Please be honest!

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Do you do this job for the money or you really, really like to clean vomit, blood, diarrhea and smell the "morning breath" of a sick patient? Please be honest!

Well, if they didn't pay me, I wouldn't be doing it.

(I'm sure that's true of everyone else also, if they are honest about it.)

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Specializes in -.

I am "in it" for a few reasons:

- I want a career in which I am always learning and developing.

- I find the human body fascinating

- I genuinely love to make people smile, helping people, taking care of people etc

- Not much fazes me

I am only a student, but from what I have heard the money is pretty average, your not paid a pittance but your not a millionare either. As long as I make enough to let me live comfortably, then it's fine by me.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

hahaha im doing it for free now :) Well actually students pay the universities to LET them go into hospitals to clean up vomit poop pee etc.

As for me.. i like the feeling of being on the other side. As a nurse you are in control of the meds you give, the fluid you give, the charting the teaching the talking EVERYTHING. Yes we have to folloow doctors orders.. but the doctors pop in for 5 minutes and they are gone. The patients rely on YOU to explain things... YOU are always there.

Nursing gives me a feeling of control and independence... and i like knowing i can do things on my own. Especially when my instructor is not hanging over my shoulder. I like knowing i am able to grab that ventolin when my pt is having breathing problems... and they go AHHHHH i can breath better... i like giving pain meds and have my patient totally relaxed and comfortable... AND I HOPE for big poops... YES HOPE!!! :) Never knew how important pooping and peeing was until I entered nursing :)

As for wages?.. what wages? Im only half way to my RN.. and i work my 12 hour shifts for free.. and you know what.. i wouldnt have it any other way.

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Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.
Do you do this job for the money or you really, really like to clean vomit, blood, diarrhea and smell the “morning breath” of a sick patient? Please be honest!

If those are the things that you truly think that Nursing is ALL about, then I won't even answer as there is no real reason to.

It's a question right up there, with, "As a family member, do you really do it to beat your mate or kick your dog?"...please be honest.

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I do it because it is what I have wanted to do all my life. I finally became a LPN at 42 and a RN at 47. The pay is a added benefit. But there are many other things I could have done that would have paid much better.

You could not pay me enough to do this job if it wasn't what I wanted to do. ;)

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
QUOTE=delilas;4381233]I dont understand why it has to be one or the other; money or love of bodily fluids.

Right-- it's really an unanswerable question-- it's perfectly OK to think the money is decent but not fabulous and merely tolerate the body fluids as opposed to really, really liking them. The important point being that when you are around the patient or the family-- don't do what the nurse taking care of my mom last night did, who when asked if anyone was going to take her off the "pan" wrinkled her nose with an "ew, icky" expression before scurrying off to locate the "tech". :mad:

ed to add: not saying the nurse should have done it! She was probably very busy!

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Specializes in Med Surg.

Several reasons

1) I'm a learning junkie. There aren't too many professions where you are always learning something new.

2) While I don't make near what I made in my previous life, I still make more than 90% of the other jobs pay around here.

3) In that previous life I still firmly believe that it was a violation of at least a dozen corporate policies to thank someone or show any appreciation for a job well done. The occasional expression of gratitude from a patient can make a really lousy shift worth the effort.

4) Every one in this world has a story to tell.

That's just a few of my reasons. The whole story would probably fill a couple of books.

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Specializes in Medicine.

I don't mind the bodily fluids. I just think of myself in their shoes and how I would like someone else to feel about what's coming out of my body. So let it be poop, blood and vomit, i'll clean you up with a big smile. I took care of my grandmother who went through all that...for free and I didn't mind doing it for a minute. On the other hand, everyone needs money to make a living but that is not the only reason for nursing to be. I love what I do. I just love it.

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I love what I do.

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Specializes in Home Care.

I'm a new LPN working in LTC. This is the best job I've had in my life because every shift that I work I make a difference in somebody's life. In fact, I make a difference in close to 30 people's lives in one day. I could never do that sitting behind a computer all day long.

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Specializes in LTC, SCI/TBI Rehab,RX Research, Psych.

Hmmm...My nurses aides attend to most of the odors you mention in your original post.

I've been a nurse since 1993 because I truly love people.

While working alongside other amazing nurses & nurses aides, I make a difference...&

I love the idea that I posses the ability to leave someone better off than I found them.

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Specializes in floor to ICU.

... because of the challenge!

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