Would you become a nurse today if you could do it over again?

Nurses General Nursing

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Two career-advice questions (at end of this message)... Candid answers would be very welcome.

BACKGROUND: I am a first-year nursing student in an RN ADN program. I have a master's degree in public health and some years of work experience under my belt. I am doing well in my courses and don't find the book stuff terribly difficult, and find the things I'm learning really, really useful.

But... I am worried about the things I am hearing, from various sources (different Web site forums, published articles, the news, ex-nurses, etc.) about the real world of nursing - the horrible staffing levels, the frequent disrespect, the excessive charting, hospitals being advertised similar to hotels but really so understaffed that truly adequate patient care is impossible. In short, it's dawning on me that the nursing shortage is an ominous sign that few people, no matter how well-intentioned, want to be a nurse or continue to be one anymore, and for good reason.

So, my two questions:

1) If you had to do it over again, would you become a nurse, given today's nursing working conditions?

2) Would you recommend I just get a job using my MPH and prior work experience and not become an RN?

unfortantely that is why you are unhappy being a nurse. Management and education aren't the only choses out there. Also other types of floors, every floor is different. Good Luck
I've said it many times, give me adequate staffing, the supplies to do my job, support in doing that job and I'm a happy camper.

I have tried different types of nursing, and I'm always drawn back to oncology. If I were told I couldn't work heme/onc ever again, I would quit. It's what I love to do. It's not nursing I hate.

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Specializes in psychiatry,geropsych,LTC/SNF, hospice.

1.) Yes. Definately. According to my mother, I was 4 when I first announced I wanted to be a nurse. Granted, there's been plenty of bad shifts, but for me, the good shifts far outnumber the bad. And geropsych is always challenging, so I'm always learning.

2.) As others have said, only you can make that choice.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Psych..
I've said it many times, give me adequate staffing, the supplies to do my job, support in doing that job and I'm a happy camper.

I have tried different types of nursing, and I'm always drawn back to oncology. If I were told I couldn't work heme/onc ever again, I would quit. It's what I love to do. It's not nursing I hate.

You are 100% right. I am sure most of us here who are syaing no, do not hate nursing and are very compasionate and caring nurses. The thing that make us hate our jobs is the fact we are not given enough help in order to do our job the way we are taught to do in a nursing school.

I have told my manager give me one more nurses aide and a some working equipment on the floor, I will not complain.....her response was "no budget":angryfire

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

It seems to be a love-hate relationship that we have with nursing. Also, we can add in the mix that since most of us have worked in this field for a long time, this has become all that we know. It was a natural progression for me to become an LPN after years of being a CNA, MA, and other things.

But, what makes it hard for those of us that ARE compassionate is that the rules of the game today do not support patient care, or our role as advocates of that. I can't count how many times many of my decisions depended strongly on who was on duty, and how to manipulate a situation for a better outcome. This adds more stress to me than anything else. I don't have much of a social life at this time in my life because I am too tired to get out after work. This adds to my stress. I found myself retreating to the home during my time off more than I did before. And, not many people understand nursing other than nurses. So, we spend time venting either here at allnurses or to our outside nurse friends that we can trust. It seems like a vicious cycle!

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Specializes in Med-Surg/Peds/O.R./Legal/cardiology.

jmgRN65,

How did you come to the conclusion that Emmanuel Goldstein is "unhappy being a nurse"? From what I have read, I'll venture to say that she/he is an outstanding nurse and takes excellent care of the patients entrusted to her/his care. EG, I, and many others on this site have been in nursing long enough to know the difference between being UNHAPPY AS NURSES and no longer being able to BE NURSES due to bureaucratic demands, clueless administration, and a host of other reasons (too numerous to mention).

l

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Specializes in cardiac/critical care/ informatics.
If I were suddenly 18 now, possessing all the knowledge of nursing I've gleaned over the years and trying to decide what to do with my life, no. Never.

But if I were to travel back in time, living under the same circumstances, I'd probably be forced to make the same decision. As a single mom with no support, this was the best route to take to ensure I could support myself and my kids. Yeah, money and relative job security were the major reasons I entered this field. But it has beat me down, physically, emotionally, and mentally. Management and teaching and the like hold no interest for me, so I will continue to work the bedside until I simply can't take it anymore.

And for those who are aghast at the thought of me becoming a nurse for the money--- until my grocery store and mortgage company accept pollyanna altruism in payment, I can pretty guarantee I will continue to work for the money.

jmgRN65,

How did you come to the conclusion that Emmanuel Goldstein is "unhappy being a nurse"? From what I have read, I'll venture to say that she/he is an outstanding nurse and takes excellent care of the patients entrusted to her/his care. EG, I, and many others on this site have been in nursing long enough to know the difference between being UNHAPPY AS NURSES and no longer being able to BE NURSES due to bureaucratic demands, clueless administration, and a host of other reasons (too numerous to mention).

l

above quote is why i thought she was unhappy, and I don't disagree with what you are saying. I also have been in nursing long enough to nurses just sit around c/o to other nurses, that is not going to help the situation. Nurses need to become more proactive, but that is another topic.

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above quote is why i thought she was unhappy, and I don't disagree with what you are saying. I also have been in nursing long enough to nurses just sit around c/o to other nurses, that is not going to help the situation. Nurses need to become more proactive, but that is another topic.
I also said it's not nursing I hate :)
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THANK YOU, everyone, for replying to my questions. Much appreciated. Certainly a mix of responses, although I could tease out some common themes from the pro and con arguments for becoming/not becoming a nurse.

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Hello,

I noticed that you are a nurse in OB/GYN area. How is it. I'm currently studying for the NET and this is the specialty that I would like to get involved with. Would you recommend this area? Anyway, have a Happy Thanksgiving!

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1. No, probably not. I have a fascination for forensics, and wish I could have done something like that. As for nursing, I enjoyed the patient interaction, but nursing isn't what it used to be - it's become so much political BS.

2. Only you can decide.

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In reply to luv2_help - I'm actually not a nurse yet, so am not an OB specialist. You could post a thread asking for advice, though.

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1. No, probably not. I have a fascination for forensics, and wish I could have done something like that.
Oh, I could so be a CSI!

:lol2:

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