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Fernanda
Student
West Covina, California
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What are the pros and cons of becoming a nurse?
#medicine
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2 answers
Raquel Davis
Registered Nurse, premed student
148
Answers
Providence, Rhode Island
Updated
Raquel’s Answer
As with any profession there are basic pros and cons to being a nurse, however each individual will be affected by the job differently, what may be very frustrating/difficult for one person may not be a big deal for another, so when considering whether or not nursing is for you be sure to think about your own personality and how it may be affected. But I can tell you some things that are generally thought of as pros and cons.
PROS:
Job stability: there is a huge nursing shortage right now and no matter where you go you will be able to get a job.
Variety: There are so many areas of nursing that you can always find something new to do. From working on a regular med-surg floor in a hospital, oncology, ICU, ED, neurology, telemetry, pediatrics, mother baby, nursing homes, rehab, and general practice are just a few of the many many options available to you as a career. And the great thing is that you can become any type of nurse at any point in your career. Many people switch specialities throughout their career and find the ability to experience change and something new a good way to continue to love nursing and prevent burnout.
Making an impact: Everyone has their own specific reasons for wanting to become a nurse but it always boils down to wanting to help others. This is a career where you get to impact peoples lives on a daily basis, you are often there to support people through the worst times of their life.
Pay: Nurses are a job where you are well compensated right outside of school. The average for the country is right around $71,000.
Advancement: Similar to always having a variety of areas you can work in as a nurse there is also lots of room for career advancement. You can move up through the ranks of the hospital and become a charge nurse, supervisor, or director. You can teach lectures or be a clinical instructor. You can do research. And of course you can become a provider as a nurse practitioner.
Trust: Nurses are one of the most trusted professions out there, people believe in you.
CONS:
Highly demanding: Being a nurse is a very demanding job not only physically but also mentally and emotionally. Like any job there are good days and there are bad days but it often takes everything out of you. For new nurses it can also be very difficult not to take what happens at work home with you. Nursing takes a lot of baseline knowledge as well as critical thinking skills to provide quality care for patients and recognize changes in patient status. You are on your feet for 12 hours running around caring for people, often performing tasks and there is lots of bending and lifting. If you are not careful and take proper care of your body it is easy to become injured. With the emotional and mental difficulty of the job many nurses also suffer from burnout. It is important to surround yourself with a good support group of both fellow nurses and people outside of the profession to help you through the hard times.
Difficult patients: You will have patients who no matter what you do aren't going to like you or appreciate you. It can be hard to have someone constantly yelling at you and expecting things from you that you are unable to provide.
Difficult working conditions: Due to the nursing shortage hospitals are constantly understaffed putting nurses out of the nurse-to-patient ratio that is recommended for safe care on their floor. Being out of ratio makes the nurses job more difficult and lessens that quality of care delivered. It is also a significant factor in nurse burnout. You are also regularly exposed to bacteria and viruses that spread easily and have potential for exposure as well as dealing with every kind of bodily fluid (it is not a career for the squeamish).
Neutral:
Long hours: Working three 12 hour shifts a week can be considered either a pro or a con depending on your perspective so I will put it in its own category. Being on your feet, providing total care to patients for 12 hours at a time is hard work and is tiring. It is also not the typical work schedule so you don't have much free time on days you work and finding a balance between working, enjoying time outside of work, and getting a proper amount of sleep can be very difficult. Some people find it difficult to balance working these hours with their outside social/family life while others find it to be wonderful. People do tend to enjoy that since you work 12 hours at a time, nurses only work three days a week giving you four days off. Finding work life balance tends to be more difficult for those who work nights because you are on a completely different schedule than the rest of the world. There is also often a lot of flexibility with your schedule depending on where you work, people are often able to arrange it where they can take short vacations by arranging their schedule so they have a week off (without having to use vacation time).
As you can see there is a lot to consider when trying to decide whether or not being a nurse is right for you. The best thing you can do is do your research and make a decision on what you think will make a fulfilling career for you. If you do decide to become a nurse do it for the right reasons, to help others and make an impact in the world. Not because of the schedule or pay. I hope that this helps and wish you best of luck.
PROS:
Job stability: there is a huge nursing shortage right now and no matter where you go you will be able to get a job.
Variety: There are so many areas of nursing that you can always find something new to do. From working on a regular med-surg floor in a hospital, oncology, ICU, ED, neurology, telemetry, pediatrics, mother baby, nursing homes, rehab, and general practice are just a few of the many many options available to you as a career. And the great thing is that you can become any type of nurse at any point in your career. Many people switch specialities throughout their career and find the ability to experience change and something new a good way to continue to love nursing and prevent burnout.
Making an impact: Everyone has their own specific reasons for wanting to become a nurse but it always boils down to wanting to help others. This is a career where you get to impact peoples lives on a daily basis, you are often there to support people through the worst times of their life.
Pay: Nurses are a job where you are well compensated right outside of school. The average for the country is right around $71,000.
Advancement: Similar to always having a variety of areas you can work in as a nurse there is also lots of room for career advancement. You can move up through the ranks of the hospital and become a charge nurse, supervisor, or director. You can teach lectures or be a clinical instructor. You can do research. And of course you can become a provider as a nurse practitioner.
Trust: Nurses are one of the most trusted professions out there, people believe in you.
CONS:
Highly demanding: Being a nurse is a very demanding job not only physically but also mentally and emotionally. Like any job there are good days and there are bad days but it often takes everything out of you. For new nurses it can also be very difficult not to take what happens at work home with you. Nursing takes a lot of baseline knowledge as well as critical thinking skills to provide quality care for patients and recognize changes in patient status. You are on your feet for 12 hours running around caring for people, often performing tasks and there is lots of bending and lifting. If you are not careful and take proper care of your body it is easy to become injured. With the emotional and mental difficulty of the job many nurses also suffer from burnout. It is important to surround yourself with a good support group of both fellow nurses and people outside of the profession to help you through the hard times.
Difficult patients: You will have patients who no matter what you do aren't going to like you or appreciate you. It can be hard to have someone constantly yelling at you and expecting things from you that you are unable to provide.
Difficult working conditions: Due to the nursing shortage hospitals are constantly understaffed putting nurses out of the nurse-to-patient ratio that is recommended for safe care on their floor. Being out of ratio makes the nurses job more difficult and lessens that quality of care delivered. It is also a significant factor in nurse burnout. You are also regularly exposed to bacteria and viruses that spread easily and have potential for exposure as well as dealing with every kind of bodily fluid (it is not a career for the squeamish).
Neutral:
Long hours: Working three 12 hour shifts a week can be considered either a pro or a con depending on your perspective so I will put it in its own category. Being on your feet, providing total care to patients for 12 hours at a time is hard work and is tiring. It is also not the typical work schedule so you don't have much free time on days you work and finding a balance between working, enjoying time outside of work, and getting a proper amount of sleep can be very difficult. Some people find it difficult to balance working these hours with their outside social/family life while others find it to be wonderful. People do tend to enjoy that since you work 12 hours at a time, nurses only work three days a week giving you four days off. Finding work life balance tends to be more difficult for those who work nights because you are on a completely different schedule than the rest of the world. There is also often a lot of flexibility with your schedule depending on where you work, people are often able to arrange it where they can take short vacations by arranging their schedule so they have a week off (without having to use vacation time).
As you can see there is a lot to consider when trying to decide whether or not being a nurse is right for you. The best thing you can do is do your research and make a decision on what you think will make a fulfilling career for you. If you do decide to become a nurse do it for the right reasons, to help others and make an impact in the world. Not because of the schedule or pay. I hope that this helps and wish you best of luck.
Karen Munoz
Product Development Manager
24
Answers
Troy, Michigan
Updated
Karen’s Answer
First let me say, I am not a nurse, but I know and work with many nurses. I currently work in a health plan. One of the advantages of being a nurse is that it gives you the opportunity to work in the medical field and have very close contact with patients. Nursing is a "helping profession" and can be very rewarding. There are lots of career opportunities for nurses, from doctor's offices and hospitals to health plans and health systems. Nurses can have flexible schedules, although some do work long shifts or long hours. Nurses are always in demand. Good luck with your decision!