this offensively because it is true. Yes, nurses are thinking critically and can contact the dr. with their findings, but if dr. says no then isn't it a no. If dr. says give certain med and nurse disagrees and states why and dr. says give it.....are you not basically following orders. I haven't started nursing school so not speaking from working as a nurse just speaking from working in general. The A/P teacher is working somewhat robotically and saying yes by following the school guidelines of what is required to be taught in that class. I guess in my opinion unless you open your own business and are the boss, everyone is reporting to someone or follwing the company's guidelines and unfortunately working as a robot. The important thing is we are thinking robots......:) I think it is poor for the instructor to say you don't think because do people not think no matter what position they hold. I wouldn't worry about comments as you will here positive and negative comments no matter what career.