Tired of friends telling me I can do better than nursing

Jill1215 · Jul 3, 2004

According to Reader's Digest nurses are the MOST respected of all professionals. The poll was conducted on what profession people give the most respect to. Nursing was #1. Nurses may not get the respect they deserve on the job, but people respect the nursing profession. Your friends are talking from ignorance. They must not know everything a nursing job entails. I would simply tell them that this is your decision and that you would really appreciate it if they would keep their negative comments to themselves. What's going to end up happening is that you are going to lose RESPECT for the friendship they have with you if they keep bad mouthing your goals.:angryfire

I hate it when ignorance finds a voice.

Jill

Jill1215 · Jul 3, 2004

According to Reader's Digest nurses are the MOST respected of all professionals. The poll was conducted on what profession people give the most respect to. Nursing was #1. Nurses may not get the respect they deserve on the job, but people respect the nursing profession. Your friends are talking from ignorance. They must not know everything a nursing job entails. I would simply tell them that this is your decision and that you would really appreciate it if they would keep their negative comments to themselves. What's going to end up happening is that you are going to lose RESPECT for the friendship they have with you if they keep bad mouthing your goals.:angryfire

I hate it when ignorance finds a voice.

Jill

Stitchie · 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.

While your friends are sweating it out thru interviews and sending out hundreds of resumes for their 'business degrees' and 'fashion merchandising' first jobs, you'll have recruiters looking for you before you get anywhere near graduation.

If that doesn't command respect, I'm not sure what does.

Is nursing hard? Of course. Are there days when I wish I had finished law school? Yep (and I'll finish law school sooner or later...) But the comraderie and team spirit that applies to nursing, not to mention the constant on the job learning opportunities that come my way, have got me for life.

Tell your friends that nursing isn't "ER" or "Scrubs". You're going into a profession with limitless opportunities for advancement and growth.

If that doesn't work tell them you're in it for the cute scrubs! :chuckle

Stitchie · 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.

While your friends are sweating it out thru interviews and sending out hundreds of resumes for their 'business degrees' and 'fashion merchandising' first jobs, you'll have recruiters looking for you before you get anywhere near graduation.

If that doesn't command respect, I'm not sure what does.

Is nursing hard? Of course. Are there days when I wish I had finished law school? Yep (and I'll finish law school sooner or later...) But the comraderie and team spirit that applies to nursing, not to mention the constant on the job learning opportunities that come my way, have got me for life.

Tell your friends that nursing isn't "ER" or "Scrubs". You're going into a profession with limitless opportunities for advancement and growth.

If that doesn't work tell them you're in it for the cute scrubs! :chuckle

HyperRNRachel · 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.

Yes, MLOS is correct. What do your friends consider a respectable job? Oh, maybe they want you to work on becoming the next ENRON executive....now that is a respectable profession. :chuckle

HyperRNRachel · 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.

Yes, MLOS is correct. What do your friends consider a respectable job? Oh, maybe they want you to work on becoming the next ENRON executive....now that is a respectable profession. :chuckle

atarisangel · Jul 3, 2004

My ex use to hassle me about being a nurse. He use to say that I would get bored and I could do something else and make more money. Key word, ex. I got a lot of "are you sure" from my friends at first too. But after I re-educated them on the real nursing profession, they became really supportive.

atarisangel · Jul 3, 2004

My ex use to hassle me about being a nurse. He use to say that I would get bored and I could do something else and make more money. Key word, ex. I got a lot of "are you sure" from my friends at first too. But after I re-educated them on the real nursing profession, they became really supportive.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Jul 3, 2004

My friends were totally jealous that I was going into such a respectable profression that paid decently that had good job prospects. Go figure.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Jul 3, 2004

My friends were totally jealous that I was going into such a respectable profression that paid decently that had good job prospects. Go figure.

jaimealmostRN · Jul 4, 2004

You need to find new friends!!! With the exception of two people (from the same family...go figure) when I tell someone that I will be a nurse soon (god willing) they are impressed and sometimes even jealous. I am constantly getting requests for medical advice and explanations of which ever medical problem their cousin's cousin has. Although I don't have all the answers (and usually decline to answer most questions) I feel that these people asking are taking me seriously and respecting me as both their friend/family and as a professional. A lot of people I knew in high school who have graduated with their b.s. in sociology or whatever are now looking into nursing school or working as CNAs.

jaimealmostRN · Jul 4, 2004

You need to find new friends!!! With the exception of two people (from the same family...go figure) when I tell someone that I will be a nurse soon (god willing) they are impressed and sometimes even jealous. I am constantly getting requests for medical advice and explanations of which ever medical problem their cousin's cousin has. Although I don't have all the answers (and usually decline to answer most questions) I feel that these people asking are taking me seriously and respecting me as both their friend/family and as a professional. A lot of people I knew in high school who have graduated with their b.s. in sociology or whatever are now looking into nursing school or working as CNAs.