What field of nursing would you NEVER consider working?

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Nov 5, 2003

Home health

I don't know for sure why, but this one really does not appeal to me right now. Maybe i'll change my mind when i have it with clinicals, but so far, nope.

chad75 · Nov 5, 2003

LTC = Just not my thing, my personal beliefs are against things like feeding tubes for 90 year olds and other such devices to keep someones body alive why their mind is barely there. The mind starts letting go, but in western society we can't accept the fact that death is just as natural as life so we do everything possible to keep grandma's "BODY" alive. While I run in to that aspect in my current field its not as prevailant as it is in nursing homes.

OB any aspect: I have no desire to work in that area lol.

MedSurg: I will never go back, I did my year and learned a lot but unless my state suddenly decided to make mandated staffing ratios 1:4. I don't ever forsee myself working medsurg again.

teece3 · Nov 5, 2003

If you had asked me this 20 years ago when I finished nursing school I would have said PSYCH! I hated every minute of my clinicals and it seemed like no one ever got better--of course I was only there a few hours/day for a couple of weeks and we changed units every week. When I finished school, the only job I could find was in psych, so I took it thinking, "I can do anything for 6 months, then I'll transfer to something else". That was 18 years ago and I can't imagine doing anything else. I love working with the patients and their families and most get better and go home. I couldn't work in NICU or peds because the first time a child/baby died, I'm not sure I would be able to come back to work. And I doubt I would be very therapeutic if the death was a result from abuse or neglect. It's too hard for me to see little ones sick.

Nurse Ratched, RN · Nov 5, 2003

I give it up to the ED nurses - I could NEVER do what they do.

Also OB/peds - I ain't birthin' no babies and I will care for kids but wouldn't be able to handle the stressed-out parents. It's bad enough when the "kids" are college students .

gwenith, BSN, RN · Nov 5, 2003

I used to think stomaltherapy was not for me as I could not see myself as a 'baglady" but that was before I realised it came with an intense involvment in wound care. Disability nursing especially severly intellectually handicapped - I could not do it and greatly admire those that go to work every day in a facility like that and do thier job well.

Noney · Nov 5, 2003

CORRECTIONS

I scare too easy and have too much imagination. I get scared even driving past a prison! :rolleyes:

Noney

Pretzlgl · Nov 5, 2003

Pediatrics - the sick kids would break my heart - PLUS the parents would drive me crazy.

justjill · Nov 5, 2003

Right now i would have to say OR....i can not stand wearing a gown and mask and gloves....i always feel like i am going to pass out whenever i do clinicals in the OR.

Rapheal · Nov 5, 2003

Definately OR. In my past experiences in OR as a student I felt like I entered the twilight zone. It feels like I am in a huge sterile box and with the patient all draped it seems so unatural and surreal. Just not my thing.

S.N. Visit, BSN, RN · Nov 5, 2003

I'm with Noney ,about not ever wanting to work in "Corrections". I have NO desire to be around any prison :eek:

Agnus · Nov 5, 2003

It sounds like you (original poster) might be a student? I felt the same way about drug addic moms.

Then between my ob instructor who said, that all babies and childeren develop in a positive direction only, and a L&D nurse. The L&D said that it is sad but then she told me a story about such a child who grew up to be exactly the opposit of his parents and went on to do great things in the world.

These two nurses changed a very firm attitude. So much so that at graduation when I had the oportunity to speak before the assembly of guest and graduates I talked about this very experience. No one wanted more to work with babies no one wanted more to KILL the mothers who used during pregnancy. I can now, because of these two great nurses look at this very differently and not want to strangle every drug mom.

Never say never. There are some aresas I would probably not do well in for any length of time. Everything has it's draw backs. But for instance I thought I hated neuro. Then when my floor started dealing with a lot of neuro and I took some advanced classes on it I began to fall in love with it.

I thought I would love hospice and I am finding it is probably not for me now that I am here. I find I acutally prefer to be an advocate and support for the dying in the hospital than doing home visits where we basically put out fires for families of dying.

Then dump the burden of careing for this person 24/7 on the family. We basically only do 1-2 x week regular visits and only consider pain an emergency.

So if they call for "emergency" poop clean up or some such then we don't go. Of course it is not something we go out for or even send a CNA out for.

However, the real message here is the family needs help and is overwhelmed scared etc. etc. We do try to address the undrlying problem but I feel we are ineffectinve. It is almost like we are saying. You desided to have him die at home and you desided to care for him through it. So deal with it or place him. But don't expect hospice to do your work. It is more like hospice is a consulting service not care givers. (JM feeings.)

Anyway I am looking for a change after 6 mo with hospic. Yet I don't see a lot of complaints about hospic and everone including families call us saints. But I see a lot of phone visits being done.

I don't know that I a cut out for psyc. but you know we do a lot of psyc anyway.

I don't see myself in OR. although it is interesting work. But who knows. (long periods on feet, less direct patient care more working for the MD.)

Someone mendioned stoma care. I did not want to do that but then I have developed a interest in wounds and I know that come with the territory and can deal.