Nursing Career has a bad rap right now

[kimmathis14]

I want to thank everyone for all their advice on nursing programs, you all have been so helpful etc......Now my concern is, I went on to step 2, I spoke to various friends of friends who are RN's. They have told me nothing but negative things about the vocation. I have heard it is demeaning (I heard RN's do all the work, the doctors are demanding and rude etc.), it is completely stressful, long shifts, too many patients, you are soo overloaded with work that making a mistake is soo easy and the liability risk is incredible. Then at the dentist's office, I came across an article talking about the burnout rate of RNs, and how many leave and stop practicing after a few years, and then a 20/20 special advertisement came on the next day stating: The Nursing Crisis, only to worsen with the Baby Boomers becoming older." I defintely do not expect nursing to be a walk in the park, but is is that awful??? I expect stress, life is stressful, I really want to go into this as a long term career. In your honest opinion to those practicing, is it as bad of a situation as the media is reporting??? I am not turned off, I just want to know what I am getting into.

Thanks.

[rncopper]

No, it is not all bad. But it is really important to understand some of the "uglies" that CAN come with being a nurse.

Yes, there have been days when you don't get to sit down, when you are over your head in work, when the patient/patient's family scream at you, when the doctor totally berates you for doing/not doing something.

But, then (and thank God, these are usually more prevalent) when a patient says "Thank you for helping me", when you receive a card from a patient for "your great work", when you know that what you did helped a patient get better, the day ends - you are on your way home - and you say to yourself: "What a great day! I did an awesome job! I am a great nurse! I love my job!"

Unfortunately, some people come into nursing and do not know the "uglies". Of course, I did not list all the "uglies" that can happen: I know we all have TONS of those! I try not to dwell on those and concentrate on the good!

The time when it is more "uglies" than good, then I will quit. But I don't see that coming for a long time!