Was set on becoming a nurse, in a panic after seeing this board!

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Hi, im coming up to the time which I have to choose my entrance to university, I have been considering nursing for a while, but having a read of this forum it seems everyone is trying to escape the NHS, im now in a panic because it seems to sound like if I complete my training there will be no Jobs.

On top of that a nursing degree is very specialised, not much direct use elsewhere, and considering that it seems like loads of you are jumping ship it doesn’t look to good.

I know nursing isn't easy. Im not joining expecting good/average pay, social hours, support and respect from above and lots of happy smiling patients being... well... patient and nice. But everyone has limits, is it as bad as it seems to reflect?

One or two things, I did have an interest in A&E or Mental Health, how hard is it to get into nursing in these fields? What are they really like?

Also more importantly, how independent are you as a nurse, and are there many opportunities to become more independent? And how realistic are they?

If I come across as someone who has just dreamed up nursing without considering it, trust me im not, as mentioned earlier, im not expecting a dream job.

Please by all means be as brutally honest as you can, I would rather know now, than spend years and a wasted opportunity of a degree to get into something I really don't want to be into.

Thanks for all your time.

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
Hi, im coming up to the time which I have to choose my entrance to university, I have been considering nursing for a while, but having a read of this forum it seems everyone is trying to escape the NHS, im now in a panic because it seems to sound like if I complete my training there will be no Jobs.

On top of that a nursing degree is very specialised, not much direct use elsewhere, and considering that it seems like loads of you are jumping ship it doesn't look to good.

I know nursing isn't easy. Im not joining expecting good/average pay, social hours, support and respect from above and lots of happy smiling patients being... well... patient and nice. But everyone has limits, is it as bad as it seems to reflect?

One or two things, I did have an interest in A&E or Mental Health, how hard is it to get into nursing in these fields? What are they really like?

Also more importantly, how independent are you as a nurse, and are there many opportunities to become more independent? And how realistic are they?

If I come across as someone who has just dreamed up nursing without considering it, trust me im not, as mentioned earlier, im not expecting a dream job.

Please by all means be as brutally honest as you can, I would rather know now, than spend years and a wasted opportunity of a degree to get into something I really don't want to be into.

Thanks for all your time.

nursing is changing all the time as is the NHS, who can say if in 3 yrs when you complete your training that jobs will be either plentiful or non existant. I haven't really done any mental health training except a few hours when a student but you will always see some sort of mental health as a patient in other areas. I have always done general adult and have done a variety of jobs mainly medical and loved every job I have done,

Yes I am glad I am no longer working in the hospital (I work as a practice nurse) I found the management very unsupportive but think a lot came from government setting various targets which a lot had to do with admitting patients into a bed within a certain time, very hard to do if you haven't got the beds to put them in. I have seen GP patients waiting for up to 24 hours to get into a hospital bed as A&E patients had priority on any beds, try explaining that to anxious relatives waiting at home.

I have lots of reasons to why I am looking at moving abroad but have I any regrets choosing this profession generally I would say no but there has been days when I have said yes, but since working at a gp surgery they have gotten less.

You have to make the choice yourself but I would say if you do go into adult nursing try with your uni to get hours in all areas both practical and theory as todays training will make it hard to work abroad in some countries

Good luck

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Specializes in not qualified yet, ask me soon! x.

First of all i would just like to comment on just how wonderfully mature you sound for 17.....Im 20 and i havent come across a 17 year old like you yet!! Im a student nurse in my second year, before i even came into nursing, i knew what the state of the nhs was like, and did not go into it primarily for salary. However, the prospects of being a nurse are endless, i couldnt list them all now cos id be here forever. I know a lot of nurses that have gone on to be doctors. Simarily it is significantly easier to do so if you have a first degree in nursing. I would say that if your looking to immigrate in the near future or do some travelling ( i would just like to say nursing is the one of the best professions for someone who wants to see the world and im sure some nurses would agree here) Adult nursing would be better. It is better to be general trained, and if you wish you can do conversion courses afterwards. It is not hard to get into Nursing, i think the minumum requirement for the diploma course is 5 gcses a-c, in maths and science in particular. There are a lot of oppurtunities for you to become independant, but you need to be someone who is a good nurse!, not someone who just has a degree, msc, phd and dont know their ass from the elbow on the wards!!. There are a number of extended roles i.e nurse practitioner, matron, charge nurse, nurse consultant but dont expect to get all of this in 2 years. It takes dedication, hard work and in some cases financial support from your employer. If moving up is primarily your goal, id get a plan in place now, you can never be too proactive in planning for your future. Lastly on getting a staff nurse position makesure you speak to the employer about what they can do to invest in your professional development. The oppurtunities are endless liam, you have to be realistic, and go out there and get it!!...good luck and pm me any time..

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Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN.

Hi Liam,

I agree with both the above posters. I have had a great career in nursing and when I became an RN the were no jobs then either-we were all stressed and worried about jobs and the state of the NHS. Yes it is in a mess but we will always need nurses and I found it a wonderful career to choose.

I have had my bad days many when I was a midwife but I have had 100's more good days, how I have laughed and making a pt feel better about the situation they are in........Priceless.

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Specializes in Surgery, ICU, Emergency Care, NP.

Hi Liam, I love being a nurse and I love working in the NHS, when I qualified in 1990 as with Madwife there were no jobs my whole group were unemployed for 3 months then slowely the jobs were becoming available again. The NHS is an ever changing beast and what happens now is no reflection of what will be happening when you finish your training.

Nursing is a worthwhile and wonderful carreer and it opens a world of opportunities to you. As far as independence, yes the is a great deal of autonomy in nursing but within healthcare it is about a collaborative approach. As a nurse practitioner I have a great deal of autonomy but need to know what my limitations are and when to refer to a medic. I am a nurse prescriber so can manage a variety of situations before needing to refer. As one of the posters have already mentioned this type of job takes a great deal of experience and you will need to work through the stages within you career to get to do a role such as this.

If nursing is what you really want to do then you should do it.

Good Luck

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Hi Liam

Your career depends on what you want out of life. Dentistry or areas of law, for instance, are more financially rewarding than nursing ever was, is or will be. Saying that, money isn't everything (it helps) and job satisfaction is possibly more important to the majority.

I don't feel I'm 'jumping ship', although it may give the impression that it's sinking slowly the NHS always has crises. I've had a varied and interesting career as a nurse travelling all over the place and working my way up the nursing ladder over the years. I'm off to the USA as my wife and I feel that we've done our bit for the NHS and we need something more for us and, more importantly, our kids. We've worked hard to get where we are today and having portable qualifications allows us to do what we want globally.

Go for it...and remember, as a man you'll be in a minority which, although sometimes isn't easy, has distinct high spots :wink2:

Cheers

OG

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Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN.

Yes I feel the same as OG I moved to the US for a different lifestyle and nursing is the tool I used to emigrate here. I worked for 17 years in the NHS in fact I am still employed by them as I took a career break for 3 years. So I feel I have worked hard enough and long enough and been loyal for the majority of my adult life.

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If I was you I would jump ship and do Dentistry:mortarboard:

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does depend on where your interests lie. Personally i think in mental health you can have more time to "talk" with patients as communication difficulties & difficulties in perception are major factors in our client groups. As a rule the wages in mental health are slightly higher too !

General nursing does give greater opportunity for travel. I think only Australia, NZ, & western Canada accept our Mental health training. If you ever fancy going to the states then general nursing is probably a better choice

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Specializes in MSc in Anesthetics.
Hi, im coming up to the time which I have to choose my entrance to university, I have been considering nursing for a while, but having a read of this forum it seems everyone is trying to escape the NHS, im now in a panic because it seems to sound like if I complete my training there will be no Jobs.

On top of that a nursing degree is very specialised, not much direct use elsewhere, and considering that it seems like loads of you are jumping ship it doesn’t look to good.

I know nursing isn't easy. Im not joining expecting good/average pay, social hours, support and respect from above and lots of happy smiling patients being... well... patient and nice. But everyone has limits, is it as bad as it seems to reflect?

One or two things, I did have an interest in A&E or Mental Health, how hard is it to get into nursing in these fields? What are they really like?

Also more importantly, how independent are you as a nurse, and are there many opportunities to become more independent? And how realistic are they?

If I come across as someone who has just dreamed up nursing without considering it, trust me im not, as mentioned earlier, im not expecting a dream job.

Please by all means be as brutally honest as you can, I would rather know now, than spend years and a wasted opportunity of a degree to get into something I really don't want to be into.

Thanks for all your time.

hey there

nursing is a good profession as in it takes you all over the world and at times you feel like you made such a diference.

BUT

nowdays things have changed greatly a couple of the more senior collegues where talking about this the other day actually, how no one has any repect anymore, how nurses arent safe in there work place i actually got my thumb broke by a patient not that long ago and apart from filling in an ir1 nothing happened about that when did it become acceptable to do these things!!!!! aggressive abusive patients and indeed relatives are a major issue for all wards but MAU an d A and E take the brunt of the attacks,majority are over worked and definately underpayed, unsocial hours to the fore unless you work in outpatients dept.

but i have to say it i still love my job!!!!!!!:wink2:

ps yes you can become a nurse practicioner or consultant that gives you more independance and there good for a and e dept. if i was to stay in the nhs id prob become one of those. aside from that you gotta follows doctors orders unless its about nursing interventions then you make the decisions yourself. do your degree if you can i did and am glad i did. plus you gotta have it i think to become nurse practicioner as then you do a masters!!!

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Specializes in not qualified yet, ask me soon! x.

Hello again liam, i just thought that i'd add its all about what you want out of a career. As you know im a student, but im weighing up a lot here. I have a lot of time, but i want to use my time wisely as im investing for my future. im going to travel in the USA for a little while . Maybe do Post graduate study there?. Im only 20 years old, but something is niggling me i dont know what it is. I just dont want to spend my whole life running around after doctors. My first placement was like that, i knew every doctors sandwich preference. I do love being with the patients, but academically its testing me, I get so bored. I have thought about going into medicine, once i have a few years nursing experience ( I do want to try my nursing profession ) as it would be a further 4 years in graduate school. For me im thinking would that be more worthwhile then waiting 4 -5 years before doing a masters or PHD to become a nurse practitioner?, ( still get bossed around by doctors.)a PHD can take 6 years part time, and a Msc can take 2-3 years part time. Of course you can do it full time, but by then you will have commitments. I want my own independence, my own autonomy and i want to make a lot more decisions. If these are the things you want as well you have to weigh it up like me. Good luck, and i talk to much!

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