Knowing what you know now, do you still recommend a nursing career to others?

[LorrieKueffer]

I've been an RN for a very long time. I used to very easily recommend nursing to others who asked me about it. But now, I don't know what I would recommend. I have a friend, a single mom in her 30's, who wanted to pursue nursing. She had talked to myself and another RN friend (a CRNA actually) and we both said go for it.

She did an accelerated RN program, did very very well in it, along with working and raising her daughter. Once she graduated, it took her 9 months to find a job. She had to accept the only offer that came her way, which was for a float pool in a large hospital. She was SO stressed out over the acuity of her patients, and the long hours, and was actually making less money than she had as a waitress in an upscale restaurant. Now she has a large school debt also. She's quite unhappy, and my friend and I feel terrible. Nursing for us was very different when we started out.

I no longer do work as an RN myself, although I keep my license up. But if I wanted to, I have the experience and know I could get a job. I instead have a home-based business.

So would you still recommend, in today's world, for a person to go into nursing?

[Jhawka19]

That is a tough question. For my self, If I were back 20 some years ago, I would now choose to become a pilot. Nursing has served me well, but there some things in nursing! @#-$& ........ But that is like anything I guess! One of the best things about nursing though, is the wide variety of things that CAN be done with it. In-patient nursing is extremely stressful. I currently work in an ambulatory setting and it is MUCH nicer (including the schedule). It really can be a great career still though.

[amygarside]

It is a tough question considering some of the difficulties that nursing is facing right now. The most difficult part is finding a job. Even experienced nurses are having a tough time with that. Well, it depends really, because for me being a nurse is a calling and I would want to still be one even if I know the different difficulties it have. My advice will be if you are tough enough then pursue it.

[lady_d]

I've been an RN for a very long time. I used to very easily recommend nursing to others who asked me about it. But now, I don't know what I would recommend. I have a friend, a single mom in her 30's, who wanted to pursue nursing. She had talked to myself and another RN friend (a CRNA actually) and we both said go for it.

She did an accelerated RN program, did very very well in it, along with working and raising her daughter. Once she graduated, it took her 9 months to find a job. She had to accept the only offer that came her way, which was for a float pool in a large hospital. She was SO stressed out over the acuity of her patients, and the long hours, and was actually making less money than she had as a waitress in an upscale restaurant. Now she has a large school debt also. She's quite unhappy, and my friend and I feel terrible. Nursing for us was very different when we started out.

I no longer do work as an RN myself, although I keep my license up. But if I wanted to, I have the experience and know I could get a job. I instead have a home-based business.

So would you still recommend, in today's world, for a person to go into nursing?

"But if I wanted to, I have the experience and know I could get a job. I instead have a home-based business."
I thought the same thing. I have 25 years of oncology acute care experience, I have a BSN, impeccable resume, job history, references,recommendations, etc...and I have been working with my husband in a home based health related business and I am looking for a job and I am having a VERY HARD TIME. So I thought just like you...I have the experience so I can get a job...not so, and knowing what I know now, seeing the trend in nursing, and watching the negative impact that the ANA, our largest nursing association, has had on nursing and creating a mess...I would tell anyone to have a foot in the door first. Get a job as a CNA in a hospital first and then go to school for nursing. It is almost the only way in for new nurses, and if they don't have their BSN, they can almost forget about getting a job

[lady_d]

If you think your experience will walk you back into your nursing career, you have already been away too long and if and when you try to return you will most certainly have a hard time finding ANY position. My advice to you is to get a job in acute care per diem and work one day a week or ALL of your experience will mean nothing when and if you try to return to practice. Things are bad in our field and not getting better

[michfr]

No, I would not recommend nursing anymore because at the end of the day you have to go into an industry where there is potential in the job market. The nursing industry today has very few openings, making the cost of school not worth it, even if you love nursing.

[oldntiredRN]

I totally agree. I would not recommend anyone to go into nursing. I have over 30 years of hospital experience, Back in 2008 I lost my full time floor postion. I was 8 months looking for another postion and then I only ended up with a rat hole postion of a per deim nurse in which I was cancelled for 2 solid months at a time. I went an obtained out of the box temp positions for nurses, and even a part time positon in LTC- the LTC facility was livid I was still working at the perdeim hospital- "when are you going to quit that place"( a direct quote from the bizzare DON!! And the perdeim place(hospital) fired me because i wouldn't quite the steady part time position. This is insane- how is a single mom supposed to pay the bills- the electric company doesn't say"Oh your a nurse, we will give yu your electric for free" the mortgage company doesn't say"Oh your a nurse, your mortage is free and here is some free food to go along with the free mortage" These institution need to be prosecuted and jailed for the problems they are causing- they should be prosecuted on their bad and insane judgments alone. They need to be held accountable for the decisions they make. First and formost- Patients go to hospitals for NURSING CARE not accountant or Human Resource care or CEO care or financial care. To that conclusion, healthcare institutions are "NURSING" institutions- these morons in thses positions are in 'our living room', they need to be told to shut up or get out!!! Second, Nursing is a profession with a body of scientific knowledge, that takes years to learn, the theory is very difficult to earn, It is NOT a calling- nursing was a calling back in the Greek and Roman times and in the Middle ages(1300-1500) when the only way a woman could participate in the Catholic church was to be a"deaconess" and visit the sick in thier homes. We are a far cry from the deaconess of the Middle ages. Nursing is nt a religious sec We are not nuns or monks.This "calling" mentality devalues the worth and professionism of nurses. This is why these morons from all other walks of life come into our profession and take over telling us to be "customer oriented like a 5 star hotel bell hop"
Peoplego to a hospital( a nursing institution) becasue they are complexly ill for very complex nursing care or they wouldn't be admitted in the first place. They aare not there because they have a snotty nose and need a tissue. That they can go to the drug store for and do at home.

[jayne1975]

I would ABSOLUTELY recommend nursing to anyone who feels like it is a profession they would enjoy. I love being a nurse. I've been an RN for seven years, five in the emergency room and I still love my job. The shift is different every time I go to work, so there is always a challenge.

Sometimes, the shifts are tough... like 12 hours of non-stop hell... and other times it's not crazy and I get to actually talk to my coworkers and help them with their patients. On an average, I see between 12 and 20 patients each shift and they can range from a pediatric ear ache to a geriatric resuscitation. The rescues never stop coming and the waiting room usually has a wait time to be seen.. not because we don't have the staff to provide care, but with 50 beds, we just don't have the space to physically put them (sometimes because we're holding admits in the ED when the hospital is at capacity). So yes, some shifts are difficult, but that's part of the challenge and what keeps me motivated to go to work.. the easier shifts are almost like a bonus.

There are things that I would like to see change, but I have goals to get where I can help facilitate those changes in the future. I work with awesome people, a great team and we have good leadership. I really think that there is so much diversity in nursing that if you don't like it where you start, there is always something different. You can move almost anywhere in the world and have a job if you have the experience they're looking for.. and even places like the hospital where I work will hire a new graduate into the ER. (Granted, you get like 12 weeks of pretty intense orientation with our educator.)

There are many opportunities for people in nursing. Honestly I've been surprised by this site and how much negativity there is regarding nursing and finding employment. I know that the new graduates have difficulty finding a hospital to hire them, but there are jobs out there as I personally know at least eight new graduates who have gotten jobs in the past two years. (Some of them were nursing students I precepted during their final semesters and have been hired elsewhere, and some of them are new graduates I've had the pleasure to get to know as coworkers.) I realize that some of the job markets aren't as good in other places, but if you're willing/able to relocate, there are definitely jobs available to good candidates.