WHY do so many people hate nursing? Sigh.

ThePrincessBride, MSN, RN, NP · Feb 17, 2016

Too true. These days if you stay at a job too long, you become too expensive for the company. They do not care how much experience you have. They can hire a new or newer employee much cheaper.

Exactly. I have seen this happen. Experienced and expensive nurses being pushed out for inexperienced and cheap new grads. It is scary.

P_RN, ADN, RN · Feb 17, 2016

EXACTLY!!

Pattyo · Feb 17, 2016

I love being a nurse! I became a nurse at age 47 (been one for 10 years), after a successful career with higher status and more money. I get more satisfaction in one day of nursing than I did in 20 years in my other career (research). Every career has pros and cons. Every specialty has pros and cons. I have worked in ER, Cardiac Care and Labour and Birth. Emergency is my first love. Many nurses told me not to become a nurse and many told me not to start as a new grad in ER. I did both. I listened to myself - confident that the things I look for in a career were present in nursing. If you have a passion, if you know yourself: Do what you want to do!

AspiringNurseMW · Feb 17, 2016

I'm a student fortune to live in a undesirable area, northeast PA (read, frequently top lists like least #of sunny days and most depressing city). Nursing jobs are abundant, even in specialties. Literally is mid February and the hospitals have already hosted recruiting events and are starting to hire NOW the students graduating in May. They pay decently for cost of livibg, staffing ratios aren't bad, etc.

The overwhelming majority of nurses I've been paired with during clinicals have been great.

I too aim to work in l&d, but because of past experience in that field and future goals. I know that at least where I live it's a strong possibility. Despite that, I've enjoyed all my other rotations, even the nursing home. I can't imagine working there as an RN, but more because of the sheer #of patients. That scares the bejesus out of me as a new nurse.

martymoose, BSN, RN · Feb 17, 2016

I love being a nurse! I became a nurse at age 47 (been one for 10 years), after a successful career with higher status and more money. I get more satisfaction in one day of nursing than I did in 20 years in my other career (research). Every career has pros and cons. Every specialty has pros and cons. I have worked in ER, Cardiac Care and Labour and Birth. Emergency is my first love. Many nurses told me not to become a nurse and many told me not to start as a new grad in ER. I did both. I listened to myself - confident that the things I look for in a career were present in nursing. If you have a passion, if you know yourself: Do what you want to do!

I was gonna say you must be in a different country- then I saw you're from Canada.

That's why you enjoy nursing. You probably aren't treated like dog food like we are here in the US.

Fiona59 · Feb 17, 2016

Canada does pay us well but I wouldn't say it's a high status job. Hospital nurses have a high rate of assault, higher than several police services here.

Emerg, L&D, and ICU managers actually enforce the respect in the workplace guidelines and will use security to enforce it. Unit managers on the floor an in LTC don't want to upset the families.

despite having unions, there are still ways to torture and humiliate staff, that some managers employ. We call them Teflon, because nothing ever sticks to them. They have revolving doors for staff on those units.

Emerg, ICU, and L&D also do great orientation periods. General duty new hires are lucky to get two weeks. As a new grad, I got a total of five shifts, because orientation was to get us used to unit routine and where things were kept. Logic was, school taught us what we needed to know to be general duty

Saja Karaja · Feb 17, 2016

You know here in Jordan most of people do not like nurse and do not let their children study nursing .. and let me be specific they do not let " Male " to study nursing because they think that male should study Engineering or a Doctor , if you came to our universities you will see in the class of nursing the female more than male like an example class have in it 20 student 17 female and the last 3 male ,, but here we came in the hardest part here in Jordan some parents do not encourage their daughter to study nursing if you ask me Why ? the answer because of shifts ,, they do not want their daughter to stay outside the house for a late time , so what they want her to study , the perfect answer " Teacher " and i do not want to talk about the stupied thoughts that they have about nurse , all I can say I'm happy for the support that I had from my parents to study nurse .â€‹

NurseDiane · Feb 17, 2016

I read every single post on here and can relate to all of them in some manner or another . I have been a nurse for 31 years. I graduated from a 3 year ( all year..no summers off) hospital based program what seems like 100 years ago. We were prepared well....we did 3 months in each rotation working 3 eight hour shifts per week, including all shifts and weekends...them finished up with a 5 month stint as a team leader on a unit ( back when team nursing was all the rage ). I went straight into the ICU out of school..that was my " dream job " . Orientation lasted barely 4 weeks , I was rotating night charge nurse by 12 weeks, and on the code team by 20 weeks. Sink or swim.... Did I make some mistakes ..Yep ! We all do. We are human. But I learned hard and fast. We didn't get extended orientations or internships . Over the years I have worked ED, PACU, trauma , home health, hospice, was an ADON ( shudder ) ...and have since returned to hospice . It's my niche. Do I love what I do? Yes..or I wouldn't do it. Do I love the politics of nursing ? Nope. Do I love the fact that I am now back in school at 52 years old because that ADN that had served me well is no longer " a valid degree " . Nope..actually it pisses me off. I'm tired of the need for alphabet soup after our names that, according to some, make us " better nurses " . Did I like working 40 + hours a week and being mandated to work overtime when I had plans on my time off? Nope...but I cancelled my plans and showed up anyway. We all vent about the realities of nursing life. It may not mean we hate it....but we are human and would like a little respect for what many of us do that our managers are often not skilled enough to do. Appreciation goes a long way..and we see little of that on a day to day basis. All that being said..can I imagine doing anything else ? Nope....I'm a nurse through and through. However, working at the local bakery making cupcakes is looking pretty good recently. Best of luck to you .

The 3 year diploma degree RN's were the very best trained nurses out there. My brother went to a 3 year diploma degree program & his clinical training was second to none.

Camillemm · Feb 17, 2016

I love being an RN. Graduated in 1982. Have worked as a hospital nurse on a medical floor (1st year out of school), then "floated" for a year in all critical care areas (ICU, PICU, NICU, Recovery), did 7 years of Medical/Cardiac ICU, 4 years working hemodialysis and the last 20 years have worked as a school nurse. I have worked as an RN in seven different states. Have worked every shift (days/eve/nights) and hours (8/10/12). My advice to new RNs is to start off working in a hospital, a teaching hospital (University affiliated medical center). I have only worked in teaching hospital and nurses were always treated well and appreciated. Even when working on the general medical floor I never had more than 5-6 patients. You cannot beat the experience you get working in a teaching hospital. I am now in the twilight of my career and have to say I have been blessed to be an RN. My one pet peeve is the perception some have that a "nurse is a nurse". I find today everyone refers to themselves as a nurse, whether CNA, or LPN or whatever. I always make sure people know I am an RN. It's not putting anybody down but what an RN does and knows is different from a CNA, LPN. It's important to make that distinction, everyone wears the same scrubs today whether you're a doctor of unit secretary or RN, etc. I like to see RNs be proud of their profession. We are consistently voted most trusted and admired by the public year after year.

Geslina, BSN, RN · Feb 17, 2016

One big reason - too much work and not enough help to do it. I didn't think nursing would be easy but it's certainly more work than I expected. I made more money with much less work in sales and bar tending. I work an 8 hour shift, needing to cram 12 hours worth of work into that time. I am not kidding when I say I am on my feet for my entire shift, and only sit down at the very end of the night to chart. My aides laugh at me, because I power walk through my night - I have one speed, and that is FAST. My job refuses to pay overtime, so I eat while I'm working and take maybe one or two 5 minute breaks, because I refuse to stay late and not get paid for it. I know I'm not getting paid for the breaks I don't take, but at least I'm finished when the 8 hours is up. The stress of trying to get it all done is brutal. Being too busy sucks the joy out of any of the good things about the job. Forget the spiritual aspects of nursing. Forget taking care of the patients emotional needs. No time for that stuff. Very hard to be patient with difficult patients, not when you are too worried about finishing all your work. It's too bad, because in the end, it's the patients that really matter and they suffer the most.

so yeah, if I had it to do all over again, I'd have picked a different career. If I was in my 20s, or even my 30s, I might consider going back to school and getting a degree in something else. But, I was in my 40s when I got my RN. I don't have the energy to do anything else now. The money is good, and I'm just trying to make the best of it.

Nurse Leigh · Feb 17, 2016

I love being an RN. Graduated in 1982. Have worked as a hospital nurse on a medical floor (1st year out of school), then "floated" for a year in all critical care areas (ICU, PICU, NICU, Recovery), did 7 years of Medical/Cardiac ICU, 4 years working hemodialysis and the last 20 years have worked as a school nurse. I have worked as an RN in seven different states. Have worked every shift (days/eve/nights) and hours (8/10/12). My advice to new RNs is to start off working in a hospital, a teaching hospital (University affiliated medical center). I have only worked in teaching hospital and nurses were always treated well and appreciated. Even when working on the general medical floor I never had more than 5-6 patients. You cannot beat the experience you get working in a teaching hospital. I am now in the twilight of my career and have to say I have been blessed to be an RN. My one pet peeve is the perception some have that a "nurse is a nurse". I find today everyone refers to themselves as a nurse, whether CNA, or LPN or whatever. I always make sure people know I am an RN. It's not putting anybody down but what an RN does and knows is different from a CNA, LPN. It's important to make that distinction, everyone wears the same scrubs today whether you're a doctor of unit secretary or RN, etc. I like to see RNs be proud of their profession. We are consistently voted most trusted and admired by the public year after year.

Oh deers. An LPN *is* a nurse. A CNA isn't but don't lump LPN and CNA together as non nurses. Sheesh.

Fiona59 · Feb 17, 2016

I decided to ignore that post. First post, drop a bomb, likely never to post again