Please help ASAP-THanks

FUNNYGIRLRN · May 30, 2007

Why did you become a nurse? I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life so I went through a 10 month medical assisting program for lack of any other interest and during my internship at the end I realized that I enjoyed being around patients and wanted to do more. I never even worked as a medical assistant I immediatly applied for nursing school.

What is the most rewarding part of nursing? Having patients where you actually see that you have made a difference. When you see patients who are anxious, sick, etc but by the time you or they leave they are feeling better makes you feel good.

How long have you been a nurse? 6 months

What department do you work in? ER

Did you try diffrent nursing areas before you decided where you wanted to work or did you know right away? I went through nursing school thinking that I wanted to work in the OR but my last clinical was in the ER and I fell in love. It was the only job I applied for and I have been there ever since.

What is the hardest thing about nursing? It is easy to get overwhelmed. Sometimes there are high nurse/patient ratio's and it is easy to start feeling like you are drowning if you don't prioritize properly.

What is the most rewarding? Like I said before seeing a patient feel better due in part to the care you have given them is very rewarding and is what makes me keep going as a nurse even when things get stressful.

What advice can you give someone considering nursing? Consider nursing realistically. There are a lot of people who get into nursing because "they want to help people" but they don't always consider the amount of studying, knowlege, and hard work that being a nurse takes. It might be a good idea to shadow someone for a day to see what a real day as a nurse is like.

Why do you believe their is a nursing shortage? Even though there are some schools where you can become an RN in 3 years it is still a very extensive application process and a very demanding program to get through. It think that not everyone has the time or commitment to finish.

How can the problem be fixed..any ideas? Maybe if there were more education or guest nurses to speak with students that are in high schools it would inspire more students to go to college for nursing.

Is nursing more demanding now or in the past? I have only been a nurse for 6 months but with the nursing shortage as it is now and the amount of paperwork that has to be done ever increasing I would guess NOW.

Thank you all of of you for your help...I can thank you enough. God Bless!

ShayRN · May 30, 2007

Why did you become a nurse? I have wanted to be a nurse since I was 9 years old. My aunt was a nurse and it just seemed like it was the coolest thing in the world.

What is the most rewarding part of nursing? Knowing that every day I go to work I touch someone's life and make a difference.

How long have you been a nurse? 9 years

What department do you work in? Hospice inpatient facility

Did you try diffrent nursing areas before you decided where you wanted to work or did you know right away? I worked at a nursing home briefly, hated that...Worked corrections nursing, loved it, but got pregnant with my son and left before something happened...Worked PCCU (cardiac stepdown for open hearts) for 5 years and then did management for about a year, hated that too.

What is the hardest thing about nursing? It is destroying my back

What is the most rewarding? Having a patient or family member tell me how much easier I made things for them

What advice can you give someone considering nursing? DO IT but only if you know the pros/cons and can live with the cons.

Why do you believe their is a nursing shortage? Poor staffing levels, abuse by physicians and family members, threats of malpractice and hospitals willing to pay big money to administration while telling the nurses there will be no raises this year because Medicare cut reimbursments :trout:

How can the problem be fixed..any ideas?

Short staffing and raises: I think it is a matter of respect. Nurses in the past have been easily replaced. We need to stick together and demand the respect our jobs deserve. That being said, I would work for less money for a company who treated me with respect.

Abuse by doctors: Hold them to the same standards we are held. They may make money for the hospital, but they don't make money if they don't have hospital privledges! Imagine telling a cardiovascular surgeon, until you talk to the nurses with respect and stop throwing sharp dirty instruments around, you can no longer practice in this hospital;) If they lost 4 or 5 days of income, you can bet your behind they would behave.

Threats of malpractice: Tort reform, it is insane that people can sue for getting burned by coffee in this country and win big money. OUT OF CONTROL

Is nursing more demanding now or in the past? Well, since I have only been in it for 9 years, I can't say, lol