Maybe I don't want to be a nurse...

[AprilRN]

Courtney - I'm kinda late to the post and I haven't read the rest of the responses... but my question to you is... in what other profession can you have only a 2 year associate's degree and make upwards of $60,000 your first year out of nursing school???

Just my $0.02 :luck:

True..but on the other hand....shortage or not...I think we need fewer nurses who are JUST in it for the money. If you're having doubts...I'd go for something else first. There are alot of problems in nursing with shortages, dirty work, and dealing with doctors- if you don't like your job...it'll make it unbearable. I know too many nurses who wish they'd chosen something else. If you're having doubts now...go for something else. Maybe somethign you could use with nursing? Psychology...social work...nutritionist....

[hppygr8ful]

I thought I would let you know why I am a nurse. I became a nurse after divorcing my drug addicted ex-husband. I had always thought about nursing as a career as I enjoy helping people and the money didn't seem too bad an idea either. I soon found out in my first ten years of nursing that the money is rarely worth the blood sweat and tears we put into the job. I worked in three areas of nursing, med-surg, L&D, and currently psych. I loved working all them but I really like doing psych.

The other day the police brought in a young 20 something kid who was beat-up (by the police) and barely conscious - I asked them why they didn't take him to an ER and they stated that he was obviously psychotic so they brought him too us. Well long story short - I took his vitals and called my Supervisor and told him I was sending the Patient to the ER. While I was waiting I washed his face cleaned his cuts and scrapes and got him ready all while monitoring his vitals. He was taken to the ER and later in the Day I found out he was being admitted for a Phneumo-Thorax - (sorry about the spelling med surg was a long time ago). I later founf the patients glasses at the nurses station and since the ER was on my way home I stopped by to drop them off and see how he was doing. He was awake and alert but still very psychotic. I asked him if he remembered me and he looked at me and smiled -"Your the angle who washed my face" That's why I am a nurse.

hppy

[Ricu]

I thought I would let you know why I am a nurse. I became a nurse after divorcing my drug addicted ex-husband. I had always thought about nursing as a career as I enjoy helping people and the money didn't seem too bad an idea either. I soon found out in my first ten years of nursing that the money is rarely worth the blood sweat and tears we put into the job. I worked in three areas of nursing, med-surg, L&D, and currently psych. I loved working all them but I really like doing psych.

The other day the police brought in a young 20 something kid who was beat-up (by the police) and barely conscious - I asked them why they didn't take him to an ER and they stated that he was obviously psychotic so they brought him too us. Well long story short - I took his vitals and called my Supervisor and told him I was sending the Patient to the ER. While I was waiting I washed his face cleaned his cuts and scrapes and got him ready all while monitoring his vitals. He was taken to the ER and later in the Day I found out he was being admitted for a Phneumo-Thorax - (sorry about the spelling med surg was a long time ago). I later founf the patients glasses at the nurses station and since the ER was on my way home I stopped by to drop them off and see how he was doing. He was awake and alert but still very psychotic. I asked him if he remembered me and he looked at me and smiled -"Your the angle who washed my face" That's why I am a nurse.

hppy

What a great story! Thanks for sharing it.

R

[tristeso]

I thought I would let you know why I am a nurse. I became a nurse after divorcing my drug addicted ex-husband. I had always thought about nursing as a career as I enjoy helping people and the money didn't seem too bad an idea either. I soon found out in my first ten years of nursing that the money is rarely worth the blood sweat and tears we put into the job. I worked in three areas of nursing, med-surg, L&D, and currently psych. I loved working all them but I really like doing psych.

The other day the police brought in a young 20 something kid who was beat-up (by the police) and barely conscious - I asked them why they didn't take him to an ER and they stated that he was obviously psychotic so they brought him too us. Well long story short - I took his vitals and called my Supervisor and told him I was sending the Patient to the ER. While I was waiting I washed his face cleaned his cuts and scrapes and got him ready all while monitoring his vitals. He was taken to the ER and later in the Day I found out he was being admitted for a Phneumo-Thorax - (sorry about the spelling med surg was a long time ago). I later founf the patients glasses at the nurses station and since the ER was on my way home I stopped by to drop them off and see how he was doing. He was awake and alert but still very psychotic. I asked him if he remembered me and he looked at me and smiled -"Your the angle who washed my face" That's why I am a nurse.

hppy


Yeah, such a wonderful story. The flipside to this story is I work in a prison where this kid will most likely end up. So my co-workers and I will have to deal with this "psycho" who will be continuosly banging on his cell door, spitting at us, throwing feces and urine, and trying to kill himself every other day. But the police probably just beat him up cause he's a real nice kid. By the way are you a 45 degree or 90 "angle". lol.

unhappy. (not cause i hate my job, but cause of the disrespect my job gets) by these people who see the world through rose-colored glasses.

[hppygr8ful]

I thought I would let you know why I am a nurse. I became a nurse after divorcing my drug addicted ex-husband. I had always thought about nursing as a career as I enjoy helping people and the money didn't seem too bad an idea either. I soon found out in my first ten years of nursing that the money is rarely worth the blood sweat and tears we put into the job. I worked in three areas of nursing, med-surg, L&D, and currently psych. I loved working all them but I really like doing psych.

The other day the police brought in a young 20 something kid who was beat-up (by the police) and barely conscious - I asked them why they didn't take him to an ER and they stated that he was obviously psychotic so they brought him too us. Well long story short - I took his vitals and called my Supervisor and told him I was sending the Patient to the ER. While I was waiting I washed his face cleaned his cuts and scrapes and got him ready all while monitoring his vitals. He was taken to the ER and later in the Day I found out he was being admitted for a Phneumo-Thorax - (sorry about the spelling med surg was a long time ago). I later founf the patients glasses at the nurses station and since the ER was on my way home I stopped by to drop them off and see how he was doing. He was awake and alert but still very psychotic. I asked him if he remembered me and he looked at me and smiled -"Your the angle who washed my face" That's why I am a nurse.

hppy


Yeah, such a wonderful story. The flipside to this story is I work in a prison where this kid will most likely end up. So my co-workers and I will have to deal with this "psycho" who will be continuosly banging on his cell door, spitting at us, throwing feces and urine, and trying to kill himself every other day. But the police probably just beat him up cause he's a real nice kid. By the way are you a 45 degree or 90 "angle". lol.

unhappy. (not cause i hate my job, but cause of the disrespect my job gets) by these people who see the world through rose-colored glasses.

So I can't spell and this silly forum doesn't have a spell check but that another issue all together 'lol'.

I certainly see your point and I don't look at the world through "rose colored glasses" For the most part I lean pretty far to the right in my thinking and politics, but I'm not a cynic either. I went into this profession because I care about people and in my experience most of the mentally ill are not dangerous. Nor do they belong in jail.There is no reason to believe that a schizophrenic will end up in prison any more than a developmentally disabled person would. Lord knows I've been spit on, had semen, blood and feces on me as well, But anyone who comes in contact with the mentally ill needs to be properly trained on how to "Take Down" the individual in question and that includes the police. The kid in question was beaten to a bloody pulp and the police officer's didn't have a mark on them. The mentally ill are God's children too.
I know some fine compassionate people in law enforcement and anyone can have a bad day, but when a person is unconscious the police should take him to an ER. NOt dump him on a psych facility where they know there are no acute medical services available.

People who witnessed the incident said the kid was walking on the sidewalk talkinig and gesturing to himself when the police approached him. He just kept walking as a person out of contact with reality will do. The police jumped him and once he was subdued they kept hitting him then dragged him across the pavement to the police car. He was unconscious and could have had a neck injury. Tests at the hospital revealed no illegal drugs in his system and he was minding his own business when he was acosted. I know this because his family is well known in the community and the story has gone public.

Anyway even criminals have human rights. If you don't like what you do and I can see how difficult it must be, then find another area of nursing to work in.

People get respect showing respect to others

Peace and God Bless
Hppy

[zooparade]

Courtney,
Late post, sorry. Probably already made up your mind, but here's 2 cents worth. Although I didn't go to U of M for nursing school, I have a few friends that did and loved it. Also my first job as an RN was a Mott Children's Hosp, part of U of M. It was a GREAT job. Very nurturing environment for a new grad at that time and can't say enough about Ann Arbor and how much fun it is!!!

[taliwala]

For anybody thinking about nursing but unsure if that's what they want to do for the rest of their life, I would recommend getting an associate's or diploma in nursing rather than paying an arm and leg for a BSN. You'll most likely end up making the same income anyway, and if you choose to study something else later on, you'll be able to do so.

[panama]

I've always felt that to be a nurse you have to have a calling. I know that some of you know what I mean. Everything led to my being a nurse. When I was a patient, I had one of the best nurses I've ever known. She just came in to help that day, but was so dedicated, and I was so impressed. I wanted to be just like her. I was offered scholarships, and before I knew it, I went from being a LPN, to a RN. I have worked all specialties, and have worked as a travel nurse for 6 years. We all have ups and downs, and suffer abuse from doctors, but we have to be there for the patients. It's the satisfaction of knowing you helped or saved a life. The best thing about nursing, is that there is more than one job/hospital/deptartment to work in. The world is your oyster.

[Lily78]

One of the best things about nursing is that it only takes a couple of years in school, then you have incredible job flexibility, and if you decide you want to do something else, well, thats fine! It's not like you invested 8 years of your life into schooling. Plus you can always fall back on it.

[sweetvelocity]

I would suggest you go to a community college. Do your electives while getting your pre req's I live in michigan too and we have some very good community colleges for nursing. I will be taking spanish as well as nursing classes because I think nurses that speak more than one language get paid more. It is a wise decision for you think about being bilingual.

MMCC Home Page
Here is the link to my college and it has one of the best programs in the state, so much so that they had to build a wing spacifically for the program that will be open in March of 08. There are so many different areas to work in nursing. Go to school for a while and get your pre req's Take some of the nursing classes and then decide if it is right for you. Dont let some rude doctor and a nurse that is having a bad day burst your bubble girl.