Nurses that “only do it for the money”

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What is your thought on nurses who only join the profession for financial gains?

Specializes in Nurse-of-all-trades, but mostly Peds/GP/PDN.
On 3/30/2019 at 12:38 AM, Emergent said:

I'm more annoyed by the nurses who think they are Mother Teresa. They are self righteous Polyannas. You can't even complain about irritating patients around them, they are too saintly for that.

Your assumptions lead me to believe I would fall within your "generalization."

Except you would be wrong. Only after 2 years of hellish emotional abuse, at the hands of my ex-husband, did I realize the compassion I'd always possessed, but was under-utilizing.

I can't take much credit, as doing the exact opposite of my abuser became a habit.

And yes, I speak up for others, whether it be a patient, fellow nurse or the janitor.

I've always been a good & caring nurse, now I experience genuine joy in helping the disadvantaged, those unable to help themselves and less able than others.

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In all honesty I’m a bit surprised this post got the attention it did..

but glad we had a good discussion

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At one time, I had a grand passion and a calling to be a Psych NP, but it is mostly extinguished now.

I think I am actually a better provider without it. I never get overinvolved, which used to happen occasionally.

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The general public has this notion that we are all Saints doing God's work. When I'm at work, I have a talent for showing compassion, being cool and calm yadda yadda in the face of very frustrating situations. I'm pretty proud of myself for it. When I go home, I ditch that at the door. So when I show a real human emotion of anger or frustration outside of work, I'm met with, "That's some attitude for a nurse. You must be a terrible nurse blah blah blah."

I'm thinking, "Am I being paid right now? No? Then gthoh. I'm human and will act it. That means remaining professional at work and sometimes losing my cool outside of it. I'm only human.

That being said I do feel it's a calling for me personally because I am a Christian and believe God led me to this career path. Just as I believe he led my brother to the Navy, my other brother to business and my sister to teaching. There is nothing extra special about me just bc I am a nurse. I reject the notion that I should be saint like all the time. God gives me the strength to handle it during the hours I'm paid. Even then I question it sometimes lol bc it is that stressful. You bet I wouldn't be doing it if there weren't a paycheck.

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Specializes in CMSRN, hospice.
On 4/2/2019 at 1:30 PM, Horseshoe said:

I AM independently wealthy, and I do continue to work as a nurse. Your post above is correct in the respect that I don't work full time. But I work in a job where I am NEVER disrespected, much less "degraded and abused." I have in fact never worked anywhere where that was the culture. So even if I had to work full time where I am now, I'd be quite content. Not every nursing job is crap. You vote with your feet until you find the right fit.

Doing my best to, lol. I miss the days when I thought, "Even if I won the lottery, I'd still work per diem, just to keep my license!" Nope, not anymore. I hope to find a job where I can feel the same way you do!

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5 hours ago, NightNerd said:

Doing my best to, lol. I miss the days when I thought, "Even if I won the lottery, I'd still work per diem, just to keep my license!" Nope, not anymore. I hope to find a job where I can feel the same way you do!

I also hope you can find a job where you are fulfilled and respected.

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