I've been hearing this question a lot from students and their parents at work and via e-mail from my website http://www.nursefriendly.com
I'm having a hard time recommending Nursing right now.
For a young woman of college age, there are too many other fields they can go into that have higher pay, more respect, better working conditions and less stress. Can't see myself recommending a job that will leave them close to tears at the end of each day.
I know what things are like on the floors by personal experience and listening to my wife (an ICU nurse) vent each day.
We have a daughter who will grow up with both her parent Registered Nurses in active practice. Will we encourage her to go into Nursing?
My wife swears she won't pay for her schooling if she wants to go into a Nursing program. I'd be willing to let her try it, but I'd open her eyes to the field and tell her exactly what to expect in detail before she ever stepped foot in a classroom.
What's your opinion? I don't consider myself burned out, or bitter. I like giving patient care and don't plan on giving it up entirely ever. I am concerned about conditions that I can only see as getting worse over time.
How would you advise people who ask you this?
Andrew Lopez, RN
http://www.nursinghumor.com
personally I do recommend that my daughter go into nursing. I really do love my job.
Nursing is something you have to want to do though and not something to go into unless you have the desire.
Every job has it's pitfalls but unless you've done other things the grass can look greener.
You're not going to get rich in nursing but you can be happy with yourself. There is such a wide variety of positions in nursing if you do get tired of one ting you can move to something else.
Cassioo. I have to agree with you.. Nursing is a wonderful profession.. I love getting to know people and helping them.. Yes Yes I could be a Walmart greeter but I just wanted it to be a little more personal...Tongue in cheek here..OK????
I love the goosebumps and seeing people get better.. Getting transplants and getting off dialysis. And learning how to manage their illness and seeing that I am their friend and that I do have their best interests at heart even as I am scolding them..
I am not an active mother anymore.. Oh trust me it's a relief and a loss at the same time..LOL But I can be with my patients..
I would certainly advise anyone going into the field to think about it seriously but I would never discourage any one unless I thought they wouldn't make a good nurse..
JMHO
WR,,, three commas for Becca
I might sidcourage some and think some people in our profession should have been discouraged.
There is a student that works on my unit who last week said "I'll be glad when I don't have to do that anymore" and was talking about helping someone to the bathroom. The same one on the same day sat down at the desk and said she wasn't taking any more noon vitals because she was tired and they were only 1/2 done. I had to tell her she'd never not have to take someone to the bathroom and tired doesn't matter get busy...this is one that "works" 1-2 shifts per week 4-8 hours each and I was on I don't know how many days in a row after I went in on my day off then was oncall the next and got called in too.
The same girl after I missed an IV (I'm usually the one they call when nobody else can get one) said Well why did you miss it? (in her smarta.. tone) and I said because I always plan to miss them I like to stick over and over because it's FUN. Then being on a roll I said why have you hit every one you've ever tried?
But back to the matter at hand don't suggest nursing to someone that would not be good.
There was one guy in my nursing class that got out of banking because there was too much paperwork LOL he thought there was less in nursing LOL he sure learned something there.
Yeah Cass you are so right.. But over my 24 years I have seen those who don't belong weeded out. It takes time. Nothing happens overnight but it does happen..
I believe many schools make it too easy.. Boy am I gonna get nailed for that. By easy, I mean not having a real clinical rotation. Not being there for the whole 12 hours. Not seeing the end of a shift as well as the beginning. I believe getting rid of the diploma programs was a mistake.
And I will always think nursing should be an apprenticeship profession.. I.E. CNA , LPN, RN... By the time you get to RN school you should know whether you want to stay or not and your instructors should know whether you will make a good nurse..
Again JMHO
WR,,, three commas for Becca
P.S. I also believe there should be more $$$ for nurses to go to school so they could do more clinicals and not worry about working to pay bills and pay for school...
1/2 the time I think I am crazy for wanting to quit the hospital I'm at. They really do treat the staff well. They will pay 100% tuition for any employee to go to nursing schoo. They have a nurse extern program (some are good some are like the one I mentioned above)
I have a great boss and for the most part like all of my co-workers and the hospital won an award for the whole tristate area as family friendly workplace (award included factories, stores, schools etc) so our benefits are pretty good. Wages could be better but they are good for this area of the country. SIGH but I'm going to travel.
Cass I think you will like traveling.. If I can help let me know..
WR,,, three commas for Becca
oh I'll be ready for lots of help when I do start. I've been reading all the boards and wish I could go now
I know FLA is a low paying state but that's really where I want to end up.
My DH is retired from the USAF so he's free to go. My big kids will all be out of the house then. My little one starts K in the fall so will be in first grade when I'm traveling. I'm kind of considering taking a contract in HI if avaible when I'm ready to go then when the school year starts going to FL so he can be in the same school for the year...we'll see what happens
Would I recommend Nursing.It is not for the lazy, or for someone who sits on their but waiting for the aid to take a patient to the bathroom. It is tough. Some days you get off work and want to kick the dog. Some days you want to scream at people.
Would I recommend Nursing. YES. This is a tough profession. We need people who are not afraid of hard work. Can stand up to mental stress. People who want to feel rewards of the heart vs. the wallet (although if i did this for min. wage, forget it).
A good nurse must also be a good leader. To keep the team together and working when things get tough.
If some one had good work ethic and was a good leader, YES I would recommend Nursing. This is something I fell into quite by accident. Being unemployed for 5 months, I knew I had to retrain. This was the best thing that happened to me. Yes I would recommend nursing.
Why would I not? Because it is hard work?
GIVE ME A BREAK!!!!!
When asked whether I recommend nursing as a career or not, I always refuse to answer that question. There is no right answer. Instead, I respond with, "Just like any other profession, it's not right for everyone." And it shouldn't be. I don't want everyone to be MY nurse.
I explain that it takes a really special person a very long time to evolve into that profession. Graduating from nursing school does not make one a nurse. It makes them eligible to sit for boards. Passing boards does not make one a nurse, it gives them a license to begin the process of becoming a nurse.
And when I say process, I really mean it. Most of what one learns about being a nurse, is learned after that license is granted. Nursing is constantly evolving, it is the least stagnate profession I know, and it certainly is not assembly line work. What works in one scenerio will not work in another. The nursing process is always spinning around in around in our heads whether we realize it or not.
I tell people who ask me about nursing that it takes more time and energy than you possibly have, and that it often sucks the very air you breathe right out of you. But then I counter that with, "the returns and rewards you recieve are unmeasurable and priceless."
Nursing is a love/hate field: you love to hate it, and you hate to love it.
Me, after 25 years, I'm still learning, loving and hating it and can't imagine doing anything else!!!
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote