Need Honest Opinion -- Would You Recommend Nursing?

Nurses General Nursing

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I've had an alarming amount of working RNs trying to persuade me from becoming a nurse. At first I just brushed it off as a fluke - thinking they were either new, burnt out, etc. But they seem to be from all walks of life. They all say that I'm "too smart" for nursing and that if I can do it, do something else. They say the lack of support, respect, from the public, administration isn't worth any monetary rewards and that it quickly gets old and the understaffed hours are long. They also said that while the pay is nice in the beginning compared to some college majors, the salary cap is reached quite quickly and that if I pursued a MBA ( my other option), the opportunites and potential salary rewards after working a while are higher. If someone came to you and asked your honest opinion, would you recommend a person to go into nursing?

Tonight I would have to say no way. I am beyond frustration now with being a nurse. Been a nurse for over 8 years and am currently wondering why

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:(

How discouraging....

Sincerely,

a hopeful future nursing student.

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Specializes in Operating Room Nursing.

I wouldn't recommend certain types of nursing such as med-surg etc. Not because I look down on these areas but because of the rotating shift hours, abusive patients and high ratios which I feel are detrimental to nurses wellbeing. If these problem areas improved then yes I'd recommend it to someone who is interested.

I would never tell anyone not to become a nurse. I feel that it's up to the individual to decide for themselves whether or not they should pursue nursing as a career. I'm always honest with people when I'm asked if nursing is stressful, what sucks the most about it not to turn them off but to let them know what they may face after graduating.

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Specializes in M/S, Travel Nursing, Pulmonary.

OK, disclaimer before I go on........this is not a "nurses with a calling vs. those how do it for pay" thing. Keep that horse dung to yourself.

If money is your primary motivation for going into nursing, dont. There are other fields that, especially when the economy improves, will be just as good in that dept. for you and you wont be as stressed (or, the stress will be justified).

Now, if other things are attracting you to the profession, then decide if those things are important enough to you that they will keep you going when things are tough.

For example, part of the reason I'm in nursing is because I have a firm belief that I must feel I am an asset to my community to be happy. Sounds sort of "I have a calling, god speaks through me" but I am different from those types in that I dont think everyone should feel the same way. Nursing satisfies my desire to do more than just........survive this world. I want to contribute to it also. When I was a landscaper, I didnt make anywhere near the same money, but that profession was good for me in ways nursing never will be. If it came down to just wanting security and a paycheck, landscapeing is where I'd be.

You have to decide what it is you want out of your career. Then, talk to people, like you are here, and decide if nursing offers that.

Good example of people who were not in nursing simply for the paycheck but decided to move on because nursing was not for them is: People interested in starting a family who believe they need stability in the house to do things the way they want. I know a few people who left nursing or went part time because the hours and instability of the profession interupts the family circle.

Think long term and about things other than strictly the pay, get a good idea of what nursing offers, and then decide. Be brutally honest about what you are truly looking for in your career.

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I don't have any nursing experience here...but if the other choice is an MBA? definitely nursing. if you have a choice between actually helping people and just manipulating other people's money for a living, I don't see why anyone would choose business.

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Specializes in ICU/CCU, Home Health/Hospice, Cath Lab,.

I would definitely reccommend nursing - and in fact often do so to those who ask. What other profession has so many niches that you can specialize in to find what you truly enjoy?

Is it stressful? Yea, it is. And there are lots of areas of nursing I would never reccommend based on my experience with them - LTC being one (not a knock on those who do LTC, but my experience working one was not what I would call enjoyable).

Are some places worse to work for than others? Yea. they are. But you have to beware of the grass is greener phenomen. Recently my hospital switched to a primary nursing mode (nurses take 6 pt on nights and the pca up to 12 pt). From the start you hear complaints - how are we going to do this? It is too much when we don't have our own pca?

Then recently when we are a bit short of RN's and we have to staff with teams again - it is, what 7 patients that is too much. Regardless that 5 months ago they were taking 8 or 9 with a team - it is the grass is greener phenomen.

Is the job stressful? Yea, it is. But you also get a lot of mental stimulation, good solid physical work, and the joy of actually seeing a difference made in some patients lives.

Would I ever leave nursing? Yea, if I won the lottery or got a job working from home that paid as much as I make now. Jobs are jobs - and you will rarely ever feel like singing when you go in to one. But out of all the ones I have had, this one fits my skills the best. This one allows me to enjoy my life - with good pay and good time off.

I enjoy nursing and would heartily reccommend it to anyone asking!

Hope this helps

Pat

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Specializes in ICU.
OK, disclaimer before I go on........this is not a "nurses with a calling vs. those how do it for pay" thing. Keep that horse dung to yourself.

If money is your primary motivation for going into nursing, dont. There are other fields that, especially when the economy improves, will be just as good in that dept. for you and you wont be as stressed (or, the stress will be justified).

Now, if other things are attracting you to the profession, then decide if those things are important enough to you that they will keep you going when things are tough.

For example, part of the reason I'm in nursing is because I have a firm belief that I must feel I am an asset to my community to be happy. Sounds sort of "I have a calling, god speaks through me" but I am different from those types in that I dont think everyone should feel the same way. Nursing satisfies my desire to do more than just........survive this world. I want to contribute to it also. When I was a landscaper, I didnt make anywhere near the same money, but that profession was good for me in ways nursing never will be. If it came down to just wanting security and a paycheck, landscapeing is where I'd be.

You have to decide what it is you want out of your career. Then, talk to people, like you are here, and decide if nursing offers that.

I agree with this! After reading you guys' post I am wondering why I chose nursing, if it is so bad. It is true that med/surg can be very stressful. However, if the OP is going to get her MBA and work as a CEO or something, I can honestly say that she WILL HAVE MORE STRESS AT THAT JOB. Atleast if you are nursing, you can leave your work at work (if you are a floor nurse). Being a manager is a totally different story when it comes to that. Nursing is stressful, but almost every job is stressful. Heck, working at McDonalds is stressful.

I chose nursing because everyday I can give something to someone. I love to make a difference. In my personal life I also love to give gifts. To see the joy in someone's eyes or the thankful feeling they get towards you for giving to them. I take after my mother when it comes to that . She would give the shirt off her back. So, to be in the nursing field, I get to enjoy that 'giving' feeling everyday. Even though it really does get stressful sometimes, I know that I love my career and the way I can help people feel atleast a little better. I can't think of another job that would satisfy my joy of giving like nursing does.

To the OP, like a previous poster says, look long and hard at the reasons why you're going into nursing. If it is the money, then you really can keep going to school and get that MBA. You might be happier with the outcome. Who knows. HOwever, in this thread, you're going to have almost everyone telling you to run, run far far away.

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Specializes in Critical Care,Recovery, ED.

Nursing, like many professions, is what you as an individual make it to be. Bedside nursing can be just as rewarding as it is frustrating, both emotionally and financially.

It is a valuable profession, a well respected profession (on a macro level), and very important profession to society as a whole.

After 4 decades of patient care at various levels of preparation, I would still and do recommend the nursing profession.

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I would definitely reccomend working as a CNA or PCT first. I think it really helps.

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18 months out of nsg school a disoriented post-op pt unexpectedly tried to get OOB while I was setting up his IV. Luckily I was able avoid a fall by grabbing him and easing him to the floor. Unluckily for me the 'physical' nature of nursing that day caused a permanent back injury. The injury flares up and causes me extreme pain when I lift over 25 lbs. No class in proper lifting and "body mechanics" could have prepared for what to do when alone in a room with a disoriented belligerent obese male pt who very suddenly tried to get OOB and started to fall.

I firmly believe that people need to make their own career choices. Personally I'd be better off if I'd gone with the career choices the poster above mentioned, a CEO or MBA. To me one of the problems is that nsg is extremely hard work with a heavy amount of responsibility day in and day out. You really can't afford to have an 'off day' (when you're not at full capacity), like you can in other jobs. In my hospital when census is low and it looks like we might have an easy shift they send one of us home. I'm currently looking for a job or line of work that is a little less stressful.

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Where is the best hospital to work as a nurse in New Jersey?

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Most of the posts on this thread so far have been extremely depressing. But...let me give you a glimpse of what it is like on the flip side of the coin. :up: I have worked in practically EVERY other area of a hospital over the past ten years, with the exception of nursing. My first job out of college was as the director of marketing for an assisted living facility. My boss was CRAZY and although the job paid "well," I NEVER took any enjoyment out of it because it was basically a 24 hour a day commitment. And, the pressure to makes sales, make sales, make sales...no matter what...at ANY cost! That stress caused me to become very overwhelmed and I swore I would NEVER, EVER work in the business area again. You become a bad person and you basically sell your soul.

Wanting to get out of this part of healthcare, I moved on to marketing for the hospital. There are some perks...as a manager...I can basically make my own hours (albeit...it's usually a 50-60 hour work week...so NO LIFE), I have a nice office and the staff is generally alright. The bad, though, is totally outweighing the good for me. My assistants are NUTS and make my life he!!....all they care about is gossip, their boyfriends, etc. My boss is lazy and uses all my ideas as his own...

So...I am really sorry this post is so long, but I wanted to make the point that the grass is not necessarily greener, sitting behind a desk, working crazy hours, having to kiss the bosses butt, etc. etc.

I have finally gotten to the point that after all these years, the only thing I haven't done in a hospital is become a nurse. And, I want to be a nurse...sure...for the pay, for the diversity, for the mobility and the schedule. But, what it ultimately boils down to is, I want to be a nurse because I genuinely care about PEOPLE. All people. So...that's my story. Again...so sorry this is so long. I've been reading these posts and just felt that I could contribute in some way. :redpinkhe

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