Police officer or RN

RN4NICU, LPN, LVN · May 25, 2007

Am i nuts, I don't think you can LEARN EMOTIONS it is either in you or not. Compassion and empathy are not learned. And you don't go into a profession to learn those emotions.

I totally agree with you. I think it is absurd to push someone to choose a career in the hopes of that person "learning" personality traits. One should choose a career based on a good fit with one's current personality. As others have stated, I think the OP should stay out of it as it is not her decision to make - it is her son's. He is the one who will have to live with the decision.

58flyer · May 25, 2007

Am i nuts, I don't think you can LEARN EMOTIONS it is either in you or not. Compassion and empathy are not learned. And you don't go into a profession to learn those emotions.

I wouldn't classify compassion or empathy as emotions. Positive traits yes, maybe even values, but not emotions. I agree that it is something that you have in you or you don't. But I also believe you can improve upon one's sense of compassion or empathy with professional education and general life or career experiences. Of course, if it's not there to start with, there is nothing to improve upon.

TazziRN, RN · May 25, 2007

Actually, you can learn compassion and empathy. Those are the wrong reasons to go into nursing, but they are traits that can be learned.

vamedic4, EMT-P · May 26, 2007

hi everyone, i have a question;
my son wants to be a police officer because he wants to aprehend the "bad guys", but i believe that he should become an rn to learn compassion and emphaty.... am i wrong?

your son can do both you know...one of my brother's good friends decided to become an rn after high school..went to college, worked as an rn but was unsatisfied. applied for and got a position on the local pd as a swat medic. now her life is a lot more exciting...and she's more fit than anyone i know.

vamedic4

will the rain ever stop??

clee1 · May 26, 2007

hi everyone, i have a question;
my son wants to be a police officer because he wants to aprehend the "bad guys", but i believe that he should become an rn to learn compassion and emphaty.... am i wrong?

what you want is irrelevant. (sorry)

your son needs to choose his own path.

chuck1234 · May 26, 2007

hi everyone, i have a question;
my son wants to be a police officer because he wants to aprehend the "bad guys", but i believe that he should become an rn to learn compassion and emphaty.... am i wrong?

this is his life!!! let him make up his mind...

mrsalby · May 26, 2007

I agree with MT RN.

I too was a police officer and LOVED it. One can learn empathy and compassion both as a police officer and nursing. Being a cop is actually what introduced me to the medical side of the house with traumas and wrecks etc and peaked my interest in nursing. Now I have graduated and am starting in the Neuro ICU.

I have enjoyed my experience in both fields and would do either over in a heartbeat. Both are admirable professions. But, I belive your son should choose his own career path and find his "fit."

Let him know you are proud of him no matter what he becomes.

mcknis · May 26, 2007

CYB:

We haven't seen you post in a few days and perhaps its because of the comments made on this forum, but I understand both sides to the issue at hand. First, you are a mother with concern for her son and want him to do what he feels is best and what appears to be safe. Second, it may seem like you are pushing him into choosing his career for him, but perhaps a better way to go about it, is to give him some info regarding both fields (good and bad) and allowing him to decide. BTW: according to one recent study in a nationally acclaimed nursing journal, the career field with the highest injury rate is nursing, not law enforcement, or even warf fisherman.

From experience, I can say that the members of this board are well-versed in many aspects of life. The two members in particular "mrsalby" and "MT RN" were extremely helpful people to talk to when I stood in your (or your sons') position. I had less than one year of criminal justice education to complete before I would have been a certified law enforcement officer in Ohio. I had been working at the local sheriff's office for 3 years while in high school because I had such a passion for the work that cops did day in and day out.

My plans changed when one day I went to school and found out that one of the deputies had been shot and killed in his patrol car, with his own firearm, when he stopped to assist a driver who had broken down on the side of the road. He thought that he could just offer some help by taking the stranded motorist to the gas station near by, and allowing him to fill up a gas can from the back of his patrol car. That night I had a post-traumatic stress event meeting at the sheriff's office for the Explorer's (mentioned above in another post) about the incident. It was a very solemn time, but it opened up my eyes to the reality, that I had always pictured as a good-guy-becomes-hero career, of law enforcement.

I truly did enjoy my time with the many cops I had as friends and still to this day, I miss the great times I had in law enforcement. But, my change into nursing was a long developing one, and now that I am one year away from graduation, I am excited as ever. No matter the role your son chooses, stand with him in his decision. As a young man from both fields, I can say that it is hard to try and please the people around you, but when you find your niche in life, things (usually) go much smoother.

Either career is a great one, and there are good sides and bad sides to both. I still feel that I might go back into law enforcement one day, but as for right now, nursing is my niche.

mcknis

ps - if you have any questions, or your son does, feel free to pm me anytime.

RNOTODAY, BSN, RN · May 27, 2007

The question "am I wrong"... I dont really understand it. Its not about you being right , or wrong...Does he even have an interest in being an RN? If compassion and empathy are you "goals" for him, why just nursing? Teaching, social work, the priesthood?

As a mom you could be offering advice on what types of careers suit his strong points, and interests, *if he is asking your advice*...But the question "am I wrong" is really a moot popint, I think. It doesnt even make sense to me, to be honest. Care to elaborate more on your son's input/interests/opinions?

shellsincanada · May 27, 2007

I think for people who do what their parents want them to do and not something they either want to do or have a passion for are horrible for the profession. Nothing like people who didn't want the career they got. Think of the scary "nurse ratched" or nasty teachers we can all think of when those were "the" career paths for women out there. Ughhhhh ...

cyb · May 27, 2007

ok guys i got the message. and big thanks to all for your responses.

teeituptom, BSN, RN · May 29, 2007

hi everyone, i have a question;
my son wants to be a police officer because he wants to aprehend the "bad guys", but i believe that he should become an rn to learn compassion and emphaty.... am i wrong?

actually, yes you are wrong, very wrong. there is nothing wrong with what he wants to do. police officers are very caring and empathetic. ive seen them at wrexks and other things where they comforted people. they protect people with their lives as well if necessary.