Why are you REALLY going into nursing? Honest answers please.

Nursing Students General Students

Published

Ok, I'm a bit frustrated with all of these posts telling us that we shouldn't go into nursing because we need a job and steady income. Sure, I do like to help people, but I need a steady job even more. So, I decided to post a poll to see if we can get some honest answers.

:p

Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.

See "New CVICU RN" thread ... maybe this is what some have been trying to say. I'm not here to judge anyone's motivations, but I do think that nursing will suck more out of you than you may be willing to give if helping people isn't fairly high on your priority list. If I didn't have a strong sense of wanting a profession that contributes to the better good, times like the one described in this thread would be way, way too high a price for me to pay just for a paycheck.

Good luck to all.

https://allnurses.com/forums/showthread.php?t=69528

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I'm going into nursing because I have a good heart and I want to help people. Also, besides having a good heart and wanting to help people I'm a single mother and I would like to have a high demand career where I can find a job anywhere and make decent money. :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
To me it's two separate issues. I'm a nurse because I care about getting and helping sick people and I'm a compassionate understanding person. The reason I stay a nurse and stay at this particular job has a lot to do with the money. If someone offered me $5.00 an hour more, I would probably jump at it considering benefits, etc. That doesn't make me less of a compassionate nurse.

I agree. That was the point I was trying to make. Nurses like money too. And there's nothing wrong with that. But why is it wrong if you happen to be a student? Obviously I'm not talking about you Tweety. But I've been reading this board for months, and I see post after post telling students, you shouldn't go into nursing if you need the money.

Yet, I don't see nurses criticizing other nurses for taking jobs that pay better. And, a lot of nurses complain that they don't make enough money. Yet, nobody says those nurses are doing a lousy job or, are less compassionate, because they want more money.

Why do students get all of the grief for wanting the same thing that nurses do?

It IS a separate issue. But not if you're a student on this board. It's a double standard and hypocritical.

That's what bothers me.

:eek:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

Why do students get all of the grief for wanting the same thing that nurses do? :eek:

Students and nurses sometimes have an interesting dynamic going on.

Lizz we love to give students grief because there students can be so assured and arrogant sometimes about what nursing is about. Those of us in the trenches can be arrogant too that we know better and pat you on the head and say "just wait until your a real nurse deary.....then you'll understand". :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Students and nurses sometimes have an interesting dynamic going on.

Lizz we love to give students grief because there students can be so assured and arrogant sometimes about what nursing is about. Those of us in the trenches can be arrogant too that we know better and pat you on the head and say "just wait until your a real nurse deary.....then you'll understand". :)

Well, I do agree with that. I don't pretend to understand what nursing is all about, by any means. Any student who does is out of their mind, and they probably do deserve that kind of grief. :chuckle

But when it comes to the money issue, hypocrisy runs rampant around here.

;)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency Dept, M/S.

I haven't read through the whole post (up to 23 pages!), but I will say that I have several reasons. 1) I like the medical aspect of it - I find medical anything fascinating. 2) I know that I will always be able to find a job. There are so many areas to go into an specialize in. 3) The pay, at least around here, is good. You can name your price right now. I know it won't always be like that, but it will be for quite a while to come, what with a lot of nurses leaving the profession and not as many coming out of nursing school, due to instructor shortages. I know the same goes for dental hygenists. They can turn them out fast enough at a school I went to, and new grads are getting $50/hr in some places, experienced ones demanding $75/hr. Not too shabby!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Ok, so if you weren't paid for that, would you still do it? Seriously.

:uhoh21:

Ah, you took the words right out of my mouth.:chuckle That was exactly what I was thinking to myself, but didn't have the guts to post it :p Most nurses say they do it because they love to help people. I think that is wonderful. My question is,if it for the love of helping people, why are so many nurses always squabbling for more money?

One more thing. How come when nurses say they love to help people, but they also love the good pay, they are called "unethical", but people working at any other job for a lot of money (whether it is woking with people or not) are considered "accomplished", "hard-working" "deserving" ??

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Ok, so if you weren't paid for that, would you still do it? Seriously.

:uhoh21:

right on sister! hty/

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Ok, I'm a bit frustrated with all of these posts telling us that we shouldn't go into nursing because we need a job and steady income. Sure, I do like to help people, but I need a steady job even more. So, I decided to post a poll to see if we can get some honest answers.

:p

There are so many reasons to go into nursing. You will never be bored...and if you get bored in one area...there are about one million others you can do. While you will probably get nights when you first get out of school...there will never be another job where you can work around your family. Childcare will rarely be an issue. Nursing is a challenge at all levels, LPN, ASN, BSN, MSN...never will you ever find a place where you can meet people at their worst time and do something to change their day!!! I love nursing. What I really like is how I can change how I practice nursing depending on what fits my personality! :chuckle
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Sorry, but it is true. My house and car are paid for. My husband and I have been married for 12 years, and he makes damn good money :). I do not have to work. I am going to be a nurse because there is something within my heart that has told me to follow my dream. And that my friend IS the whole truth. :)

Good point--we have opinions on both sides of the fence and as with any good political debate--we can agree to disagree :p

Best to everyone's future endeavors. hty/

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in home health, LTC, assisted living.

To be totally honest, this is my third career, my children are grown and moved out, and this is something I have really wanted to be since I was in my 20's. And part of it is a mid-life thing, if I don't do it now I will regret it, and I need something to do with my time. My goal is to give a little of myself to humanity.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I know this is going to sound cheesy to most of you but I can honestly say that being a nurse is a dream I've had for a loooooong time. I can honestly say that even as a little girl, I always wanted to be a nurse. I am a 32 yr old mother of 3 wonderful children who have, at times, had health issues. My daughter was born with Group B Strep 12 yrs ago this month. She was transferred to a hospital about 2 hrs from home and spent 11 days in the NICU. The first few days she was there, I was stuck in our local hospital with extremely high bp which needed to be brought under control before I could be discharged. Otherwise, I'd be risking my life and I surely didn't want my daughter to be without her mother when she got well enough to go home. I stressed terribly because I worried she'd feel "abandoned". Yet, when I was finally able to make the first of many trips to the NICU to visit my baby girl, I found that even though I hadn't been there, my baby was being nurtured, not by me but by some really caring nurses. She was being held and rocked and cuddled and they even sang to her. She was actually SPOILED by the time I brought her home!:chuckle I have always been thankful for the care she received during that time because I felt they did for her what I couldn't do. A few yrs later, my son Zachary was born. At the ripe old age of 4 1/2 yrs old, he was diagnosed with Kawasaki Disease. He was very sick. He had arthritis like symptoms that were so severe, he couldn't stand to be moved, among many other symptoms. He was admitted to Children's Hospital about 2 hrs from here. He had the same nurse for several days and let me tell you, she was AWESOME! She could get my "mama's boy" to do things I couldn't get him to do. She was sweet and caring...She provided wonderful medical care but she didn't just care for my son's physical needs. She played trains with him...she walked the halls pulling him in the wagon...she brought him a chocolate snowman on Christmas morning(he was admitted on Christmas eve)....He really bonded with her because she cared how he felt. She took care of both the physical and the emotional needs he had and by the time we left, Zachary had declared that he was going to marry his nurse!:rotfl: Every year since then, we have visited his nurse when we go back for his follow-up cardiology appts. and she always remembers him and makes a huge fuss over him. She's always concerned about how he's doing and she loves his visits. He still talks about her and he still swears that he's going to marry her someday!Now, you're probably wondering why I had to share these stories in order to tell you WHY I am going into nursing. Again, nursing is something I always dreamed of doing.....But when these nurses gave such wonderful care to my children, they made a huge impact on not only my children's lives, but my life as well. I guess, in some ways, I almost feel a need to "repay" them by providing that same level of care to MY patients. I see the difference that they made in our lives and I want to do the same for others. Maybe this all sounds cheesy but I can honestly say that money isn't a factor in my decision to go into nursing. I've been a stay at home mom for 12 yrs now so we've managed to make it on my husband's salary for this long...I actually decided to go back to school just last year because my "baby" will be starting school next year and I kept wondering how I'd deal with that and what I'd do without any children at home......and then I decided to go back to school so that by the time he starts school, I will have a life of my own outside of the kids. Medicine has always been very interesting to me and I'm a "people" person. Nothing feels better in life than to know that I've done something to help my fellow man....I guess you could say that for me, nursing truly does feel like a calling to me. I really feel that this is where God wants me to be at this point in my life and I couldn't be happier about it. Of course, I'll have to admit that the extra income will be an added bonus!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment