I am seeing SO many repeat threads here, so I thought I'd throw in a few words of wisdom.
Question: Is nursing for me?
Answer: No one can answer that but you. As with every job out there, nursing has its pros and cons. To answer concisely, if poop, puke, pee, catheters, blood, ostomy spillage, gaping oozing wounds down to the bone, or pus make you squeamish then the answer is no, nursing is probably not for you. Anything else you're just going have to work out in your head, heart, and your own state laws. We don't know you or your history, and i think I can safely say no one here can read souls to find out your true destiny.
Question: Should I move on from XYZ job?
Answer: No one can answer that but you. If you've given it enough thought to post about it on a nursing forum, you're probably ready to move on. If you're burnt out, exhausted, overworked, underpaid, underbenefitted, your nurse/patient ratio sucks, your managers suck, your coworkers suck, your commute sucks, or any combination of the above, then yes, you're probably ready for a new job. Be forewarned though, you sometimes go from the frying pan to the fire. No matter what field or hospital you move to, you're probably going to find at least one of the above things suck. If they all suck, run, don't walk.
Question: I have XYZ medical problem, advice please?
Answer: The answer is we have no advice. NO MEDICAL ADVICE CAN BE GIVEN HERE. EVER. NO MATTER HOW NICELY YOU ASK OR HOW STRANGE YOUR PROBLEM IS!
Question: What is a day in the life of a nurse like?
Answer: Shadow one in a position you're interested in. Every nursing job is vastly different, even from facility to facility. The only truly good way to experience a day in the life of a nurse is to witness it firsthand. Don't forget your rollerskates.
Question: Can you help me with XYZ nursing assignment?
Answer: Only if it's something you can't look up yourself, like an interview. Being on this forum is usually a way to decompress for nurses, and the last thing we want to do after an 8-12-16-20:uhoh3: hour shift is relive the glory days of nursing school by doing homework.
Question: What should I wear for an interview?
Answer: If we really need to answer this then you may need to go back to either Nursing101 or your professional role transition course. Also, just because it's usually the next question to follow, yes, send the damn thank you card.
Question: Why is XYZ nursing job superior to XYZ nursing job?
Answer: No job is superior to any other job. Nursing is comprised of many different fields, all with its own unique set of challenges, whether it's high nurse/patient ratios or vast amounts of paperwork. Anyone who think their field is harder than someone else's is usually playing the "mine is bigger than yours' game.
Question: What is the difference between an LPN/LVN/RN/NP/PA/MD/DO/PHD/BLAH BLAH BLAH? Followed by, which one should I become?
Answer: Do a search and stop asking this question. Only you can decide what profession is right for you, and you're on a nursing forum so take a wild guess what the majority of the answers are going to be?
Question: Is XYZ out of my scope of practice:
Answer: Check your facility and state policies. Every place is different. What one facility encourages may be completely prohibited by another.
Question: Is it okay that I never get a lunch, don't get paid for my overtime, work short-staffed to a dangerous capacity every shift, my manager treats me like crap, or that I get written up for arbitrary things because my hospital is in the process of converting to a hotel?
Answer: No. See question/answer #2.
Question: Does a new grad belong in the ED/ICU/PACU/OTHER CRITICAL CARE AREA, or is it better to start out in med-surg first?
Answer: You might as well ask if the chicken or the egg came first. It's six to one, half a dozen to the other. You're never going to get a uniform answer on this so just make the choice you feel is best for you and your career.
Question: What's your IQ?
Answer: Really?!
