No I wouldn't recommend nursing

Niya · Mar 22, 2006

Jeez! That doesn't sound too good for a student!
Pardon my stupid question, but do RN's have to clean poop everywhere or it depends on the department you work in?

Yes, its true, you may graduate from school, but never poop detail :uhoh21:

madwife2002, BSN, RN · Mar 22, 2006

A lot of things, for one the pay for nurses needs to be increased, and that goes for Nursing school instuctors, and hopefully this can attract more nurses, and reduce the nursing shortage. Right now you have a lot of qaulified students being turned away from nursing school because if kack of seats, because of the lack of teachers. Work with hospitals to attract quality nursing directors.

I dont believe Pay is the issue here, nursing has always been poorly paid in every country in the world but it has always attracted potential nurses inspite of the pay. I believe 'we' dont want to work as hard anymore and with the improvement in medical drugs, surgery, knowledge, there are more expectations of nurses than ever before. In the Uk with the reduction in Dr's hours nurses have had to take on more and more responsibilities that the Dr's used to carry out, yet still have to do their own work.

Improvement in pay and conditions may help to attract more nurses, but they aren't the answer to everything.

ansley · Mar 22, 2006

This is such a great letter- I almost cried. Thank you so much- I never want to discourage anyone from this field, but youve laid it on the line. Yes this is really how it works!!!!

Be prepared, pay attention while you can and Definalty DEMAND plenty of orientation time, real life Nursing is way different than school.

Nursing is a great field, we all will need good nurses.

Be a good nurse- Good Luck.

99_99africa · Mar 23, 2006

I am one of the older nurses, my shift starts when I wake at 4.45 am make java, wonder around and thank God that I am employed. I love nursing and try to plan my day mentally and go through issues like communication and treatment of personnel and how I can improve on my self as a leader. With the policies and procedures manuals to guide me and I know my scope of practice, I enter the day, yes! I would recommend nursing and all its flaws to others and try and instill a sense of pride into all who enter the profession.

Jznck · Mar 28, 2006

It sounds here that a lot of you have lost your "compassion". There are sick people that need YOUR help. Unfortuantely your not treated as a queen, BUT if you do your hardest to support your patients and their families, it willb e appreciated. Your cleaning poop because they can't do it themselves. Try a little compassion, some students are very excited about their new endevors. Good luck ALL!!!

Kiren · Mar 29, 2006

As a ADN student here's my spin on it. I have worked for the past 10yrs. in the auto manufacturing industry. Although I was not directly exposed to things like HIV & Hep-B&C etc. I was exposed to possible cancer causing substances. I have worked under unsafe conditions with heavy machinery at times. Try working 12hrs in a 100 degree(temp.) factory slinging steel. Thankfully I was never seriously injured (although I have seen it happen). I worked forced overtime many times. I have been stuck on odd shifts for years at a time. I have been cursed at by formen and co-workers. So, I do understand where you are coming from. However, nursing is not the dead end job that manufacturing is. I worked as a CNA for several years. I know nursing is tough, but it beats the hell out a lot of other jobs.

I know when I graduate from nursing school it is going to be crazy. I know I will have to pay my dues. But, one thing I do know is that I don't have to work in a hospital setting forever. I can be a medical social worker, work for an insurance company or in a legal setting, a doctor's office, a school etc. etc. The field is wide open. I know many of you are complaining but, if you don't like what your doing change it. That's what I'm doing.

caligirl03 · Mar 30, 2006

I am a pre-nursing student, still waiting to see if I get accepted for fall '06. I haven't read all of these posts (you can only read so much negativity) so sorry if I'm repeating what someone has already said. It seems like discouraging future nurses from coming into the field is only going to make problems worse (staffing shortages, nurse to patient ratio, overtime, etc). If more people become nurses wouldn't that solve some of these problems and relieve some stress? If you're unhappy in your career, then you should do something about it.

To all of us future nurses- keep your head up, keep positive, and good luck on your new career.

mtngrl, ASN, RN · Mar 31, 2006

As a ADN student here's my spin on it. I have worked for the past 10yrs. in the auto manufacturing industry. Although I was not directly exposed to things like HIV & Hep-B&C etc. I was exposed to possible cancer causing substances. I have worked under unsafe conditions with heavy machinery at times. Try working 12hrs in a 100 degree(temp.) factory slinging steel. Thankfully I was never seriously injured (although I have seen it happen). I worked forced overtime many times. I have been stuck on odd shifts for years at a time. I have been cursed at by formen and co-workers. So, I do understand where you are coming from. However, nursing is not the dead end job that manufacturing is. I worked as a CNA for several years. I know nursing is tough, but it beats the hell out a lot of other jobs.
I know when I graduate from nursing school it is going to be crazy. I know I will have to pay my dues. But, one thing I do know is that I don't have to work in a hospital setting forever. I can be a medical social worker, work for an insurance company or in a legal setting, a doctor's office, a school etc. etc. The field is wide open. I know many of you are complaining but, if you don't like what your doing change it. That's what I'm doing.

School nurse? Insurance company? Oh yeah, the classifieds are just full of those jobs!....NOT!

Nightingale Apolonia · Apr 1, 2006

I wonder why a lot of facilities are understaffed? I guess, US Nursing program is a limited enrollment course that's why we still need more nurses - and need to wait for those few and those "accepts"who were accepted in the program to stick and finish their studies - but a lot of them drop in the middle of the program ...hmm....cause they need to work to finance their family life...

As for staffing, esp. for Nursing homes ---Rn's, LPN's especially CNA must be in adequate ratio to the resident patients---after all, these patients pay a lot for their care...

Corrin1RN · Apr 1, 2006

I was scanning through all these posts and my mind started to race with all the positives and negatives, and all the things I felt I needed to say, then I realized all of that does not matter, all that matters is one of my patients looked me in the eye last shift, held my hand, and said "You are one of God's special angels." I didn't even do anything drastic for him, just basic nursing. I never affected anyone that way in any other field I have ever been in. 'Nuff said.

rmaddess · Apr 3, 2006

I am very surprised at the number of postings I have seen that are so negative about nursing. I wonder why these people have remained in a profession that they seem to dislike so much?

Granted, nursing can be hard physical work. It can also be very mentally taxing. I, myself, have participated in many "code browns" in my nursing practice. I, too, have spent many hours turning and bathing and feeding and ambulating patients. I, too, have spent many hours explaining to family members the care they will need to provide when their spouse or S.O. or child returns home after being hospitalized for whatever ailment or emergency they have been admitted for.

But if your focus is only on the physical work of the profession, I need to say that you seem to be missing the reason most people become nurses.

For those of you who have lost sight of what a nurse is, I'd like to refresh your memory. For those of you who don't know, I'd like to enlighten you.

A nurse:

-- Combines science and technology with people skills including

communication, problem solving, teaching, and compassion.

-- Touches people's lives at a time when they need help.

-- Is one of the most respected professions in the United States.

-- Is the backbone of our healthcare system.

-- Promotes health.

-- Helps to prevent disease.

-- Helps patients and their families cope with illness, emergencies and

long-term disease.

-- Saves lives.

-- Makes healthier communities.

-- Has the opportunity to do "good" in the world everyday.

-- Makes a difference.

That is nursing.

And that is why peolple become nurses.

And, even though I may need to remind myself now and then, that is why I beame a nurse and am still a nurse. It is also why I teach future nurses.

Rick Maddess, RN

lorster · Apr 3, 2006

Really depends on what their motive for going into nursing is. If it is for money the answer is no, but there are reasons that I would recommend nursing.
It beats mowing lawns or getting shot at the local convienence store.

Well, the Johnson and Johnson commercials do this profession a real disservice. The nurses are models who have a big smile on their faces and the patients look like they just stepped off the runway. So you can see where our young people who are still deciding which occupational direction to take in their lives, would find nursing appealing? The truth is that it is a profession that is full of big problems that will not be fixed real soon if ever. I have been a nurse for 18 years and if I could live on 10 bucks an hour, I would get out of this profession in an instant. When I'm at work, I'm 100 percent there because that is what I need to do, but when I get home I am exhausted mentally and physically. No, I do not recommend this profession to anyone. I suggest that anyone wanting to know what it is really like, come to a hospital and spend 12 hours with one of us at the bedside. I wish I would have done that.