is this nursing to you?

[RNFROMTHEHILL]

I have great hours, lots of flexibility, not alot of physical stress on my body like I had when I worked as a staff nurse. Sounds good, right? Well not really because I battle with myself everyday as to whether I am being a "real" nurse. I recently excepting a job as a MDS Coordinator and I really am struggling to find happiness with this job because I get little to no direct patient care. I know that the hours and the pay are good, but am I wrong to question whether this should be considered nursing. I feel like I am not being true to my calling to help others in need. I can see the benefit of implementing care plans for the patient but I cannot see the benefit of the mds assessment for the residents. Can anyone make me feel better about this position?

[D&Ggirl]

what is an MDS coordinator? I think you are a nurse regardless of where you work. i'm currently going through the same thing. I work now on the floor but am wanting to get away from it and go more towards administrative. i cant put my finger on it, but floor nursing isnt for me. i love pts, i love the people i work with i just dont like floor nursing. anyway, trying to explain to my parents and everyone else that i want to go to more administrative the first response i get is "so you want to get out of nursing" and trying to explain to them that there are hundreds of jobs out there that aren't your typical "nurse" jobs is difficult. since i'm not sure what all your job entails i cant tell you if you have an impact on pts, but regardless. you are a nurse. you went through nursing school and you may not have the "typical" job, but you are making an impact and we need people like you and I for the not "typical" nurse jobs! as long as you are happy thats all that matters, thats what i realized. i wasnt going to stay in a job that i'm not happy at just to keep everyone happy with me having a typical job so i'm looking now for a new one and explaining to everyone that i'll still be a nurse and i'm still helping!

[jjjoy, LPN]

I'm not sure where I stand on how to answer the question 'what is nursing?"

Is an engineer who becomes an administrator in an engineering firm still considered working as an engineer? Is a massage therapist who opens a massage supplies business and doesn't give massages anymore still considered working as a massage therapist? What about a lawyer who works as a mediator? A postal worker might deliver mail or manage a postal office, but I wouldn't call a mail deliverer who changes jobs internally and now manages a postal office a mail deliverer anymore. Words & labels can be slippery things! Toss into the mix that nursing is often defined in VERY broad terms such that it could cover just about any kind of care a person might need (psychological, physical, social).

Interesting philosophical question but the bottom line in your case, I would think, would be if you are satisfied with your work whether or not it's considered "nursing" by one definition or another.

[cat_box_man]

of course, it's nursing!! you are the person who literally stands between the patients and the rest of the money grubbing, incompetent suck-ups. nurses encode better than anyone else in the allied health system. not only do they speak and and understand the languages, they encode with compassion and competence.the rest of the system is just trying to squeeze as much blood and money as it can before the pts die!! l

[SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN]

Yes, it is NURSING! Being an MDS coordinator while still retaining the title "Nurse" is similar to an Engineer who no longer designs bridges or works on the construction site but acts as a consultant to a law firm. It is also similar to a Lawyer who no longer practices in the court room but teaches law classes. Or a postal worker who no longer delivers mail because he/she is now the Postmaster. Careers, rather then dead-end jobs, tend to allow for movement either vertically or horizontally. Nursing is no different (I am answering the philosophically question posed by another poster).

Without being an RN with your experience, you cannot be an effective MDS coordinator! Try explaining to your family and friends what an MDS coordinator does for patients and patient care. Do not forget to mention "Registered Nurse" as much as possible in the job description. That should help them to understand that it is still nursing. GL!

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

I felt the same way myself in the beginning of my career. I started working in a clinic at my hospital after I got my license. As a new grad, they did assign me to Med-Surg for 6 weeks, and since then, I have not returned. I felt that because I was not 'in the grind' and had not 'paid my dues', that I was not a real nurse. But, I thought about it...I have weekends and holidays off, have decent hours. Those 6 weeks up in med-surg taught me that I did not want that sort of nursing; the disorganization, insanity and destruction of my feet. If this is a real calling for you to do direct patient care, then, do so. But, you ARE a NURSE because you took a course, graduated and passed NCLEX.

[showbizrn]

ALL NURSING IS NOT AT THE BEDSIDE!

Nursing needs Administrators, Educators, Quality Assurance Reviewers, Researchers ---THE WORKS!!

Of course, YOU'RE A REAL NURSE!!!

THE BIG QUESTION IS,

DO YOU LIKE IT?:nuke:

[aKyRN81]

I have great hours, lots of flexibility, not alot of physical stress on my body like I had when I worked as a staff nurse. Sounds good, right? Well not really because I battle with myself everyday as to whether I am being a "real" nurse. I recently excepting a job as a MDS Coordinator and I really am struggling to find happiness with this job because I get little to no direct patient care."

" I feel like I am not being true to my calling to help others in need. I can see the benefit of implementing care plans for the patient but I cannot see the benefit of the mds assessment for the residents. Can anyone make me feel better about this position?

You need not be a martyr to be a nurse! Enjoy your good fortune at finding a position that doesn't threaten your health and gives you some perks besides! And if you really miss the direct patient care, there are a lot of agencies that could use some volunteer nurse assistance , there are beginning to be more 'parish nurses' , health ministries through the church, inner city free clinics, etc., so you would be truly offering a service in 'helping others in need'. A win for everybody! Good luck!

[ZootRN]

Once a nurse is always a nurse, and what you do IS nursing.

Don't feel guilty not providing direct care, nursing is not all about bedside.

Many people at bedside would consider yourself very lucky.

[Quickbeam, BSN, RN]

I'm a community health nurse. I oversee health and safety for 4 million people in my state as well as the millions who pass through it. What I do every day keeps people safe and alive. Although I do work with people 1:1, it isn't hands on care.

But it IS nursing.

[bollweevil]

Only you can decide if you are happy or not and whether or not a particular job is right for you.

Good luck on your decision.

Why not pick up a direct care shift now and then in addition to your MDS work?

[akvarmit]

I think Showbizrn nailed it. Is it what you want to do?

I recently struggled with the same thing. I am leaving a Director of Nursing position to go back to the ER. Management is great when a portion of the folks I work with are going the same direction as me, in terms of unit goals. But, it's no fun when I've got passive-aggressive staff with no desire to grow or learn. That's the situation where I had to weigh losing the skills I love versus managing people who don't want me there.

I am perfectly comfortable with my decision. I have some family and friends who think I'm nuts, but, they don't walk in my shoes. :redpinkhe looking forward to putting my favorite clogs on again.........

Dawn in PA