Nurses Who Shouldn't be Nurses

Merovingianne · May 31, 2005

But whenever I hear older nurses talking about the new nurses and longing for the good old days I cringe.
I am an older nurse but I do not want to go back to the days of white caps, standing whenever a doctor walked into the unit

STANDING WHENEVER A DOCTOR WALKED INTO THE UNIT??? Are you kidding me???

Brinley · May 31, 2005

I am a nursing student and I would be lying to say that I didn't get into the profession partly for the money, or the job security. Like another poster said I wanted a job that could take me into the future, a job where I could help support a family and also make a difference in my community- it's also nice to get a good paycheck while doing so... I got into nursing after spending a year in general ed classes trying to decide what to do with my life, while I love nursing, one of the reasons I decided on this major was money and stability.

I do think the really money hungry people who are in it for only that will be weeded out, if not in clinical then in their first few years.... my cousing went to LPN school for the money and made it through two weeks on the job.. now she works at Wendy's... she for some reason didn't realize she would actually have to work! :uhoh3:

Just my 2 cents! Have a good day

rjflyn, ASN, RN · May 31, 2005

Seems to me there is an awful lot of hoops to jump through to become a nurse just for the money. That and for every nurse that completes a program how many more people wash out because they cant do it. Yes there may be a few that did it for the money. Im going to admit I am one of them, but I did it because as a Paramedic it is all but impossible to raise a family on one persons salry. I for one can tell you there is a significant differece between $28,000 yr and $40,000 or even $60,000 year. I did however stay in the same field of medicine which is Emergency care. I enjoy what I do and in fact I always have. I wanted to be a emergency care giver since I was like 10 yrs old.

pricklypear · May 31, 2005

I think if the new nurses/students you are talking about are guilty of anything it's either stupidness or unrealistic expectations of what it's like to earn "the big money." There is good money to be made in nursing - look at what travel nurses make. But that doesn't come free. You need experience, and that isn't always fun. Nursing was something that I was attracted to for personal reasons, and it didn't hurt that I was pretty much guaranteed a steady paycheck - whether it was big bucks or not. If it was one of the lowest paying professions, I wouldn't have done it.

I work with a lot of new grads, and I haven't met any so far who said they went into it solely for the money, or the glory. I think the increase in patient complaints comes from 2 directions: nurse/patient ratios and unrealistic expectations of "customer service" on the part of some patients and their families.

Jen2 · May 31, 2005

When I first decided that I was finally going to go back to nursing school I was making $8.00/hr in a doctors office so I figured, "Nurses probably make about $10.00/hour". It wasn't until I was already enrolled in my program and told people that I was entering nursing school that I realized how much nurses actually made. People started saying things to me like, "You'll be making the big bucks". My reply was, "Really that was the least of my concerns". My point is, I wouldn't do it for free, but I honestly thought I would be making around $10.00 an hour when I graduated and I still did it.

I just graduated and we had quite a few that were getting a nursing degree for money and job security, which is fine but if your hearts not in it, why would you want to be miserable every day? I pondered the thought of going for nurse anesthetist, and sure the money is incredible, I am young, intelligent, single, have no children. So whats holding me back? I would be MISERABLE every time I had to go to work, therefore making everyone else around me miserable. So yes I do think that alot of nurses become sour because they thought if they would become a nurse and make good money that ultimately they would be happy. My best friend was a beautician and went to nursing school for the money. She is now one year into her nursing career and looking for a way out.

Whatever reason someone decides to go to nursing school is not always going to determine how good of a nurse one will be, but I think it has alot to do with how happy one will be in the field.

Fiona59 · May 31, 2005

I've seen a lot of second degree students admit they are in the accelerated programme because there are jobs and the pay is good. Most have realized the first BA was useless without additional education or qualifications.

But many I've met have no desire to do bedside nursing. They see their BScN as a means of advancing straight to Charge or administration. Their attitude shows in their patient interactions and patients have commented on it "how the heck did they get to train as nurses if they don't like touching people" is one comment I've heard more than once...

RN4NICU, LPN, LVN · May 31, 2005

If I did not care about making money, I wouldn't work at all. I would sit at home with my feet propped up. However, I do need to make money. Exactly like people in other fields, I went to college, earned a degree, and I expect to be well compensated. I chose my major based on my interests - not on a calling. If you think I shouldn't be a nurse because of that, well too bad - because I am a nurse and I'm good at what I do. I wasn't expecting to become a millionaire when I chose nursing, but I did (and still do) expect my income to reflect the fact that I have a degree and I expect it to be competitive with that of other professionals, not with that of some high school kid working at McD's.

As for the increase in patient complaints, I believe that reflects the shift in the focus of health care from treating illness to customer service. In the "good old days" of health care, patients were not led to believe that they were at the Burger King and could "have it their way". It was understood that a hospital was a place to get treatment and recover from illness and/or injury and was not a place to get your butt kissed.

bobnurse · May 31, 2005

To my knowledge, there arent that many associate degree graduates that make what a RN makes.........Also, what other professions cater to the working adult. I mean they have night classes, weekend classes, online classes, and so forth to get your nursing degree.......I dont see this with many other degrees.....

So its a easy fix for someone to go into nursing, say a single mom or a dad who just lost their job.

Each of us can tell who the nurses are who are just there for a paycheck, and those who are there because they have compassion and are caring........Its the little things that separate the two.

Tweety, BSN, RN · May 31, 2005

I agree that a lot of people do it for both.

I understand what you're saying. Occasionally I come across a nurse with the personality of Atilla the Hun and wonder how on earth they could possibly think nursing is the right career for them.

Pvt. Parts · May 31, 2005

IMO, the money is a draw, but not a keeper.

To whoever said the 2nd degree people are in it for the money... I think that depends on why they got out of their 1st career to begin with!

Personally, I decided that a career in the field I was in wasn't for me after 3 internships. Despite the fact that I thoroughly enjoyed what I studied and earned a degree in it, I hated how companies wanted to apply my knowledge to the world of business, and I feel that it a B.S.N. will complement my B.A. & vice versa.

SarasotaRN2b · May 31, 2005

I've always had an interest in learning about the health sciences, and if money was my primary motivator, I would have stayed the course and gone for pharmacy. Yet, as I saw unless one has their own pharmacy, most pharmacists don't have a chance to connect to their patients. Just from seeing my Dad have questions about his meds, I know that there is many, many more patients in the same boat but they are not able to talk over their concerns to the pharmacist (and forget about their PCP). I feel that with nursing we have a chance to really connect with their patient and answer their many questions. While earning a decent wage is important, it isn't my sole reason for going into nursing.

Kris

bsnrnoh · May 31, 2005

I personally went into nursing for several reasons.

1. I like people.

2. I wanted job security.

3. I wanted to make a decent living wage.(ie. above minimum)

4. I have career ADD (I get bored doing the same thing everyday and once I learn a job I am ususally bored and dissatisfied with it, not a problem in nursing, never done learning!)

5. I wanted flexible scheduling.

6. I wanted to be able to move my job if necessary (hubby's job can move and he would need to go)

There are more I have forgotten I am sure. What other career can give you all of these. :rolleyes:

I do not claim to have had a "calling" to nursing, and generally I do not get involved emotionally with my pts, though there have been a couple that have gotten to me.