Nursing has a lot of ups and downs. Many nurses state that they would not want to be in any other profession and considering the number of nurses that return to nursing after working in another field, it has to be true.
Working as a nurse takes nerves of steel. It also requires a huge heart and a need to help others. It also means that depending on which type of nurse you choose to be, you will have to deal with some things that the general public never will. Exposure to disease, body fluids, death, and more. You will receive more vaccinations than most people do when they are toddlers!
Nursing can also be traumatic when you work in such jobs as emergency room nurse, or neonatal nurse. Emotional stress is rampant in nursing which is why many employers now offer de stressing breaks (such as paid massages) and mental health access. The life and death aspect of nursing is traumatic for people that did not have the proper expectations when entering nursing.
When you enter this field, you should have the expectation that you will see things that are not attractive to the human mind. Blood, injuries, and death…a lot of death. Working long hours in order to help people, some of which will treat you harshly. Does this mean that being a nurse is not worth it?
Far from it. Nurses also experience great joy. The emotional and personal rewards are great for those that know where to look. Watching a rehab patient walk out of the hospital under their own power. Holding the hand of an elderly patient that is ready to ‘let go’ and leave illness behind–the type of patient that has reached a point where death is a welcome friend. Being the person to call the parents of a premature baby and tell them their child is ready to go home.
Joy hides in every place in a medical center that sadness does. Joy is at the edges of all aspects of nursing, sometimes it is right in front of your face. The days when you go home exhausted, but happy, are the best. You will have tears, but not all of them come from frustration or sadness. A nurse is the key to the care that so many people need, it is up to you how you will see your job…the best job or the worst.
Tags: Nurse, nursing concerns, nursing life
