I am considering going back to school for nursing. I've been a CNA for 11 years and have worked in various aspects of nursing. I enjoy the patient contact and the caring/helping part of nursing.
Not to mention the flexibility that I have in this field.
I have many concerns, though. The high patient loads, the politics, the backbiting, the sad and depressing things that I will encounter, etc. What if I make a mistake? This is someone's LIFE!
Are all of these feelings normal?
Would like to hear from other registered nurses who would or would not considering nursing again.
As of today, I can say I cannot imagine being anything else but a nurse. I consider it a calling. BUT when I was working med-surg with the huge patient loads and all the stress, I caught myself looking at the clock at 9:30 in the morning and KNOWING I could not do that for the next 20 years.
When I was on the floor, it felt like an assembly line of passing meds and rote filling out of assessment sheets. When the revolving door of admission/discharge happened every day, usually after 3 when the staffing was cut, I began to have feelings of anger and helplessness to change anything. I likened it to a marriage where the husband is a violent drunk and you never know what he is going to be like when he walks in the door. That is no way to live!
So I tried different areas of the hospital and I think I began to suffer from boredom. I was hired into an ER last year...which is funny cause that was the ONE area I said I didn't think I could work....and I have absolutely loved it! Because I am still relatively new to the area, the learning curve is still pretty steep for me, but I learn something new every day and so far it has been an intellectual feast.
So...in my case, finding my niche was what made all the difference for me in my career. I would have gotten out of nursing all together if I had not gotten into the ER.
I am a nurse who loves pt care, and I am good at what I do.
However, the working conditions and general attitude towards nurses from all levels has really gotten to me. I've tried different jobs and areas of nursing and found it to be the same.
I'm actively pursuing getting out of nursing.
Good Luck! As I have said before the thing to do is to be honest with yourself and try to match your aptitude and ambition with opportunity. Your goals and objectives need to be focused and you need to be flexible enough to adapt as job market conditions change (they always do).
The one thing I learned from my Oncology Patients is to enjoy life every day and any way we can. We must all deal with various forms of adversity in our lives, some just learn to cope with it more effectively than others.
I wish you all the best and I am sure that there are many people in your life that can encourage you and lift you up as you endeavor to move on. When it is in your power be sure to take the time to stop and smell the roses.
Great link, lizz. The report also states that the average elementary school teacher earned $13,600. per year more than the average RN. Stats are from the year 2000.
Yet, we are always hearing how underpaind teachers are.
I thought that was pretty interesting too. Teachers in my state make good money. (Unfortunately, that does not translate into better schools, but that's another story.)
I think the average California teacher makes $54,000 a year which, with two months off, is the equivalent of $65,000 a year in other jobs.
However, since that report came out, thousands of teachers have been laid off because of the California state budget crisis. 45 teachers were laid off in my school district alone.
I haven't heard of any nurses being laid off, at least in my area. And, as we previously discussed, nurse salaries increased 9 percent from 2001-2002.
So I guess you have to look at all of the information and trends.
All I can say is that a hospital in my town just went union (CNA) and they got a pretty good contract. And for that, I am thankful.
I hate to see nurses leave the profession because I know that a lot of them have put many years in to it and don't want to waste it. Mike
How is it wasted if it is time for you to move on?
Seem to me a bigger waste to stay in a profession you no longer love and are becoming bitter about and therefore have your bitterness spill over onto everyone else and into everything you do. You corupt patients and nurses with your unhappiness.
Learn to say that was then this is now and now I would rather do something else. Because you loved something once does not mean you have to love it fore ever. We change. Life changes.
I do appreciate the flexibility in my chosen career. I too have found the area and the workplan that works 'for me'...it is critical care PRN status; where I can make my schedule, take a week off if I need to, etc. I supplement with agency work when I wish; also keeping some control in this way. Works for me and my family and I'm even able to put a kid through college too. :)
Nursing has many options and when we find our 'niche' we sure do find it easier to cope with the current situation in nursing. That enjoyment factor is so important to our coping.
Having a safe place to ventilate is very important and many of us use this BB for this...which makes for some misunderstandings among those non-nurses who may not relate.
Having a safe place to ventilate is very important and many of us use this BB for this...which makes for some misunderstandings among those non-nurses who may not relate.
I thought that was pretty interesting too. Teachers in my state make good money. (Unfortunately, that does not translate into better schools, but that's another story.)
I think the average California teacher makes $54,000 a year which, with two months off, is the equivalent of $65,000 a year in other jobs.
I can say that most RNs here make more money than teachers. I am sure you could also find LPNs making more than teachers. Of course, there are some teachers making good money, but those are the teachers who are very close to retirement (it's all based on seniority here). A new teacher (with four years of college)makes about the same as a new LPN (with one year diploma) here.
Of course teachers in private schools make better money, but by far the majority of teachers here are not doing that well.
Agnus, I should have made myself a bit clearer. I am not feeling sorry for any of these individuals. Let them make their own decisions. Just don't "infect" others especially students with their negativity. Each person gets exactly what they want out of nursing. There is so much out in the world to do and they will find their niche. Nursing is not for everyone. Some will find that out very quickly and others may take years of frustration and disappointment to find it out. To each their own. Mike
Hellllllonurse, what do you mean-"Huh!". I think it is simple to understand. If you put a lot into nursing and get the same in return you should be happy and satisfied. If you put in a half-a##ed effort that is what you will get back in return. I see too many nurses going through the motions each day and you know what- their patient care and general attitude shows. This is what I meant when I said I no longer feel sorry for all the whinners out there that don't like nursing. I use to feel sorry but after looking at some of the petty excuses for not wanting to be in nursing, I say-get out before you make yourself and your patients miserable. I think it is a dangerous recipie(sp) for disaster when you have someone taking care of patients and their mind is somewhere else hating their job. I am sorry for the negative response and I know I will get alot of flak from people but hey I'm a big boy and I can take it. It seems most of the miserable nurses out there work M/S. I did that a very long time ago and it wasn't so bad. Today, however, it can be miserable and overwhelming, but who said it would be a cake-walk. Like I said before, if you go to work and don't sweat the small stuff and deal with the hard stuff and keep your chin up, then things will work themselves out. If you can't then maybe nursing isn't for you, but don't stick around because it will only eat yourself up. Mike
ScarlettRN
116 Posts
As of today, I can say I cannot imagine being anything else but a nurse. I consider it a calling. BUT when I was working med-surg with the huge patient loads and all the stress, I caught myself looking at the clock at 9:30 in the morning and KNOWING I could not do that for the next 20 years.
When I was on the floor, it felt like an assembly line of passing meds and rote filling out of assessment sheets. When the revolving door of admission/discharge happened every day, usually after 3 when the staffing was cut, I began to have feelings of anger and helplessness to change anything. I likened it to a marriage where the husband is a violent drunk and you never know what he is going to be like when he walks in the door. That is no way to live!
So I tried different areas of the hospital and I think I began to suffer from boredom. I was hired into an ER last year...which is funny cause that was the ONE area I said I didn't think I could work....and I have absolutely loved it! Because I am still relatively new to the area, the learning curve is still pretty steep for me, but I learn something new every day and so far it has been an intellectual feast.
So...in my case, finding my niche was what made all the difference for me in my career. I would have gotten out of nursing all together if I had not gotten into the ER.