Tired of friends telling me I can do better than nursing

mavnurse · Jul 3, 2004

I just don't get it. I've gone through 2 years of prereqs and was accepted into my school's BSN program. (I start this fall.) For some reason, everyone keeps questioning me on why I want to be a nurse and telling me that I should find a job that's "more respectable." Has anyone else been through the same thing? Sorry, just needed to vent.

Achoo!, LPN · Jul 3, 2004

This is what you want, go for it! Don't let the naysayers get to you.

I'm curious to know what they think is a 'respectable' profession.

Achoo!, LPN · Jul 3, 2004

This is what you want, go for it! Don't let the naysayers get to you.

I'm curious to know what they think is a 'respectable' profession.

nurseunderwater · Jul 3, 2004

um...sounds like your friends need to re-evaluate their value systems..(not to be snide but come on...)

Nursing not respectable? hmm. I just can't make that connection. On this site you can find numerous threads containing the pros and cons of nursing. Some of the pros that come to mind for me are....emotionally rewarding, job security, decent wages, flexibilty re: area of practice, it's truely never boring and I am always learning something new.

If this is what you have chosen (and it sounds as though it is from the level of your educational commitment) maybe what you need is a good come back, wry and humorous..Anyone?

Good luck,

Kate

nurseunderwater · Jul 3, 2004

um...sounds like your friends need to re-evaluate their value systems..(not to be snide but come on...)

Nursing not respectable? hmm. I just can't make that connection. On this site you can find numerous threads containing the pros and cons of nursing. Some of the pros that come to mind for me are....emotionally rewarding, job security, decent wages, flexibilty re: area of practice, it's truely never boring and I am always learning something new.

If this is what you have chosen (and it sounds as though it is from the level of your educational commitment) maybe what you need is a good come back, wry and humorous..Anyone?

Good luck,

Kate

Altra, BSN, RN · Jul 3, 2004

These people most likely have a limited view of nursing as glorified butt-wiping and (I'm venturing a guess here ...) are probably pursuing other more "dignified" fields in which no one dies, cries, bleeds or has pain.

I've run into this attitude myself. It's not pleasant, and you have the option of getting up on your soapbox and giving them a (justified) speech about how you hope you get to see it when someday, inevitably, they themselves become ill and need medical care. :angryfire Or you can try to let it roll off you, because it's very, very unlikely that anything you say will change their mind.

Congratulations on finishing your pre-reqs! You're about to start on a life-changing journey. Best of luck to you! :)

Altra, BSN, RN · Jul 3, 2004

These people most likely have a limited view of nursing as glorified butt-wiping and (I'm venturing a guess here ...) are probably pursuing other more "dignified" fields in which no one dies, cries, bleeds or has pain.

I've run into this attitude myself. It's not pleasant, and you have the option of getting up on your soapbox and giving them a (justified) speech about how you hope you get to see it when someday, inevitably, they themselves become ill and need medical care. :angryfire Or you can try to let it roll off you, because it's very, very unlikely that anything you say will change their mind.

Congratulations on finishing your pre-reqs! You're about to start on a life-changing journey. Best of luck to you! :)

mavnurse · Jul 3, 2004

I don't think they really understand the field. They think I'll be running around all day covered in blood and poop making minimum wage and being looked down on by society. Grr.

mavnurse · Jul 3, 2004

I don't think they really understand the field. They think I'll be running around all day covered in blood and poop making minimum wage and being looked down on by society. Grr.

susanna · Jul 3, 2004

My friends say the same. But I don't think they mean to offend me by saying "more respectable". They know that being a nurse is respectable. They really mean "respected". I think it is agreed on this board by most persons that nurses don't get respect for what they do.

I take it as a lesson: I know what I'm getting in to and that I won't be able to count on being on feeling good because I'm respected. It is not one of the rewards of this profession and so it is not something I should expect in the future.

I take that pretty hard because I want to be respected by my friends, patients, and colleages.

But then again, I think of all the negative aspects of respect: it distances you from people, it makes you feel that you have to be responsible for absolutely everything, and it makes you feel repulsed and claustophobic with people sometimes that they respect you too openly, thus hurting relationships. So, I guess its postive not being respected too.

I don't know. Tell me what you think mavnurse... Does this what your friends really mean too?

susanna · Jul 3, 2004

My friends say the same. But I don't think they mean to offend me by saying "more respectable". They know that being a nurse is respectable. They really mean "respected". I think it is agreed on this board by most persons that nurses don't get respect for what they do.

I take it as a lesson: I know what I'm getting in to and that I won't be able to count on being on feeling good because I'm respected. It is not one of the rewards of this profession and so it is not something I should expect in the future.

I take that pretty hard because I want to be respected by my friends, patients, and colleages.

But then again, I think of all the negative aspects of respect: it distances you from people, it makes you feel that you have to be responsible for absolutely everything, and it makes you feel repulsed and claustophobic with people sometimes that they respect you too openly, thus hurting relationships. So, I guess its postive not being respected too.

I don't know. Tell me what you think mavnurse... Does this what your friends really mean too?