Hi,
I'm so thrilled to have found this forum and I am hoping someone might be able to share some insight with me? Ok, so before I begin, I apologise if this post ends up longer then need be. I wanted to ask a question that might help ease some concerns I have with regards to me entering into nursing.
I am from Qld and I am 33 yrs of age. I have been considering nursing as a career for a great lenght of time now and i'm now looking to undertake study in 2013. I know i'll be an "older student" but up until now I have been busy with my 3 beautiful children. I feel i'm now more ready then ever to take this on. I figure i've still got plenty of time and so i'm going to pursue my dream of becoming a nurse:-)
I absolutely want to be a nurse. I have a real desire to work with people but importantly help and care for them in times of illness and injury. I am inspired by the wonderful nurses already out there doing this and also people and events in my life recently have helped cement this decision for me.
I have been doing as much research as I can on both uni courses offered and the profession itself. I want to be sure that the emotional, physical and financial commitment required is one I am ready and able to make. I also want to be as prepared as I can be for what lies ahead with regards to the study load, clinicals etc etc. I realise only so much can be learnt from text books and i have no doubt there will be many many times I feel under prepared for what comes my way! I am learning to prepare for good days and bad days.
My only real concern with the nursing profession is what I have read with regards to "horizontal bullying", as it is commonly reffered to. Does it really exist? Now, don't get me wrong, I can take critism, (not a huge fan of it, but can deal with it), and i'm all for it when given constructively to improve ones knowledge, skills, etc etc... Afterall, it's how we learn to grow and become better at the things we do, right? By nature I am determined and don't back away from my goals easily but I do have a very gentle personality with a tendancy to be a tad sensitive. I am worried that this may prove to be a problem. I don't see it as a problem when dealing with my patients so much, i'm more concerned that it will effect me as a student or even as a nurse. I worry that when I need help as a student i'll feel lost and isolated during clinicals particularly. I have read some horror stories about student nurses being bullied, told they're more of a nusiance to the qualified nurses and made to feel completely inferior. I want the chance to learn and participate as much as possible so I can also become a great nurse myself. I have known a few nurses in my time, (don't see them now and so can't talk to them), and I can't ever imagine them being like this to anyone, patient or colleague. I would think that generally nurses are all round caring and compasionate people with a great deal of patience and understanding. I know there will always be an excpetion to this rule but is there any truth to "nurses eating their young"??
I am wondering if there are any nursing students or nurses that can shed some light on this for me? Are nurses generally supportive of one another within the profession? Are nurses generally supporting and accepting of students? Have you felt as a student nurse you've lacked the support you need? Is there always someone to lend a hand when you need clarification or someone you can go to for help if you need?
I realise that all places of work can have conflict and personalities are bound to sometimes clash and I can deal with this. I think for me it's more about having the support as a student and a team oriented environment as a qualified nurse. If the hospitals and wards are a tougher environment to work in as a nurse, it may be as simple as just learning to toughen up and adapt as necessary.
At the end of the day, it won't change my mind as I am certain this is what I want to do. In the bigger picture I know it is the patients care and well being that matters most. I just can't help but worry my confidence may dwindle if I encounter this so called bullying for the whole 3 years!!
I'm sure I can "suck it up" if I have too, I guess by asking the question it gives me some insight into what I should expect and therefore prepares me a little better.
Thanks for your words of wisdom and any you can give advice!:-)
