Nurses, Would you go into nursing if you had to do it all over again?

happystudent, RN · Dec 25, 2003

Originally posted by Hellllllo Nurse
I supervise people "Who could care less about what they are doing" only they aren't teens in retail, they're techs and CNAS. Most are in their 40s and 50s.

You shouldn't generalize ........it makes you look like a supervisor who displays contempt for her employees. Working conditions are bad for you, right? Do you think they are better for ULP's? Im sure working for you is probably stressful on them as well..........just my thoughts.

:devil:

Sheri257 · Dec 25, 2003

Once again, great post Mike.

Since nursing is supposed to be so bad, I asked other people to point out some other careers I should be pursuing. There were a couple of interesting responses related to health care. But not much.

If not nursing, then what? Let's look at some possible alternatives and see if there is some kind of job utopia out there beyond nursing.

Media: I worked for ABC when they were bought by Disney, which decided to screw the workers even though Eisner and the company were making over $1 billion a year at the time. Salaries and benefits were cut. Lunch hours and overtime pay were gone. Lots of layoffs.

Accounting: My sister was an accountant for Arthur Anderson when they crashed. She has only worked sporadically since the accounting scandals hit a lot of the other major firms as well.

Computer/IT: As we discussed, many of those jobs are being exported to Asia and India. Maybe healthcare IT is an alternative, but there's probably a lot of competition for those jobs with all of the unemployed IT people.

Teaching: Massive layoffs in my state, but maybe it's better elsewhere.

Real Estate: Doing great with lower interest rates, but the boom has prompted a flood of new agents. Very cut throat, and even in this market, it takes at least six months to build a clientele. (Not to mention the time it takes to get your license.) And, there could be a downturn once interest rates rise again. (Remember the crash of '92?)

Stockbroker: Internet trading has pretty much eliminated many of those positions, not to the mention the bear market and accompanying investment banking scandals.

Insurance: I know many struggling agents. September 11 created what is called a "hard" market, meaning, it's much tougher to get the big companies to issue policies since they're very risk adverse right now. Less policies = less commissions.

Law: Nah, too many lawyers already.

I'm sure I'm leaving some other professions out, but after awhile, Wal-mart and Albertson's may the only jobs left.

Oh wait, virtually no health insurance or other benefits, not to mention lousy pay.

Hmmmm ... I ask you. How bad does nursing look now?

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Dec 25, 2003

HappyStudent-

Working conditions are better for them. They are not ultimately responsible for their actions, the nurses are. They get to take their full breaks every day. Nurses don't. They are not accountable for my actions, but I am accountable for theirs.

There are many more of them than there are nurses where I work. Yet, they have far fewer duties and responsibilities.

Most of the techs I work w/ are great. But, the few who are not make things rough for everyone, the other techs and pts included.

The good, caring techs who have a good work ethic prefer to work with me. I know this because they have told me so themselves. The lazy, non-caring ones do not like to work w/ me, nor I w/ them. I have to be after them like they are a bunch of little kids, sometimes. It wears me out. I'd much prefer to be able to trust them to do what they are supposed to do, and not have to check up after them constantly.

I get really weary of the arguments, whining, etc. I get when I ask them to do something. They roll their eyes at me when I say that a pt w/ a B/P of 40/29 and a HR of 120 is not stable to be d/c post dialysis tx. It's just lovely when they complain about pts being a PIA, right in front of the pt in question.

I was not making generalizations- I was speaking specifically about specific techs.

I've been a CNA, a nursing student, an LPN and am now an RN. I have been in their shoes, but they have not been in mine. Neither have you.

Not trying to be overly harsh here, just stating the facts.

When you are a nurse and find yourself having to deal w/ UAPs, I believe you will go though some of the same situations that I have.

Wishing you much success in school and satisfaction in your nursing career, HappyStudent.

jschut, BSN, RN · Dec 25, 2003

Yep, yep....I would be a nurse all over again.

Just would've done it sooner. :)

happystudent, RN · Dec 25, 2003

Point noted, Helllonurse........

I understand your liability regarding your cna's/tech.....it is very hard to find uap's that you can trust.....Right now I work as a critical care tech in a level 1 trauma center and I know first hand that one CANNOT be lazy. The nurses and residents trust me to do my job and do it well. I guess my "feelings" were a little scathed by your previous post, thats all;) . I have 4 mos till graduation and I appreciate your honest opinons regarding nursing. Believe me, I may not know ALL the politics involved , but this BB has made me aware.

Sorry for straying off topic........

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Dec 25, 2003

happystudent-

No problem. I was a little "scathed" by your comments, too.

Sounds like you have a really interesting job and you know how important your work is to your nurses and pts.

Many of the things that are happening in nursing today bring me a great deal of sadness and frustration, and I know that many of my posts here are negative.

This is where I vent and release my frustrations with nursing. Being able to do that here has helped me be able to hang in there as long as I have.

Being able to express and release my nursing negativity helps me to remain positive, and focused on my pts when at work.

I'm afraid, however, that this coping strategy makes me seem like one very negative, stressed nurse here on this bb.

I care deeply about nursing and nurses.

Scififan · Dec 25, 2003

Yes!!! I started my nursing training in the early 80's but didn't finish as I was having too much fun as an 18yr old. Went back when I was 30 and finished YAHOO. Personally I think going back when I was older was a good thing, in the intervening years I still worked in the "caring professions" but had realised that it wasn't going to be all roses.

Somedays you work your rear end off and all you get is complaints and then you do something "little" for someone and they and their family is sooo grateful and what's more they tell you and then they write to the hospital and tell management. They are the ones that make it worthwhile and why I don't want to leave nursing.

Having said all that I have worked on surgical wards since I graduated which I love but have recently left to do PACU nursing because a) it was affecting my health (my back) &b) I was getting disillusioned with going home at the end of a shift feeling I wan't able to do my job properly because of things like being over worked ad continually short staffed.

Part of the reason I went into Nursing was because of the choices it would give me - it works I love my job in PACU and am on yet another steep learning curve, and what's more I still get the pt contact that I enjoy.

I could definitely do with getting paid more for the responsibility we carry, but this seems to be world-wide after reading these BB's. To me its an indictment on our societies and the value they put on a human life - now how do we change that????

FranEMTnurse, CNA, LPN, EMT-I · Dec 26, 2003

Absolutely

4everpeace · Dec 26, 2003

:kiss

Hi again.

Thank you so much to all of you that replied to my post. I appreciate your openess and honesty. I am scheduled to start my clinicals in January and am very nervous, but am moving ahead with it.

I was amazed at the number of responses to my question. But why should I be surprised? We're talking about NURSES. Caring, dependable and willing to help others in need!

You are ALL AWESOME!

linfull · Dec 26, 2003

I'm not a nurse yet, just getting ready to go back to college after working in medical transcription for five years. I am so glad that I found this website before applying to return to school. I think it helps that I am 35 and have had quite a few different jobs, ie, factory work, waitressing, retail, secretary and now transcription. It also helped to be exposed to LTC and Hospice a few years back and that made me realize what I truly was meant to do in life. I also like the job security. My husband has been in tool and die for the past 20 years and just had to change careers due to lay offs and closing factories. I have no benefits with my job except that I work out of my home so my son was never in daycare and I have had quite a bit of flex time. I'm looking forward to some type of benefit program even if it only means getting paid more for working nights, weekends and holidays which I do now for straight pay. I have always wanted to be a nurse, but never had the guts to give it a try until now and I can't wait! I look at it this way, I can always go back into transcription, but I truly cannot imagine not enjoying being a nurse. But that is spoken by someone who has not done it yet! I still can't imagine not liking it! :balloons:

VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN · Dec 26, 2003

Welcome, linfull to the board! If I can be of any help or encouragement to you in your journey, please PM me.

linfull · Dec 27, 2003

VickyRN, thanks for the warm welcome!:wink2: I may take you up on the offer once I'm knee deep in clinicals, working, taking care of a 6 year old, sleep deprived and wondering if I made the right choice!!!!