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

jaclibra · Jan 21, 2010

If you really want to be a nurse, then go with it. If bumps and bruises come your way as you go through this profession, settle it with love, dignity and respect for yourself and your peers. If it doesn't work, light a candle for world peace.

kellyskitties · Jan 21, 2010

If u like a challenge, including sometimes the challenge of satisfying difficult people (yep, not just dealing with them, but satisfying them), then nursing is for u. I love nursing and I love med/surg. Take that u naysayers. I work a busy med/surg floor - have since I graduated - won't even consider leaving it. I don't live to work, but I don't hate my job.

I've bonded with those so called "annoying" frequent flyers - they hug me, tell me they're glad I'm their nurse, confide in me when other staff act put out with them. I enjoy the fast pace - my night flies by. I've become the preferred preceptor for new nurses. I enjoy that challenge too.

I'll admit most of my time is spent medicating and charting. Assessments are pretty fast. But all the rest of my time is teaching - teaching patients and new nurses. I share what I know and try to lift others up. And I enjoy my job. Yep, I ENJOY my job.

Don't let them get u down. I heard it all too. There's a niche for u somewhere in nursing. It may or may not be your first choice. I initially wanted to be a wound nurse, but decided that didn't sound so good after my umteenth wound on M/S. You may need to job hop a little to find your niche. Lots of nursing jobs may look great until u try them. There's a lot of variety. If u aren't happy in one area, look for another. You'll be fine. It's like chinese food - there's a lot of different things, so everybody can find something they like.

mmiriamasher · Jan 21, 2010

You have to find a place that is pleasant for you to work in, that you find interesting, that is a challenge. I worked in the same place for 38 years, we were like one big happy family, it was interesting and challenging. We were the first in a lot of fields, like first in kidney transplants, first in inserion of pacemakers, first in open heart surgery, first in CABG, first in heart and lung transplants, first in the use of ECHMO, you name it. And I loved my work. But after 38 years I started hating the place because the atmosphere had changed, so I left.

Now I'm happily retired.

So you see, you have to find the right place to work, where you will be happy with your work and your work mates.

Good luck. It's a wonderful profession.

S.Gettes · Jan 21, 2010

It isn't like that everywhere. I think it is just a matter of you see more people posting up complaining about their workplace rather than you find people praising it. People like to whinge, so naturally after a bad day at work they would whinge about it. People don't generally go and have a good day at work and come home, log on and post up a big spiel about how great their work environment is, that's just not the way it goes. I don't know why though lol, just one of those random things. I think that you need to have a certain attitude to become a nurse. You do need to be tough, you will be abused verbally at some point in time in your job as a nurse by someone, i think it is inevitable really. You need to have a desire to help people and learn about the human body and medicine, You also need to be a people person because if you aren't a very social kind of person then being a nurse really is not the right kind of job for you because you have to deal with people every day and night. You also shouldn't be quesy because some of the stuff you may see, well it can turn your stomach.

Katie5 · Jan 21, 2010

Don't let other's perception of nursing spoil your dreams. This is some people's way of venting- they most likely wouldn't trade it for anything else.

Don't be too hasty in jumping to conclusions.

A_Called_RN · Jan 21, 2010

Strangely enough I was headed home from an emergency room visit at a local hospital and I was told something similar. I had my biology book in my hand and a nurse (not sure what kind he was) and the receptionist (a woman) asked me what I was studying. I said to become an RN and the male immediately told me kind of in a joking way but you could tell he some what meant it "How can I get you to change your mind? That's a big mistake! You should look into another career." I thought "way to kill some one's dream!" To give her credit the receptionist was laughing him off telling me not to listen to him and the whole scenario seemed to be done in jest but it was still a bit disheartening. I've been longing to go into the medical field since I was 7 yrs old and I originally wanted to be a pediatrician so I could work w/the kiddies. But here I am taking my prerequisites to become a nurse and hearing some thing as discouraging as what that nurse said to me was not cool. But as others have said my desire to be a part of the nursing world is too strong to let such people discourage me from what I'm doing. I will be an RN one day soon!

Also I know there are people out there who take on all kind of professions just for the sake of the money, but I'm always so dismayed at the # of nurses that have absolutely no sympathy/compassion/empathy for their patients. They literally act like robots "just doing their job." In the medical field period I believe there's no such thing as just doing one's job; everything done should ALWAYS come from the heart. And these are VERY young nurses that I'm talking about not people who have been in the profession for years and are burned out. Heck, I'm 27 and a lot of them looked younger than me!

Just my 2 cents!

Zookeeper44, RN · Jan 21, 2010

As others have stated, knowing we can always find work was the #1 motivator for me to become an RN. It's not the ONLY motivator, but let's get real. If I've got to work somewhere, might as well be something I can enjoy, have lots of options as to where and with whom I work, AND make a decent salary and have job security. Nothing wrong with wanting to be in on that.

I am trained in another profession and loved what I did, but the work is less than scarce, the working conditions FAR worse than any nursing job I'm aware of, and about half the salary. So I'm adjusting my goals. I will approach nursing the way I approach everything else...giving it all I've got, high work ethic, and doing my very best for the good of the people I am serving.

It may be my imagination but I have noticed that there have been several nurses either on this board or elsewhere who seem very insecure, for some reason, about their own jobs, and seem to want to always scare off other potential nurses with horror stories, although they have no intention of getting out of themselves, so really how true can those horror stories really be??? I will not let those people deter me from my goals and neither should you.

I think the most stressful part of nursing is going to be dealing with personalities of co-workers, but I have a background in psych...so I'm ready!

debragan · Jan 21, 2010

Its true work places can be hostile and its not just in nursing people are petty, jealous, back stabbing and just plan mean. I work in long term care and when I went to work at this nursing home I was thrilled they had a day shift open, most I had searched only had nights. I worked there 2 weeks and knew if I didn't go 10 pm to 6 am I was going to have to kill someone. The admin, DON and ADON were B-----s! with a capital B. They put staff down called them stupid and pretty much created a very hostile invironment. When my mother was dying I called in every morning and let them know I wouldn't be in that night the third morning I was told this is a business I need to know when you will be in! I asked her if she would like me to put a pillow over her face to hurry it up for her. They were rotten never sent flowers or even a card. So I quit and went to work in another home and I LOVE LOVE LOVE it. there is still the petty differences that go on but the management staff is wonderful. They are caring of everyone from housekeeping to Nursing and all our residents. So if you want to be a nurse just remember as a nurse you can change jobs all you want till you find a place where you'll be happy.

Debbie

billyboblewis · Jan 21, 2010

I have been an RN since 1972 and can tell you that working in nursing is no different than working any where else. Do a good job that is up to standards and you will succeed. If you are worried about what other people think about you or say you are just making your self miserable. The only thing that counts is the rating you get from your employer and patients. You do not have to socialize with your co-workers you can have an outside network.

I have recomended to my 18 year old daughter that she become an LPN as it takes less time and energy and at this time is actually a more stable job than RN in most places. If she follows my advice she will be able to make a living wage while she figures out what she wants to do with her life.

nursenow · Jan 21, 2010

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!"

A sincere answer: It is not so horrible. When people talk about how hard and horrible nursing is, their opinion is always relative. I had alot of other jobs before nursing and I don't think nursing is horrible or particularly hard. If this is all you have ever done or have been doing it a very long time, you may not appreciate how good it actually is. Go be a construction worker, oil field worker(roughneck) farm worker, military, CNA, waiter or alot of other jobs and then you will appreciate nursing alot more. (i know from personal experience) It doesn't matter what field you work in there are people that are not happy or are burned out and could use time away. Don't let the negative comments sway you. It is a good job if you will let it be a good job.

paddlelady, BSN, RN · Jan 22, 2010

Whatever job you work in there are always difficult people in the work environment.

I have worked outside of nursing and I can speak from experience. You just have to find the right fit for you. Throughout my nursing career I have worked with some great people and great teams of professionals. What makes it so enjoyable are positive , respectable, and ethical people that there are in the profession. Like I said you will always have negative and unhappy people. Please dont let it get to you . Make sure you take care of yourself and have a life outside of nursing . Make sure you have a way to deal with your negative emotions and not bring them to work with you. I could go on. If you really want to be a nurse and this is your passion you will find ways to work with difficult people. Best of luck to you in the coming years.

Paddlelady

aloevera · Jan 23, 2010

Believe me....you won't encounter any more hostility in the nursing profession than you would in any other....ex...office, factory, school, etc........

In life you will always see some people trying to climb the ladder or degrading others due to their own insecurity and you learn to avoid them or deal with them....Don't let that "nurses eat their own" go to your head and stop you.....

Quit reading all the negative posts and get going !!!!!!!!!