Researching different nursing careers

[vikichck]

Hey everyone,

I'm new to the boards and new to this whole Nursing Major thing. I've changed my major so many times in the past year and a career in a health field like nursing is the only one that I have gotten excited about. It is something that feels like it would be fulfilling to have as a career. One thing that really scares me about it tho is the stressful and burned out part of it. I'm currently in a stressful job situation as a dog groomer for Petsmart. After 3 years i'm already burned out on the stress of dealing with crazy dogs and their owners while answering phone calls at the same time and dealing with 5 different managers. So many times i come home as if i ran a marathon and just emotionaly exhausted. Thats why i'm scared of persuing a career in nursing if it'll just make me feel the same way in the end after all the hard work of going to school. So my question is, i was wondering if there were some type of nursing careers that aren't too stressful? maybe working in an office? Any advice or comments I'd really apprechiate now. Hopefully I can stop changing my major finally.

[angel337, MSN, RN]

ironically viki, i read a post on this bb that a nurse left her job to become a pet groomer. you will learn very quickly that the nursing profession is full of complaints. not that they are not valid complaints, but just like anything else in life no job is perect. if you want to be a nurse, be a nurse. the nursing profession is full of great opportunities, so you don't have to stay in the hospital if you don't want (which is where most of the complaints come from). yes, nursing is hard work, afterall you are managing lives day in and day out, but to me i can't imagine doing anything else.

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Welcome and good luck. There are less stressful areas of nursing. My spouse works in a wound care clinic and states the nurses there love it and aren't really stressed at all. Those jobs are hard to come by though, tend to be lower paid because of the hours and working conditions, and they most of them require experience.

Nursing school itself is tough and stressful and usually those that make it through all that stress to o.k. with the stress of real nursing.

Good luck in whatever you do.

[llg, PhD, RN]

Like the posters above, I say "Welcome to nursing and to this bulletin board."

As for your question ... I think the key is to find the right "fit" in a job. Almost every job has it plusses and minuses. Sometimes, you take a job that is stressful and/or has lousy hours because you really need the extra money it pays. Sometimes, you really don't want the stress or the unpleasant working conditions, or whatever ... and are willing to sacrifice a little money to be happier in your work.

Also, there are different types of stress. Some environments have the stress of lots of different people making demands on you simultaneously. In others, you may have only a few people to deal with (and/or a single patient to care for) -- but have stress because of the intensity of the situation or the lack of variety. Some environments may have great working conditions, colleagues, hours, etc. but be stressful because the patients have a high death rate or their care may involve a lot of ethical dilemmas.

Again, the key is to KNOW YOURSELF and choose a job that fits with your specific personal needs. What one person finds stressful may not be stressful to another person.

Also ... you need to learn to live with the fact that all types of jobs have the potential for being stressful at times. You need to learn to live with that ... develop coping strategies ... learn to take control of your life ... learn to manage a stressful situation so that it doesn't overwhelm you ... etc. These are job skills that can make the difference between between being happy in a career and being miserable at a job.

Good luck,

llg