Opinion on Nursing Field

labrador4122, RN · Jul 1, 2008

I used to feel the same way--- that nursing was not for me--- taking care of sick people grossed me out------ but eventually I came to my two senses and realized that being an RN is a great career with tons of specialties and the fact that RN are needed everywhere in the country attracted me very much----- so at 22 I started pursuing nursing and finished with my license in hand at 26 (and of course on the way there I became a new mom too!)

labrador4122, RN · Jul 1, 2008

i posted this somewhere else and it doesn't look like anyone has paid attention to it....
ok. i am applying for rn school cause i have a bs in education and live in a rural area where it's been difficult to get a job due to lack of positions.
all if my inlaws are in some kind of medical profession. my sister in law, mother in law and aunt in law are all lpns an my step father in law is a pa.
now for my concern.....
i love working with people, don't mind cleaning up after someone (it's gross, but i have changed plenty of baby diapers), i'm very nurturing and can handle needles, blood, etc, but i don't think that i could handle surgery. i have talked to my in laws about my choice a lot and they all say that i might feel differently when i see someone being cut open or what have you, but it still makes me cringe.
am i making a mistake? nursing is an excellent field to get into where i live cause you for sure will have a job when finished. are there any nurses out there that still have parts that make them cringe? i know that i have read some of the forums where they say if you can't handle certain things then you don't need to, but i am still human. right?
thank you in advance for anyone offers support!:redpinkhe

i forgot to say that it's all in perspective. as an rn now--- i still hate the smell of body waste--- i detest when people vomit infront of me-- it makes me want to vomit. i detest the smell of poop--- it makes me want to vomit too---- and i detest smelling other peoples urine too-------- but to me, i personally can tolerate it more because it's with children--- mind you it still smells pretty bad just like adult ones --- but i like that it is just smaller & easier to clean up!! lol.

but if it interests you go for it!!! an remember there are tons of branches of nurses that you can go into-- not just taking care of med/surg patients!!

BlueEyedRN · Jul 1, 2008

There are so many different areas of nursing that you can totally find a place where you feel comfortable. Operating room nursing is a specialty and there are a lot of other options. I thought I wanted to be a labor and delivery nurse, but then I took that clinical in school and I hated it so much. I'm sure if I had stuck with it I would have gotten over it, but instead I went to ICU and was much happier there. I never even saw anyone get cut open until I was actually working and got to go with one of my patients for a craniotomy. If you go to the specialty forums, you can see how many different areas there are and find something you might be more interested in.

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Jul 1, 2008

With all the chages in nursing education over the last decade, I'm sure there are many nurses out there who have never seen the inside of an operating room. My educational program included eight weeks of surgery clinicals, including two weeks of observing in the OR. I found it fascinating and was not grossed out at all, but that's me. There are lots of areas you could find fulfillment in as a nurse that won't involve watching people being cut open. But you might want to avoid ER and the ICUs because there will be a degree of surgical interventions at the bedside in both. (We routinely close sternums in our unit on pediatric post-op cardiac patients. We also do muscle biopsies and intracranial pressure monitoring device insertions. Lots of cutting.)

jcozart · Jul 1, 2008

:bow:I want to thank everyone that has taken the time to answer my post. I feel better knowing that there are different areas and that it's just a matter of finding my niche in it.

Anyone else who would like to still reply is great appreciated.

God Bless All! :saint:

Megsd, BSN, RN · Jul 2, 2008

I've never seen a surgery. Not even in my OB clinicals -- none of my pts needed a c-section or anything.

Vomit is the thing i can't handle. I'm better now, but the first pt I took care of during my orientation who vomited, I somehow blanked out and when I realized what was going on, I was way in the corner of the room! Had to give myself a pep talk to get back over to the pt and help him.

CrescentLuna · Jul 3, 2008

I had to led out of the OR twice when I was a student, once during a back surgery and once during a C-section (I got through a hysterectomy and a c-section later) - I wouldn't judge your ability to be an RN on your love of surgery! I'm in psych now and starting to pursue wound care.

jessi1106, BSN, RN · Jul 3, 2008

I do not work in surgery. The only surgery I saw in school was a c-section.

Nursing is a great profession, good luck to you!