What a coincidence. . .every single student nurse who shadows me. . .

Preemie 2 RN, ASN, RN · Jul 28, 2012

As a nursing student, I too would LOVE to work in the NICU. I was born at 24 weeks and I think I could be a great support system for the families and I feel that the NICU is where I am supposed to be.

That being said, I am willing to work anywhere and I understand that the likelihood of starting out in the NICU is pretty slim. Who knows, maybe in clinicals I will fall in love with a different unit or I might get to try NICU and not like it at all. I am keeping an open mind about it and I think that other nursing students should too. If you go in only wanting to do a certain job in a certain specialty that is just setting yourself up for disappointment in my opinion.

thesundowner · Jul 28, 2012

I blame media and marketing and nursing school instructors! When I was just taking A&P pre-req, my instructor (a Phd nurse) would constantly tell us in class that CRNA was the way to go because one of her old students now makes over $110k a year. I didn't even know what a CRNA was at that time (I didn't know c r a p about nursing at that time) and the "top" students (those of us who made A's) were constantly told to become NPs so it gave the impression to me (and I am sure others) that smart people did not stay bedside nurses.

I agree that a bachelors should be the entry point (yes, grandfather people in) because that will also show the world that nursing is a respected profession and not a 2 year program that anyone can do. It is like we are dumbing down nursing at a time when being a nurse is more challenging than ever.

The whole field is a mess - I am just thankful I have a job I like and to be returning soon to the floor where my nursing career began 3 years ago. I am also thankful that I like bedside nursing and I like the decidedly unglamorous world of geriatrics and neuro nursing.

The Sundowner has spoken and will now step off of her soapbox and return to drinking coffee and browsing Allnurses.

kdavispn · Jul 28, 2012

Maybe I'm in the minority, but it wouldn't bother me what specialty someone wants to work. After all, its their license.

I think its a personal choice.

If, for some reason there is no room for them, their skills will transfer into another specialty. Right?

lilarox · Jul 28, 2012

I came upon this post in a happenstance manner. I make this statement to nullify the idea that my intention here is an intentional attack on the author and/or respondents of this thread. I feel the need to defend myself and in doing so I will likely broadcast my naivety in the world of nursing.

Regardless, I realize that the media in addition to an easy way out are factors affecting the career decisions of nursing students and both components should have no bearing on such an important life choice, at least not as the sole determinant. However, I too, want to be a trauma flight nurse and possibly a nurse practitioner during my career. If possible, experience in L & D (more D than L) is also one of my hopes in my journey. I was ignorant in thinking my plan was my unique idea. Thank you for enlightening me on that point. I am sure that I cannot know all the facets that created my desire and guided the mental construction of my career, but I will share the few that I do know.

Prior to explaining how I formulated my plan, let me also point out the fact that I am only an ASN graduate and appreciate proper grammar paired with a large vocabulary. I believe that some situations are satisfactory for molding a competent new RN, however not every person is in the favorable situation, and you cannot educate a person to higher levels of maturity or teach them experience. In my own defense, I only partially validate the statement about registered nurses and required entry level education. So here are my reasons for my hopes and dreams:

~My love for the delivery of babies is due to an experience when I was nineteen and I attended the birth of my best friends son. It was a very intense life altering experience for me at the time and I have tried to attend any births possible since that day. I am sure I seemed like a fruit loop to all of my "new" pregnant friends that did not want my help to deliver their child. I did not get baby fever though and waited for seven years to experience the other end of that spectrum, and all I can say is "I am grateful to the makers of the epidural".

~After I started nursing school, in my first semester, I read a list of the various specialties possible in the career of nursing and trauma flight nurse immediately caught may attention. I shared this idea with an acquaintance and she responded immediately with "You are perfect for that job", whereby I thought, wow, my intelligence sure is shining bright today, so in attempt to stroke my already silly ego, I said, "Oh, really. Why do you think that?" Well I was taken aback when she replied, "Since you are so small and weight is a consideration for the safety of aircraft operation, with supplies, and patients and all that". At least this comment was in the ballpark of my life because aside from this job opportunity, my other choice is a horse jockey. HUMILITY: ONE.

EGO: NONE.

Finally my thoughts about becoming a NP are simple. Doctors are cool and so are NP's. While I want the respect of a doctor, I am not in my twenties and realistically I need to begin my career prior to my retirement, so NP wins. Since I am already half-way done with my BSN, why not go for it? My associates degree put me in roughly $30,000 of loan debt, my bachelors degree is not going to be free, and at this rate in an effort to actually profit from my paycheck, I have calculated that if I remain a life-time student, my six month grace period from the government will never end and maybe I could just avoid giving them all their money at least until I die.

NP: ONE.

GOVERNMENT: NONE.

(No, I'm not serious about my repayment plan)

So I have defended myself, let the beatings begin! (kidding, seriously, it's not cool to "eat the young".....is it?)

kdavispn · Jul 28, 2012

I personally would hate to be interested in a specialty, and the person responsible for training me, did not want me in the position for a reason other than unprofessional conduct, or something a long those lines.

jethrosledgarden · Jul 28, 2012

I was definitely one of those students talking about becoming an NP or CRNA! I also am not thrilled about the AACN's recommendation for Doctorate by 2015--but not because I am adverse to furthering my education. The issue I have from the programs I've looked at is the courses all seem to be leadership-based. I understand leadership is important but I would be much more excited to attend an NP Doctorate program that held even a little more of a medical model or underscore. Lets face it, we will always be nurses and I agree with the holistic nursing model, but as Nurse Practitioners or CRNAs it would not be so bad to have a few more courses on X-ray interpretation, diagnostics, and other specialty areas. If the program had a few more courses like that I'd be running for the Doctorate program--but to spend thousands of dollars more for leadership courses for a minimal increase in salary does not seem worth it to any student in my humble opinion.

On another note my evil student plans are working out perfectly I was just licensed on July 10th and have landed a new grad residency position in an ICU..muahahaha! But I really do plan to work in that field for many years because I really believe a huge part of what makes a good APRN is years of RN experience.

sbostonRN · Jul 28, 2012

it gave the impression to me (and I am sure others) that smart people did not stay bedside nurses.

I completely agree with this! I was given the same impression and it was only once I started working as a nurse that I realized how interesting and challenging being a bedside nurse can be. Once I started working in a rehab hospital setting I realized how much I loved it...I love that I have my patients for more than an hour (like in the ER), or more than 2-3 days (like in med/surg or ICU). But some people love having a lot of turnover on their units. I really went into this field as a stepping stone to critical care and I may have found my niche! Of course that may all change in a few years but for now I love it.

I think the most important thing to remember as a student and as a new grad is to keep your options open and your opinions open to different specialties. There aren't any that are better or worse than the other. We need each other to work to our highest ability!

OB-nurse2013, BSN, RN · Jul 28, 2012

Okay NOT TRUE...I am a senior student and do not want either of those things. When I graduate I want a job wherever I can get one. I am graduating with my BSN and do not want or plan to ever go back and I am a good student so thats not why. I will be proud and happy to be an RN. I will say that I do have some hopes of working in L and D at some point because I absolutely loved that course and clinical, I couldn't stop smiling after clinical and was very comfortable there. My classmates don't want to go back either, I mean maybe theres 1 or 2 since I don't know everyone that well but those I do, don't.

allnurses Guide · Jul 28, 2012

Yes, personal experiences drive the dreams that brought us to nursing. Then the reality of nursing shapes those dreams into what becomes our reality.

I am the mom of two kids with cancer, one of whom passed away from his disease. I was sure I wanted to go into oncology based on my rather lengthy experience. I believed my experiences would make me uniquely situated to assist families going through the same hell we did.

Then I did clinicals in pediatrics and found it both boring and terrifying. After that, I did a few rotations in oncology and discovered it wasn't all about me, it was about them and that their journey was just a little too close to home.

And then, for a while, I was lost. The very ideology that drove me to nursing was gone. What did that mean? How would I honor my son who died if I were a nurse for something that didn't even resemble him?

What I learned is that crisis is crisis and illness is illness and every patient benefits in some way from my experiences and I benefit and get satisfaction in some way from most all of my patients.

My dream morphed. I allowed it to. I am happily working ICU stepdown with no idea where I want to go from here. I started back for my BSN and as good as I am at school, I am miserable doing it right now and plan to put it on the back burner while I get adjusted to my new role.

Dreams change. I feel sorry for the students who are as entrenched in their idealism as some of the above posters. They are missing the mark a bit. What they have to offer is not individual to their specialty of choice. It is adaptable to sick people everywhere.

sauconyrunner · Jul 28, 2012

I think part of this frustration is that students sometimes seem a little disrespectful of people who choose to remain bedside nurses.

As an ED nurse, I've worked with some students who immediately say, "Oh...this is interesting but I'm going to do one year and get right out of it..." They really convey that "this" which is our career, is something to avoid.

I've also had students who say, "I think I want to go on to be an NP, but I'll cross that bridge when I get there"

Which one is more appealing? Especially coming from someone who may be young, and not very experienced in life, as well as nursing?

SHGR, MSN, RN, CNS · Jul 28, 2012

I blame media and marketing and nursing school instructors! When I was just taking A&P pre-req, my instructor (a Phd nurse) would constantly tell us in class that CRNA was the way to go because one of her old students now makes over $110k a year. I didn't even know what a CRNA was at that time (I didn't know c r a p about nursing at that time) and the "top" students (those of us who made A's) were constantly told to become NPs so it gave the impression to me (and I am sure others) that smart people did not stay bedside nurses.

Wow, I was so confused by all the posts that read, "I totally want to be a CRNA! I think I would be great at it! What do they do?"

I had one prof that encouraged me to go to grad school some day, but overall it was more like, be the best nurse you can, in whatever area you find yourself. That was before the big push toward NP though.

jethrosledgarden · Jul 28, 2012

I think part of this frustration is that students sometimes seem a little disrespectful of people who choose to remain bedside nurses.
As an ED nurse, I've worked with some students who immediately say, "Oh...this is interesting but I'm going to do one year and get right out of it..." They really convey that "this" which is our career, is something to avoid.
I've also had students who say, "I think I want to go on to be an NP, but I'll cross that bridge when I get there"
Which one is more appealing? Especially coming from someone who may be young, and not very experienced in life, as well as nursing?

Very good point! Im not sure it is meant to be disrespectful but I see that it can totally come off that way. I think a student of any profession feels they are at the bottom of a ladder that they want to get to the top of, and are full of grandiose ideas of being "the boss." It doesn't hurt to dream and I really believe that the majority will find a niche in a specialty or unit and be content as an RN.