any nurses out there who LOVE their jobs?

mattsmom81 · Jan 2, 2004

I'm a critical care nurse and I LOVE impacting the lives of my patients. Seeing someone soooo sick get better is immensely rewarding. Using my skills to save a life is an awesome feeling!

What I do NOT like are the circumstances, the roadblocks, the rules I must abide (made without nurses' in mind) and working within a largely unresponsive healthcare system where my input is NOT valued.

wjf00 · Jan 2, 2004

I for one love my job. I work in a level III NICU and I have no plans to work any other area. In nursing school I was told again and again that I needed at least 1 year of Med/Surg, especially since I had never worked in health care in any capacity. I ignored the advice and went right into NICU, and have never regreted it for one second. Bad days are very rare, and most them are days I am floated. I hope you find what you are looking for, but don't be afraid to move on quickly if you find yourself in a bad job. So many options now for nurses, why waste time in a bad situation.

susi_q · Jan 3, 2004

I've been a nurse 5 years ... in that time I've seen first hand how many options we have. If you end up someplace that doesn't work for you ... keep looking. I started on a Stepdown/Telemetry unit - great place to start. Fewer patients, see lots! I then picked up on-call shifts in employee health/occupational health. Started working for a staffing agency - critical care/med surg/ER in several different hospitals. Changed my status to Per Diem at my "main" job, and got moved to CCU. This year, I started teaching clinicals for our local nursing program. And this week I left my CCU job for ER and am loving the new challenge (still per diem - to work around my teaching schedule).

Each job has been a good learning experience - each has had it's challenges ( to say the least) - but there is always something new available when desired. Also, one of the biggest factors in enjoying the job is who you work with. If you like the unit, but aren't getting along with the staff ... first make sure that you are being friendly, teachable, etc yourself ... then wait a month or so - in my experience, staff dynamics change completely every couple months.

Good luck -

BBFRN, BSN, PhD · Jan 3, 2004

Originally posted by Trixxy
I've worked in a prison...learned WAY too much stuff.

:chuckle :roll I'm with you on that one! :chuckle

Big Bab's · Jan 3, 2004

I've been a nurse for 7 years now...After graduation I tried Med Surg, ICU, PEDS, outpatient OR, and home health....None of them seemed to "fit"......then I decided to try working in a Drs office.....BINGO!!!....It's the job for me!!...I love it, I've found my niche......I get up in the morning thinking "I GET to go to work today!", not "I HAVE to go to work today!"....I work with a Dr I like, and he respects my work and treats me as a partner in our patients care..........I LOVE having the luxory of getting to know my patients over a lifetime rather than just a few days in the hosp............Everybody "fits" somewhere, keep lookin'!!...You'll know when you find it cuz it'll just feel sooooo right!:kiss

beckymcrn · Jan 3, 2004

I love my job!!!! I love what I do!!!!!

Granted some days are hell very busy where it seems like I am almost running backwards, but I think any job has those moments. :nurse:

SouthernERNurse · Jan 3, 2004

I've worked ER for 3 years, and I absolutely love my job (or at least most of it). I can't imagine working anywhere else, and have no plans to anytime soon. Nowhere else can I find such a variety, such adreneline rushes, and get to work so closely with docs I respect and who teach me so much. Hardly a dull moment!!

klhs · Jan 3, 2004

I too love my job and have been asked many times what occupation I would choose if I wasnt a nurse.... well I cant picture myself being anything other than a nurse!

I have worked in LTC, family practice, hospitals, and currently in a cardiology clinic and LOVE every minute of it!

:)

TinyNurse, RN · Jan 3, 2004

sorry MS is not your thing during nursing school. Lots of students I went to school with hated either one or another part of our clinical rotations, but couldn't wait to become a nurse!!

The best thing is that after graduation, you have a huge field of specialtys to choose from.

Personally, I love my job in the ER! I liked clinicals in school ( all of em) but this is definitely where I want to be as a nurse. Thankfully like I said there are many specialities out there, so keep your head up.

xo Jen