What exactly ARE the wrong reasons?

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I've seen a lot of people around here state that if you get into nursing for the wrong reasons, then you are going to hate it. Well, what exactly are the wrong reasons? What are the right ones?

Specializes in Med/Surg, Geriatrics.
She said that even though she is already a nurse, she needs to get her RN so she can "write her own ticket" and make the money she wants working the hours that is convenient to her and her kids. LOL! Ok...if you say so...

Well that can be done, I did it for years when my children were smaller, I only worked per diem, prn or agency. I worked the days and the shifts I wanted and I certainly made more money than the floor nurses. I worked weekends and holidays infrequently and they were the ones of my choosing. Currently I do not work holidays or weekends at all, I haven't for years now so I don't think your friend was on the wrong track at all.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Cardiac, ICU.
It's that type of magical thinking I worry about. I'm not saying the central intent is wrong but I get concerned when people come to me with that type of approach. The one hospital I worked the longest primarily took new grads right out of school. I was always alarmed at the other worldly ideas people got about nursing from their school. Over the years, I saw hundreds of nurses weeping over the realization they'd have to work Christmas or nights. Or that they'd have to arrange for sleepover "day" care for their kids. I'm not saying any of these things are easy but the expectations of flexibility and convenience? Whew, not in my universe of nursing.

I'm confused about this. I know for a fact you don't have to work nights or weekends or holidays if you really don't want to.

For one, there are doctor's offices, school nursing, dialyisis clinics, health departments, and weekend only options for working. If the holiday doesn't fall on a weekend, you don't have to work. If you work for a clinic or office, you work days and no weekends. You only have to work 3 twelve hour shifts per week and I know some nurses who work two 12's and get paid for 36-40 hours. I also know those who work two 16 hour days and get paid for 40 hours.

The best way to work would be agency and yes you do write your own ticket because you work when YOU want to. It may be short notice a lot of times, but I've worked agency as a CNA and I worked whenever I wanted or didn't want to and talked with LPN's and RN's who did the same.

As far as those who claim you get called in on your days off, have you ever heard of caller ID? If you see the hospitals number pop up, just don't answer. Unless there is a disaster, I don't see why you feel obligated to answer the phone and be called in.

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Specializes in Education, Acute, Med/Surg, Tele, etc.

Wrong reasons:

1. Believing you can change EVERYONES life to the better! It is a helpful profession, but patients have a right to their own lives and well being...even if you disagree!

2. Thinking that nurses are respected by everyone! No they are not...and that is where most of the complains can be traced to...best thing..realize in all professions there will be nay sayers or doubters or bad experiences and learn the hard knocks of changing it by being your best!

3. Any thought of stealing medications, supplies!!!! (actually that is number one WRONG reason to want to be one!!!!!!!).

4. Now money in a way...it is a good incentive and a good financial career choice...but wow...so much more involved then to depend on that alone..you will go nuts~!

5. Thinking that their is a nursing shortage...not all areas have this shortage...and some nurses are having great difficulty finding a job! It depends on area, and that changes over time back and forth...don't depend on it!

6. Because people think being a 'people person' is the only real start to the career! HECK NO...people find that out fast in RN school...being a People Person is great and important..but there is way beyond more to it than that!

7. Believing that nurses always have assistants to help them...NOT!!!!!!!

8. Thinking that if you don't like nursing that you can go on to be a MD...Not likely going to happen, rarely occurs! MD is a different field all together big time!

9. Saving lives in a code. Sometimes you do, sometimes you don't..and either way it is not pretty or pleasant!!!! Don't think of the emergency only...there are far more things going on of equal importance with people that aren't having a code!!!!

10. Patients will love you because you are a nurse! Sadly this is not true and they can dislike you for any reason they deem fitting at any point! You are out there, you will see it all...especially with people not feeling well...scared...feeling alone...feeling powerless...or even prior bad experiences. No matter how friendly and helpful you are there will be days that test your patience and will to help...realize that..and find coping mechs to overcome them!

These are just a few things I learned along the way from talking to student nurses and myself when I started!

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the money is definatly a pro

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.
I'm confused about this. I know for a fact you don't have to work nights or weekends or holidays if you really don't want to.

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You are right in that there are jobs that don't require nights, etc. However, those jobs may not be available to you ... or they might be available, but come with some restriction or disadvantage that makes them "not worth it."

For example: in some areas of the country, the clinic and office jobs are filled by nurses with considerable experience. A new grad has no chance for some of those jobs. For some jobs, they will only hire nurses with BSN's: no ADN's need apply. So, just because there is a nursing job that has the hours that you want, doesn't mean you will be able to get that job.

Also, some of those jobs pay a lot less than hospital jobs. Many nurses can't financially afford to work for so little money. Some jobs may have great hours and adequate pay, but very few benefits -- making them not practical for nurses who need the benefits.

In some areas of the country, the only real options for new graduates are jobs as staff nurses in hospitals -- and those usually require that you take your turn working the unpopular shifts. New grads not aware of this are sometimes in for a rude awakening as they start to job hunt.

llg

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Specializes in Pediatrics.
Well that can be done, I did it for years when my children were smaller, I only worked per diem, prn or agency. I worked the days and the shifts I wanted and I certainly made more money than the floor nurses. I worked weekends and holidays infrequently and they were the ones of my choosing. Currently I do not work holidays or weekends at all, I haven't for years now so I don't think your friend was on the wrong track at all.

You are correct, it can be done. I work per diem and agency around my private duty case hours...but I also have a year experience. That is the norm here, most agencies and facilities require a year supervised floor experience before you are able to work per diem. That's why I said "not as a new grad, and only in select markets." I apologize if I worded my statement incorrectly.

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I have to chuckel about money and "seady job" being the "wrong reason>" I wonder how many people who say that would be working if they did not get paid to do this.

If it were a low paying profession then money might be the wrong reason because there are plenty of jobs that do pay well.

If it is wrong to choose a profession or job for money then why even pay anyone to do it. Is making a living evil? is making a deceint living evil? Get real you know if you did not get paid you would not be doing this.

You might do it for a friend or some one you love without pay but you would not voluntairly take on the number of patients you do for the hours you do not to earn a deceint income.

The only way you can convince me is to demonstrate you are unpaid.

Money and earning money are not evil. It is a means of survival for many of us to be able to make money this way.

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Specializes in Government.

My response on people having unrealistic expectations was from my own first hand experience with new grads. In my region, if you want pediatric experience, you are going to have to start out at one of 2 hospitals. No one will hire you for pedi agency/home care etc. without some general pediatric hospital experience. At those hospitals, you will have to work some off shifts, some holidays...and arrange for off shift day care for your kids.

I found that the people coming out of school were completely rocked by having to work off shifts and holidays. That isn't to say there wasn't some other job they could have gotten (with adults) but in order to work in the area they chose, they were hit with very unexpected work requirements.

Actually I felt bad for them. I came out of school fully informed of the 24/7 nature of nursing. I wonder why these folks weren't told that.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.
I'm confused about this. I know for a fact you don't have to work nights or weekends or holidays if you really don't want to.

Around here it is as llg states, thsoe kinds of jobs aren't available to new grads. The weekend option people have to be charge nurse capable, so new grads don't get those positions. The per diem position of "no committment", i.e. the one's who get to write their own ticket have to have a year experience. Most of the office jobs around here are given to those with experience or those who know somebody who knows somebody.

There's nothing wrong with wanting a job that you can write your own ticket, they are just hard for the new grad to find, at least around here. Someone reading your post might go into nursing thinking they can jump write into those jobs, and it should be noted they are rare.

Right now I work three 12-hour shifts a week, and I don't come in when called in. I do work every other weekend and holidays. Right now this works for me more than working five 8-hour shifts in a row in some clinic. All is not gloom and doom working weekends and holidays.

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Well, going into it for the money, or just to have a steady job CAN be the wrong reason.

Also, some people are in it because they need 'approval', or like to be 'in charge' - and that can be a personality thing, and it may not turn out the way they want.

I've worked with a few nurses who have been on a total power trip with their patients, and a few that have been total floor mats. I don't have much respect for either type.

Nursing has done a lot for me - it brought me 'out of myself' to realize that I'm a 'people person'. I love the interaction with patients, and it can be a rewarding challenge to be able to deal with certain folks.

BTW, tweety, I've seen some of the 'toads'! They go into management frequently. :)

:yeahthat:

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Specializes in ED, ICU, PSYCH, PP, CEN.

I went into nursing for all the wrong reasons (money and job security) at the tender age of 45. It is my fourth career change. Pushed out of all the others due to downsizing and re-engineering. Turns out this was the best thing to ever happen to me. Love the science, love helping people, love meeting the ever changing challenges of the job (codes, sepsis and many more), love learning so much about myself (thought I knew it all). No matter what line of work one goes into there will be people there that don't belong, or have messed up perceptions about the risks and rewards, but we are all just humans trying to muddle through the best we can with what God gave us. Time will weed out the people that shouldn't be in nursing, just as it does in other professions.

I would err against telling someone that they are going into nursing for the wrong reasons, unless of course it is something as nutsy as looking good in scrubs, or getting free boob jobs in the future.

May God grant that all of us find the right job.

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