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

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wants to ONLY work NICU or be a trauma flight nurse, but only for two years because then they want to get either their CRNA or FNP before 2015 because there is no way they are getting a doctorate!!

EVERY. SINGLE. STUDENT.

Sigh. . .

Specializes in Cardiac/Neuro Stepdown.
You gotta find a new gif, man. Variety is the spice of life.

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Looks like its gonna be one of those threads...

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This is freaking hilarious! Too bad it doesnt have sound lmao

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I think it's the absolute generalization that sticks in many people's craws. EVERY nursing student? Really? I guess because I start the nursing program in August that I'd better get ready to decide where I'm sure I will wind up. Thing is though....I don't want to work in the ER. I don't want to deal with NICU. I don't want to be an NP or a CRNA. I'm too old for those dreams now. What I want is to finish school, find a job I don't absolutely hate, where I can maybe for once in my damn life make a decent living. I'm sick of being broke. I have a two year old daughter that needs things and I want to be able to provide them. THOSE are my goals. Maybe 20-some years ago, I would have said "oh, I'm gonna be a CRNA!" Of course, 20 years ago I was sure I was going to be a rock star. Or a dolphin trainer! Or.....well, lots of things. Now, I'm 39 years old. Former small business owner, where working my butt of for 12-14 hours a day meant nothing. Now I'm working for barely above minimum wage at a big box store. The only dream I have right now is to someday maybe actually pay bills when they come in instead of bouncing numbers to figure out what I can pay this week and what will have to wait.

I've been inspired by the nurses who helped deliver my daughter and take care of her, and I now love babies (when I used to not be fond of them) so maybe L&D. I've had extensive ortho surgeries and am fascinated by surgery, so those are things I am interested in, but the way I figure it, perhaps I'll find a niche when I'm doing clinical rotations.....a place I like. However, if I find a job that pays decently, and I don't want to slit my wrists every single day, and I get to provide some measure of help or comfort to people, I'll be happy.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that while some students may be very full of grand dreams, not ALL of us are. It's like saying all working nurses are spiteful, cruel, young-gobbling beasties, when that is obviously not the truth. I hope you see what I'm trying to say.

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Specializes in ICU.
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Careful...Pretty sure this violates the TOS.

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Are you kidding me?

How can anyone on this board judge the student nurses on planning ahead, when the bulk come on here whining, crying and singing their sad songs day in and day out?

>>>cue the violins

"Oh, the doctors are mean to me..." ; 'The pts are rude and mean to me..." ; "The other nurses are bullies..." ; "Everyone treats me like a slave..." ; "Everyone blames me for everything...." ; "The young nurses act like ________ and I'm tired of it!" ; "The old crabby nurses act like _________ and I'm tired of it!" ; "I don't get lunch breaks..." ; "Everyone's against me!" ; "I have 40 pts to myself..." ; "I'm a new grad and my preceptor threw me to the wolves..." ; "I can't do it all!" ; "I'm so overwhelmed..." ; "I'm entitled to act like a b--tch to student nurses. I don't like my job. I don't like the pts and I'm gonna take it out on everyone because I wasn't raised right and don't know how to NOT treat everyone like ****!" ; "Who wants to talk about 'Nurse Burnout'?!"

Every freaking day nurses are on here with this melodramatic 'Dynasty' type crap:

- There's always a group that's conspiring against them....

- There's always some broad at someone's job who is 'trying to DESTROY' them. LOL

Meanwhile --

LOL

I'm on the cusp of my pinning ceremony and passing my boards. I've a job lined up (I'm a go-getter). I see over the horizon. LOL I know what I'm in for as a new nurse and nurse, in general. What I see on this board? Con-firms!

An advanced degree nurse? Why not?

You may hate me for being observant. Don't hate me for using my critical thinking skills to evaluate the situation and formulate a contingency....

LOL

I don't see the big deal. I don't really understand why everyone gets all bent out of shape when talk of career advancement occurs. God forbid anyone wants to get a BSN. It only seems to happen in the nursing occupation, too. How odd that anti-intellectualists would be concentrentated in one occupation.

Why is that?

For my part? I'm not exactly 'green' to healthcare. I know enough about nursing, have worked around enough nurses - am related to enough nurses - to know that I don't want to be in bedside or on the floor until I drop.

The specialities that I like?

- ER, Psych and Geri.

- Strangely, I feel a pull towards maternity. I'm sure that, like gas, it'll pass though.

- ICU/Med Surg? Eh, not really my cup of tea but I'd work in one. I believe that it'd make me a stronger nurse. I want to ber very skilled at what I do.

- I've seen a dialysis nurse at work. The work seems very challenging, but I hate 1X1's.

- Wound care looks really fun. I don't want to be a Wound Care nurse. I would like to work in the capacity for a short time. Pick up some pointers. Some good skills. The Wound Care nurses at my clinical site kicked butt. The progress and healing time in such a short amt of time was just amazing. I look at some of the residents in my facility (LTC) who practically nurse the same wounds over a period of months and I see where things could be improved.

For higher-level positions? I'm thinking: CNS, healthcare/nursing management or NP.

CRNA...? It's challenging, I bet. I've just never liked the OR. It's a boring place to be. I've never been up there as a nurse, though. Maybe thats the difference.

Either way? It'll be good to be a traditonal nurse for 15-20 years, then I'd like to progress UPWARDS from that point.

I'm really not going to be 60 and 70 years old (like some in my family) coursing up and down these halls whining abut my feet and back. Sure, they make much but they're tired as all get out. I'm not.

At 45-55? It's time to move on.

I don't see 'bedside' as a step-down. It's a 'stepping stone'.

I'm merely expanding my knowledge in my chosen area of expertise. I see things that could be changed for the better at my own facility and fast forward >>>>> In management, with my 15-20 years of ER or Psych or whatever experience, I'd be more than just a suit. I could understand things from the perspective of the nurse's in my charge. I could implement more effective policies. Etc...

Now, see -- THAT.... is starry-eyed idealism!

LOL

If I choose that route, I'm sure that it won't be that easy. I can't help dreaming, though.

The goal for my first year? Get my IV cert/ACLS...get as much exp as possible this first year and network my *** off.

So far, I WILL have psych and geri under my belt. There's a wound care nurse there (new position) and I'm kind of hoping that I can pick a few things up from her.

Then, my mission is to get into RN school and work my way into a hospital (in the works).

To get into these positions, yes - you have to network, finnagle and bust your butt. By what degree? Depends on where you live and the saturation of your area.

I'm not 21. I'm 31. An adult. Not a child.

This is common sense.

AMEN!!! You took the words right out of my mouth!!!!!! I learned from this thread that while i'm in nursing school i'm just going to keep my plans to myself. :)

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Specializes in Hospice / Ambulatory Clinic.

K'know I remember in intermediate/middle school everyone who used to run their mouth wanted to be a marine biologist.

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Well i'm a nursing student with 1 year left and I'm not afraid to say that i plan on continuing on with CRNA or NP. I'm leaning towards CRNA though. I guess i'm trying to understand why the OP would even care what another persons aspirations and goals were. Also why everyone assumes (well many) that a person wants to pursue CRNA bc of the money. I don't think docs get the same flack on choosing cosmetic or anesthesiology. And even if a person chose their profession with money being a factor doesn't mean they shouldn't do it. Some people are money motivated, doesn't mean they will be terrible at their job, in fact they may be excellent so i don't think trying to figure out someone elses motives for a job is anyones business. I want to pursue CRNA bc ever since i had surgery i fell in love with the whole process of anesthetics, its truly fascinating. Anywho, i suggest being supportive of the students and their goals instead of being "annoyed" as long as that student comes to learn everyday and tries to be the best nurse than can be, thats all that really matters. Doesn't matter if theyre gone 2 years later. IMO

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Specializes in Hospice / Ambulatory Clinic.

The OP cares mainly becaused they are so focused on the tomorrow they forget to focus on the now. Not all people who aspire to be a CRNA will become one. If you only got into nursing soley to persue a non nursing role and you get stuck in the nursing role only then that an unhappy nurse makes and who wants unhappy coworker.

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Well i agree if they aren't focusing on the now and being the best nurses they can and learning, that would be a problem so i can see the irritation in that. I thought it was solely based on them wanted to do advanced practice.

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Specializes in Hopefully ICU one of these days..

I just finished the LPN portion of an ADN program. I also just got a job as a PCT in an ER instead of as an LPN in LTC making considerably more money because the PCT position actually allows me to practice MANY more skills, see many more diverse cases, and introduce myself to a specialty that interests me. I started nursing school as a second career after being successful in my first. The ONLY reason I decided to go this route is to become a CRNA. Yes money is a motivating factor seeing as how in my first career I was making as much or more than most CRNAs make anyway but I am also interested in the responsibility, autonomy, respect, difficulty, and work environment that being a CRNA provide. I am not even ashamed to admit that I am interested in anesthesia partly due to the concentration of men in the field. I am a man and have no interest in L&D or peds or NICU and while I think the ER would be fun, I am forced to try and position myself for ICU due to it being a requirement for CRNA school. None of this is to say that I don't respect the bedside nurses on med surg floors or that work in LTC or at our local VA hospital which is basically a giant nursing home. I didn't find L&D clinicals interesting b/c I know that the only part of the L&D process I would ever be interested in is the anesthesia portion. Throughout my clinical experiences I have encountered many seasoned nurses who want to know if I am interested in the rotation we are in or what my plans are when I am finished with school and I am forced to be evasive or flat out lie because I know the reaction if I tell the truth. All of that being said I will be 30 when I finish my ADN which means obviously I don't want to spend 10 years building nursing experience on a med surg floor before transferring to an ICU and spending 5 more years becoming a super nurse before spending 3 more years in CRNA school only to graduate and find that most of the experience I gained as a nurse is not nearly as useful as I had hoped in making me a better CRNA. Everyone has a different situation and a different motivation. None of them are right or wrong they are just unique to the individual. It is ridiculous to me that people interested in CRNA are spoken poorly of b/c they "are only in it for the money." Of course they are motivated by the money. I am sure there are a few out there that are also interested in the autonomy and responsibility of the position, there are even probably one or 2 that are just absolutely gaga over the science of anesthesia (probably not). There is nothing wrong with that. It is also a difficult arduous journey to get there so they should be compensated. They are also entirely responsible for the lives of others and must have an extensive knowledge base. I want to know, if money is the wrong reason to be motivated for a job then why do employers even have to pay employees and what is the right reason? I mean if everyone should be motivated by feelings of accomplishment and good will then every position should be volunteer right? Yes, nurses should feel a personal gratification from the work they do, being that they are helping people everyday and many times being extremely selfless to do so, but I'm willing to bet that these same people would have a hard time getting up and going to work everyday if there was no paycheck associated with it. It is possible to feel a sense of accomplishment and gratification from a career while still being interested in acquiring the most compensation possible. One last thing before I step off of my soap box, just because I am not interested in the specialty you happen to be interested in doesn't mean that I am personally attacking you. I am a sports fan and have specific teams that I follow and am interested in, I also have friends who are fans of other teams. For being so empathetic and caring nurses sure do have a bad habit of over personalizing everything they don't agree with.

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K'know I remember in intermediate/middle school everyone who used to run their mouth wanted to be a marine biologist.
Holy cow! Yes!LOL!!What on earth inspired all the marine-biologist wannabes?
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I don't think anyone is ripping on anyone for dreaming or having goals.

It's just very interesting why certain areas, like ICU, are such magnets to students.

Nobody has to defend their goals or interests.

The problem is that sometimes students emanate bad juju when they are forced to learn about other areas, such as Psych or Geri.

It's the disrespect that ruffles feathers...

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