RN's are you happy with your career, why or why not?

[anjoku13]

I've seen so many posts about nurses hating their jobs, and this is kind of scaring me from the career, but I still want to go through with it. But are you happy with your choice to become an RN why or why not?

[LM NY]

I love being a nurse. It was a childhood dream of mine. However, we get no support on our unit. It is med-surg. We serve a community that falls in the lower socioeconomic status. They aren't the most pleasant, but neither are all the workers. Even at times of distress, I never wonder why I chose nursing. I do joke about it with coworkers that we were crazy for choosing it, because as a nursing student we never knew how it really was. I don't see myself ever leaving the profession, but I do envision myself in different roles.

[umbdude, MSN, APRN]

I am ambivalent. On one hand, I love the health/medical science knowledge, albeit not deep enough, that came with nursing, and I enjoy working with patients. On the other hand, most inpatient facilities have bad management, staffing is terrible, and I just don't like shift hours and hate working weekends. Also, as much as I like the patients, they do take a toll on nurses physically and mentally. Although I do learn new things and pick up bits and pieces of information over time, much of the day-to-day work gets tedious quickly. Fortunately, NP is an option. If RN is my only job option and there's no chance to advance clinically, I would regret going into nursing as my 2nd career choice and I would've gone into a PA program instead.

[Hollyhocks720, MSN, NP]

On 11/17/2018 at 2:23 PM, Chrispy11 said:

Second career for me! First job! I'm giving myself a year to not feel like a total incompetent. I have to get out of my own head. I like the job, but beat myself up every other day.

Me too, it’s rough! The training has been poor to mostly absent. They could fo so much better but everyone is too busy.

[Skips, MSN, RN]

I am very happy, for a multitude of reasons.

With nursing, I am guaranteed a stable income. I made very good money at entry level, with raises every year. I live in a stable part of the country, and healthcare is thriving here. I can move anywhere I want and I would probably be able to find a job. It's a career that is flexible, both in hours and skill sets.

If I want to try another specialty, I am able to do so.

I love my specialty so much. It has given me transferrable, valuable skills that are attractive to employers if I want to move or do travel nursing.

I like working with my patients and their families. However, sometimes things get crazy with patients and their families and you can't make this stuff up. You go home and laugh at how ridiculous some situations are, but in the heat of the moment, it was tense or stressful.

I am able to be both a nurse and a teacher. I am going to graduate school for teaching. It has given me a whole new perspective on nursing, and I enjoy that.