No I wouldn't recommend nursing

mchrisrn · Apr 11, 2006

I guess you didnt "hear" me...You said, "if you dont get breaks speak up"..I said I dont CARE about breaks. Havent had breaks now for 20 some years. I said I do care about a 30 minute lunch, not for an 8 hour shift, but for a 12-14 hour shift. Also, I said I HAD "spoken up" MANY times but that DOESNT WORK! And I said we're NOT COMPLAINING about cleaning poop, just complaining that patients are WAITING TOO LONG to be cleaned. So I didnt say i dont recommend nursing but I was trying to paint a realistic view of the problems it has and that its NOT EASY TO CHANGE. If you student nurses are going to just say "smile its a great profession"..and NOT realize that theres something definitely wrong when instead of having 3 or 4 patients in school, you get out and have 12 by yourself with maybe a pca, and you think youre going to HELP them all, then go for it!...I'm not saying nurses dont help people and families..just that in certain hospital settings, theres not enough HELP to go around and HELP enough people. Ask some of the families of the patients if they feel like they are "getting helped". And if theyre NOT, they will most likely blame the nurses NOT the administration that expects miracles of the nursing staff. So if you want to hear only the rosy, we help everyone, we affect everyones life view of your future profession, I guess I've ruined it for you. Yes we NEED nurses, but I hope they will also try to advocate for MORE hospital bedside nurses allocated in their facilities budgets or fewer and fewer patients will get the HELP they need...I will stop now.

zaggar · Apr 13, 2006

Unfortunately it's an undefendable position you guys have:

1. there aren't enough people on staff, and

2. advising new people not to join up and help.

That's the consequences of dealing with negative thinking too long - you wind up self perpetuating your own problems.

After doing ANYTHING 20 years you're going to be kind of burned out. It's understandable you guys are jaded.

And I reallly think this thread is a good thing, because if any potential nurse has a change of heart just because of what they read here, then they are doing themselves a favor by giving up early.

However, in my case, it just strengthened my resolve. I've learned over the years to never give up.

SitcomNurse, BSN, MSN, EdD, RN · Apr 13, 2006

I take stock in the person seeking the nursing degree. Most of them are CNA's looking to better themselves. I assess the person. Do they have the conviction to stand up for themselves? Can they learn to? Do they have the fortitude to stand up for the patients? Can they learn to? Do they have what it takes to stick their own hand into another persons body cavity for whatever reason?(wound care of multiple causes) Can they stomach it? I have encouraged quite a few pwople not only to go for it, but to work where they are as CNA's. Then they can better know why I am such a hard a**, and better know that it is easy to see when someone isnt living up to their job expectations, cut corners are easily noted.... But I have also turned a few away, bringing them into severe patients rooms, and showing them what happens when systems fail, when skin breaks down, or breaks open. Any person who blindly tells another not go into nursing is a fool, IMHO, and any person who recommends everyone because of the shortage is equally ignorant of how to solve the problem. Yes, we all need nurses. We dont need more nurses looking to get into administration before they know what the floor is really like.

transducen, BSN, RN · Apr 25, 2006

you people scare me, the nurses don't look THAT unhappy when I go to the hospital.

lannisz · Apr 25, 2006

To all the students who are shocked and disheartened by the negative postings here. Don't let this discourage you from pursuing a nursing career if you know this is your calling and true path. But please, print off all the positive reasons listed here that you have chosen for wanting to become a nurse (don't let pay be one of them). In your first year or so of being a nurse, you may be really amazed at how school and clinicals did not prepare you for the reality of nursing. I know I was shocked! I thought I knew what I was getting into!! Refer back to all the positive reasons that you entered nursing. There will be days that you will question why you ever went to so much work and effort to enter nursing. Please know that this just happens. But don't let it jade you or make you think of leaving. If you are truly called to this profession, as I am, for me just one heartfelt "thank you" can erase many days of stress and discouragement. I am proud to be a nurse. I was called to this profession and I worked hard to get here. But I would be lying if I didn't tell you that many days it is a struggle not to just walk away. My best days happen when I remember to say a prayer before my shift, and ask God to please help me to help others, to touch someone's life today. I can't do this job on my own.

lucytaylor · Apr 15, 2007

Would I recommend Nursing as a career? NO! what other profession can you go into where you are underappreciated, shown no respect by the client's (patient's/doctors) peers, and especially administration.

uhhh.. teaching... been there done that.

HikingNinja, BSN, MSN, DNP, RN, APRN, NP · Apr 17, 2007

Listen...please
I'm going to be a nurse. You can warn me until you're blue in the face. You can tell me all these things (which I can apply to my own job as a 20 year Master Sergeant in the Air Force, well, except for bodily fluid cleanup). You can complain about pay and benefits and hours and crappy bosses (aren't almost all bosses crappy anywhere?) and stress and violence and potentially dying at work and everything else until the end of time. But I'm going to be a nurse.
I remember the hospice nurse that helped my father end his life in dignity. She healed us all - every single member of our family. She was always a professional, but when it got too sad, she went out on the porch and cried a little. Then she would come back in and give us hugs and help us all get better.
I remember when she told my mom, "Now, I don't want to alarm you, but his skin is very thin, and I think it is going to break open. He could start bleeding from all the little tears. You should get some dark towels and put around him." Then she calmed us all down - helped us get our heads on straight. We did the right thing, and fortunately his paper thin skin held out.
I remember he was moaning real bad one day, and my mom had already given him the maximum amount of morphine she could. The hospice nurse sat and looked at my dad a bit, then went out to her car and got a tiny little patch that she put behind his ear. His pain went away almost immediately. He went to God a few days later, without pain, with dignity, surrounded by loved ones.
Where would my dad have been without that nurse? I realized then that I could spend the rest of my life in the entirely honorable military profession and never come within a mile of the HUMANITY that nurse carried with grace and dignity. I decided I wanted to be her when I grow up.
I could now tell you about the nurses who have worked for the past 4 months to HEAL my mother of throat cancer (which she entirely didn't deserve, because she never smoked a day in her life). I could tell you about how those nurses, again, healed my whole family by explaining to us what the doctor just said, by treating my mother with respect and professionalism. I could tell you about their impressive knowledge, skill, compassion, and friendliness.
But instead I want to tell you how they have hands that heal, and I don't. But I want hands that heal. I want 'em real bad. I'm going to be a nurse, or die trying. Your entirely legitimate complaints have strengthened my resolve. Thank you. :loveya:

Wow. Very nicely put. I agree wholeheartedly. I understand where others are coming from in their posts. They want the future nurses of the world to have an accurate picture of what they are getting into. And I thank them for that. I have been, and always will be a caregiver. I used to be ashamed of that. Used to think that I should be more interested in money, status, etc. But I've matured alot over the years and I know now where I want to go with my life. I'm transitioning from a social work career into nursing and hope to eventually become a psychiatric nurse practitioner. Good luck to all of you future nurses and thank you current and past nurses for your sage advice and comments.

Dee

coadestone · Apr 17, 2007

As a future LPN student, I appreciate the honesty. Not exactly

warm and fuzzy but I have a feeling nursing isn't exactly "warm & fuzzy".

After 20 years doing clerical work I just feel a need to do something

more worthwhile. I've always been good with people and this is something

I've always thought about doing. Been reading some of the theads and

some of them, well, I say "what am I thinking"? I've got a great

desk job with no real stress and no real satisfaction at the end of the day. Nursing seems to be full of stress, but it seems to me you walk away

feeling you've accomplished something great once in a while.

Am I right??

littleredmare · Apr 25, 2007

My brother recently was considering nursing and I attempted to talk him out of it. I have been a nurse for one and a half years, and for all those that say it takes 20 years to burn out, then I must have been on the fast track.

I am already on my second job. When I am at work and caring for patients, especailly teaching them how to take care of their drains etc. at home, I love it. But, overall nursing has taken SO much out of me. I have become depressed, anxious, lost sleep. My coworkers, boyfriend, family and friends are worried about me, because I used to be always such a happy person. I have lost 15 pounds. I feel like going to work is like going to battle in "the trenches."

I do not know how much more I can take, and wonder if it's any different outside of the hospital. I wouldn't discourge students in nursing, darn it I have hundreds of thousands of dollars in loans left to pay off now, by getting myself into this profession. But any family member of mine, or child of mine, I would fight tooth and nail to keep them far away from nursing and medicine all together. I wouldn't want them to go through the misery that I've had to endure.

WDWpixieRN, RN · Apr 25, 2007

Already in my second semester, I can see where there's a ton of stress on this job....already I wonder why I hated working in my desk job in IT....oh, it was the hours, the stupid paperwork that took hours and which no one took very seriously, the management that seemed more worried about THEIR management than their employees, etc., etc.....

Is there a dream job? I don't know...but I know the business world wasn't it for me...and with few options beyond that desk and PC, it just felt like this was a good alternative....my best friend from high school, who's been a psych RN for 32 years, is the person who persuaded me to do this....every job has its good and bad points....whether or not it's a good fit for an individual is obviously something that can't always be determined ahead a time.....

**NickiLaughs, ADN, BSN, RN** · Apr 26, 2007

While there are many negative comments on this thread, I think it's a good reality check for nursing students.

Anyone else notice that when the huge "shortage" about nursing came out, how many people suddenly wanted to be nurses? In the BSN nursing class I was taken, all anyone ever talked about was how much money they'd make as a nurse. The reality is, unfortunately, many of these students only see dollar signs.

Yes, nurses can make a lot of money, but the money is not enough if it's not what you really want to do with your life. As many said, nursing is calling.

(I myself just recently realized this and dropped out of the LVN to BSN nursing program to pursue biology) I know I'll probably start out at less money than what I make now, but it's not really about the money anymore...

Ayvah, RN · Apr 26, 2007

As a future LPN student, I appreciate the honesty. Not exactly
warm and fuzzy but I have a feeling nursing isn't exactly "warm & fuzzy".
After 20 years doing clerical work I just feel a need to do something
more worthwhile. I've always been good with people and this is something
I've always thought about doing. Been reading some of the theads and
some of them, well, I say "what am I thinking"? I've got a great
desk job with no real stress and no real satisfaction at the end of the day. Nursing seems to be full of stress, but it seems to me you walk away
feeling you've accomplished something great once in a while.
Am I right??

I had a desk job for 4 years before becoming a nurse. I worked hard, but could take things at my own pace. I was not used to my full potential so it was boring, and annoying, but it was tolerable. I decided to go into nursing to quench my thirst for medical knowledge and to make a difference in someone's life. I wanted emotional and mental stimulation which I thought could come from nursing.

wow. My prior bachelor's from a prestigous university did not compare to getting an associate's of nursing at a community college. I missed out on a lot of family time due to studying. I missed large chunks of my nephews growing up, and rarely spent time with my husband. Maybe it was the school, less than 1/3 of those who started the program finished it. After becoming a nurse, I have been amazed by the physical and emotional stress as others have pointed out. I feel like I'm in my 60s when I'm actually in my 20s. I've asked others how they handle the big patient loads and they tell me point blank they have to cut corners. You simply can NOT give the kind of care you want to to your patients because you have too many other things on your plate. One shift, one of my patients almost had a fall. She was very upset by it and was crying. I wanted to be there to comfort her in her time of need. I held out for a couple minutes and thankfully a tech was there who took over holding her hand so I could attend to my other patients. How awful and cold I felt leaving the room when she was bawling. One of my other patients had wet the bed because she didn't want to use her call light because "you nurses are so busy I didn't want to bother you". I emphasize to all my patients right off the bat every shift that they should use their call light. But after they've been in the hospital for a day or so they know how it is. I feel so bad for these patients but I can only do my best for them. You have so many tasks/patients that you can't give the care you want. I have discovered that for my floor, 12 hour shifts are a myth. And all in all I work in a relatively good work floor environment compared to many other hospitals.

I do know that I am making a difference for people. But even though I knew nursing would not be easy, one cost I didn't fully think about, and the one that is the most upsetting is the cost to my health, and the cost to my family. Here I thought I'd have more time to spend with my family. Instead, I come home feeling like a 60 year old woman, sometimes take out my stress on my husband, I can't always make food for my family because I sometimes feel so terrible and head to bed early, but sometimes still I'll have trouble sleeping, thinking about my patients, and many times, to my dismay, I wake up on my days off feeling nauseous and have to continue to lay down, missing family time. I run around at work in practically solid go-go-go mode. While this can be done ok for a shift here and there, when this becomes a near everyday occurrence, your body just can't continue to handle it. When I was first hired, my two main young educators on orientation were there because they had to leave floor nursing due to medical conditions caused by work even though they are fairly fit people. Back injuries are a serious health hazard in nursing. Kidney stones, urinary tract infections, bringing home c-diff/influenza etc, needle sticks, contamination, being hit/bit, etc are just a few more worries. I have continued to tell myself "It will get better" since nursing school, but it hasn't. Knowing I have made a difference makes my spirit soar immensely, but seeing that my family has been, and continues to be hurt because of it brings out my claws. I am moving in the summer so I will stick out my current job till then, and after that I will be looking for a non-bedside nurse position. Volunteering will give me the emotional satisfaction of helping others that I crave.

My advice to you: make your family your number one priority as you'll never have that time back with them, and if your job offers no stress hold onto it! Get your emotional satisfaction from helping someone through volunteering.