WHY do we need more nurses

I think the problem is that many of us who have "been around the block" see students who have unrealistic expectations of themselves and their upcoming co-workers.

I have seen nurses who have gone through many years of college without working in any general hospital floor let alone the specialty areas and feel they should become managers because they have education.

The worst part is that I have seen it happen that they are promoted and have little idea what real nursing is.

Most graduations I have attended emphasize that now the learning actually begins. I know for me that was the case.

I am glad that students want to become nurses and seek the experiences and skills needed. What they can't get in school is the organization and tempo necessary to make it.

Think of it like an orchestra. It is a whole different skill set to play solo than to play as an ensemble. It may also be the difference between playing violin in a chamber music group and a fiddle in a country group. One is not better than the other.

It is just that in order to join you can't badmouth the people who are already playing. They won't want you in the group, regardless of how well you play solo.:typing

You bet we need caring nurses. Stat!

What we don't need is holier than thou nursing students who call us bitter, assume we don't care about our pts, and imply that we are crusty because we vent about the realities of nursing. (You might have missed some of those posts as they were deleted)

And selfish reasons? I missed that part of the thread. Most people agreed that the nursing shortage would be improved with RETENTION, rather than just increasing enrollment.

In fact, the OP only said to not INCREASE enrollment. It didn't mention anything about preventing new students from becoming nurses.

What we dont need nursing students is nurses who lost their enthusiasms somewhere down the line to tell us what "horrible"field" we are entering.The way you describe it this job really sound awful.

LET US FIND OUT ON OUR OWN HON.

THROW US IN DEEP WATER.

LET AS LEARN HOW TO WALK AND TAKE A FALL.

MAYBE WE WILL BE BURNED OUT NURSES OR MAYBE WE WILL BE HAPPY NURSES?

YOU DONT HAVE A CRYSTAL BALL TO PREDICT OUR FUTURE.

AND OUR FUTURE IS INDIVIDUAL.

Hmm. I think it wrong to circle the troops on Kasia. It's sometimes good for someone to provide a little insight from the outside.

I do I agree that the nurse work load has increased. It only makes sense.. The baby-boomers are aging, my mother being one them visits the ER, specialists and the family doctor at least 3X's more than she did when I was a little one.

But, I think with enviromental factors and the inactivity so prevalent in our society this can be expected. What has changed the attitudes of patients and caregivers alike, I beilieve is the corporate pedagogy that healthcare has taken on!

Healthcare has become a customer service, people pay through the nose for something in which they don't think is delivered well in many cases. Not to go too anecdotal, when my son (32 weeker) was born, I didn't give a rats you know what, what kind of day, week, month, or life my son's NICU nurse had, I just wanted to believe that they cared and were as gentle as I would be.

Truth is, didn't always get this. At the end, still had a 34,000 bill. But this aside, it is no suprise that people lash out in illness, and I hope that neither me or Kasia as student nurses have to encounter this but this is a good possibility.

For the many of us nursing students who have as such in my case had previous notable academic achievements (that don't amount to anything in nursing) and earned a few bucks living very comfortably... have not made an easy nor at many times completely comfy decision to become a nurse. Its hard to start all over and have the courage to pursue one's dream. So, to automatcially jump to the assumption that we don't know or appreciate what the job is, is wrong. You are right, we know that its not a walk in the park, and for all of the intensive learning, and extreme debt that the majority of us are incurring, we know that it doesn't come with out a much longer road of hard work and unfair treatment.

I am almost sure that my view of nursing will change, hopefully, not only for the bad but also see some of the unexpected positive things. This is part of the evolving person, and god knows we all must evolve.

I don't think that anybody is saying that preceptors are relieved by our presence, no I don't think anyone believes that. But, as almost everyone has experienced, acting harshly or rudely for the sake of, is not conducive to anything either. And so I am hopeful that this thread will lose some the them vs us posture, and rise to a level of discourse that encourages positive feedback and possibly some advise and/or pet peeves of preceptors. Conferring this to the student population would be a postive way for us to get feedback, while gleeming some insight into the real, day-to-day of an experienced nurse.

HIL

I second the (ie cleaning ass) part. It seriously prevents people from entering this profession, or sticking around. My (idiotic) sis-in-law asked me if as a nurse I have to do "menial, useless tasks" as a nurse "like clean poop, and wash people". I of course told her that is a crucial part and helps with the assessment or indicates a deteriorating condition. Her reply? "Well then I don't want to become a nurse. Maybe I should think about becoming a doctor" For the love of humankind, I hope she stays as far away from healthcare as possible. So there lies some job security!

I have a friend who is in medical school and I asked him why he wouldnt be a nurse first and then continue with his medical studies.He replied that the reason he didnt want to do his RN was because he didnt want to deal with dirty work! Then I met a nursing student who got a job as CNA and she constantly was telling people that she does the dirty job!!

What are those people thinking someone tell me please.....

I have a friend who is in medical school and I asked him why he wouldnt be a nurse first and then continue with his medical studies.He replied that the reason he didnt want to do his RN was because he didnt want to deal with dirty work! Then I met a nursing student who got a job as CNA and she constantly was telling people that she does the dirty job!!

What are those people thinking someone tell me please.....

It is dirty though. Poop is not clean. Ultimately, the dirty job is within our scope of practice and we are accountable that the dirty job is done. Some people go through school thinking they will never have to clean poo if they are a nurse. I work in ICU and never have an aide half the time and I clean my patient's poo all the time. I have some strange sense of accomplishment every time I clean a patient's bottom and put cream on it..

I'm going to say that when I became an aide before nursing school a lot of nurses told me not to do it. They ultimately do not decide what is in store for my future. I have my plans. Those people that tell you not to do it, take their words for a grain of salt. I have to say I've never lost my enthusiasm but sometimes when you're hugging a family member whose loved one was shot, beaten, stabed or just died from some type of disease process, its hard to be enthusiastic. But I'm not bitter. Just wanted to say that.

It is dirty though. Poop is not clean. Ultimately, the dirty job is within our scope of practice and we are accountable that the dirty job is done. Some people go through school thinking they will never have to clean poo if they are a nurse. I work in ICU and never have an aide half the time and I clean my patient's poo all the time.

Before I entered nursing field I also thought it was disgusting.But when it came down to cleaning patient's poop it felt akwardly fine to me.I guess when the person is sick,the human feces are of less importance.

Before I entered nursing field I also thought it was disgusting.But when it came down to cleaning patient's poop it felt akwardly fine to me.I guess when the person is sick,the human feces are of less importance.

That's very true. When I'm cleaning poo I'm thinking to myself "gotta hurry up and to the patient back over so they can breathe properly"

Yep, Im wondering after the 1,000,000 dirty diaper I've changed this week, how much differently I will fill about a stranger's poop.. Probably pretty different..

Yep, Im wondering after the 1,000,000 dirty diaper I've changed this week, how much differently I will fill about a stranger's poop.. Probably pretty different..

Probably but for me after a while, I just go used to it. One dirty butt looks the same as the next dirty butt.

'Long as we are discussing "brown-outs": I try to remember how it is for the person who has it happen. Just the other night I had a guy in end stage liver failure. We kept giving him Lactulose and finally it came through, big time.

The second explosion happened and I found him crying. As I assured him that we wanted that to happen to clear his liver, I could see him begin to relax. By the third total change in 1 1/2 hours I wondered if he or I would survive. He is huge and the anasarca made it impossible for him to move himself at all.

I hope my attitude and compassion helped him to deal with this embarrassing time. It sure helped me.

When I was an aide I figured I would not have to do this much as a nurse. Now I am grateful that I have what it takes to have the good, bad, and ugly thrown my way.

Sorry if off topic. We need more nurses so I can hang up my hat for good someday.