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Discussion

Nursing options???

So I want to go into nursing, but I don't want to be a floor nurse doing the "dirty work" and 12-hour shifts. What are some other options?

Featured Replies

Well it depends on what you consider "dirty work". You can't really be a nurse that does that because during nursing school that's really where they have you training. Doing the floor rounds and sometimes doing dirty work. There are plenty of areas of nursing but you've got to work your way up to those which means starting at the bottom and I don't know many nurses that don't work 10 to 12 hour shifts. It's not usual for a nurse to work 9 to 5.

  • Guides

If you don't want to do "dirty work" then maybe nursing isn't for you? Its all about caring for people who need help and are ill...nasty stuff just kind of goes hand in hand with that. Bowel movements, vomit, mucus, blood, helping people bathe, administering injections, cleaning wounds...some of these or all of them are part of the job no matter where you work, unless you join up with an insurance company doing utilization review...a position that usually requires a BSN and five years of nursing experience. Many nursing positions want you to have at least one year on a hospital floor as a condition for good basic skills. To be a nurse is to learn to deal with some "yuck".

Good luck to you.

  • Expert

I wouldn't bother going into nursing choose some other profession.

As far as shift work, it's not true that all nurses work 10-12 hour shifts. A good portion of hospitals in my area do 8 1/2 hour shifts (3 shift rotations)

Quantify "dirty work"? Do you mean cleaning up messes - poop, vomit, etc? I'm only in pre-nursing but I don't think you can really get away with not doing "dirty work." I'm going to sound preachy but if you really can't stand to do "dirty work" then I don't really think nursing is for you. Being a nurse is about caring for your patients and that sometimes includes cleaning up after them. Good luck finding out what you want to do.

Duck, I see flying objects coming your way!

It doesn't sound like this is your thing. Maybe try another branch of health care. I am not positive but I have always perceived radiology techs to have it pretty good.

  • Expert

I work along side an experienced BSCN nurse and she still had to clean the soiled brief of a deceased pt today. Maybe try another profession.

Death, poop, puke, blood, needles, snot, pus... If any of that makes you queasy, think about a different profession. I don't think many people realize how "unglamourous" nursing can be. Best of luck to you!

don't think you do have what it takes to be a nurse.....sorry....the "dirty work" is what nursing is............its helping people who are sick and can't help vomiting every where or losing control of their bowels. Caring enough to lower yourself to do the "dirty work"... to HELP people who might be your mom or dad or grandma or grandpa...you picked the wrong people to make a remark like that too. shame on you!!!!!

  • Author

What about a nurse administrator or case management?

I appreciate everyone's opinions, especially the last one. :p

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