Despite being one of the most significant professions worldwide, you will always find a shortage of nurses no matter where you go. So, every single year, hundreds of nursing schools enroll new students to kickstart their career. Nursing is a combination of adrenaline, compassion and knowledge all coming together to create a way of life
But the big question is, Is nursing the right career for you?
1. It is nothing like you see on TV
Ok, so first off. It is nothing like you see on TV. Nursing is not a glamorous job where you can sip your coffee quietly behind a desk and smile all day.
In reality, working as a nurse will provide you with endless nasty situations. Whether you have to clean an infected wound, stop a massive bleed or help Nancy change her diaper, you are bound to meet some unpleasant cases. But don’t let this push you away, you will build a tolerance for this stuff, and eventually, you will be comfortable to talk about crazy things while you eat dinner with your nurse friends. This leads to the next part;
2. You will develop a strange sense of humour
As a nurse, you will come across so many crazy things, you will meet people giving birth, and others dying. You will come across cute old ladies wanting to hug you, and some punks who want to punch you. So apart from learning how to handle so many different people, you will also develop a really weird sense of humour, that only your nurse friends will get. But that’s ok cause there’s a lot of us, and we would love to hear your jokes. The next part that both nursing students and nurses have to go through is
3. Strange working and studying hours will become your thing
Both in nursing school and as a nurse, you are expected to work crazy long hours, at strange times of the day. Depending on the hospital, you might be working 12-hour shifts, or 8-hour shifts, day shifts or night shifts. So you have to learn how to manage your time wisely and get yourself into a routine.
4. You have to work on holidays
Speaking of weird shifts, you will be expected work holidays. Unfortunately, people don’t stop being sick just because it’s Christmas day, so you will have to work through some of the national holidays.
5. Nursing school is tough
Just in case the crazy work-practice hours are not enough, Nursing School will make an extra effort to make your life difficult. It is a combination of anatomy and physiology, medical conditions, surgical cases, and holistic care. But if you go in with the mindset that you want to graduate, and if you keep your things organised, then you should make it through!
The odds are that you will fail at least one module in nursing school. But that is ok; you will have the opportunity to repeat it and continue your course.
(Ps. Patients do not care if you got an A or a C on your test ;)
6. You will have endless work opportunities
Another plus of nursing is that you will have endless opportunities for work. Nursing is such a vast profession; you can work with babies, kids, adults and older people. You can work in the emergency, intensive care, surgery, medical or surgical wards. You can also specialise in infection control, diabetes, cancer care, wound care, and so much more. And you can also branch out of the hospital setting and work as a medical writer, or medical representative. Having so many options means that you will never be limited in nursing.
7. Expect to bond with your patients
The last thing that you should keep in mind if you want to become a nurse, is that you will form bonds with your patients. Especially if you work in places where you have the same patients for a long time. Creating this bond is what makes nursing the most trusted profession, but it also creates some personal issues. You will laugh and cry with your patients, and sometimes you will go home and keep thinking about how you could help that patient better or what you could have done differently to save him. But the reality is that you will not be able to save everyone, and sometimes trying your best is all you can do.
In Conclusion
Nursing is a fantastic career full of highs and lows. If you are passionate about helping people and about being a part of the medical field, then nursing is the right choice for you. Working as a nurse will give you a sense of personal satisfaction that is far greater than any salary.
If you want to learn more Check out these 10 things you should know about nurses!
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