No I wouldn't recommend nursing

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It surprises me how many students are going into nursing. I had my BSN since 1992 and have worked in the hospitals since then. Nursing is back-breaking labor with the reoccurring role of cleaning poop. There is no way my back can last another 20 years until retirement. Pick something else to go into.

Manuel

I'm a new grad R.N. and although I may seem negative "at times" (more like totally frustrated) I don't mean to "offend" anyone. I'm totally hoping that I will find an area of nursing that I'll be very happy doing for the long haul and I'm still looking. Also, if you click on a thread that says "No i wouldn't recommend nursing" you will probably hear some negative comments.

As for MY attitude......I use to be all happy and excited about nursing as well until my med/surg clinicals and nursing instructors beat that attitude right out of me!

I was being naive' apparently and got totally blindsided!

Speaking only for myself YES I've had jobs in the past that I liked, but they didn't pay well at all.......Now that the pay is good I would still like to be happy and I think I deserve it......

.........As I was writing this I got a phone call offering me the job I wanted to try next in Psych (my second passion in school).......I took the job for less pay then the E.R., but I WANT to be happy!

I sincerely hope that this new position will be everything that you want and deserve. After posting here (perhaps I should not have ventured here), I have found many other spots where there is more balance of positive and negative. As is/was your post. It is just being honest, and I wish the best for all that are extremely unhappy.

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Specializes in Med/Surg <1; Epic Certified <1.
After posting here (perhaps I should not have ventured here), I have found many other spots where there is more balance of positive and negative.

It is always nice to see a balanced viewpoint, particularly from a "veteran". As you pointed out, each profession has its up and downs. Some are just a better fit for some folks rather than others.

I have ventured to many different areas on allnurses and I think all contributions are appreciated!!! :idea:

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Hi, all. I haven't been able to read ALL pages of this thread but thought I'd put in my two cents.

I'm pretty content with this profession most of the time. The most valuable asset of nursing profession is the infinite possibilities. You could quit one position get another the next day because of the nursing shortage. You could work ANYWHERE (given you have a LITTLE experience) and make a decent living if you do some research in your area. You could work agencies, home health, hospitals, etc. You can do bedside nursing if you want or push papers wearing pretty clothes if you want. If you do bedside nursing you couldn't beat the flexibility. You could do 3 12 hr shifts which gives you lots of free time to enjoy your family or do 5 8 hr shift if you have little ones you need to care for. You could work at night or pm depending on your situation. Hospitals are begging you to do overtime giving you all kinds of incentives (automatic over time of course, bonus, perks like choosing to get the next day off). I've NEVER been forced to do overtime.

Then there is the possibility of continuing your education to be RNP or CRNA. Teach @ a college if you want. CRNAs' make $100/hr fresh out of school and hospitals are lining up to give you jobs offering student loan pay-off incentives and etc.

I have to say that nursing has its downfalls. You have to clean poop/bodily fluids, deal with pompous docs and demanding pt/family members. You are constantly reminded to be humble. You are the go-to person for every department and you are ultimately responsible for the well-being of the pt. It is an awesome responsibility. Most of all nursing as a profession does not demand respect which is our own fault. If we reunited as a profession and stand by each other we would receive much more recognition and respect as MDs' do. Sure they make a lot more money and influence comes with money however we do have to learn to back each other up and respect each other as MDs do. Majority of the MDs never put down other MDs in presence of other staff members. They do discuss among themselves the different opinions they may have of certain MD but never in public. I'm sure you've heard many nurses blaming prior shift for things that didn't get done or went wrong even when it was really nobody's fault. That just lowers the nursing profession as a whole. Most of the downfalls could be corrected if we try to unite. Easier said then done though, I guess.

I do admit that I would discourage my daughter from entering into this profession because I would want her to choose a profession which receives more respect. But if it turns out that she is not interested in any particular profession and wishes job security and advancement possibilities I won't be againt nursing.

Cleaning poop is not all nursing is made of. If you work with people you like it could be a really fulfilling experience saving lives and making a difference. Working was actually fun when I worked in ICU @ my previous hospital. I've now moved on for better benefit package/wage but always looking for new opportunities. As I write this I'm listening to my new job leaving me a message on my answering machine asking me if I want to come in for an extra shift this p.m. practically begging on the phone. I live in CA and never worked any other states so it might be different in other states.

So I'll end this BOOK by saying this. Nursing could be a very rewarding career choice IF you are dilligent in finding opportunities and preparing for them.

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There are SO many kinds of nursing, saying that "nursing" in general is a poor field to get into is not being intellectually honest.

Want to be an occupational nurse for Budweiser? Sure.

Want to be an elementary school nurse? No prob.

Want to help attorneys with malpractice lawsuits? Go for it.

Want to jump out of helicopters and rescue injured climbers in the middle of nowhere? Awesome.

Want to work at a world famous pediatric hospital? Etc. etc.

Nursing /= poop

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Specializes in Acute Care Cardiac, Education, Prof Practice.

Wow...what a horribly negative thread. First step, empower yourself. The one thing I have always lived by is if you don't love what you do, then move on until you find something you do. That is how I found nursing.

I also told another newer grad like myself the other day, after listening to a particular rant from another new nurse, that you must love and focus your nursing for the patients not the the politics.

Change comes from within, and if you think I am naieve then so be it, but after 29 years of existing I have learned that the only person who can instigate change is yourself.

Nursing will change when people learn to leave it when they are unhappy, and change it when they love it and can't bear to leave.

PS. And on the note of "poop" duty, I love to take care of my patients, because I think of how awful it would be to be 90 some years old, with a family that won't let me die, and sitting in my own feces. Even if that person is in a land of dementia and doesn't know who I am, I assume everyone wants to be clean, dry, comfortable and without hunger. That is what keeps me going.

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If you are willing and able to handle being verbally abused by doctors, co-workers, administration, patients,& patient's family members, work long hours for little pay, no breaks, not even for lunch, not receive any respect,be unappreciated,be treated like you don't have a brain, have little time for personal, family life, and lots of fights with you're spouse about all the time you spend at work, this is the career for you. I love what this job, I wouldn't do anything else, could do without the arguements with my boyfriend though. Yes i would recommend nursing as a career.

This is pretty old but i so agree with it - i am a patient care tech-specialty/cna at a large Level 1 Trauma University Medical center and the above sounds like my average day but I love it and will continue to pursue my dream!!! I see what the nurses endure but at my hospital the complaints are much less than what I have heard elsewhere. As far as the arguments with my husband, its mainly from my long work hours but then I get many days off and awesome benefits so we do ok.

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In reference to the above post.... I am not in Nursing yet, I am an RN student, but I am a little older and have worked in the "nonsense" business world for a while... Media to be exact.. so I know what nonsense is. I believe it's how you ALLOW yourself to be treated. If you stand up for yourself (as I have in the past) for the most part, people will not walk on you. Not sure where you are located, but in my state if you work 8 hours you are entitled BY LAW to get a meal break. You are supposed to get a meal break... so TAKE ONE. And yes, I have heard what about the other nurses who are overloaded, the patients who are terribly sick, etc. Well YOU will become overloaded and YOU could become terribly sick if you do not look out for yourself. I am not saying deliberately do not help co-workers or neglect patients... NO... I am just saying there is a time and place to take care of yourself. There is an old expression... if you don't take or yourself NO ONE else will. I hope you remember this and this advice helps some... Best of luck... Epona

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Specializes in L&D, peds NN, and recently outpatient..

I love nursing and have been a nurse for 23 years. To me, nursing is so flexible. What to help but don't really like the one on one? Go in to the OR, they are sleep most of the time, but you are still doing something VERY worthwhile. Like things to be detail oriented and technical? Critical care may be for you. Like children? You know where I am headed..........you've gotta find your grove so you can dance!

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Don't really like the one on one? Go in to the OR, they are sleep most of the time, but you are still doing something VERY worthwhile. Like things to be detail oriented and technical? Critical care may be for you. Like children? You know where I am headed..........you've gotta find your grove so you can dance!

I'm a new grad, but I agree w/ this..... I don't like the med/surg world and so I'm starting in psych on the 20th of this month. If there wasn't psych I don't know what I would do? I hope I like it that's for sure.....Loved my Psych clinical so I think I'll be able to dance...HAHA!

Most of the jobs like home health, hospice, utilization review, case management, ect. require 1-2 yrs. of med/surg experience first. I really don't think veteran nurses remember this when they post to new grads who don't like or who can't do med/surg, because I see them posting these options all the time (I'm not referring to this quote above).

Anyway, good luck to all and I also hope everyone finds their niche! OH, and to find your niche is a soul searching experience I think, because you may have to go against what other people think you should do!......for example- Not everyone is supportive of my going into Psych.......Usually, people say "why in the world would you want to do THAT!!!!!"......

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Specializes in Med/Tele.
In reference to the above post.... I am not in Nursing yet, I am an RN student, but I am a little older and have worked in the "nonsense" business world for a while... Media to be exact.. so I know what nonsense is. I believe it's how you ALLOW yourself to be treated. If you stand up for yourself (as I have in the past) for the most part, people will not walk on you. Not sure where you are located, but in my state if you work 8 hours you are entitled BY LAW to get a meal break. You are supposed to get a meal break... so TAKE ONE. And yes, I have heard what about the other nurses who are overloaded, the patients who are terribly sick, etc. Well YOU will become overloaded and YOU could become terribly sick if you do not look out for yourself. I am not saying deliberately do not help co-workers or neglect patients... NO... I am just saying there is a time and place to take care of yourself. There is an old expression... if you don't take or yourself NO ONE else will. I hope you remember this and this advice helps some... Best of luck... Epona

It's just not that simple......nurses dont want to be treated badly. But it often happens. And we often dont get meal breaks. What you are saying sounds good in theory but when you begin working as a nurse post nursing school......you will be aware of the reality.

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Specializes in med floor.

I am retired after 20 yrs and its the best thing i did. i do miss the patients and some of the co workers. they don't bond with each other. they like to snitch. i finally had enough so i left. i have been a nurse for over 30 yrs, working off and on until i stayed with this job for 20 yrs. nurses need to be sensitive not only to the pt's but also the staff. there doesn't seem to be any careing., and now that im gone i hear from no one. its like i never existed to them. i didn't think they would treat me like this. i was always there for them helping them, etc.:madface:

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nurses need to be sensitive not only to the pt's but also the staff. there doesn't seem to be any careing., and now that im gone i hear from no one. its like i never existed to them. i didn't think they would treat me like this. i was always there for them helping them, etc.:madface:

I'm sorry that the staff you worked w/ is treating you this way. I know that when I've left jobs in the past I had to be the one to go visit, call, ect. if I wanted to see my old co-workers. I guess the quote "out of sight, out of mind" comes into play unfortunately. Eventually, I'd get sick of it and I'd stop calling or going to see them and it didn't seem to matter (to them)......and I've never heard from them again.

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