Why should I be a nurse if it's so awful?

Nurses General Nursing

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I've been reading allnurses.com for about six months. Started posting today. I've read over and over and over about nurses in tears--not due to patients, but due to other nurses. This is disheartening, and as one who is starting school full of the enthusiasm and idealism that is the norm for student nurses, I'm truly beginning to question whether or not I will have wasted a LOT of money and my time, only to find the work environment so horrible.

A sincere question: if this profession has a work environment that is extremely hostile more often than not, why should I become a nurse then? If patients are hardly ever the "problem," then they aren't the solution, i.e. "You're helping people!"

Specializes in Med/Surg, Academics.
lol!

@ 39 we never accept we are old

We aren't!...Are we?! :p

Anyway, I was referring to the fact that a "more experienced" nurse when I go into practice might be a 25-year old! I even dyed my hair for orientation yesterday so I wouldn't look as old as my roots said I was. :D

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Specializes in Med Surg, Specialty.

I have to say in my time as a nurse I have mostly encountered extremely supportive staff nurses and charge nurses. I think a much bigger and persistent problem with nursing in hospitals and nursing homes is staffing as its effects are far reaching. Nurse : patient ratios are directly linked with patient mortality so its very frustrating to read about places with dangerous staffing ratios! Nursing itself is a wonderful position but my claws come out when poor staffing threatens the well being of the patients.

With proper staffing ratios, most other problems can be overcome.

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NURSING is not awful... generally, most nurses are good-hearted, caring, understanding, humble, and intelligent. Only few are those who seem to be a bad egg in the world of nursing. Unfortunately, in this world, only those that are negative / not good are noticed and discussed often thus giving the wrong impression in nursing. Nursing is a very rewarding career. It is more a vocation than a profession. In nursing, you will be able to help more people. "Nurse assists clients in the promotion of health; in coping with health problems; in adapting to and/or recovering from the effects of disease or injury; and in supporting the right to a dignified death(NCSBN 2010 NCLEX TEST PLAN)". In nursing, you will meet many person from different cultures with different attitudes/personalities. Also in nursing, one will be exposed to different situations that sometimes are stressful and tough. But, you will be able to deal with it. Your nursing education plus a good personality and intellectual competency will help you in facing those hardships. Any profession, I believe, have its own shares of "awful things". If you are really meant for that profession, you will be able to stand all the hardships you will face. Put each experience as a learning opportunity. If you come face to face with a problem always ask yourself "How can I make this right? What can I do for this to be resolved/avoided in the future?"... Now, that you are still a student, have a positive outlook on the profession you have chosen. Don't be dismayed by the negative things you read. There are a lot more good and rewarding things in nursing both in physical, emotional and spiritual. The most rewarding you may experience in the future is in making a difference in the lives of others and going home to your family from a duty knowing you helped and saved life. :)

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Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.

I've said it before and now I will say it again...this profession attracts a lot of people with issues.

Those are the hostile ones...learn to live amongst them and reconcile and you will be fine...

"I don't allow anyone to do anything to me I don't want" Make sense?

Go forth with your goals and focus on them.

Otherwise, life will suck.

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Specializes in LTC.

I have been on AN before and after I became a nurse. I have read the threads of nurses venting. I was mature enough and determined enough not to let others influence my choice of becoming a nurse.now I'm a nurse that vent on AN.

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Specializes in telemetry, ortho, med-surg.

You have your good days and your bad days in nursing. Like today for me was the never ending day from h**l:eek:. However, it is nothing that a hot shower and goodnight sleep will not fix. I am going back for more tomorrow because I love being a nurse:nurse:!

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Specializes in Med/Surg; aged care; OH&S.

It's not that nursing has a higher incidence of awful people - I honestly don't think that. All professions have their challenges, bad people, unhappy people, etc. The corporate sector, for example, can have a very bad workplace culture in that people can be quite intolerant towards anybody who might be perceived as 'different' (in Australia anyway, the corporate sector isn't a particularly diverse field, unlike nursing which has all different cultures, walks of life and this makes nursing a good field to work in). The corporate sector can also be very snobby, and the right clothing, makeup, shoes and outward appearance is considered important, whereas nurses are more tolerant towards people's appearance (given the nature of the job!). Not to bag the corporate sector (I work in this field now) but it is a good example of a workplace that nurses often wish they'd ended up in when they have a bad day and trust me, it aint all it's cracked up to be :rolleyes:

I think the reason nurses might come across badly sometimes is that they are more honest than people working in offices (some of these folks can be very passive aggressive in their approach). Nurses tend to 'tell it how it is' whether you like it or not! It is a very different job to an office job, in that you see things which are traumatic, and you see people at their very lowest and worst point.

As others have said, do your research! Ask your tutors and fellow students which hospitals have a good reputation for workers, do volunteer work to get a feel for the working environment and use your clinical tutes to do the same thing. When you attend interviews, ask about the workplace culture, ask how new nurses are treated and whether there is a good team approach. Be part of the solution - treat your fellow nurses with respect.

If I listened to everyone who said to me when I started nursing (can't imagine you being a nurse, nursing is horrible, you'll just empty bed pans all day, etc) I would never have done it. Despite all the difficulties, the dodgy people you meet sometimes, nursing has given me an insight into human beings I would never have had, and I feel also that nurses are good people, for the most part, and are perceived that way by the community and I feel good for being a part of a profession which is beneficial to people. I also feel proud of my nursing skills - I did things that most people I know would never have been able to do! Nurses are brave IMO.

Be positive! Don't let people who are venting, unhappy or a regretful of their choice of profession get you down - this is something you will need to get used to as it happens from time to time. Trust your own instincts and do your research and also, when people outside of health make ignorant comments, educate them! Make them see what nurses do and how great the occupation is.

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Why do you want to become a nurse with all the bad stuff you read? You become a nurse because it is part of your soul. Deep inside you are a nurse. You take care of other people. You take care of stray animals. You put yourself out there when others won't. You become a nurse because it is who you are.

I have had many trials and tribulation while going to school and as new grad. I have been swore at, things thrown at me, been totally ignored and left to stand all alone, cursed out in front of patients, humilated and given the biggest PIA patients there were. I am still a nurse. I have written that I have considered not being a nurse anymore. I am still on the fence about that, but I most likely will continue because it is who I am. I am a nurse. I take people for who they present, I see the good in people and feel there is good in all and I have paid the price.

No will not let all the lateral violance between nurses deter me. I am nurse. I will continue taking people as they are and I know I will probably be aimed again for lateral violance, but I will survive. I just need to let the tough side show and tuck away the naive me.

If you are a nurse deep down inside and you will now if you are, the become a nurse, because the joys of the job (holding the little newborn in your hands, being there when that accident victims takes those first few steps, helping a amputee get their new leg on right, etc., etc.,) will be the things you remember when the day is through. When you can't remember the good for all the bad, then it is time to change.

I myself will not be defeated, I will remember the good, and I will not eat.

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Specializes in LTC, Dementia/Alzheimer's.

As other posters have already said, not every workday is posted on & people do use this site to vent... Nursing is a very stressful & competitive field; many nurses can find it difficult to cope at times.

To be honest, being a nurse is the most cut-throat job I've ever had. People will probably stab you in the back, you will probably be treated unfairly, & at times you will be stressed, tired, and want to cry.. BUT all of the bad still doesn't compare to the satisfaction of the good moments you'll have. It *is* worth it for me, but that's a decision everyone has to make on their own.

Try out different areas of nursing. Try out different settings. Make it fit for you!

Good luck! :]

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People travel different paths. They will collide! It's all about how good you are at avoiding the collisions or how you handle yourself after one.

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Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.
Why do you want to become a nurse with all the bad stuff you read? You become a nurse because it is part of your soul. Deep inside you are a nurse. You take care of other people. You take care of stray animals. You put yourself out there when others won't. You become a nurse because it is who you are.

I have had many trials and tribulation while going to school and as new grad. I have been swore at, things thrown at me, been totally ignored and left to stand all alone, cursed out in front of patients, humilated and given the biggest PIA patients there were. I am still a nurse. I have written that I have considered not being a nurse anymore. I am still on the fence about that, but I most likely will continue because it is who I am. I am a nurse. I take people for who they present, I see the good in people and feel there is good in all and I have paid the price.

No will not let all the lateral violance between nurses deter me. I am nurse. I will continue taking people as they are and I know I will probably be aimed again for lateral violance, but I will survive. I just need to let the tough side show and tuck away the naive me.

If you are a nurse deep down inside and you will now if you are, the become a nurse, because the joys of the job (holding the little newborn in your hands, being there when that accident victims takes those first few steps, helping a amputee get their new leg on right, etc., etc.,) will be the things you remember when the day is through. When you can't remember the good for all the bad, then it is time to change.

I myself will not be defeated, I will remember the good, and I will not eat.

I think this is very philosophical and very impressive...but IMHO, not realistic.

Some do not have it in their "soul" to be a nurse. That's the first step to burnout...some are darn good with people, others are darn good with taking care of them medically....there are very many avenues to "being" a nurse...

If we start using this lingo (and I have much respect for that credo, but it is not inherent in me)...we will not attract brainy, well skilled people.

Let's combine some philosophy with pragmatism, skills especially the critical thinking kind...

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Yes, I did do a search. Most posts were extremely negative.

Hrm...I sought this website of all nurses because I thought it would be the most reasonable site to increase one's knowledge of the day-in/day-out of the profession...work environment or otherwise. Silly me. However, from other helpful posts in this thread, I'm beginning to understand this there is some venting going on, which is completely reasonable. Thank you for the confirmation.

If you really want to increase your knowledge of the profession, I suggest you do some volunteer work @ your local hospital(s) on different units, do per diem as a CNA, or see if there's some way for you to shadow a nurse rather than relying on the forum. It's one thing to be a patient/help a family member in the hospital, but another to be the actual caregiver... There is A LOT that goes on behind the scenes and the only way to really experience it is to be involved on the floor. (From another post of yours). Unfortunately in my experience, I've seen a lot of people who 1. think just b/c they've been patients in hospitals they'd make a good nurse or 2. decided to make a career change to nursing without doing any research on the profession, end up starting a program and dropping out because it was totally different than what they had expected. There are forums and websites out there where people vent about family/child problems, money issues, etc. but that doesn't stop most people from getting married, procreating, and shopping :)

Hopefully you will be able to do some work @ your local hospital (even the hospitals your school uses for clinical sites), or even doctor's office/out patient services, etc. so you get the real feel and experience of how an actual shift would go. It will also help you in the long run so when you graduate you'll be familiar to the facility and employees when you're looking for a job.

Best of luck!

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