Nurses with 2+ Years Experience — Can I Hear Your Insights? 💙

[Fate Hide]

Hi everyone! 👋 I'm a nursing student, and I'd love to learn from those of you who've been in the field for a while (at least 2 years of experience). I really admire the profession and hearing real stories from nurses would help me understand the journey better.

If you're open to sharing, I'd love your thoughts on these:

1. What made her/him choose nursing?

2. What are her/his best and worst experience/s as a nurse?

3. How can he/she describe her current practice in nursing?

4. What have been her/his major adjustment as a student nurse and a beginning nurse practitioner? 

5. Successes and difficulties in the nursing career

You can answer as much or as little as you like — even short replies are super appreciated! Thank you so much for taking the time to share. 🙏💙

[Sandy O]

Hi

When I was in nursing school, a common question was, "Why did you become a nurse?” At least 75% of my cohort said it was for the money, and I was in the minority, saying it was because of the opportunity to build interpersonal relationships and make a lasting impact. The most difficult experiences in nursing come with patient losses, while the most rewarding moments are seeing a patient happy or making a meaningful difference in their care.

In my current nursing practice, I have had a wide range of experiences in a short time due to my military background, but I have eventually found my niche in psychiatric nursing. I am now in the process of becoming a nurse practitioner (PMHNP). There are significant differences between being an undergraduate nurse and a graduate-level nurse, especially regarding leadership expectations. As a PMHNP, you act as a primary health care provider—nurses report to you, and you are responsible for creating care plans rather than following orders and executing them as bedside nurses.

I hope this helps! If you have any other questions, please feel free to reach out.