I feel like everywhere I go people are expressing their hate for nursing rather than their love. I want to go into nursing, and I want to love it. WHY does everyone (almost) hate it so much? Is it really that bad? Can someone express their love for it? I would really enjoy hearing why you love your nursing job.
Personally I could never work in a nursing home, but my goal is to work in the OB/NICU or the ER.
I work home care (private duty) pediatrics, and I love it. I enjoy the challenge of trachs & vents. It seems that most of my clients have breathing problems of one type or another. These are the kids that can't be left alone, and mom & dad have to sleep sometime! I enjoy teaching. I enjoy helping the kids gain new ground, learn new things, and do new things. I love watching the "gears" in their heads turn as they figure something out. Some of my kids function at a low level, perhaps at 3 months or so. Yet even these kids know love, and generally are most content when held & cuddled.
It's funny; I was going to be a music teacher, but I got a job as a nurse's aide right out of high school and discovered that I loved it! I prefer home care because the schedule can mesh with the family's, and I have time to do fun nursing. Hospital nursing is so rushed, with little time to do more than just the basics. Once I found home nursing, I never looked back.
No offence, but the term "princess" is pretty ridiculous... I wasn't aware that trying to save a life or help a life of a newborn baby go home healthy to a worried family in the NICU was a "princess" job. I have highly considered the emergency room as well, I don't think its right to judge a person on which field they have interest in let alone calling them princesses. :)
No offence, but the term "princess" is pretty ridiculous... I wasn't aware that trying to save a life or help a life of a newborn baby go home healthy to a worried family in the NICU was a "princess" job. I have highly considered the emergency room as well, I don't think its right to judge a person on which field they have interest in let alone calling them princesses. :)
Hmph. Mav never called me a Princess. I don't know whether to flounce or be relieved!
Just once I'd like to read a thread by some pre-nursing butterfly who's dream job is to be a really good med-surg nurse.
Enough already with the NICU/PICU/OB princesses.
I'm not a princess. My ultimate goal is research, so I'm not picky about where I go for my residency program. Definitely not tiny humans or laboring moms, though.
I have found that many who had a "dream" job learned, once they went through school (or worked for a bit!), found they liked quite a bit more than they originally thought. Just stay open to all opportunities and possibilities :) I never thought I would end up in OB, not once, during my schooling. But a job happened to open up in that department during my career, and here I am in OB, and apparently a "princess" to boot, LOL
But are there days I just need to vent as the stress level gets to be too much? Of course, but I still love my job. Nearly EVERY job, nursing or not, will have pro's and con's, stressful and non-stressful days. As long as you have a job where the stress is the TYPE of stress you can manage, that helps. Good luck to you :)
No offence, but the term "princess" is pretty ridiculous... I wasn't aware that trying to save a life or help a life of a newborn baby go home healthy to a worried family in the NICU was a "princess" job. I have highly considered the emergency room as well, I don't think its right to judge a person on which field they have interest in let alone calling them princesses. :)
Anyone who calls NICU or PICU nurses princesses clearly doesn't know what they are talking about. Spend some time with a newborn who is actively withdrawing or care for a ten year old in a coma after being hit by a drunk driver and then come back and talk.
Anyone who calls NICU or PICU nurses princesses clearly doesn't know what they are talking about. Spend some time with a newborn who is actively withdrawing or care for a ten year old in a coma after being hit by a drunk driver and then come back and talk.
I took Mav's post as more about the attitudes new grads have rather than saying NICU/OB nurses are "princesses". There have been a lot of posts about how new grads dream jobs are in these specialties, which is fine, but they aren't willing to consider other areas and become frustrated when no one hires them for their dream job.
I took Mav's post as more about the attitudes new grads have rather than saying NICU/OB nurses are "princesses". There have been a lot of posts about how new grads dream jobs are in these specialties, which is fine, but they aren't willing to consider other areas and become frustrated when no one hires them for their dream job.
I agree that sometimes you have to consider working in other areas that you didn't really see yourself in before getting into a department that you have always wanted to work in. That being said, I am way more than willing to work in another department before switching (if I don't fall in love with the floor I am already on) ... I was just stating that I have always had a desire to help babies get better and go home to a good family (I know that doesn't always happen), and comfort the family when everything doesn't turn out to be "glitter, rainbows, and puffy clouds" for them.
I took Mav's post as more about the attitudes new grads have rather than saying NICU/OB nurses are "princesses". There have been a lot of posts about how new grads dream jobs are in these specialties, which is fine, but they aren't willing to consider other areas and become frustrated when no one hires them for their dream job.
Exactly how I took it too. But Mav, can I be the LTC queen 👸ðŸ»
I agree that sometimes you have to consider working in other areas that you didn't really see yourself in before getting into a department that you have always wanted to work in. That being said, I am way more than willing to work in another department before switching (if I don't fall in love with the floor I am already on) ... I was just stating that I have always had a desire to help babies get better and go home to a good family (I know that doesn't always happen), and comfort the family when everything doesn't turn out to be "glitter, rainbows, and puffy clouds" for them.
I understand. A lot of my classmates are the NICU/OB crazed individuals. But their reasons are essentially "I like babies". I hope that's enough for them and that they don't become burned out.
I was pretty frustrated when I didn't get my dream specialty out of the gate while many other new grads with less healthcare experience were getting those same jobs. Didn't make me a princess.
I got a med-surg job and did a solid eight months before getting a NICU position. I worked in a horrific environment with some of the most difficult patients ever. I wasn't afraid to work hard nor did a cop a princess attitude.
I think very few new grads are going to pass up paid nursing experience in this economy.
I took Mav's post as more about the attitudes new grads have rather than saying NICU/OB nurses are "princesses". There have been a lot of posts about how new grads dream jobs are in these specialties, which is fine, but they aren't willing to consider other areas and become frustrated when no one hires them for their dream job.
Kitiger, RN
1,834 Posts
I work home care (private duty) pediatrics, and I love it. I enjoy the challenge of trachs & vents. It seems that most of my clients have breathing problems of one type or another. These are the kids that can't be left alone, and mom & dad have to sleep sometime! I enjoy teaching. I enjoy helping the kids gain new ground, learn new things, and do new things. I love watching the "gears" in their heads turn as they figure something out. Some of my kids function at a low level, perhaps at 3 months or so. Yet even these kids know love, and generally are most content when held & cuddled.
It's funny; I was going to be a music teacher, but I got a job as a nurse's aide right out of high school and discovered that I loved it! I prefer home care because the schedule can mesh with the family's, and I have time to do fun nursing. Hospital nursing is so rushed, with little time to do more than just the basics. Once I found home nursing, I never looked back.