What Do You Love About Your Job?

Published

I recently found out I was accepted into an ADN program. I am so excited! I've wanted to be a nurse for what seemed like forever, so I'm happy that my dreams are coming true. I have read a lot of posts about why people dont like their job or whats tough about it etc etc. I understand that all jobs have pros and cons.

So the question that I'm asking is what do you love about your job? what area of nursing do you work in and what is your title? Do you like the area where you work? How long does it take you to get to work? what are you hours like? Are you happy with the money you make? What are some things that has happened that made you feel accomplished at work? etc.

Sorry so many questions and no you dont need to answer them all if you don't want but I would love to hear the positive aspects of your job.

Thanks !

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med-Surg.

My first thought was "gee, so many questions!". lol

Since you aren't looking for answers to them all, I'll answer. :)

I have been in med-surg nursing for 16 years. 15 of those at the same hospital where I've worked in neuro, telemetry, and now trauma med-surg. I've worked night shift for 13 years and day shift for the rest. Day shift is better for my tired old body. I've worked 12 hour shifts, but am currently working Mon-Fri 8-hour shifts. There are advantages and disadvantages to all shifts, schedules, and lengths of shifts. The trick is to find one that works best for you. It takes me about 7 minutes door to door to get to work.

Who is ever happy with the money they make???? However, basically, yes, I'm happy. My salary started at 12/hr and is up to $31.00 hour so I can't complain.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU, ER.

ER, RN. I love what I do 90% of the time. It is one of the hardest places to work in the hospital, and there is a sense of pride among us as a result. With 12 years of experience and some OT, I made $112,000 last year-not bad, for a nurse. I love my co-wokers, work at a great hospital, and one of the fortunate few who look forward to going to work.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Tweety keeps me laughing. Good luck!!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg, Geri, Ortho, Telemetry, Psych.

So many things. Doing what I love. Helping people. Using my brain. I love paperwork too. Love the nursing diagnoses and the MDS. Even love the medicare/medicaid paperwork. I'm the idiot who always offers to do changeover at the end of the month with the med sheets and checking the orders. I love learning new stuff everyday. I love leading a team. Especially love being there for the patient during the dying process. Love the names of medications. Love the pride I feel as a nurse. Love making someone's pain go away. Love patient teaching. Love being able to speak to the patient and their family in terms they can understand, not medical rambling. Love being there for them. Makes me feel needed, intelligent, caring, patient, and special. That's just a few.:nurse:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Geriatrics/Family Practice.

I love Thank You's and smiles. I am a LPN and have limited experience, but I have to say that I went into nursing to make people feel better emotionally, and physically. So I have to say the above is what I love about nursing.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

its good to see some positive responses. after awhile I started getting a lil nervous after reading a lot of negative posts.

I understand that no job is 100 percent perfect, just like life but its always nice to see some positive posts about nursing;)

keep it comin lol

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Psychiatric.

I've been a nurse for almost 2 years, with 1 year in psychiatric nursing and one year on the medical floor. I graduated in 2005 with a BSN but I still learn at least 3 new things every time I go to work! LOL

I like being able to work with science every day, having a job that travels well (hubby's in the military), decent pay (I started here at $26.50 per hour), and I like knowing that what I do makes a difference in someone's life every day.

As I said, I work on a medical unit right now because there are no job openings in psych...it's okay, but it's not psych...I adore psych nursing and while I'm glad for the medical nursing experience because it IS important to have that background, I want to move back to psychiatric nursing. My eventual plan is to go back for my Master's and become a Clinical Nurse Specialist, get the Forensic certification, and work either in psychiatric prison or maximum-security prison, and also in forensic nursing in some capacity dealing with the criminally insane.

I do love my hours. I work 12 hour shifts, 3 days a week, which totals 72 hours a pay period (full-time here). Every other weekend I have off from Friday to Tuesday,which is GREAT! Our nurse/patient ratios are cool too...usually 3-4 patients per nurse on the medical floor, and when I pick up shifts in psych it's 4 patients per nurse...so I do like where I work very much!

Best of luck to you in school!! Nursing has been a wonderful career for me!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hi, I enjoy nursing. It is fulfilling to help the residents in their daily activities. I don't work in a hospital but I am working in a nursing home and love it there. Its a great feeling to share in their lives and make it a more comfortable and friendly environment in their last days. They were all once young with fulfilling lives. Sorry for going on. Nursing is enriching, I don't need the money but I love the nurturing side and chatting to other workers. Love the replys so far!!!:flowersfo

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Congrats on your acceptance into the ADN program!

On the good days, I love nursing. The thing I like most is being proud of what I do and knowing that my job makes a difference. I spent ten years in a corporate environment, analyzing spreadsheets, working with computers and the like. It never really felt like I was making a difference.

Nursing utilizes every facet of a person--it's demanding emotionally, physically, intellectually and interpersonally. When I'm on my game, I get a tremendous sense of accomplishment from being able to pull it off and do it well, especially under difficult circumstances.

I also LOVE being in demand. I came from a field (IT and, eventually, marketing) where you have to scramble for any job you get and be happy with whatever you have. There is tremendous freedom to move around in nursing and try new things; everyone wants to hire you, which is an *extremely* rare thing in any profession. After living through waves of layoffs and chronic downsizing, having that kind of job security is almost too sweet to believe.

Lastly, I love the fact that there are so many options within the field. Not only can you choose from different kinds of nursing, you can work in consulting, teaching/training, case management...you name it.

Much of my love of nursing comes from the fact that I spent so long in another field. I know that the grass is definitely not greener on the other side of the fence. A desk job might sound wonderful to someone who's never had it, but it can be grueling and dehumanizing. Nursing is exciting, demanding, frustrating...there's nothing else like it!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I am a NICU RN. I work 12 hour night shifts. I like that I work 72 hours a pay period and earn benefits and time off at the 80 hour/week rate. I like that on my unit, the night shifters don't work weekends. I like the paycheck.

I love taking care of babies. I love that when a feeder is fussy picking them up and carrying them around a few minutes can make them all better. I love giving a feeder a bath and smelling baby shampoo head. I love when babies come out of isolettes and start wearing their clothes. I love when I come to work and a baby will have 1 less line or tube than the day before. I expecially love when babies go home. There are almost always hugs and tears from the parents. I love when parents see that I am their babies nurse and tell me they are so glad I am taking care of their baby. I love when parents stop by with their NICU graduate or send pictures and letters.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I work per diem in Surgical ICU. I have been a nurse for 9 years. I year med-surg, 3 years full-time SICU, and the rest per diem in SICU with floating to other ICU's.

I love when traumatically injured patients come back to visit us after discharge. We usually do not recognize them at first(they look so much better). It is their family members we recognize first. They all thank us for the care we gave. There is a bulletin board in the lounge of a young woman and her new baby. The woman spent several weeks in very critical condition, yet recovered and went on with her life.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion