So Sorry to hear

minneRN · Apr 16, 2005

Dear McArdle:

I have been an RN for 8 years now and I can honestly tell you that there is nothing else I'd rather be. Healthcare is a tough place to be in: endless regulations, beauracracy, and lots of red tape. There are times when you must have "tough skin" to navigate through the challenges of this profession successfully. With that said, I walk away from my job with a great sense of fulfillment. Why? Because God put me on this earth, to help people; and if during my lifetime, I manage to help just one person, than I have done my job well. I have great respect for myself, my colleagues, and my profession. As a nurse, I cannot function without a doctor and conversly, a doctor CANNOT function without me. There are medical professionals who are not kind; but there is no profession on this earth that does not have an unkind person. That's just a fact of life. Good luck to your niece!!!

My niece is wanting to attend nursing school very much. She will be applying next year. I found this site through a internet search site and thought I would check it out as Im out of touch with the field of nursing but love my niece very much and want whats best for her.
I am saddend to hear that alot of you are so tired of this field. After reading posts about all the endless regulations and silly rules (like not having hand lotion in the office for example), it seems that the people in charge of these rules look at nurses, like they are the equivilant of grade school children. And it seems you dont get much respect from the doctors or patients either.
I know when my neighbor's mother was in the hospital for heart problems, my neighbor came home from the hospital (after visiting her mom) and all she did was complain about how dumb and uncaring the nursing staff was.
She also went on to say that one of nurses could hardly speak any English.
And then there are those posts about all the inner office bullying and such. Makes me think alot of those nurses are unbalanced or in need of therapy or something.
Im going to direct my niece to this site as I think this will be an eye opener for her. She will probably choose to attend nursing school anyhow, as she is very caring of others and always wants to help those in need and do what she can.
Anyways, thank you to all the nurses out there and the job you do. Im sorry the nursing field can be a bummer at times and that it has gotten to where it is.

SusanJean · Apr 16, 2005

My niece is wanting to attend nursing school very much. She will be applying next year. I found this site through a internet search site and thought I would check it out as Im out of touch with the field of nursing but love my niece very much and want whats best for her.
I am saddend to hear that alot of you are so tired of this field. After reading posts about all the endless regulations and silly rules (like not having hand lotion in the office for example), it seems that the people in charge of these rules look at nurses, like they are the equivilant of grade school children. And it seems you dont get much respect from the doctors or patients either.
I know when my neighbor's mother was in the hospital for heart problems, my neighbor came home from the hospital (after visiting her mom) and all she did was complain about how dumb and uncaring the nursing staff was.
She also went on to say that one of nurses could hardly speak any English.
And then there are those posts about all the inner office bullying and such. Makes me think alot of those nurses are unbalanced or in need of therapy or something.
Im going to direct my niece to this site as I think this will be an eye opener for her. She will probably choose to attend nursing school anyhow, as she is very caring of others and always wants to help those in need and do what she can.
Anyways, thank you to all the nurses out there and the job you do. Im sorry the nursing field can be a bummer at times and that it has gotten to where it is.

There are many of us going into nursing with our eyes wide open. In spite of all its warts, it is the area of medicine I have chosen. Chosen. I have given up quite a bit financially to go into nursing because this is what I want to do.

Coming from "corporate america" I can tell you that office politics are not exclusive to nursing or a medical setting. Nor are petty rules.

I believe a great deal of the "downs" of nursing come from people (and the hospitals/corporations) not recognizing the responsibility of what nurses do and compensating appropriately.

If you are so dismayed at the state of this profession, please do something about it. Write your government representative to support legislation in favor of nurses - whatever the current issue is in your state.

I also encourage you to support your neice in her chosen profession - nursing. She will be getting enough grief from others, as you can see.

Please, though, no pity.

SJ

Fun2, BSN, RN · Apr 16, 2005

I am yet to even start nursing school, but I understand your reaction to the site's negativity on nursing.

However, there are people everywhere, in EVERY profession that complains about their field, there are people everywhere, in EVERY profession that get burned out and choose to change careers. (Many nurses are second career people.)

In contrast, it's not everyday that most people can say, "I helped someone feel good, or I helped save a person's life."

Nursing may be tough, it may be political, but it is the profession many love, good or bad.

hypnotic_nurse · Apr 16, 2005

This is a good place to complain, because people here work in our profession and understand each other. My family can barely stand to hear the word "blood"...and I imagine others have the same problem. :)

Some people on this board have been working in the field for 30 years. I'd be tired too. But I think most of us, despite our complaints, like what we are doing.

I know if I didn't, I'd be doing something else.

ARNPsomeday · Apr 16, 2005

Hi, McArdle

I HATE nursing school but love my new profession. I am one of those who is going into Nursing with my eyes wide open. It's a package deal, McArdle. The bad comes with the good. So be it.

Let her fly.

CathRN · Apr 16, 2005

I ran across this and thought I would share with everyone

Many Roles - One Profession: A Thanks to Our Nurses

The detective who gathers information vital to your health

Regardless of your origin, your skin tone or your wealth;

The guardian who observes your movements, temperature, and hue;

The teacher showing family how to help take care of you;

The administrator following orders and procedures as required,

But goes a few steps further to achieve what you desire;

The clerk documenting your care for others to refer;

The waitperson making sure your food is served as you prefer;

The valet who fluffs your pillow and helps you change your clothes;

The caring human to whom you trust thoughts and feelings you disclose;

These people are all involved in your total healthcare plan.

The are essential to make you well as quickly as they can.

The many roles are tended to when you are at your worst;

And wrapped into one profession chosen by your nuse.

Yes, we all have good days and bad days, but we all chose this profession in order to help others. I always keep in the back of my mind during the bad days something one of my instructors told the class once "Nurses (or healthcare professionals) are like police officers, they see people at their absolute worst." You do have to have a tough skin, but at the same time caring.

Antikigirl, ASN, RN · Apr 16, 2005

I really wished that when I chose nursing school that I had seen a site like this so I could have gone into it with a realistic look into the profession. I knew nothing about nursing really, just wanted to help people, and have a career...they seemed to mesh into my plans rather nicely so I went in without knowing about the realities...good and bad...of nursing.

It would be my advise that your niece do a shadow with a nurse (that is to follow them for a day or two to see what it is like, many hospitals and nursing homes will do this), and also come to this site. I have just had two shadows over this month (I LOVED IT, they were so great!) and both will be coming on here to check it out as well. I also reminded them of other wonderful positions in healtcare and they will be going to shadow a Doctor, Paramedic, Ultrasound/MRI tech and so on to show the differences in the field...and the some of the 'team players' we all work with!

It is helpful to know that this site is also for venting or getting out the frustrations of the job itself, as well as the good. Could you imagine what would happen if we kept this all inside??? Nurses must deal with so many dynamics, and try our best to do it with professionalism and grace...all the time! So we need a place to release it and discuss points...makes us better at handling things the next time with advice from eachother! Try to have her look at it with this in mind, and not at true face value...if she is going to be a nurse, she is going to have to learn to see through emotions and complaints and find the real issue...so starting off trying that will be training for her :).

Good luck to your niece, and don't forget...there are other fields in medical that need loving compassionate helpful people, so it is very open for someone to choose their own special fit :). But nursing does have more opportunities to specialize and grow :)!