Tell me why you regret about becoming a Nurse

[Want2BeeRN]

If you could do it again,what career would you choose to pursue instead of Nursing?What are your reasons?

[nutella, MSN, RN]

I do not regret nursing.

It was between chemistry /biochemistry and nursing school - I decided for nursing school. It was the right decision for me though I think I would have done well in a science based job as well.

[Mhays]

The thing that I wish that I could change about nursing is more time with patients. I feel that there is not enough time to take care of patients and to help them. Nurses have a huge case load of patients and they need more time with their patients. Also, there are a lot of patients to one nurse ratio and there needs to be two nurses who share case loads. That way, both nurses work as a team and get the job done more effectively. My mom was at a hospital and she had two nurses that took care of her at all times and that worked very well because they were a team and helped her recover well. Nursing is a team effort and by having two nurses on a case, the productivity would be more beneficial.

[ottersloveoysters]

I wish I became a nurse sooner in life than I did but oh well. I needed to have other experiences first, I guess.

[Mhays]

The thing that makes nursing hard is having to work on the holidays in which your family can't come with you to where you work and you can't spend the time with your family either. I worked Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, and other holidays and actually the atmosphere was low key and nice. Even though working on the holidays is a hardship, it can be fun and enjoyable.

[missmollie, ADN, BSN, RN]

I don't regret becoming a nurse, but I do regret my first degree. If I knew then what I know now, I would've gone pre-med. But now that I'm old(er), married, and have a child, I couldn't possibly do that now. I am very happy with nursing, but I do wish I had completed more rigorous courses my first time in college.

[Mhays]

The thing that I regret about becoming a nurse is that I should have become an LVN sooner rather than later. I am trying to take the LVN test or exam in Virginia and I am getting closer into getting everything that I need in order to take the exam, but it is just getting all of the stuff together that I have had for the past 20 years. My advice to everyone is to get the nursing license earlier in your career.

[HelloWish, ADN, BSN]

I regret becoming a nurse so late in life...wish I had done it sooner.

[Mhays]

The thing that I regret about being a nurse is the fact that I had to work on the holidays; especially during Christmas time frame. Even though I do not have children or I am not married, I still feel bad missing the family traditions when I work on the holidays. I know though that my patients need me and that is why I work on the holidays.

[Mhays]

The thing that I regret about being a nurse is that I want to spend more time with my family. My mom is a resident at an assisted living facility and I need to spend more time with her, but I cannot spend the time that I need to spend due to working lots of hours sometimes. I feel very guilty sometimes. I can always work it out and that is a good thing.

[ivyleaf]

Logically, I dont regret it- its a good paycheck and where I am/with my experience, there will always be a job.

I do regret it because of a few things-

Im an introvert

I dont get innate satisfaction from helping people/taking care of people

I want more autonomy and independence

I would prefer to work with ideas or animals than people

[sallyrnrrt, ADN, RN]

I regret NOTHING

successful 4+ decades of experience ...

[jessimee]

If I could do it all over again, I would choose to be a musician (stringed instruments). But, that being said, I am happy being a nurse. I have never held a nursing job or worked in a specialty that I didn't enjoy. As a nurse, I make enough money to buy musical instruments and take lessons :), so it's all good!