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 hard as it gets sometimes I LOVE my job. I have to admit there are days when I am used, abused and down but most of all I love my job. I love it that I can make a difference in someones life even if it is only for a short time.
Absolutely not. I would have become an accountant. I do realize however that if I had become and accountant and you asked "If you had to do it all over again...." I might answer the same way.
I started voluntering on the number 22 Winston (OPPS Now Nextel Cup) race team three years ago. I now work fulltime for Bill Davis Racing as a tire specialist. Even a bad day at the race track is better than the best day I ever had as a RN.
But I had to really think it through before I said yes. I know that what I do makes a difference and I beleive that in some way I am supposed to be doing what I am doing, I think I beleive in fate or destiny and I guess I think I am where I am meant to be!
I'd like to explain my comments, re: "It's refreshing NOT to hear the 'you must be burned out and all jobs have their draw-backs' line often posted on this type of thread by people who are not yet nurses."
Many times, threads have been started on this bb by nursing students or those interested in persuing nursing. They post asking if nursing is a good career choice, and say they welcome advise/comments.
When they start getting the negative replies and advice of "get out while you can" They sometimes turn smug and critical of nurses. They often say the responders are burned- out weren't meant for nursing in the first place, and state that it will be different for them- they would never have such a bad attitude.
They seem to feel that once employers get a load of them w/ their youth, enthusiasm, great GPAs, and the great care they plan to provide, it will all be different for them.
If only it were true! I felt the same way, once.
I used to operate a popular web-site just for student nurses. I was told by a couple of student members there that I was raining on their parades and discouraging them from persuing their nursing dreams when I warned them about what it's like out there.
So, I changed my approach. I put on a positive face concerning nursing.
I tried not to let my negative experiences and disillusionment in nursing color the advice, mentoring and tutoring I provided for my student members.
Know what? Several of them were very angry w/ me after they graduated and began working. They would say "Why didn't you warn me it would be so terrible? I hate this!" Or, then I'd start hearing from new grads who were shocked and disillusioned- the "I just haven't found my niche in nursing yet" crowd. (Those people are here, too).
The open, honest truth is that nursing is rough, really rough.
Another truth is that there is no nursing shortage. Nurses do not want to work in hospitals because of the working conditions and abuse. US Dept of Labor, Bureau of Labor and Statistics bears this out.
When I see a poster say "Like anything else, nursing is what you make of it." I feel that that is akin to saying "War is what you make of it." or "An abusive relationship is what you make of it."
Having a postive attitude cannot change a terrible situation. It does nothing to improve the level of care nurses are able to provide in today's environment.
I advise anyone considering a career in nursing to look carefully and deeply into the issues of nursing job satisfaction and working conditions before investing years, $$$ and a great deal of effort into becoming a nurse.
I tried not to let my negative experiences and disillusionment in nursing color the advice, mentoring and tutoring I provided for my student members.
Know what? Several of them were very angry w/ me after they graduated and began working. They would say "Why didn't you warn me it would be so terrible? I hate this!" Or, then I'd start hearing from new grads who were shocked and disillusioned- the "I just haven't found my niche in nursing yet" crowd. (Those people are here, too).
The open, honest truth is that nursing is rough, really rough.
I totally respect and appreciate that. I guess the question is: If not nursing, then what? We already talked about computers, and that's not promising by any means. Unfortunately the same story is common for many professions, although I'm all ears if there's something else we haven't considered.
I guess I'm like Mr D and willing to take the gamble, knowing I may regret it, but also hoping that "Forewarned is Forearmed."
I've talked to many nurses in person. And I totally agree. The happiest nurses I've met are those who DON'T work in hospitals.
So I did some research, and found that 60 percent of nursing jobs are in hospitals. If this is true, hopefully there are enough alternatives with the remaining 40 percent.
I'm also hoping that I'm in a pretty good location for more alternatives in Southern California. Besides the medical facilities in my immediate area, there's much more within a half hour drive, and substantially more within an hour's drive. (Commuting is the norm in Southern California ) I can also commute to Nevada if I want to, and eventually do some travel nursing around the state.
We also have a pretty strong union in California, and some nurses have told me that working conditions are better at unionized hospitals. I dunno if that's true, but after working in some previous union jobs, it does tend insulate you from some of the politics and managerial whims -- although I also realize it can create other problems.
All I'm trying to say is: I've done a good bit of homework with a realistic point of view. And, as I mentioned before, it still came down to economics:
* Nine percent increase in nurse salaries from 2001-2002. Long term, nursing wages have barely kept up with inflation, but the recent increase is somewhat encouraging in light of the recent recession where layoffs, not salary increases, were the norm.
* Projected shortage of 800,000 positions nationwide in 20 years, 120,000 positions in my state. If, hopefully, 40 percent of those jobs aren't in hospitals, that leaves a decent amount of non-hospital opportunities with 48,000 additional vacancies.
* With the expected demand, hopefully the above mentioned salary increase isn't a fluke. The California Nurses Association has negotiated some fairly decent salary increases lately. And their bargaining power has increased with their recent SEIU deal, where LPNs, CNAs, etc. may also walk out if salary demands aren't met.
Hence my reason for gambling on nursing.
If I lose, and I'm screwed --- well, What else is new? :chuckle
Wouldn't be much different from any other career I've pursued.
I guess the only real downside is that school is a pain and time consuming. But I'm one of those people who actually enjoys school and I'm really good at science/medical studies.
And the whole thing will only cost me $5,000, which I can afford, so I won't be going into debt on this one. And, at least, it's tax deductable. :)
I have never worked in a state where there are nursing unions. I've spoken w/ nurses who do work in unionized facilities and it does seem to make a big difference.
lizz, all the best of luck to you and Mr. D.
Just please remember- there is no nursing "shortage". There is only a shortage of nurses willing to work in current conditions.
Will State-Mandated Ratios Work?
by Jennifer LeClaire
Monster Contributing Writer
Study after study shows nurses are dissatisfied with hospital working conditions. "Overworked and underpaid" is the battle cry of state nursing associations from coast to coast.
Spurred by the California Nurses Association (CNA), the California legislature passed a law to ease the burden of acute-care nurses with state-mandated nurse-to-patient ratios that will take effect in January 2004. California is the first state to adopt such legislation, and experts say other states could follow with similar bills spawned by pressure from national healthcare associations.
"Nursing ratios are a good idea," says Ed Phillips, president of Acute Nursing Specialties, a nurse staffing company in Detroit. "Without proper patient ratios, nurses are in direct jeopardy of licensure problems. You just can't ensure safe, quality care without the proper ratios."
All eyes are on California as healthcare systems across the country wait to see if state-mandated ratios are realistic. Representatives of nursing unions applaud them, but not all healthcare associations are confident a legal remedy is what the doctor ordered.
Is This the Answer?
The CNA proposed the California bill with patient interests in mind, according to the organization's spokesperson Lisebeth Jacobs, RN. "Nurses are required under the Nursing Practice Act to be patient advocates," she says. "You can't do that if you are continuously working in unsafe settings."
The CNA also believes the ratios will be a prescription for the nursing shortage in the short and long-term. The organization's leadership reasons that many nurses have left the profession because their consciences would not allow them to continue working in unsafe conditions.
"With mandated ratios, nurses won't feel like they are being pushed into an unsafe setting where they can't properly care for patients," says Phillips. "Making nurses responsible for too many beds on one shift is unfair to patients and unfair to nurses."
Complying with the Law
Jacobs contends there are already plenty of nurses to fill the shortage in California and expects them to return to the field once the ratios are implemented.
Kaiser Permanente (KP), the largest healthcare provider in the Sacramento region, voluntarily adopted the 1-to-6 minimum nurse staffing ratio and has seen a 13 percent drop in its vacancy rate as a result of this and other initiatives to make acute-care settings more attractive to nurses, according to Sandy Sharon, nurse executive at KP's Roseville Medical Center.
But not everybody in the healthcare industry agrees nursing ratios are appropriate. Jan Emerson, spokesperson for the California Healthcare Association, argues that ratios could ultimately do more harm than good for the patients who nurses have vowed to serve.
"The state has said it will take another 5,000 nurses on top of the current shortage to meet the ratios," says Emerson. "There is no evidence anywhere that the nurse ratios are going to result in the all-of-a-sudden magical creation of more nurses. We may have to shut beds down to meet the ratios."
A Nursing Exodus?
Still, most active nurses are enthusiastic about the ratios. While no other US territory has taken such measures, the Australian province of Victoria implemented mandated ratios three years ago. Victoria hospitals wooed 2,600 nurses back from other healthcare settings in the first year and gained an overall 13 percent increase in the active nursing workforce.
Jacobs is anticipating similar results in California. In fact, she predicts an exodus of nurses from other states to California because of the new ratios.
"When you go into a care-giving profession and cannot provide the comfort people need, it is discouraging," she says. "Nurses will begin to migrate to states that offer safer workplace settings so they can get back to providing the kind of care they are trained to give."
Just please remember- there is no nursing "shortage". There is only a shortage of nurses willing to work in current conditions.
Once again, good point. I called it a shortage because, like you, I was citing U.S. Health Department statistics where they called it a "shortage." Demand or vacant positions is probably a better description.
Quite frankly, I don't know what to make of all of the "shortage" rhetoric.
I realize CNA needs to say that because the ratio law is under attack, and I'm sure much of it is true.
But I also see a lot of students flunking, and I'm sure that would also contribute to a "shortage," if there is one.
Interesting point. I probably need to research that further as well.
Thanks for all of your links and input. I will read them with great interest. Much appreciated.
Almost 500,000 licensed registered nurses were not employed as nurses in 2000.*
Data from the Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA's) 2000 national sample survey of RNs shows that more than 500,000 licensed nurses (more than 18% of the national nurse workforce) have chosen not to work in nursing. This available labor pool could be drawn back into nursing if they found the employment opportunities attractive enough**
The ANA maintains that the deterioration in the working conditions for nurses is the primary cause for the staff vacancies being reported by hospitals and nursing facilities - not a systemic nursing shortage. Nurses are opting not to take these nursing jobs because they are not attracted to positions where they will be confronted by mandatory overtime and short staffing. **
76.6% (of) Licensed RNs (in The U.S. are) Employed in Nursing***
* Projected Supply, Demand and Shortages of Registered Nurses: 2000-2020 (released on 7/30/03 by the National Center for Health Workforce Analysis, Bureau of Health Professions, Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services). The Bureau of Labor Statistics, in an earlier report, predicted that that we will need one million new nurses by 2010 (Monthly Labor Review - November 2001) to cover new positions and replace the nurses who have retired or left nursing for other reasons.
Many times, threads have been started on this bb by nursing students or those interested in persuing nursing. They post asking if nursing is a good career choice, and say they welcome advise/comments.
When they start getting the negative replies and advice of "get out while you can" They sometimes turn smug and critical of nurses. They often say the responders are burned- out weren't meant for nursing in the first place, and state that it will be different for them- they would never have such a bad attitude.
Thanks for the heads up. I have read all the negative and positives about nursing and it's unfortunate that the negative outweighs the positives. I've had many nurses tell me not to go into nursing during my clinicals and yes it was discouraging, but I've learned that I need to experience this for myself. I only have one life to live and I want nursing to be a part of it....even though it may be for a short time.
My aunt who just retired from being an RN (35yrs in the field) has never once discouraged me from pursing this neither has her daughter who's an RN and my other aunt who's a nurse. Even though I can still get out, I won't until I see for myself and live through it. In a few years I'll probably come back on here and post in large fonts about how right you all are, but for now I'll keep these negatives in mind as I pursue this career.
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
Well Hellllo nurse---- and anyone who wants to call me POLLYANNA--- don't hate me because I made nursing work for me.... Yes, I am the Pollyanna who said : "nursing is what you make of it"......
I am not a starry-eyed green student or a girl in her teens...been around the block--- a few dozen times, really ...10 years in the military taught me a lot. Being kicked in the teeth by some very unsavory people there and in life has, too. I learned from mistakes and bad times.....
I made a situation that works for me. Yes just for me, I realize.
I did NOT mean to ever mitigate or diminish the tough situations out there by my words, just spoke of MY situation. I am happy; I get what I want (most the time) and it works.
Why must all the positives a few of us list be CRUSHED or SLAMMED by the likes of folks like you?
It can work---it we want it to and are smart about it---just check out the nurse entepreneur boards if you doubt me. THEY make it work for THEM...yes, it is hard work and takes creativity and ingenuity, but they do it!!! There is a market for enterprising young people.......for me, I am simple-minded gal, I guess----
It's about knowing my limits and knowing when to say "enough" and not letting others step all over my self-esteem and rights.
IF MY PERSONAL beliefs and story rankle you, so sorry!! I am just talking about the POSITIVES it brought to MY life and I have that right just as you do, marching with doom and gloom, OK?
Thank you. Good luck to all who are either in nursing, considering getting out, or those contemplating a career in nursing. We need you, believe me.:kiss
) I can also commute to Nevada if I want to, and eventually do some travel nursing around the state.
beckymcrn
145 Posts
Yes I would!!!
As hard as it gets sometimes I LOVE my job. I have to admit there are days when I am used, abused and down but most of all I love my job. I love it that I can make a difference in someones life even if it is only for a short time.
I am a NURSE and I am PROUD!