What I love about nursing

[clemmm78]

Ok, the thread about how nurses hate nursing and that we're depressing made me want to start one about why we like what we do. Please, if you don't have anything positive to contribute - don't add negatives.

What I love about my job:

1 - I love the flexibility of nursing. When I was pregnant with my oldest (now 19), I had a full time school nurse position, a dream job for most nurses. I quit that job to go back to work three evenings a week, including every other weeekend, because I wanted to be home with my kids as much as possible. It helped my husband become a very involved dad, helped me earn an income and be home as much as possible.

2 - I love the flexibility of moving about within the profession. I've worked in medicine, ICU, private, school, rehab, and many others. I'm now in palliative care. I love that I can move to another areas if I get tired of or don't like anymore the area in which I work.

3 - I love that I will always be needed. When I went into nursing in 1978, I didn't go in because I wanted to save people, or anything like that. I chose nursing because I knew that no matter how involved our lives get, how technological the world gets, we will always need nurses.

4 - I love palliative care nursing. In all the years of nursing, I have found the one I really, really like. I love being able to help patients in their final days. I love being able to help families cope with their impending loss. I love the satisfaction of knowing that I finally helped get a patient's pain under control. I love talking to a frightened patient in the middle of the night, to see him or her relax enough to finally go to sleep.

5 - I love the wonderful people I've met throughout my career. Sure, I've met some I'd rather not ever spend time with again, but for every person like that I meet, there are many more who I was so lucky to spend time with.

Sure, there are things about nursing that I really don't like. But there are things about many things in my life that I don't like. Nursing is not a dream job. There are problems and issues that need to be dealt with. But, it is the profession that has allowed me to touch many lives. It has allowed me to use that knowledge and convert it and use it to further my medical writing *and* remain an active nurse at the same time.

If I could live my life over again, I would not change my choice of nursing. I may change approaches I've taken to it, but I would not change my choice. My choice of nursing has brought me to my oldest and dearest friend (we met in college), my husband (we met through a nursing friend of mine), and many of the things I enjoy in life right now.

I am sorry that many nurses are not happy, that they work in less than desirable circumstances or that they just made the wrong choice. But I hardly believe that I am the only one who is not sorry that he or she chose nursing as a career and a profession.

[hikernurse]

Making a difference. Even if we can't change the course of an illness, people remember someone being kind to them at a time when they were most vulnerable.

I love talking to a beligerent (no way that's spelled right, sorry) pt/family and soothing them. A lot of times all they need is someone to sit down with them, listen and work with them to find a solution. Had a pt like that the other day and although it took some time, they left happy with their care.

I like that small things make a difference--back rub, vaseline for chappy lips. A lot of what we do hurts--wound care, shots, but there's also a lot of non-medical things that help.

I like the feeling of putting in a good day's work. When I'm at work, I'm focused on my patients and their needs; my own problems kind of disappear. Plus, I'm grateful for the health my family and I have, having seen the disability illness can cause.

Most important: When I was in the first day of nursing school the instructor told us that nurses do for patients what they can't do for themselves, but would do if they were able. It was like a lightbulb went off in my head--it put into words exactly why I wanted to be a nurse. It's kind of like being a mom; you tend to your little ones and teach and help them to care for themselves and let them fly.

This is a great idea for a thread.

[dorselm]

I just got my letter yesterday that I was accepted into Nursing School! I was on cloud 9 until I went to this website and read the post "Why are so many nurses leaving". There are a gazillion responses out there and they are downright scary. True but scary. Then I read this thread and I feel like the sun has come out of a very stormy dark day. I feel like there is some hope for me in this position. I will be starting CNA training in December and then I will be working full-time in January. I will be started RN class in February and I'm not scared anymore thanks to this thread. I'm ready knowing what the road ahead is going to be but I also know that I have options and if one job doesn't workout, there are others to chose from.

Thanks for posting this thread!:smilecoffeecup: :Melody:

[dosamigos76, RN]

What I love about my job, (granted, I'm just a caregiver, no license or title yet, lowest of the low), is the residents. They are fantastic! Everyone has their bad days, so sometimes they can be a handful, but overall, they are great people. Even though management doesn't seem to care at all for the people who work for them, the residents do. They are almost always happy to see me. I get my joy from them.

Hyptogram, you are NOT the lowest of the low! We all appreciate what you do!!!

I absolutely LOVE being a nurse!!! I work hospice and I feel like it is a perfect match for me. I work with people that I respect and most of them I would chose as friends, how unusual is that in any line of work? Nursing is awesome and humbling at the same time. I have the opportunity to make a difference, and to me that has always been my goal in life. I graduated with my RN at 48 and all the things that I've experienced in life are useful in relating to patients, family members, MD's.......people in general. I am so honored to be associated with such an honorable profession and I try to encourage and support all those I come into contact with. Come join us and become a nurse, you'll love it and you'll never be bored.

Cheryl

[HyperRNRachel]

I love being a nurse because most days I get to see the better side of people. I get to see true, genuine, heartfelt, kindness. I get to (if only for a short time) be a member of their families. Patients tell me stories about events in their lives, secrets, or even gossip. I get praise for doing things I consider very minor. I have patients ask me when I get to go on break, or they have concerns about how long my days are. It amazes me that someone can be in pain or going through a crisis and they are concerned about me.

Do not get me wrong, there are days when I think satan has taken over the minds of each of my patients, and anything and everything will go wrong. But, if nothing else, I get to chalk it all up to a very entertaining story.

Rachel RN

[Simplepleasures]

What I loved about nursing was my patients, the little Polish BaBa who always grabbed my hand and kissed it, the old romeo who told me I was beautiful , the sweet "thankyou dear" from the mouth of a dying patient,and so many, many more wonderful memories of my patients, my "sisters" and "brothers- my fellow nurses, the hard working CNA's.These are the reasons I did stay in the field as long as I did.

[MedSurgeMess]

I love it because it fits my personality. I never knew that I was a very nurturing person until I got into this field. I especially love working with the elderly, and trying to make a difference for them, especially the ones that no one else seems to care for. I also love to teach people how to take care of themselves and how to manage the disease processes they are dealing with at the time. Right now I am a Med-Surg maniac, but could see myself in LTC eventually. Nursing is a wonderful profession with so many avenues. Sure some situations make you want to just scream your lungs out, but that happens with every job. But just feeling like you've made a difference whether you get a thanks or not makes everyday worth it!

[MultipurposeRN]

Nice to see a positive post about nursing. I still believe nursing is a great career, no matter what it's flaws may be. What other job gives you so many different kinds of areas you can work in? How many other jobs can you moonlight in a different area to see if you would like it or not while keeping your fulltime position? I used to teach nursing clinicals and loved every minute of it...I wouldn't have done that if I hadn't still believed nursing is a great career choice.

[beckabeckahi]

I love my job because never before in my life have I felt such a "fit" as when in the company of fellow nurses. This crazy profession feeds my need for variety and oh so many challenges.

I love my job when a patient returns to the hospital and feels more comfortable when they get to their room because they remember me from last time. This happened to me last night. I love holding a patients hand to get them through a scary procedure. I love it when our confused geriatric patients tell me "I love you."

Truth be know, there is alot of not so great things about nursing, but all in all, for me its my patients that make it worthwhile.