USAMedTech

Hello everyone, I am so confused. First, some information about me: I was in the army for 5 years as a medical laboratory specialist and really enjoyed it. It was a lot of fun. While I was in the military I came across one of the many programs the army has for soldiers to complete nursing school on their dime while you keep all benefits. Having a hypothetical (which annoys me because I over analyze everything) mind I started questioning nurses (both military and civilian) about their careers and all said they hated their jobs. I questioned about 10 before I closed that door. At that point, a moment from lab school came to mind: we had this drill sergeant that was nurse (LPN) previously and he always tormented us. Finally, he came over to our platoon and proclaimed, "I don't like any of y'all. Y'all think that y'all are better than me? Always calling for recollects and demanding certain forms which make my life hell. Get in the FRONT LEANING POSITION (push-up position)." He would make me write papers on the importance of securing our guidon when he knew I had to study. It was an unprofessional situation on his part and it happened quite often. Well, back to the story... I left the army and moved to Texas where I have been working as a MLT for about 4 years. I've feel like I've hit the glass ceiling of my field seeing that I can only be a manager and mostly work in a hospital somewhere. I considered PA school until I discovered NPs. I would rather be an NP any day over a PA because I think they have a brighter future and autonomy. I love aviation and flying so flight nursing appeals to me, too. Maybe I could become an ACNP with a flight nursing subspecialty. There it is... There are so many options and possibilities with nursing. After researching those two paths, I started polling nurses again. When they come to get blood products I ask them: Do you like nursing? -Most say they love it. How long have you been a nurse? -Ranges from 1-30 years. The new nurses are the quickest to say, "I love it." The veterans are more prone to hesitate on the following questions. Would you recommend nursing? -A quick, "Yes, I would," for most and then some say no. The "NO" nurses are the ones I consider the money nurses (in it for the money and all the wrong reasons). Would you recommend nursing to your children? -This is my critical decision question. I've probably asked 25 nurses about their careers and this is where they hesitate. It boggles me that they would recommend it to me enthusiastically and then have to think hard about the answer. But, believe it or not, they all say they would recommend it to their children. Would you do it again if you had it to do over? -Majority say they would and a small few say, "It's just a job." There is a little hesitation from some, though. As with any career field, I know there are pros and cons. When I see nurses on the floors they usually seem stressed and I could only imagine why. About 70% are cordial when I have to call them and the rest are snippy. I don't take it personally, I just understand they need to get stuff done and they probably have to deal with rude family members. I've become so fast at giving criticals (with readback) that I sound like a rapper or an auctioneer. While in my career, I have to rush and be really accurate in the work that I verify to ensure the best results. I never seem stressed even though I am. My face never shows it. Maybe that's a good thing or a bad. I'm really laid back as a person and a tech. Nothing ever bothers me. I've had some run-ins with doctors and nurses but for the most part everyone in the lab is nice to each other. I've come to the conclusion that doctors and nurses are this way because of the amount of stress that comes with direct-patient interaction. Whereas, I am in the all-enclosed lab doing my work. To get straight to the point... Please do not berate me for this... I always thought nursing was a think-less job. Physicians, NPs, or PAs write orders that nurses carry out with little to no thinking being done. I was shocked when I called an ICU nurse not to long ago and she said that she needed a Coagulation result to make a titration for a patient. I never thought nursing entailed that. I like being a tech because of the calculations, formulas and the see the pathology of diseases. Would I get that from being a nurse? Do staff nurses make decisions with the input of physician? I always hear nurses speaking of autonomy when they move to another field like NP that I believed in my ignorant assumption. Every nurse I know personally encourages me to cross the fence into nursing and they always say that I would be an awesome nurse. Why? I used to think they had an ulterior motive of recruiting enough people into the field then maybe the workplace environment might become better and they won't be stressed from being stretched between too many patients. Also, I read that the average tenure of an RN is five years. They either leave the field or move up the ladder. -Can someone clarify this? Is it really tough to continue as a staff nurse or are the numbers skewed because of the money nurses? Do people go into nursing as outgoing and come out irritable and standoff-ish? Do you take stress home and take it out on innocent friends and family members? And, lastly, I'd like your answers to these two questions: Would you recommend nursing to your children? Would you do it again if you had it to do over? Like I wrote before, I have a hypothetical mind and I think I have utilized every resource allocated me to research nursing as a career. I found this site and I believe that I will come to my conclusion from the opinions of you all. I think I just need to do it and forget other peoples opinions. Then my hypothetical mind comes into play and reminds me -- 2-3 years of schooling and what if you don't like it. I'll stop, now. And thanks to all, in advance, for opinions and advice.