Why do so many nurses who regret going into nursing? How do I really know if nursing is for me?
Nursing is a changing profession. Most nurses enter the field because they have a caring heart, and a desire to help people. We see people on the best or worst day of their life.
With that being said now nursing is all about charting and how much you can get done in 12 hours. It is all about management and administration and making money.
Nursing "care" is lost. We have become minions of corporate America. It is no longer about the patient, its about profit. You are expendable. If something goes wrong, the nurse will be the sacrificial lamb, even if she had nothing to do with it. Save yourself. If I could do it all over, I would go into imaging (CT, MRI, Nuclear medicine etc.). Take their picture and send them to the nurse.
Nursing used to be about patient care and now it is about profit. If nursing professionals are not able to provide optimal care, the purpose of being a nurse is futile. Staffing is the main obstacle to providing patient care. Until there are enforceable policies regarding patient to nurse ratios, only option is to work in a unionized environment where acuity and ratios are the law.
It starts in the heart. It’s a feeling that just over takes you. Your need and want to help others. I knew at 4 years old, that I would be a nurse. I became a nurse at 19.
There have been times in my career that I have felt this way, but overall I am satisfied with my decision to become a nurse. I have good days and bad days, awful days where I cry in the bathroom, and days where I know I was put on this earth to help this one person in this one moment. People are always going to be people, with emotional needs and medical needs. I live by the “golden rule.” I treat my patients the way I would like to be treated: with respect, dignity, and equity. The bottom line is that I give my all and hope I’m doing the right thing.
It could be many reasons, but remember why YOU chose the profession. Also be intentional about what you plan to in the profession long term. Also speak with nurses who love the profession to hear two different perspectives. Fortunately, there are many many areas of nursing to go into. Have a voice speak up and be intentional and understand your journey and purpose in Nursing.
Nursing is more than a white uniform and cap (My starting era). It is a difficult profession but a very fulfilling one. The hours are long, the staff frequently short, the pay not always great. However, after 48 years, I still am proud and glad that I chose this profession. I would do it again if given the chance.
It is said if you save 1 life you are a hero, but if you have saved many lives you are a nurse!
We are the patient safety advocates, we are there 24 hours a day providing care. We are the gates between regaining health and loss of life. We are the ones patients and families come to first.
You will never be a millionaire, but you can achieve so much: LPN, RN, ARNP, CRNA, Case Manager, Nurse Manager, Chief Nursing Officer...we really have no limits.
Get a feel for the profession by getting a job as a CNA or STNA at first. You learn hands-on care which will give you an idea whether or not you want to pursue a nursing degree.
I think those nurses looked at it as a job. Nursing is not a job. You don’t work a 9-5 Monday thru Friday job. If you are caring and think how would I want someone to treat this patient if it was my family then nursing is for you. Can you get tired? Of course, but it is very rewarding.
Decide if you are a loving caring kind of person who always wants to do for other people. Take heed in learning the interpersonal skills taught in nursing school. If you enjoy psych, it will help.
Long hours-- Short Pay.
I don’t know where you are from, but what when I was a RN in Ohio, I felt incredibly valued and like an individual. When I moved to Florida, I was literally shocked at the lack of support nurses have in the hospitals here. The organizations are always wanting you do more and more, and the root cause is less workers, more profit and sadly, the patients are the ones who pay the price. I’ve really struggled to find an organization who cares about the nurse as an individual. However, I’ve invested 17 years of my life into this field, so I still hold out hope that I’ll find the right spot and be appreciated.
Well, if you're passion is caring for others, lending a helping hand to whoever, have an enquiring mind about diseases and management there of.. Then nursing is the answer. This is the one career where one never gets bored. Tired and frustrated? Yes, many times, but one " Thank you" on a crazy shift, is worth more than money.
Before I started my nursing education I decided to work as a CNA/Patient Care Tech in a hospital to see if it’s what I wanted to do. The nurses were awesome and eager to show me stuff that they do. I then became an LPN, then RN, and now pursuing RN-BSN. I also think it comes down to finding an area of nursing that you love. For me, I love hospice nursing. Good luck!
You won’t know if nursing is for you until you’re in it. Good thing about nursing, in every industry a nurse is needed. Changing specialties isn’t hard. Most nurses disgruntled about the profession work bedside and deal with a number of issues (bullying, understaffing, micromanagement etc). In today’s time, many nurses are entrepreneurs.
As far as caring goes, it seems as if “being a caring person” is a prerequisite for becoming a nurse. Yes, have compassion (that’s human decency) but keep in mind, your bills can care less. Just saying.
From my personal experience, the RN’s that “regret” becoming RN’s hot into the profession for the wrong reasons. Most of them suck so it wouldn’t be a bad thing if they left.
