Why does Nursing have to be a passion?

Is it necessary for nursing to be a passion? Why? 

Specializes in PICU.
13 hours ago, CalicoKitty said:

I don't know about "passion" but I would somewhat think it is liking and loving one's job. Plenty of people become passionate about their jobs, even IT people, program planners, etc. People that like what they do probably are self-motivated to do a better job and find ways to improve it. Personally, I want to enjoy what I do. I spend a lot of my time at work, sometimes more than I spend with my hubby (excluding sleep!). I'd rather be doing something I'm happy with than just punching a clock and waiting to be anywhere else.

While what you say is true.  Most people do not go around asking other professions if IT is there passion. I have never hear any asking an administrative assistant, a civil engineer if the reason they have that job is because it is there passion.

On 11/29/2022 at 10:17 PM, Wuzzie said:

Again, who is making such a big deal? 

I am not a nurse, but interested in possibly becoming one. My brother is a surgeon and spoke to some of the nurses he works with for insight or any advice for me. One of them said it was “a calling”. I think that kind of comment is sort of unique to nursing. I have also heard teachers use the word “calling”. Also priests, mothers. Perhaps because it is a healing profession.  It’s something God calls some people to do?

22 minutes ago, klone said:

Considering that I've been a nurse for almost 17 years, and am also Atheist, I would say a resounding "no"

In my experience, "calling" is equivalent to "horrible working conditions and poor pay" and also equivalent to "pink collar" work.

What is pink collar work? Work by majority women?

1 hour ago, AnnaliseP said:

 It’s something God calls some people to do?

Some people may say this and it's true for them but I would say that for the larger majority it's a job like any other. 

Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
12 hours ago, Wuzzie said:

Some people may say this and it's true for them but I would say that for the larger majority it's a job like any other. 

Wuzzie, I initailly became a nurse So that I would have stable income. I let the stress of the job and so freaked out  that I ended up trying to kill myself. It wasn't just nursing. I have long history of depression from Childhood physical and emotional  abuse. I had great mentorship and was never bullied but the stress and three cases of fetal demise just tipped me over the edge/I survived, and came back better and emotionally stronger and Have been in nursing long enough to be contemplating retirement. Nursing was never a calling but needing a stable income was.

Hppy  

Specializes in ED.
On 11/29/2022 at 6:08 PM, Wuzzie said:

Who says it does?

The troll NMs who get onto these sites to attempt to do to grads what they did to nursing students---brainwash them into believing that SACRIFICE is what is needed, whether you can feed your kids or not.

Yeah...no.  Do the whole dance for a year so you get that magic number....and peace out, honey.  Do travel.  Once those floodgates were opened, the hospitals are scrambling in ANY WAY THEY CAN to try and get the genie back in the bottle. Once we found out that...OH YEAH....it CAN be about a PAYCHECK and not your absolute identity as an indentured servant....they're panicking.

I did staff for about 4 years and even changed facilities/states in order to make certain I understood that it WASN'T ME. It's not.  It's them.  They continue to spout this "$32/hr average salary nationally"....for the past 20 years. In ANY other profession....salaries rise with inflation. But not nursing.  And we aren't supposed to care about that....we are just sacrifical, humble like the Lord and want/need nothing for ourselves....whatever.

I left and never went back. I did travel for 2 years prior to Covid. I was taking home (with the same amount of work, same amount of time)---4x what the staff was making .One day of overtime?  Cha ching.  Covid hit?  Now I make 5-6x what staffers make, take a MONTH OFF between jobs (and usually, it's the same hospital that waits for me to come back).  I paid off ALL DEBT and purchased a new car for cash, paid for my ENTIRE PMHNP education in cash (I was not a Psych NP when I started travel. I am still in school. so my education is PAID FOR).

This malarky that "travel jobs dry up" and the hospitals are crap---all that----that is propaganda by the facilities themselves. Trolling boards like this to discourage you from traveling and making the kind of money that we have been OWED FOR YEARS of wage suppression.

NURSING IS A JOB, folks. NOT AN IDENTITY.  Just like being an engineer and hating what you do, but you do it because it pays your bills.  FFS.  These troll HR people and NMs need to get over themselves and spend some time advocating for their own people to make a livable wage and have a decent work environment.

Specializes in ED.
On 12/1/2022 at 3:35 AM, Googlenurse said:

Why did you reply to them the way you did?

Did they say something wrong?

Because she/he is one of those that believes prostrating yourself before the altar of making money for investors (WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT WE DO NOW) should be your passion. If not, you're just a horrible human being.

Whatever. Don't take it seriously. I meet nurses like this (if they are actually a nurse and not a NM, HR person, or administrator of some sort who has a vested interest in keeping you believing that you have to live like a homeless person and love it or you couldn't POSSIBLY be a good nurse) every single day.  That one that just makes nursing their whole identity and if you DARE to expect anything more....you should be flogged then fired.

Meh.  It's a job. And I would ABSOLUTELY leave it if travel weren't so lucrative. I care about my patients just as much.  I JUST MAKE MORE MONEY DOING IT than this nasty poster does....and that's probably what their actual problem with your post IS. That you question the status quo and you are questioning conformity.

On 12/5/2022 at 12:15 PM, Davey Do said:

A so-called calling doesn't necessarily have to do with God or even spirituality, it can be just a self-fulling occupation in and of itself.

 Working as a nurse can satisfy our need to be a contributing member of society, a way to make our way in the world, and a stimulating & exciting occupation.

Merely being guided by the Fates and being in the right place at the right time could be considered a calling.

 I believe nursing was my calling and the proof is in the pudding. I am where I always wanted to be: Financially comfortable in retirement and doing what I want to do every day after a long and successful 40+ year career.

But hey, who am I to question the parochial perspective  who's been in the business for a whopping three years?

Wait, hold on. I hope this isn’t directed at me. I didn’t realize that mentioning God would be so controversial. I believe in God and am religious, so this is what came to mind FOR ME. Some of the people here are going to have to take a deep breath and come to terms with the fact that lots of individuals have integral religious views and it’s not that hard to respect that. No one said that every nurse in the world is on a mission from God. Obviously I understand and respect that, and maybe it can go both ways? 

Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).

If we are truly comfortable in our belief system, we don't need others' reinforcement, as it is carved in concrete.

However, if we are not comfortable in our belief system, we look for external validation, which is fleeting and written in water.

30 minutes ago, Davey Do said:

If we are truly comfortable in our belief system, we don't need others' reinforcement, as it is carved in concrete.

However, if we are not comfortable in our belief system, we look for external validation, which is fleeting and written in water.

Well that’s good because I’m not looking for others reinforcement. Thanks for the compliment. Hugs.

Specializes in oncology.
On 11/29/2022 at 8:47 PM, S8317823 said:

I really don’t need understand why people make such a big deal about motivation within Nursing it’s so stupid and honestly very tiresome.

But on another post you said

Quote

 It has to be your one true passion otherwise you can’t do it.

Which is it? Just stirring the pot? 

Specializes in Med-Surg.
Wuzzie said:

Who says it does?

Social media influencers.   Maybe not specifically for nursing, but the young are bombarded with "find what your passionate about and do it!".

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