At 43, I'm a nursing student. Why am I doing this? It's because I have volunteered at a nursing home for two years, not including all the years as a child I visited a nursing home across the street from my house. It's because I love talking to people, love hearing their stories. Young, old, black, white or other, I love talking to them all.
And I stick out like a stone in my nursing class. I think they are all in it for the money. For the most part, the people in my class do not seem interested in talking to the patients when we are at clinicals. A few are condescending, and some are borderline rude; but most do not seem interested in the patients as people.
This worries me for several reasons. One: if I become involved with the patients as people, talk to them about their lives, etc., will I be comfortable doing intimate things for them, like giving bedbaths and/or enemas? Will they feel uncomfortable having someone they connect with, doing these things?
Does anyone reading this understand where I'm coming from? I shudder to think of some of my fellow nursing students being my nurse one day.
I just read this old thread that I started last January.
That student I was talking about? She failed after the second block, but she's still working as a CNA.
I'm going to graduate with my LPN next week! I'm doing my preceptorship now.
I've overcome alot of the challenges I thought I had last January. Poop doesn't bother me now! (Well, colostomies are pretty hard to deal with.....)
And during my 1000 hours of clinicals, I did see alot of nurses who were apparently in it for the money. They just didn't seem to care about the patient as a person.
Well, that's there perogative, as long as tbey do what they are supposed to do.
But nobody will remember their name when they go home at night, unless its with dread or regret.
BTW, I think nursing is pretty hard. Our clinicals are 12 hours and it's tough work. The benefits are not as apparent as jobs I've had in the past, no breaks, etc. And all the reports about how graveyard causes cancer? Not good.
Life is too short to do something so hard, and not do it well. I want to be a good nurse, in it for the right reasons.
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
One thing I can say, is that with the salary most LPNs make compared to RNs, it would be difficult to say that we are in it for the money. It is usually out of compassion, or necessity if one is unable to get into or graduate from an RN program. I am in it for the caring of the patient, as hard as it can be sometimes...
I left a job in finance to become a nurse because I love taking care of people. I feel that I was born to be a nurse. I enjoy getting to know my patients and, in some cases, their families. Yes, people die & it is quite difficult to deal with but that's part of nursing. And, yes, the pay can be good but the pay in finance was good but the job wasn't fulfilling. I needed a career that made me feel like I made a contribution. I enjoy going back to work after a day off & having my patients say they missed me & how nice it is to see a smiling face. Nursing is probably the most demanding job..mentally & physically but for the right person it's also the most rewarding. :)
well, all the 'good things' aside, I'd say that nobody gets into it just for the money -it doesn't pay THAT good to warrant that kind of thinking. You can certainly make better pay in other professions that aren't any harder to get degrees in than Nursing. That being said, I'm NOT in it as a 'hobby'. I expect to get paid regularly, and I expect to get the bread I'm owed for the hours I put in.
Would I do it if there were no pay involved? No. Would any of you? If your employer suddenly told you that you would no longer be paid because (make a reason).. Would you still do the work?
If you truly have no interest in the money -that is, if money really isn't a factor, then you can say yes. Personally, I don't know of ANY nurses, RNs, OR LPNs, who would say 'yes' to those conditions. Much as they (and I) care about their patients, they aren't willing to do it for free.
Paradoxically, it is precisely those who are "in it for the money" who do more to help out our profession that those who feel a, "calling". It is music to administrators' ears when they hear the "calling" card announced. They know how "evil" money is and now you've proclaimed that you are not interested in such sordid issues.
Listen, if you're a bad nurse--regardless of what your philosophy of renumeration is--you're a bad nurse and you should be shown the door. Period.
But if you're worth your salt, you know that if you're not working hard as a nurse, you're not doing the job well. And if you're working hard as a nurse, you know that there should be no ceiling on salary because it is you who are the backbone and engine of any health care facility. It is you who will make or break the place. It is your face the public sees and it is that face that maintains or destroys the image of a facility. and it is you who are in danger of contracting a deadly or life-debilitating infection because you were rushing to get done the ever-increasing workload of tasks that they are demanding of you.
If that is not equal to the responsibilities of the CEO then what is?
NEVER diminish the power salary has on the image of many, many people and their esteem.
And unless the currency of exchange in the USA becomes stones, sticks, and leaves, you'll one day wake up to realize your back-breaking good work and your insidiously eroding middle-class salary has left you with an very bitter taste and perhaps a new perspective on the rules of just compensation and equity.
Definetly not in it for the money I make $20.00 an hour right now as a new grad in LTC and seriously considering applying to a local hospital making $14.00 not including shift diff. to get more experience. I say to myself, surely LPN's are worth more than that!
Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
Your post was well-articulated and nicely-worded, Interleukin. I couldn't have said it any better. Kudos to you!
Paradoxically, it is precisely those who are "in it for the money" who do more to help out our profession that those who feel a, "calling". It is music to administrators' ears when they hear the "calling" card announced. They know how "evil" money is and now you've proclaimed that you are not interested in such sordid issues.
Listen, if you're a bad nurse--regardless of what your philosophy of renumeration is--you're a bad nurse and you should be shown the door. Period.
But if you're worth your salt, you know that if you're not working hard as a nurse, you're not doing the job well. And if you're working hard as a nurse, you know that there should be no ceiling on salary because it is you who are the backbone and engine of any health care facility. It is you who will make or break the place. It is your face the public sees and it is that face that maintains or destroys the image of a facility. and it is you who are in danger of contracting a deadly or life-debilitating infection because you were rushing to get done the ever-increasing workload of tasks that they are demanding of you.
If that is not equal to the responsibilities of the CEO then what is?
NEVER diminish the power salary has on the image of many, many people and their esteem.
And unless the currency of exchange in the USA becomes stones, sticks, and leaves, you'll one day wake up to realize your back-breaking good work and your insidiously eroding middle-class salary has left you with an very bitter taste and perhaps a new perspective on the rules of just compensation and equity.
Definetly not in it for the money I make $20.00 an hour right now as a new grad in LTC and seriously considering applying to a local hospital making $14.00 not including shift diff. to get more experience. I say to myself, surely LPN's are worth more than that!
When I see posts like yours my first thought is what??? I'm a nurse in Canada and PNs make the same irregardless of whether they are in LTC, Continuing Care, Active Treatment or Public Health Clinics.
Then I remember, we are union and the vast majority of you aren't.
I TOTALLY understand your feelings, I felt the same way in school! The way my classmates handled situations and how they acted in clinical settings made me see that not everyone is involved in nursing for love of the profession. These are the people that will not make it through, for one reason or another. I felt nauseated just thinking that nurses like them could one day possibly be taking care of my loved-ones! All you can do is keep doing what you are doing, stay caring, compassionate, and professional, and make sure that no one is mistreated when you are present. I have reported classmates that I had witnessed acting in such a way that was harmful to the patient. You got to do what you got to do. Treating the patient like a human-being is part of healthcare!!! I feel that many professionals forget this. At any rate, if u establish good rapport with the patient and they understand why you are there and that you care about their well-being, I would imagine it would be easier for you to do certain procedures on them. Good luck in school!
LolaSPN
22 Posts
I am not in this for the money....
I truly believe this is my calling in life.
I have a lot of students in my class that are in it for the money.
At clinicals, they go do what needs to be done and don't hardly inneract with the patient at all.
I am one of the older ones in my class at 38.