LoveCharts

Of all the places that I have worked in Mississippi and Alabama, I do not know of any differences in pay for ADN or BSN. To tell you the truth, when I started nursing school, I really didn't know that there were any differences in 2 year or 4 year nurses. When I went through orientation at my first nursing job, they provided us with an NCLEX review course. I was amazed with the amount of knowledge that some of the ADN graduates had. Some things that I had never even heard of!! I think that the BSN program I attended did focus more on research, management, etc. Good for everyone to have, but definately does not make you a good nurse. No amount of formal education can make you a good nurse. What makes a good nurse all heart, determination, patience, lessons learned from experience.

I totally agree that this is a guilt thing--especially if one family member has ANY kind of medical background. One of my colleagues says that the out-of-town family is worse. She calls them pigeons--"They fly in, crap on you, then get the heck out of town." Then the genuine, concerned family memebers have to try to make ammends for the others behavior. As a nurse, I know how hard this can be for families. So when my loved one is sick, I try extra hard not to be looking for something "wrong." I try to make the staff feel comfortable.

I agree that it is completely inappropriate and rude for people to badger, overly question, or talk down to their nurse. Why be mean to someone who takes care of you?? I also understand that there are bad nurses out there, but for the most part, those are few and far between. Whatever happened to the days when the nurses received respect? Patients and families did what they were asked by the nurse because they had respect for her, her knowledge, and her profession. Did those days ever really exist, or are the older nurses just pulling my leg?