Nurses - I need your help

RaeLB · February 2014

I am considering pursuing a nursing career or perhaps med school, but I think I am more interested in patient care and support rather than diagnostics and treatment.

My degree is in the social sciences so this will be a whole new avenue for me. I was always better at writing political theory essays than even basic math and science so I've been afraid of failure. But I have decided to really explore the option it so I don't have any regrets.

I have some questions

1. How did you know you wanted to be a nurse?

2. How did you know that you had a stomach for it? Can it be developed?

3. What type of nursing diploma or degree do you have and why (RPN/LPN, RN, etc)?

4. What type of nursing position do you hold and why?

Any other advice?

xPeacefulx · February 2014

ive been considering this myself.....going to follow the thread

amber_michelle30 · February 2014

You can definitely develop the stomach for it. Before nursing the site of blood or any bodily fluid for that matter made me cringe. My first clinical experience changed that. You see patients in there that need your help and you go in there and just do your job, you don't think twice about it.
It is one of the most rewarding jobs and I don't ever think twice about why I chose this field.
Good luck to you:)

msdjsmith95 · February 2014

I'd be interested in this, too. Although I'm considering medical laboratory technician because I'd rather not deal with the public.

nicknick88 · February 2014

1, I had no idea what I wanted to be, though I knew I wanted to be in the hospital. I finished my psych degree and thought what next?

2. Stomach-wise I have never particularly been phased, phlegm used to make my stomach turn but that has gone, I found when in the situation that bodily fluid were just mess, and honestly didn't give a damn, it was about the patient's dignity.

3. I hold no nursing qualifications, but I am working towards my diagnostic Radiography degree.

4. I work as an assistant nurse, I decided that whilst I loved being a nurse assistant, the dementia side of things got to me quite bad and wasn't sure if I could face that for 50 years.

Other Advice:
Have you tried shadowing Nurses and Doctors, or working as an assistant nurse?
Is it just between those two professions? Have you considered physiotherapy etc?

Edit: Spelling

RaeLB · February 2014

My first plan is to try to get a job as a hospital orderly to get myself familiar with a hospital setting.

I'm definitely leaning towards nursing and the ultimate dream would be disaster response nursing.

RaeLB · February 2014

I'd be interested in this, too. Although I'm considering medical laboratory technician because I'd rather not deal with the public.

That's what my best friend does and she loves it!

brandy1289 · February 2014

1. How did you know you wanted to be a nurse? My first choice in life was to become an English teacher but wanted something that I knew Id always have a job in and would be able to have no problems supporting myself on my own if I had to. Also my mother is a nurse and my brother was born with medical needs which made me want to help other families like the nurses helped mine.

2. How did you know that you had a stomach for it? Can it be developed? When I first started school, I actually was going to quit because I almost fainted in my anatomy class. But I took it one day at a time looking at things and it did get better. I still could not stomach surgeries though and just dont work with surgeries so I am fine. I am good at taking care of wounds afterwards but the actual surgeries gross me out still! lol

3. What type of nursing diploma or degree do you have and why (RPN/LPN, RN, etc)? I have my bachelors in nursing degree (RN) and I wanted this because I am able to do more with clients that LPNs cant and also money aspect.

4. What type of nursing position do you hold and why? I am currently a pediatric nurse in the home care field which means i go to school, therapy, and in the home with pediatric clients that need one on one medical care. I work with clients who are very independent to those who are fully dependent. I love it!

Advice?? Nursing school is no joke! Make sure it is something that you really want to do or it will eat you alive! Just need to be able to put alot of time towards it and I was stressed to my max but I was able to get my degree in 4 yrs and not have to retake any class. Good luck! Go for it if its something you know you will enjoy! also you can do so much with a nursing degree! Peds, adults, geriatrics, teaching, homecare, hospital, phones, etc.

Any other advice?

FatFreeFrolicking · February 2014

I'm not a nurse but I was in nursing school for 2 years before I changed my mind.

1. I wanted to be a nurse from the time I was a little girl. My mom's a physical therapist, my dad's a doctor, I have a few aunts who are nurses, and both of my grandparents are radiologists. So I have been surrounded by people in the medical field my entire life. Besides that, I'm a people pleaser. I love taking care of people and making people feel good. I'm very "motherly." I wanted to be a nurse because there's not many other careers where you can have such an impact on people every day. I volunteered in a hospital when I was in high school on the maternity and oncology floors and LOVED it. I met so many great patients and have a ton of wonderful memories. Volunteering in the hospital was ultimately how I decided I wanted to be a nurse.

2. I've never been bothered by blood, poop, or other bodily fluids. I can't deal with vomit though. I can watch hours of NY ER, Untold Stories of the ER, House, etc. all while eating and not once feel sick or disgusted. It's different watching it on TV and actually dealing with it physically but watching shows like that could give you a good idea whether or not you could stomach it. I've observed a total knee replacement and a birth.

3. I was going for my BSN because having a bachelor's in nursing opens a lot more doors for job opportunities.

4. If I continued with nursing, I wanted to be a neonatal nurse practitioner because I have a special place in my heart for babies with congenital problems. I was a premie myself.

EMTFreakGirl · February 2014

Before you commit to the time and expense of a nursing degree maybe consider becoming a PRE-Hospital provider. Volunteer as an EMT with your local rescue squad. Great patient contact experience, helps out your community and will give your "stomach a feel." :happy: Good luck to you!

Amfmsmgm06261610 · February 2014

Hi I am a nurse in community and I love my job. Been nursing now for 30 years and still learning every day. I knew I wanted to be a nurse when I was at school, I enjoy meeting new people and helping in any small way I can. Nursing is a wonderful career, it is hard work and there are lots of stresses with exams and in caring for people who are ill, but I have never regretted my decision to be a nurse. I had three years of nursing college to gain my qualification as a registered nurse then I worked as a staff nurse in acute medical wards, casualty, head injury unit, orthopaedics and finally in my present job as a District nurse. To work in community I had to complete a degree over one year and gained a qualification as a specialist nurse practitioner. It is a very rewarding job but there are lots of changes at the moment and morale is low. Despite this I would say if you are prepared to put in the effort you will love it .

Pamela9603 · February 2014

1. How did you know you wanted to be a nurse?
I have to say I never really wanted to be a nurse. I had been a paramedic for 17 years and it was a pursuit of knowledge that made me go to nursing school.

2. How did you know that you had a stomach for it? Can it be developed?
As long as I have been in the medical field I have to be honest there are still things that bother me. I am not good when it comes to "popping" boiles. I think most nurses would agree there are times when they just don't have the "stomach" for certain things.

3. What type of nursing diploma or degree do you have and why (RPN/LPN, RN, etc)?
I started with my RN and just achieved by BSN degree. Most hospitals are starting to require BSN degrees.
4. What type of nursing position do you hold and why?
I work in an emergency department. Being a paramedic for as long as I had been emergency medicine was my "specialty".

Any other advice?
If you are willing to give this could be for you. It can be emotionally and physically draining at times. It is however a very rewarding career.

Hope this helps.

Lizilu20 · February 2014

1. My mum was a nurse, my sister a teacher - I was torn between the two but I used to spend hours as a child reading mums medical books and devouring the gory pictures, so nursing won!

2. It's never the nicest thing in the world to deal with bodily fluids from any orifice but, like already mentioned, it's about helping someone to feel comfortable and to maintain their dignity. You just have to put yourself or someone you love in their position and think how you or they would wish to be looked after. It's about empathy, sympathy and compassion.

3. I'm RN, but was fortunate in my training to experience paeds and midwifery. I chose adult nursing because I liked the variety of pathology that comes with adult nursing and spent many years on medical wards.

4. I now work as a Practice Nurse in a GP surgery ( not sure what the equivalent is in USA ) I now specialise in chronic disease management, female health e.g. cervical smears, contraception, sexual health. Travel vaccinations, childhood immunisation and general health promotion.

I love being a nurse and a nursing career can be so rewarding and varied and basically you have to care about your patients, have common sense, a decent education and be kind and you can't go far wrong!

gieshagirl · February 2014

i didnt know that i wanted to be a nurse exactly...but i love to take care of people. i had a problem with injections...they introduce the subjects slowly so your desensitized to things. i went for R.N. i can highly recomend this. there are always people that want to hire you, good benifits, many diverse areas, travel if you want it and ever changing inovations. i didnt get a higher degree because i love patient contact. i am facinated with figuring out what is wrong with someone before anyone else from just looking and asking questions. i became a school nurse after being on a cardiac floor, a renal floor, a bariatric floor, Recovery room nurse,critical care nurse and a traveling nurse. i have worked in home health and a director of nurses for a nursing home. (i have had a very diverse history over 24 years of nursing. ) as a school nurse i get what ever hits the door. i am responsible for staff and student health for 1200 people..i am a high school nurse so i get pediatrics too. i love what i do! every nurse has one area that they dont deal with well...for me it is mucous.....that is the great thing about nursing...it is so diverse that you dont have to deal with something you dont care for. good luck! it is worth it!!

Ddc76 · February 2014

1. Why nursing? I've worked several different jobs and for that reason, I realized that I could never work in sales, the food industry, customer service, etc ever again! There are just some things you are simply not made out for. I have worked in the medical field now for the past 7 years (MA, CNA, lab tech, and medical admin). With all my previous experience in the medical field, I knew that nursing was a good choice. I love being able to help others and educate patients with the knowledge I have gained through nursing school.

2. How do you stomach it? Can it be developed? I've smelled and seen so many interesting things. But, at this point it doesn't bother me. Yes, I don't like the smell of some things, but taking care of the patient is priority, so you tend to overlook the "little things." In my opinion, yes you can develop the stomach for it.

3. I'm an RN, but plan on going back to school for my BSN.

4. I've been doing home health nursing. I like the flexibility in my schedule and being able to have one on one focused care with the patient.

There are so many employment opportunities with nursing. Not to mention, depending where you live the pay is pretty decent.

dz_rn1 · February 2014

1. How did you know you wanted to be a nurse?
I always knew. It is a calling. I have always loved science, anatomy, and been interested in how the body works. I resisted it for a little while though because I didn't think I could take care of myself much less other people in my early 20's. But it kept calling me and I finally gave in. I ADORE my job and cannot imagine NOT doing it.

2. How did you know that you had a stomach for it? Can it be developed?
You either do or you don't. I TOTALLY disagree with anyone that says it can be developed. I have seen a lot of people in this field leave because they thought the could overcome it but couldn't. That being said, there are also different types of nursing for different abilities. I am a trauma/ med/ surg ICU nurse and it doesn't get much gorier than this. I don't mind the blood/ guts/ body fluids. A really good friend of mine is a chemotherapy/ cancer nurse. I can't do her job because the attachment of having the same patients for a long time (can be YEARS) and watching them sometimes die is too hard for me- I don't have the stomach for that. She can't do my job because of the gore- she doesn't have the stomach for this. BUT we both LOVE being nurses! You just have to find what your calling is.

3. What type of nursing diploma or degree do you have and why (RPN/LPN, RN, etc)?
Being 30 when I started, I opted to do my Associates degree instead of a Bachelors degree first so I could work 2 years faster. There were/are wait lists for most of the nursing schools in my area so I tried to find the fastest way I could to getting to work. There are many online schools where you can finish your bachelors or even masters degree now if you decide to continue on, which is what I did, and now I also do some teaching.
My advise is to do the highest degree possible for you. LPN's are being phased out in MANY, MANY markets. In my area, the only places LPN's work anymore are in long term care, and they aren't really even hiring new LPN's at all anymore (just keeping existing ones). Some of the hospitals here won't even hire new Associate Degree RN's- only Bachelor Degree RN's. I know its different in other markets, but I think this is an ever growing trend and you want to make sure that you protect yourself for the future. A nursing degree, ANY of them, takes hard work and you don't want to lose a position because you chose the wrong degree! Really research your area for requirements, especially where you think you want to be, and ASK the nurses there what their recommendations for degrees are!

4. What type of nursing position do you hold and why?
I am a bedside ICU nurse in a large teaching/ research University-based Quaternary care hospital (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_care). I have a Masters Degree in Nursing Education, so I could teach or be a nurse educator full time in the hospital where I work if I wanted to, but I love working with patients. I do a bit of teaching part time here and there, but for me I have learned that nothing compares to actually being a bedside nurse- even on the worst days! I like the ICU because I am very "A" personality, an "all or nothing" type of person, enjoy super fast paced work and thinking on my feet. There are sooooo many different types of nursing though!

Any other advice?
My best advice is to become a CNA and work for a little while before committing wholly to a nursing degree whether you think you are sure or not. Being a CNA really gives you hands on experience and a birds eye view of what nurses REALLY do without the huge financial, physical, and emotional investment right away. If you decide after a year or two of working as a CNA that you do really want to be a nurse, the experience that you will have gained as a CNA will be absolutely immeasurable and irreplaceable for both school and your future career. I really cannot recommend becoming and working as a CNA enough!!!

Good luck!!!

HMVOL7409 · February 2014

1. How did you know you wanted to be a nurse? I grew up around it. My grandmother was a WWII nurse and I loved hearing about her experiences. I always wanted to be a doctor, vet, marine biologist etc but as I grew older nursing is where my heart went. Corny sounding maybe, but I will be honest as well and I knew it would be a more stable choice.

2. How did you know that you had a stomach for it? Can it be developed? To an extent yes. I'm not grossed out easily, but as a new nurse, Tracheostomys and sputum got to me pretty good. I've since washed that feeling away. I've seen some students though never develop the "stomach" for it.

3. What type of nursing diploma or degree do you have and why (RPN/LPN, RN, etc)? I'm currently an RN working on my Bachelors. I was an LPN for 6 yrs before going back. In the US, higher degrees such as bachelors or a masters is pretty much a requirement if you want to advance at all.

4. What type of nursing position do you hold and why?
I'm a charge floor nurse in a skilled rehab setting that specializes in orthopedic and cardiac care. I worked in dementia care, pediatrics and hospice. Haven't found an area I love though wound care is up there.
Any other advice?

This is not a career to take lightly and schooling is no joke. Please do not go into it if you don't genuinely have a heart to care for people at their absolute worst. It's not always easy, staffing sometimes sucks and you have to do multiple jobs at once. Somedays I'm not only the nurse, but the STNA, respiratory therapist, PT and social worker. You will be trampled on and abused but at the same time you will be loved, called family or an angel. It's not something to do just for a paycheck or bc you think it will be easy to find a job. Yes there's a nursing shortage but hospitals are getting picky and they want the education due to advancements in science and medicine, so some areas you will find difficulty obtaining a job. I suggest getting a job as an CNA to see if this is an area for you. Most are able to know once they do.

RaeLB · February 2014

Thank you! This has been super helpful

FraggleRockerFitnessLover · February 2014

I am considering pursuing a nursing career or perhaps med school, but I think I am more interested in patient care and support rather than diagnostics and treatment.

My degree is in the social sciences so this will be a whole new avenue for me. I was always better at writing political theory essays than even basic math and science so I've been afraid of failure. But I have decided to really explore the option it so I don't have any regrets.

I have some questions

1. How did you know you wanted to be a nurse?

2. How did you know that you had a stomach for it? Can it be developed?

3. What type of nursing diploma or degree do you have and why (RPN/LPN, RN, etc)?

4. What type of nursing position do you hold and why?

Any other advice?

1). I wanted to be a nurse after I almost died in a car accident. At the time I was in dental hygiene school. Now I'm a nurse and a dental hygienist (nurse style)

2). I knew I had the stomach for it because I grew up with two older brothers and grossness was around me. And the body fluids you get used to. You can determine the type of infection by the smell of the poop, the blood it fun, the sputum is slimy and you play with it, and thank you God for the almighty Flexiseal! Skin flakes I will never become a friend of.

3). Went for the BSN (4 year) right away, added my FCCS and am currently working on my CCRN. Most hospitals where I live want BSN prepared. 2 year versus a 4 year means not a lot after all said and done. I have seen some ADN nurses smarter than BSN. I recommend getting your feet wet and getting a nurse aide position to see all of it in action.

4). I am an RN in the critical care setting. Prn charge and preceptor. Been a nurse since 2003. While in school for my BSN I had completed my Med-Surg, OB, and Peds rotations and qualified to sit for my LVN/LPN boards. I took and passed. Then while in last year of my BSN program I worked 16 hour shifts back to back on Saturday/Sundays at a state mental health setting (what an eye opener), graduated and with the recommendation of the college, I 'got my feet wet' on a medical surgical/orthopedic floor for 2 years, then did telemetry with all ages for a few, then moved to critical care. The 'getting your feet wet is a myth. If you want ICU, some hospitals participate in the Versant Program. I was a Versant preceptor and took new grads and trained them out of school to be an ICU nurse, a 6 month residency. I have printed off paperwork for my NP/PA over and over, but after being at bedside for this long, that is where I belong. I make a difference, I love what I do, and make a point of going above and beyond daily for patient, family, and work family. Today I worked, left saying goodbye to a dying patient, bringing her a small set of flowers I made from a nurses station bouquet, she loved it.

Other advice? Nursing school was the hardest thing I have ever done. I was held back an entire year for 2/10th's of a percent on a non nursing related paper. I was bitter about it, but overall, it made me stronger. I learn something new daily and love it. There is so much googling of diseases, drugs, rationales. No matter what you learn in school, you'll re-learn it over and over. Never become a lazy nurse and quit caring. No matter how busy you are, don't show it on your body language, smile, make time to sit and talk even for 5 minutes an that patient will feel important. Yesterday I learned by stroke patient was asleep and his dog woke him up at 0420 licking him and scratching him. The dog picked up on the stroke that just happened. He's doing great today, because that dog woke him up. My favorite question to ask couples is, how did you meet, how long you been married, they get a goofy smile and story telling time begins. Don't let doctors run you over, they get rude, bite back. ICU nurses are known to be bulldogs, we bite, bark, and get what the patient needs. Respecting and giving respect it the key. Oh, and if you're having an awesome slow day, do what I call the 'drive by' on your co workers, ask if they need help or want to reposition their patient. I am all about the 'pillow palace'. Any other questions just PM me. You'll feel defeated over and over and feel stupid as dumb, but you're not, you're smarter than you realize. Ok then, my response is done.:drinker:

Nurses - I need your help

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