Tell me there is something good about nursing and that you do enjoy your job

EricJRN, MSN, RN · Oct 1, 2007

You can count me in the "love it" group. My regret is that it took me a few years to start pursuing nursing.

Have you been able to get any exposure to healthcare settings?

hopefulnurse123 · Oct 1, 2007

Yes, I worked as a CNA for about 3 months. Had to quit because I was working full-time, taking 3 classes, and also working as a CNA part-time. It was just too much and I was afraid my grades would start suffering. Loved the CNA job and the nurses were SOOOO great! They would teach me stuff b/c they knew I was interested and wanted to learn. I just have been reading a lot of these posts and I started reading the book, "Nursing Against the Odds," and so far the book just talks about everything negative about a nursing career and there's posts that have the same stuff in them too. I just want to know there are people out there who enjoy nursing.

I work with a lot of nurses in a pharmaceutical company and many of them just got burnt out at young ages over a variety of things. Also, because I work with the nurses that chose to get out of bedside nursing, I do hear a lot of them saying, "Don't go into nursing, do something else, etc."

Nursing is what I want to do and I feel like I'm going to love it, but I just want to know that some people do love it too. (Sorry for the long posts!)

Hopefulnurse123

Halinja, BSN, RN · Oct 1, 2007

There is something good about nursing, and I love my job. grin...you want more details?

I'm working L&D. As a nurse I get to be very involved with my patients, and participate in a very special time in their life.

Nursing is challenging, and if done correctly requires a great deal of critical thinking, problem solving, interpersonal skills, a teaching ability and a big dash of empathy. Those were/are attractive to me. I am most emphatically NOT an assembly line worker type person. I like to think, and I like independence.

Edited to add this: The doctors as a whole that I see on a regular basis treat nurses well, as indispensable members of the team. (there are jerks in every profession, of course, but on the WHOLE, the docs are great) I love working 12's, I get four days off a week. Sometimes I miss lunch, I'm not about to leave the room to go eat if my patient is just about to deliver. Its usually my choice, though.

I started really late, wish I'd had the sense to do this sooner. Nursing isn't for everybody, and no job is perfect. But I think where you go and what you do make a huge difference in the job. In some places it really is bad. I'm truly happy where I am.

sharona97, BSN, RN · Oct 1, 2007

I agree with halijna,

I have aways gone into a job feeling confident that this is where I belong, nursing. I've worked in LTC, Specialty clinics in the hospital, floor nursing in hospitals, and also in office settings and in research. My favorite was the specialty clinics because I could concentrate on that one patient and give it my all, Office nursing is very different from floor nursing in the hospital ( my hats are off to these nurses, they are awesome). My 0.02 cents.

If nursing is in your heart, and if you look back at all you have accomplished to this point, I'd join the ranks of great nurses. The book you are reding sounds very negative. IMO of course.

hopefulnurse123 · Oct 1, 2007

Thank you all for all of your responses. I feel much better and am getting really excited about school, just hope I get in! I think I'll put down the book and take all the negative posts with a grain of salt. I really just needed some reassurance. I think I'll just trust my heart on this one. Thanks again!!

CaLLaCoDe, BSN, RN · Oct 1, 2007

i constantly hear and read so much about how doctors mistreat nurses, how other people treat you like dirt sometimes, how hospital administration and management won't go to bat for the nurses, long hours with a lunch break if you are lucky, working holidays/nights/weekeds, etc, etc.

surely one allows maltreatment, perpetuates maltreatment by not standing up to the lion at your gate. we as nurses can state that we find such behavior unprofessional, "and come back to me doctor, coworker, support staff when you have regained your cool and we can discuss things in a reasonable way."

you have more power in nursing than you give yourself credit. allowing others to do such and such is the key...just don't be a floor mat. be respectful, do your homework prior to approaching an md, and in turn you will probably gain respect.

shop around for a nursing position. do your research. ask folks at the hospital you're applying, how the administation is...for it differs from place to place. just as it does in the business world.

i'm at fault for not taking my breaks when i should be doing so. however, i note some mds who are constantly working and hardly ever take any breaks. i am into 5 minute breaks lately with coworkers throughout my shift to discuss anything under the sun, not just nursing. especially when i float and not used to the layout of that floor, i commonly will forego taking breaks.

working three twelves to me is splendid. and i am so glad that i am not having to think about work 24/7 while on my days off.

lupin · Oct 1, 2007

Yes, there are several things that are great about nursing. You are helping people through illness. Lots of people, when they become ill, their world stops for that time frame, no matter if it's terminal or temporary. But everyone else's world goes on. We are the only people who are there with them during that time frame. Our world, while we are at work, is them. When everyone else leaves so they can have meds, or a bandage change, or are in pain, we're the ones who come in and stay. I've been ill before and it is a lonely road to travel.

Every time I help a pt I feel better and the few times I've heard a pt say "Thank You" or "You're a good nurse", it beats all those other times someone has yelled at me or called me names or a doctor has been rude. You learn to grow a thick skin.

Many people will say they don't do it for the Thank Yous and the compliments, it is still good to hear someone extend the courtesy of thanks when so many others are ready to blast us for what we do, no matter if it helps them or not.

I can't imagine another job that I would love/hate as much as this one and when you feel both emotions for the same thing, that is pretty powerful.

cmo421 · Oct 1, 2007

LOVE being a nurse!! Enough said,,,lol Good and Bad in all professions,but this one gives back as much as u give to it. Versitility,flexable hours,variety of pt backrounds, so many paths one can follow, and many more. You should be excited. Everyone need to complain and vent at times, we all have had bad days, but all in all, I think most of us feel we are in our "nitche" in life! Good Luck and welcome to our world!!

CaLLaCoDe, BSN, RN · Oct 1, 2007

Every time I help a pt I feel better and the few times I've heard a pt say "Thank You" or "You're a good nurse", it beats all those other times someone has yelled at me or called me names or a doctor has been rude. You learn to grow a thick skin.

Just recently a family member gave me this formal card with a photo of the children, all seven of them and the folks sitting in the foreground. I was taking care of their mother. I was so grateful to receive such acknowledgement of my service ;-) And that it was addressed to me and not the department. Wow! How sweet!

LOVE being a nurse!! Enough said,,,lol Good and Bad in all professions,but this one gives back as much as u give to it. Versitility,flexable hours,variety of pt backrounds, so many paths one can follow, and many more. You should be excited. Everyone need to complain and vent at times, we all have had bad days, but all in all, I think most of us feel we are in our "nitche" in life! Good Luck and welcome to our world!!

Have you been reading my mail? My thoughts entirely ;-)

dayflower · Oct 1, 2007

:welcome: I have worked Med-Surg in hospitals for more than 20years. I have worked 2nd jobs as home health RN, correctional RN, teacher for RN students clinical for a semester. Many different area one can work. I haven't been able to find any thing I like better than med-surg. I enjoy the variety of diagnosis I get to work with. Do I like my work everyday, no, it's a job and their good days and bad days. Too busy days and very slow days. But over all I have been very happy with being a nurse. Some patients are good to help , others are treating you like you're their personal slave. I have always found the lower income patients appreachate (sorry,spelling was never my good subject) my help more. The wealthy are so used to having people "wait" on them, that that's the way they view nurses.

I have never had to hire a babysitter when my kids were young. Icould always change shifts if I needed to. I have always been able to support my husband and 2 children on my salary. Yes would been nicer if my husband would of helped more but he's still trying to find/decide what he wants to do when he grows up( he's 60 now). You'll find lot of us nurses are enableors.

The flexablity is hard to find in any other field. I can go Any where and get a job we can live on. I can move any time we want , without worring about finding a job. Can't say that about many other careers.

Oh another advange is uniforms, working clothes are cheap in comparison to to having to wear street clothes and keep up with the styles. Some hospital even provide scrubs!!!! and wash them too!!!

Find that benifit in another job, not many...

Yes after > 20years I still like nursing. It's not a glory job but behind the scenes. It's self rewarding.

Good luck in your future!!!:balloons: :lol2:

dayflower · Oct 1, 2007

oh , I forgot having mores days OFF than your work. Yea!! work 3- 12 hour shifts and off 4 days, your never want to work 8 hrs / 5 days a week again!!!!:balloons::balloons: