3 answers
Allyson
Student
Mendon, Massachusetts
1
Question
Asked
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Nursing is a very expansive and crucial field of study. I'm sure there are both peaks and valleys to any nurses' career. What is the most difficult part of being a nurse?
I am currently a senior with a great interest in pursuing nursing. My favorite classes are biology, psychology, and anything math related. I can't wait to one day be able to care for the sick, injured, and dying, or provide support for their families and communities. With a strong background in medicine, benefiting the health industry and making life more enjoyable for those impacted by health conditions will definitely be in my future.
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3 answers
Adria Hartzel
Nurse
1
Answer
Middletown, Delaware
Updated
Adria’s Answer
This is such a great question!
The unfortunate thing is that there's no good answer! Nursing offers such a wide variety of options that what might be the worst part for me might be just fine for someone else, but the worst part for someone else could be the best part for me!
Universally though, if I had to give you one thing, being unable to help your patients may fall into the top 3 of the worst thing about being a nurse though.
Because there will always be people you can't help, either because you don't have the resources, time, or luck or because they don't want help. It may not always end in a dramatic way, but even the minor instances can leave a lasting impression.
But the good? Once you find your niche. Definitely outweighs the bad.
The unfortunate thing is that there's no good answer! Nursing offers such a wide variety of options that what might be the worst part for me might be just fine for someone else, but the worst part for someone else could be the best part for me!
Universally though, if I had to give you one thing, being unable to help your patients may fall into the top 3 of the worst thing about being a nurse though.
Because there will always be people you can't help, either because you don't have the resources, time, or luck or because they don't want help. It may not always end in a dramatic way, but even the minor instances can leave a lasting impression.
But the good? Once you find your niche. Definitely outweighs the bad.
Bether Gerber
family nurse practitioner
24
Answers
Tucson, Arizona
Updated
Bether’s Answer
allyson,
i always say doctors and nurses are born, not made. it sounds like you were born to be a nurse! i have a feeling you are going to love it. one way to find out is to get an entry level job as a medical assistant in a hospital. you can make a huge difference in patient's lives in that role, believe it or not. and you will get loads of hands on experience and also see what nurses do everyday. you will sail through nursing school with this experience. i did. also the hospital where i worked gave me 75% tuition and books reimbursement because i worked there as a nursing assistant. some hospitals still do this. inquire of your local hospitals. also once i worked in the hospital as a nursing assistant they frequently offered me free education at work like cpr, acls, how to read 12 lead ekg's etc., all of this paid of greatly when i graduated and i went straight into icu and did great. right when i got there the hospital offered to put in a program teaching nurses how to care for post-op open heart patients. it was 3 months and cost about $40K but it was free if you were an employee. it was so worth it. all the things i learned those first 2 years have paid of the rest of my 25 year career! nursing is a great career and can also be a stepping stone to other careers like being a doctor or a lawyer if you decide you want go further. the best job in medicine right now is nurse practitioner!!! it's so satisfying, the pay is great, and it has more flexibility and time off than being a doctor. it's less physically demanding than being a nurse. you still get to provide support for patients and their families in the best possible way. look into it. it's very compatible with having a family.
take care,
bether
i always say doctors and nurses are born, not made. it sounds like you were born to be a nurse! i have a feeling you are going to love it. one way to find out is to get an entry level job as a medical assistant in a hospital. you can make a huge difference in patient's lives in that role, believe it or not. and you will get loads of hands on experience and also see what nurses do everyday. you will sail through nursing school with this experience. i did. also the hospital where i worked gave me 75% tuition and books reimbursement because i worked there as a nursing assistant. some hospitals still do this. inquire of your local hospitals. also once i worked in the hospital as a nursing assistant they frequently offered me free education at work like cpr, acls, how to read 12 lead ekg's etc., all of this paid of greatly when i graduated and i went straight into icu and did great. right when i got there the hospital offered to put in a program teaching nurses how to care for post-op open heart patients. it was 3 months and cost about $40K but it was free if you were an employee. it was so worth it. all the things i learned those first 2 years have paid of the rest of my 25 year career! nursing is a great career and can also be a stepping stone to other careers like being a doctor or a lawyer if you decide you want go further. the best job in medicine right now is nurse practitioner!!! it's so satisfying, the pay is great, and it has more flexibility and time off than being a doctor. it's less physically demanding than being a nurse. you still get to provide support for patients and their families in the best possible way. look into it. it's very compatible with having a family.
take care,
bether
Mary Bell
Registered Nurse Program coordinator-supervisor
2
Answers
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Updated
Mary’s Answer
Hey there!
Psychology too, was one of my very most favorable classes and/or subject in high school. Science and Math followed very closely behind or in their own right, at the top of my list as far as general educational classes go.
Like in the aforesaid answer, there is no "good" or best answer to the hardest part to becoming a nurse; However, I will add this tid-bit, from what I have witnessed with and by fellow colleagues and at the time, fellow classmates in nursing school, there was indeed an emphasized struggle I noticed in those whom did not exactly know which field of nursing they were particularly interested in pursuing and therefore it left them sort of in a limbo state of being, some even questioning a career in nursing all together, when they'd finish a course or clinical rotation in a field of nursing they didn't necessarily succeed in or prefer. For me, it was different, I knew before, on day one of nursing school, and throughout and onward what field was for me and I was blessed to have found that niche early on.
I'd like to provide the advice that if nursing or Healthcare or caring for others is your true passion, if you do indeed attend nursing school/college, don't get discouraged when/If one area of specialty isn't to your liking or best skillset; Nursing is broad but I promise it's absolutely nothing short of rewarding
Psychology too, was one of my very most favorable classes and/or subject in high school. Science and Math followed very closely behind or in their own right, at the top of my list as far as general educational classes go.
Like in the aforesaid answer, there is no "good" or best answer to the hardest part to becoming a nurse; However, I will add this tid-bit, from what I have witnessed with and by fellow colleagues and at the time, fellow classmates in nursing school, there was indeed an emphasized struggle I noticed in those whom did not exactly know which field of nursing they were particularly interested in pursuing and therefore it left them sort of in a limbo state of being, some even questioning a career in nursing all together, when they'd finish a course or clinical rotation in a field of nursing they didn't necessarily succeed in or prefer. For me, it was different, I knew before, on day one of nursing school, and throughout and onward what field was for me and I was blessed to have found that niche early on.
I'd like to provide the advice that if nursing or Healthcare or caring for others is your true passion, if you do indeed attend nursing school/college, don't get discouraged when/If one area of specialty isn't to your liking or best skillset; Nursing is broad but I promise it's absolutely nothing short of rewarding