After reading tons of negative posts about the nursing profession, I have really thought twice about going into the field. I am currently a ADN student, and having read post after post of how nurses are taken advantage of, horrible wages concerning nurses, lawsuits, people running for the doors after thier first month, and other various posts. These situations make me REALLLLY question this profession! Can someone give me some positive outlooks to look forward to in the nursing field? It seems like a large portion of nurses are pissed off, due to poor workplace conditions, or on the other hand nurses that have 30+ years experience expecting new grads to already know everything! I think a big thing that really scares me is starting on the floor, and having to work with all of the pissed of cranky RNs that really hate what they do. I realize not everyone or every situation is negative, but after seeing what a lot of you guys post, its just simply a let down.
I've worked in many different areas..the military, McDonalds, Kodak, etc. The same complaints..low pay, too much work, administration/management woes, customer complaints. You can't imagine the stink someone can raise over a hamburger :chuckle. At age 41, I became a nurse and have only been one for 9 months. I work harder and I get paid a little less, but I love being a nurse. I leave at the end of the day knowing I did something worthwhile. I've had bad days sure - one day I was sure I was going to court after my first LTC resident died that and the family was sure I did it. After the doctor talked to them, they were ok. There were days when I first started when I went home and cried - how can I do this job? But I've had residents tell me how gentle I am and how they are happy when I'm their nurse. I've had several tell me I'm a really good nurse. Yes, you will see me complain on this site also, but only nurses understand nurses and their woes. We need others to vent to, because we have a very emotionally draining job with a LOT of responsiblity. I ignore my negative co-workers and I give respect to the older nurses whom I learn alot from.
Don't go by this site as a judge on whether or not you should be a nurse. Look inside you and decide if nursing is for you. No it's not for everyone, but for those that feel its calling, no other job will satisfy.
After reading tons of negative posts about the nursing profession, I have really thought twice about going into the field. I am currently a ADN student, and having read post after post of how nurses are taken advantage of, horrible wages concerning nurses, lawsuits, people running for the doors after thier first month, and other various posts. These situations make me REALLLLY question this profession! Can someone give me some positive outlooks to look forward to in the nursing field? It seems like a large portion of nurses are pissed off, due to poor workplace conditions, or on the other hand nurses that have 30+ years experience expecting new grads to already know everything! I think a big thing that really scares me is starting on the floor, and having to work with all of the pissed of cranky RNs that really hate what they do. I realize not everyone or every situation is negative, but after seeing what a lot of you guys post, its just simply a let down.
It ain't gettin any better anytime soon. My advice try same day surgery, a physicians office or look into APN.
After reading tons of negative posts about the nursing profession, I have really thought twice about going into the field. I am currently a ADN student, and having read post after post of how nurses are taken advantage of, horrible wages concerning nurses, lawsuits, people running for the doors after thier first month, and other various posts. These situations make me REALLLLY question this profession! Can someone give me some positive outlooks to look forward to in the nursing field? It seems like a large portion of nurses are pissed off, due to poor workplace conditions, or on the other hand nurses that have 30+ years experience expecting new grads to already know everything! I think a big thing that really scares me is starting on the floor, and having to work with all of the pissed of cranky RNs that really hate what they do. I realize not everyone or every situation is negative, but after seeing what a lot of you guys post, its just simply a let down.
Grass is always greener in some imaginary pasture.
after bouncing around a bit,
I've learned why the grass is greener on the other side of the fence....
they spread more manure over there
nursing has some real high points to it. like the look on a kid's face when the're sick and you can help them feel better (as a camp nurse), or the hot cup of coffee a doc gets for you just because he appreciated your effort (as a GI nurse on a call-out in the ED), or the note by the coffee machine from a patient's wife saying thanks for being there at 3AM with her husband and still making it a positive experience (that was a call-out for a bleeder in the GI lab), the simple "thank you" never gets old, and of course the priceless expression on a college kids face when you show that first clamydia slide showing them what the infection usually looks like, normal (college health can be alot of fun at times).
my only advice to the OP is talk to nurses out in the workforce and them what its like. if you get the chance, pick up a part time gig in an area that you might find interesting.
You need to learn to be thick skinned if that is possible. I graduated from high school in 1982 and wouldn't think of going into nursing then. I worked part-time in high school at a hospital and saw how mean the doctors were to the nurses and wasn't about to put myself into that situation. After a few family health problems and learning doctors were treating nurses better, I went back to school at age 30 and became an RN! Yes, all-in-all doctors are much better to the nurses. It's the co-workers who have the problems. It's quite sad. Being new is tough at anything, but I'm told it will be six months to a year before I start feeling more confident. If I knew what I know now, I may not have gotten into nursing. Who is crazy enough to sign up for a job where you are dealing with people's lives, inject meds that often if not done correctly could cause major problems or death, you aren't treated very well at times, have patients yelling you and aren't paid all that well??? We are doing that!! BUT, there will be enough experiences when you end up with a patient who does care about what you've done for them and tells you what a great nurse you are!! You will meet enough co-workers who are supportive and those are the ones you lean on and they will lean on you. You need to go into this knowing you have the ability to help others and change their lives in a positive way. It's important you know what you're getting into and thus it won't be a big surprise. Too many of us get into this thinking how nice it will be to just help others, but then realize there's a lot of garbage to go through while you're helping out those patients. It's great you're reading through these threads and learning what nursing is like, but let's be honest, no profession is perfect!! Regardless what field you are in, there are the nasty co-workers, the nice co-workers, etc.....Good luck to you!!
Part of nursing is how YOU approach it. Doctors will not treat you poorly if YOU do not allow that. If you allow people to treat you with disrespect, then it's your own fault (if you know what I mean). If more nurses stood up and demanded respect (from everyone), you wouldn't hear half the complaints you hear.
When you become a nurse, you are a trained professional ( just like a doctor is trained in her profession). Demand respect (and act with respect) and you will be treated that way.
I love being a nurse, there isn't anything else I would want to do. That doesn't mean that I love every single minute of it or every single aspect of the job. Just when you think you can't go on one more minute you get that patient/family who says "thanks for taking such good care of me, you really made me feel safe", or the patient who wasn't supposed to make it through the night but did because of you. Sure the doctors are pricks, but not all of them. Sure there are cranky nurses, it is better just to laugh at them (not their face, trust me on that one). If the negative parts of nursing out weigh the positives I will quit, luckily that hasn't happened. Thick skin is definitely required, along with a sick sense of humor. Have fun!
There have been times when I have really questioned whether my decision to come into this field was right or not. My soul searching at those times has always reaffirmed my self acceptance, that I still feel like a hero at the end of the day, justifying my decision. Any job is going to have customers you don't like, co workers you hate, bosses you fear. At the end of the day I'd rather be in a field where I can make more $$$ than if I had gone with some of the other fields I've looked into, but more importantly, I look back at the shy, backward, nervous girl I was and the funny, warm, feeling person I've become and I wouldn't have it any other way. It was like nursing took me by the hand as much as I took it by the hand.
I just would like to echo the sentiments so many have posted before me. As a nurse you sometimes meet your patients on the worst day of their life. This is a special privildge you have as a nurse, believe it or not. In those devastating moments you get the opportunity to give light where there is only darkness. The simple acts of kindness that you display just by caring for them often means more to the hurt souls you care for than you will ever realize.
Nursing would be just great if it didn't involve so many people!
I'm joking, but turthfully, you are going to find good and bad in any profession. I'm sure teachers, cops, bank tellers, ranch hands, and department store Santas all have their horror stories. And they would have a montage of warm fuzzy anecdotes as well.
You read a lot of griping on this forum because it's a good place to let off steam without having to do much explaining. Most of us understand the classroom/hospital/nursing home/clinic context and we've been exposed to various nursing school and corporate trends over the years. A good many of us who have been in nursing for a few years have traded the romantic image of being an "angel of mercy" for the more practical picture of doing an important job well and trying to stay sane along the way.
I suppose we talk more about the negatives because it helps us feel less alone. Maybe we should work harder to comment on the positives--and there are many wonderful aspects to nursing--but somehow the anger demands release while we end up tucking the happier moments away in our private collections, if we notice them at all. The good things tend to be small and ordinary and we take them in stride without, perhaps, giving them their due.
Whether nursing is a good thing for you depends, in part, on what you bring to it. Your own physical and mental health, life circumstances, memories, and values will influence how you perceive what is happening around you and how you choose to behave.
But that is true in any career.
Please don't let our negativity frighten you away. Some of us, heck many of us, love what we do even if we aren't anywhere near vocal enough about it.
I understand exactly what you are going through. I just graduated as a LPN last month and am now working in a hospital. During all of my clinicals, I always felt like I could do it. I loved just about every minute of it. Now I'm about to start my 3rd or 4th week (I can't remember, its all a blur in my mind:-), and I am really discouraged. I love my patients, I love joking with them, or listening to their fears and concerns. However, I hate the way I feel when I keep getting told to hurry,hurry by the nurse I am paired with. We have a wonderful program at our hospital that allows new nurses time to get used to the fast pace of a major hospital, but I still feel stupid as hell. I am slow, I will admit that. All the other nurses keep telling me keep up the good job, that it will get better, telling me their "war" stories and in general trying to make me feel better. But the one nurse I'm put with (who has to put up with me slowing her down, which I'm sorry for), will one second tell me I'm doing good, then make me feel like the stupidest graduate nurse out there. Twice she's accused me of being late from break, which is not true. The second day, I timed it and came back to the floor 2 minutes early. I know I'm just discouraged and shouldn't be upset, but I've gotten to the point where I don't want to go to work. I still love nursing, I really love my patients, but I hate going in there with her. Just let me state, I will not give up! I love what I'm doing and I realize that there will come a point where I will hit my rhythm and will keep up on my charting (my biggest problem), and will feel better. I'm hoping that is what will happen, and am looking forward to that time. I think we all have to go through that period, which I was warned about in school, but it will pass. We just have to have enough guts to get through it and realize that we can do it, we can put a smile on our patients face, we can get ten billion meds passed by 0900, plus assessments and all the other stuff, we are nurses and HEAR US ROAR!!!! Sorry, got caught up in the moment:-) Anyway, you can do it if this is what you want. Keep up the good work!
Catlover71
28 Posts
Is it really THAT bad, being a nurse??? :uhoh21: