What to you like about being a nurse?

BrookeeLou_RN · Mar 21, 2011

My setting is a little different as a school nurse, but here's what I enjoy
1) Developing relationships with families and staff and becoming not just the nurse, but "The" nurse.
2) Hanging around with kids all day...they never fail to make me laugh
3) My co-workers (most of them )...we are a family!
4) Wearing comfy clothes and shoes to work every day and never having to don a business suit
5) I'm not gonna lie...the schedule does not suck!

Off the subject.. how would one get into school nursing? I have been to the forum and still at a loss.

OldNurseEducator · Mar 21, 2011

Off the subject.. how would one get into school nursing? I have been to the forum and still at a loss.

In Ohio, you must get a certification to be a school nurse. I would start there first. :idea:

Jennifer Ehle · Mar 21, 2011

Hello! I am an 8th grade English teacher and my students are currently working on career research papers in class. Part of the paper demands they interview someone in that field. Would anyone be willing to answer some questions via email? It would truly help!

If you are interested, please email me at [email protected]. Include your first name, what kind of nurse you are and where you work.

Thank you SO much!

Jennifer Ehle

Shrine Catholic Academy

http://shrineschools.com/

[email protected]

noahsmama · Mar 21, 2011

Here's what I like about being a nurse (all of this applies to my current public health job, and most also applies to my previous job as a bedside peds nurse):

1) Helping people and (hopefully) making a difference in their lives

2) Doing something that feels meaningful and worthwhile to me

3) Hanging out with kids (way more fun than adults, even when they're sick!)

4) Parent education

5) Reading about all of the different illnesses my clients/patients have. (love pathophysiology!)

6) Co-worker education (applies to current job only where most of my coworkers are social workers)

7) Good pay and benefits (both jobs)

8) Working M-F 8:30-5, with all weekends and holidays off (current job only)

9) Wonderful coworkers (both jobs)

10) probably a whole lot more stuff I'm not thinking of right now.

Purple_Scrubs, BSN, RN · Mar 21, 2011

Off the subject.. how would one get into school nursing? I have been to the forum and still at a loss.

It varies widely by state, and even by districts within a state. In Texas, no special certification is required. Many districts, like mine, require a BSN, but not all. Some hire LVNs for each school who work under a RN that is over the whole district...there are a million different ways districts do it! I suggest checking out the websites of the districts you are interested in and look for a Health Services Department of School Health Department, something like that. Or just drop by a school randomly and ask how they do it :nurse:

totally_nuts · Mar 21, 2011

I like being a nurse when my patient says to me "I'm really glad you're my nurse today. You are really easy to talk to and you seem to get me". I'm a psych nurse and any day I can stop my patients suiciding is a great day!

I also like it when my team leader says it's time to go home! :yeah:

anotherone, BSN, RN · Mar 21, 2011

All the hot doctors of course. :|
(kidding!)

HAHAH i was getting ready to type this up when I scrolled down and saw your response. The only two I can think of are the HOT doctors and the tons of money we make (major sarcasm). I have friends waiting tables that make about what I make more on a "good night."

anotherone, BSN, RN · Mar 21, 2011

I understand but still think that is sad.. Must be awful to go to work with not one positive thing. I hope things change in your life so you can experience at least a few positives every day. Please try to take care of yourself first. I do not know if I could actually make myself go to a job with not one positive thing. Isn't that depressing? It would be for me.. I know you go to get your paycheck and if it is not big enough tat part would not really even be positive.. but maybe just being employed.. could that be positive? Best of luck

Not the person who posted this. You sure can make your self go to a job you hate many people do it everyday.

tokmom, BSN, RN · Mar 21, 2011

Well, I like poking people. I see big old fat veins and I get giddy. Can't wait to see that red flash. The same with NG's and foleys. Give me an I&D with pus and I'm a happy girl. :yeah:

The emotional side is being thanked by a patients family. I ran into a daughter of a patient I took care of. He passed on my shift. I was with her an hour overtime. I thought she would have forgotten me, as it was a year ago in February. She came up and touched me on the shoulder and said she had never forgotten me, and she started tearing up. We talked for a few minutes and then parted ways. Its times like that, that make this sometimes crap job worthwhile.

brina8615 · Mar 22, 2011

This post was exactly what I needed this morning. I just got off 3 nights in a row and, after reading this post, spent 20 minutes this morning (before going to sleep) thinking about what I like about my job. It was nice to reflect on the positives, because as we all know, sometimes it's way to easy to get caught up in all of the negatives in life.

Beware I'm a new nurse (1 month off orientation), so everything is still shiny and new for me...

- social environment, interacting with lots of people from different areas (pharmacy, rt, pt, speech, icu/er/agency, housekeeping, diet, doctors/interns/med students, etc. Etc.)

- cute flirty male co-workers (& other hospital personnel)

- cute flirty little old male patients, they make me laugh :lol2:

- patients & family members saying thank you; overhearing them talk about how I'm a great nurse

- having the money to be independent

- the opportunity for overtime, experience, to float to different units (even if floating sucks sometimes)

- learning something new every single day

- catching mistakes / problems that would have impacted pt care

- solving problems / dealing with situations that arise

- successful IV starts (hey I'm new so this is still exciting)

- drawing blood from picc lines (not sure why I like this but I do)

- that "quiet" time late at night when I'm caught up on my charting & it's too late to do any pt care tasks, yet too early to start 4am charting

- giving report (I'm probably the only nurse on the planet that likes giving report & I DREADED giving report as a nursing student)

- the idea that, if I want to, I can work in Nicu or pediatrics or ltc or hospice or dialysis or ortho or ER or a at clinic or as a travel nursing or in home health or or or...

- when you walk into a confused, grouchy pts room and find them a mess, all dirty, crooked in the bed, etc.... I love the feeling you get after you clean them up and straighten them out and tuck the blankets up under their chin and they look at you and they look so comfortable... That right there warms my heart :redpinkhe

BrookeeLou_RN · Mar 22, 2011

This post was exactly what I needed this morning. I just got off 3 nights in a row and, after reading this post, spent 20 minutes this morning (before going to sleep) thinking about what I like about my job. It was nice to reflect on the positives, because as we all know, sometimes it's way to easy to get caught up in all of the negatives in life.
Beware I'm a new nurse (1 month off orientation), so everything is still shiny and new for me...
- social environment, interacting with lots of people from different areas (pharmacy, rt, pt, speech, icu/er/agency, housekeeping, diet, doctors/interns/med students, etc. Etc.)
- cute flirty male co-workers (& other hospital personnel)
- cute flirty little old male patients, they make me laugh
- patients & family members saying thank you; overhearing them talk about how I'm a great nurse
- having the money to be independent
- the opportunity for overtime, experience, to float to different units (even if floating sucks sometimes)
- learning something new every single day
- catching mistakes / problems that would have impacted pt care
- solving problems / dealing with situations that arise
- successful IV starts (hey I'm new so this is still exciting)
- drawing blood from picc lines (not sure why I like this but I do)
- that "quiet" time late at night when I'm caught up on my charting & it's too late to do any pt care tasks, yet too early to start 4am charting
- giving report (I'm probably the only nurse on the planet that likes giving report & I DREADED giving report as a nursing student)
- the idea that, if I want to, I can work in Nicu or pediatrics or ltc or hospice or dialysis or ortho or ER or a at clinic or as a travel nursing or in home health or or or...
- when you walk into a confused, grouchy pts room and find them a mess, all dirty, crooked in the bed, etc.... I love the feeling you get after you clean them up and straighten them out and tuck the blankets up under their chin and they look at you and they look so comfortable... That right there warms my heart :redpinkhe

Not to cynical but please write down all your reasons and revisit them in 6 months. especially the last one. But I do think you will make a great parent. :yeah:

tokmom, BSN, RN · Mar 22, 2011

This post was exactly what I needed this morning. I just got off 3 nights in a row and, after reading this post, spent 20 minutes this morning (before going to sleep) thinking about what I like about my job. It was nice to reflect on the positives, because as we all know, sometimes it's way to easy to get caught up in all of the negatives in life.
Beware I'm a new nurse (1 month off orientation), so everything is still shiny and new for me...
- social environment, interacting with lots of people from different areas (pharmacy, rt, pt, speech, icu/er/agency, housekeeping, diet, doctors/interns/med students, etc. Etc.)
- cute flirty male co-workers (& other hospital personnel)
- cute flirty little old male patients, they make me laugh
- patients & family members saying thank you; overhearing them talk about how I'm a great nurse
- having the money to be independent
- the opportunity for overtime, experience, to float to different units (even if floating sucks sometimes)
- learning something new every single day
- catching mistakes / problems that would have impacted pt care
- solving problems / dealing with situations that arise
- successful IV starts (hey I'm new so this is still exciting)
- drawing blood from picc lines (not sure why I like this but I do)
- that "quiet" time late at night when I'm caught up on my charting & it's too late to do any pt care tasks, yet too early to start 4am charting
- giving report (I'm probably the only nurse on the planet that likes giving report & I DREADED giving report as a nursing student)
- the idea that, if I want to, I can work in Nicu or pediatrics or ltc or hospice or dialysis or ortho or ER or a at clinic or as a travel nursing or in home health or or or...
- when you walk into a confused, grouchy pts room and find them a mess, all dirty, crooked in the bed, etc.... I love the feeling you get after you clean them up and straighten them out and tuck the blankets up under their chin and they look at you and they look so comfortable... That right there warms my heart :redpinkhe

After 20 yrs I still like getting IV starts. I think that always bring joy to a nurses heart.