[drv775]

hey guys,
this is my first post but I've been reading from this site for a while.
I'm going to college right now and I'm taking my last 2 prerequisite classes so that I can be eligle to go into the nursing program. The reason for my post is because lately I've met 4 non-practicing nurses and that has kind of scared me because they all tell me that the nursing profession is very stressful and they felt underappreciated. They also said that some of the doctors try to make them feel stupid and so they eventually had enough and walked away. So like I said earlier, I'am kind of scared now because I been hearing a lot of bad stories about nursing. This all has lead me to wonder if I really want to be a nurse? so, my questions to you are: what do you think about nursing? why do you like being a nurse? do the rewards outweigh the negativity? I'm very good at multitasking and dealing with stress, also have very good attention to detail so I believe that I have the tools to be a male nurse but I'm wondering if I will be happy doing it. Thank you all for taking the time to read my nonsense and for you input.

[Duncan]

Thanks for posting a good and extremely valid question. Nursing is a profession and a job. In pretty much every field of work that requires some interaction with humans, you will find negativity such as friction of clashing personalities, ego trips, lack of appreciation and every defect of the human condition. THAT'S WHY GOOD NURSING PROGRAMS INCLUDE MENTAL HEALTH IN THE CURRICULUM. You not just dealing with wild patients!
Anyway to get back to your question regarding nurses who have left the field... it is possible that that type of nursing was something that they were not suited for. I worked in banking, in corporate travel, as a word processor, transcriptionist, as a legal secretary and as a cab driver. Any time you are engaged in a trade that requires either product or service, you will find some unhappy camper on the other end. Want something where you are stress free? Raise goats!
As for me, I don't know if bedside nursing is going to be the last job I will have on this nursing train ride. Not every nursing graduate is cut out to work on one particular station at a hospital or in a long term health care facility. There are other situations where the need is present... discharge planning, evaluating, doctor's offices... not to mention teaching or even research.
Don't let a few unhappy graduates make you crestfallen. If you really want to do that then I would suggest looking at engineers, architects, and accountants who got burned out after graduating. And imagine what pressure might feel like when your bridge collapses or your client gets called to the Federal Trade Commission or the Internal Revenue Service !