Registered Nurses: Do you like your jobs?

wish_me_luck, BSN, RN · Jul 2, 2013

Your thoughts matter more than our thoughts...the question should be, do you, OP, want to be a nurse? That is a lot of money to put out with influential factors being the opinions of nurses you do not know on an online forum. My apologies for the rudeness, no apologies for the frankness.

DoeRN · Jul 2, 2013

Your thoughts matter more than our thoughts...the question should be do you, OP, want to be a nurse? That is a lot of money to put out with influential factors being the opinions of nurses you do not know on an online forum. My apologies for the rudeness, no apologies for the frankness.[/quote']
This is great advice. Me personally I don't like being a nurse. But I'm just 1 nurse out of hundreds of thousands out there. So like wish_me_luck said you have to decide if you actually want to become a nurse. Some people love it and some hate it.
Edit:
But to answer some of your questions. I have compassion but it depends on the circumstances. I have a little bit and I mean a little bit of faith in humanity. I keep going back because I have bills to pay. I thought I would like being a nurse at first but over the years I learned that I don't. I'm not depressed being a nurse but I'm not happy and am going back to school to leave the profession.
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BSNbeauty, BSN, RN · Jul 2, 2013

I've finally landed a job in post-partum and I must say that I really like it. Yes, I have my bad days and all but overall I love the patients I work with and my co-workers. I couldn't be more happier. Post partum saved my nursing career.

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Jul 2, 2013

Has your opinion of people changed at all..... Regularly

do you still have faith in humanity so to speak after dealing with so many types of people? Yes

Do you still maintain your compassion for others? Most of the time. Depends on the situation.

Do you get depressed at all from the circumstances? Frequently.

Why do you keep going back? Mostly? Truthfully? The paycheck.

Thanks a bunch, nursing has been on my mind for a few years now and I feel like this feedback would help me make my decision moving forward. Why would it? What does my answer to a few very general questions have to do with a decision you need to make about your life? Please don't base ANY decision on whatever you read in this thread! What do YOU want?

KelRN215, BSN, RN · Jul 2, 2013

Has your opinion of people changed at all, do you still have faith in humanity so to speak after dealing with so many types of people?

Yes my opinion has changed but my faith in humanity has not because I've never had any faith in humanity.

Do you still maintain your compassion for others?

Yes, my patients are children so their situations are far beyond their control. I do not always have compassion for their parents but most of the time I do.

Do you get depressed at all from the circumstances?

Sometimes. Children die in my line of work.

Why do you keep going back?

I love my patients. And also, I need money to be able to pay my mortgage and feed myself.

anotherone, BSN, RN · Jul 2, 2013

Has your opinion of people changed at all, do you still have faith in humanity so to speak after dealing with so many types of people? I have always had the same opinion of people in general.

Do you still maintain your compassion for others?

Yes , when warranted . But very jaded and been there seem that.....

Do you get depressed at all from the circumstances?

Some of it is depressing to me. It seems that life is so doom and gloom. Who knows what tomorrow will bring.

Why do you keep going back? I need money.

s0ad · Jul 2, 2013

I'd have to say overall, no. In nursing school I thought being an RN would be so much money, but considering all we do and the huge responsibility we have, I don't think thats really the case.

Faith in humanity? Theres numerous other things outside of the hospital that lessens my faith in humanity. I don't think my working in the hospital has changed this at all.

As far as compassion, sometimes I find myself not as compassionate as I'd like. I used to give everyone the benefit of the doubt, but when I get whiney 20 something year olds with no job who are drug seeking, while I have a 40 year old with young kids dying a horribly painful death with so much more courage than I could ever have, then that 20 something year old really gets on my nerves when I might have been more compassionate about it before.

I get depressed seeing so many people, especially younger people, die young and not always comfortably. It always makes me paranoid about my own family's health.

I keep going back because I need experience and a job. Honestly the hospital setting will never work for me, but is a good experience. For one there are too many politics, far too much family drama, very high expectations with limited staff (which is really the norm in nursing it seems), tons of paperwork like peer reviews and attending committees, having to come in on "days off" to mandatory staff meetings! I really like teaching, and I like doing preventative education, so I get to people before they're so bad off and things aren't really reversible. I think I'd like doing public health nursing eventually.

That being said, I have had some amazing patients who I like to think I was very compassionate to and gave the best care I could and thats very rewarding, those moments make my job tolerable. I give kudos to the nurses who have been doing this for 30 or 40 years on my floor, I don't think I ever could, the drama and politics alone drive me insane!

LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN · Jul 2, 2013

Has your opinion of people changed at all, do you still have faith in humanity so to speak after dealing with so many types of people?

I have NO EXPECTATIONS about humanity...that actually helps me be able to continue to interact with humanity, in all of its complex glory.

Do you still maintain your compassion for others?

I have empathy and the means to advocate, that's where my compassion lies, so...absolutely.

Do you get depressed at all from the circumstances?

Perhaps, when there is a situation that can be jarring enough...however, I've learned to leave work at work and each day is a new day...I've had enough circumstances in my life that I have survived, it has made me a better nurse and be able to cope better.

Why do you keep going back?

I actually like my career. There are tons of careers that make the same or more. I have never though of doing anything else. I also decided a long time ago to utilize the tools that I need as an advocate for my patients for my career. It keeps the lights on, mortgage paid, and. The ability to be flexible enough that I can travel leisurely.

Thanks a bunch, nursing has been on my mind for a few years now and I feel like this feedback would help me make my decision moving forward.

Another poster was spot ON when they said "What do YOU want?"

I was told as a middle schooler (this was the early 90s, during the first economic crisis) "do not get into nursing, there will be no jobs, and you will not enjoy it"...I was also told that I could not specialize in two areas of nursing at the same time as a goal. Well, I enjoy it, have been able to keep a job during most of the recession, although right now my goal of transitioning into another path has been delayed, but have maintained a nursing job; and I was a Rehab nurse and Peds nurse at the same time-two different positions-for a period of time. I have been able to reap the varieties of nursing. That has actually helped me not get too burned out in my career...maybe not burned out at all.

YOU have to do the research and make the conscious decision to enter nursing. Once you have the facts of the nursing SURPLUS, wiling to start your nursing journey in a area that you didn't think about entering. Put the time, effort into studying, AND STILL want to be a nurse, then come on...just make sure you are willing to stay as long as I plan to...hope to see you beside me for at least twenty years.

Sending positive vibes in whatever decision YOU choose. :)

gcupid · Jul 2, 2013

I am thinking about going to nursing school, and I want to know your opinion. I have sort of lurked these forums for a little while and it seems like a lot of nurses do vent here, however there has to be a reason why you don't quit and keep going back despite the crappy patients, patient ratios, arrogant doctors.. etc.
1. I have bills that will not allow me to accept the starting wage for many positions available outside of nursing. I would have to go back to school or be creative in how to match my current income.
Has your opinion of people changed at all, do you still have faith in humanity so to speak after dealing with so many types of people?
2. I have faith in God and I've seen a few examples of interactions HE has with humanity.
Do you still maintain your compassion for others?
3. Yes I have compassion but I also laugh at dark humor. The only time it's hard to maintain compassion is when patient is being blatantly disrespectful and verbally abusive towards staff. (Minus drunks, psych, & altered mental status folk)
Do you get depressed at all from the circumstances?
4. Yes bc even though I enjoy what I do at times, I feel like nurses are bullied and that causes suffering. I feel trapped. In order to avoid financial hardship or undue anxiety, will take years before I can smoothly transfer into a different field.
Why do you keep going back?
5. At first I thought it would get better with time but after repeated meetings with broken promises with multiple organizations regarding the same issues across the board, I know that not to be the case. I've learned not to take everything personally and just ensure that I maintain proper body mechanics to maintain my back. I go back for the money.
Thanks a bunch, nursing has been on my mind for a few years now and I feel like this feedback would help me make my decision moving forward.
6. If its something you are passionate about and you are a hard worker with no life problem to get in the way, there is nothing we can say in order to stop you from pursuing your dream. It's just a matter of time.

naptimeRN · Jul 2, 2013

Has your opinion of people changed at all, do you still have faith in humanity so to speak after dealing with so many types of people? I'm not sure that I have faith in all of humanity, but I have faith that there are many wonderful individuals out there. But, nursing itself hasn't really changed my opinion on this. There are lovely people and there are not so lovely people that one must deal with in all aspects of life.

Do you still maintain your compassion for others?

I try. Many times it is easy. But sometimes it is difficult to feel compassion for people that are so self-serving, demanding, non-empathetic, verbally abusive, don't take care of themselves then expect miracles and treat those around them like personal servants, etc. But I still just do my job best as I can because that's what I'm there for.

Do you get depressed at all from the circumstances?

Yes. Yes. Yes. I think many nurses have it hard. We are expected to work miracles somehow, while completely understaffed and with limited resources. We play the role of nurse, therapist, teacher, secretary, etc and trying to do all that for several people at one time is VERY difficult because there is not enough time. With all the negativity that unfortunately occurs while in a hospital environment, it can be very depressing and hard to work up the strength to go back. You can not please everyone no matter how hard you try and how much you know and how much you care. I often wonder why I chose this career because sometimes I feel like everyone's punching bag. There are moments though, in nearly every shift, that make me feel like it's worth it. There is good and bad to everything in life, we tend to focus on the negative. In this job, I feel I have to really focus on the positive things to keep me going. And positive things certainly do exist in this career amongst all the negative.

Why do you keep going back?

The paycheck. The job is not boring and the shift flies by. Those special moments that exist with patients sometimes. I love teaching people, and some patients actually listen.

OCRN3 · Jul 2, 2013

I like being a nurse, but there are days I hate being a nurse. That said, I think all jobs have good and bad. It depends in what you are willing to tolerate.

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