Would you be a nurse if you knew then, what you know now?

[I love the OR]

Good morning! May I ask you all a question?

If you had it to do over again, would you still be a nurse?

[meandragonbrett]

Nope....wouldn't do it over again. I'd be a pilot or a consultant of some sort.

I'm good at what I do.....and love it.....but wouldn't do it over again.

[shoegalRN, RN]

I'm a late bloomer. Nursing is a second career for me.

If I know what I know now, I'd gone to nursing school straight out of high school. At my age, I'd had my FNP and be working at a clinic somewhere.

I love nursing! It does have its ups and downs, but for the most part, I can't EVER see myself working in corporate again.

[Tangerine Lipgloss]

No. I would be a teacher. I have a love of learning and sharing knowledge. I would have went right to college, got a bachelor's and masters while living at home with my parents. I would teach young people. Instead of going straight to work after high school, then going to nursing school while working and supporting myself. Doing everything the hard way and having a lifetime of stress and anxiety to go with it.

[learning08]

I went into nursing with my eyes wide open. It has its ups and downs. I enjoy helping make people better whenever possible, wanted--and now like--the flexibility that nsg offers. I never planned on being a full-time floor RN forever. I have other goals, and the work is too hard on the body in the long run.

What breaks my heart for career nurses is how little respect we get in so many settings. I believe in treating every honest worker, regardless of his/her level of education and skills, with respect and consideration. i found out that is not the case in nursing at large. A high school grad working in a secretarial position in the academia for 1/4 the pay of an RN is treated so much better than a nurse, and gets a full hour for lunch.

[ShayRN]

Really, some people have time to EAT at work? Say it ain't so, next thing you will try making me believe is that some people are allowed to use the restroom on work time as well.

[dscrn]

Pharm seems popular. I was thinking OT or PT myself. Some days I think Park Ranger

really hard to land a park ranger job:D

[kikipania]

What's with the 'nah I woulda gone into pharm' thing? Are the jobs really similar, or looking for more respect... ?

[NeoNurseTX, RN]

HAHA. Probably. I love my schedule and I love what I do. But the politics sometimes...

[diane227, LPN, RN]

Absolutely yes. The only think I would do differently is keep a notebook of each days events.

[dscrn]

What's with the 'nah I woulda gone into pharm' thing? Are the jobs really similar, or looking for more respect... ?

well...we do need to know a lot about drugs?

[dormika]

Yes, against of many circumtance. I've started to work in an ICU more than 10 years before, and I fall in love with this job. Now I work in OR, like anaesthetist nurse, i also love this, against of we are less and less, wok more and more for really little money. I think here the only person who work as a nurse who love this, or who has no chance to change.

In short, I'd like to be nurse again.

[BethCNOR, BSN, RN]

Yes, I would still be a nurse. I am like so many others that have posted replies here. I would have gone back to school sooner and would have advanced my career further. I would probably become a CRNA. I have a deep love of the OR and would have to be involved in it. :loveya: Oh, the perfect vision of hindsight!!!