Nursing - A Career or a Lifestyle?

hmm, i'm not a nurse yet, so can't really comment accurately. BUT, i chose nursing because there is so much variety in what i can end up doing. Yes from what i've heard a lot of nurses are overworked and underpaid and sometimes unappreciated, but there are many nurses who aren't, who love what they do, and are in an area they are passionate about. Plus you don't neccessarily have to be a 'typical' nurse with a nursing degree, you can do extra study and work in education or reserach for example, you certainly don't have to work in hospitals doing shift work either. I think a lot of people have this particular idea of what 'nursing' entails, which is being overworked, underpaid and cleaning up poo and vomit all day (i've certainly encountered a lot of sterotypical comments since telling people i'm studying) but i think it's impossible to have one definition of what nurses do.

Hm well im a new grad, and i have to say that it affects your life in various ways. Though nowadays as a means of retention most hospitals offer 'flexible hours', but ive found that varies from ward to ward. If you do morning shifts, it means you get the arvo to yourself but you obviously cant stay out late sunday nights or party late into the nights....either way your not allowed to come to work drunk...they would just send you home and maybe disciplline you, coz you put yoruself and the patients at risk.

Some nruses love doing night duties coz maybe they have families and need the money, this definately kills your social life. Most though seem to fit in a social life and balance work. YOu mainly do 40hrs a week but during peak times such as the flu season, with staff off etc, you may have to work overtime.

Id say its a career. YOu certainly dont get into the field for the money, coz yes we are underpaid, and if you chat wtih patients most will agree wtih the hours we put in and the stress etc etc, yes we arent paid enough. But certainly in qld its getting better...end of next year i will be getting 53K they reckon,....as a beginning nurse! OF course that fluctuates with shift work etc.

And you do get that chance to travel overseas too. But I found out that yo8u cant do like a ordinary working holiday. I want to go to Canada, and they wont grant health care workers holiday visas..you have to get sponsored by a hospital and work a year over there.

On that note though, I want to do midwifery next year, and my old mentor said that doing the CQU course means that its easier to go and work overseas, soemthing to do with more clinical time etc.

Hi everyone,

I only just read this topic, but thought i'd add my two bit, i hope it's helpful. I'm a nursing student, i did first year in ballarat last year and transferred down to a University in melbourne this year to be closer to family and friends. As a result of transferring it meant i had to do some first year subjects again as the ciricullum is different. Prior to doing nursing i worked for 4yrs in reception/admin insurance roles, so took a complete change to do nursing. I've got to say though, that i really do love it. I've recently finished 2 weeks acute care clinical placement, and it was such a good feeling to be out on the wards, being a real nurse. Although stil in training, it was an awesome experience. I would recommend it to anyway. I think if you have a passion to do it, and it's something that you think you really are keen to do, you'll be 10x the better nurse for it. I can't wait to finish the degree in another two years.

We need more nurses out there with a passion for the job, i see alot of students who seem to only be doing it 'cause it seemed like a good idea at the time or something, and they are the students that don't generally seem to be doing as well. But those mature age students, and dedicated students are the ones that seem to succeed and become great nurses - even my lecturers at uni have agreed with this comment.

Well hope this has helped.

Rachel.

Pah,

Don't listen to your family. They clearly have no idea what they're talking about. Being a nurse will not kill your social life, in fact from what I've seen so far it may very well improve it.

Shift work. Well yeah but lots of other people do shift work and very few with the penalties nurses get. Also your put on rotation so you don't always have to work. You also get a bit of a say in what you work (you do up here anyway).

Exhausting. You worked in age care. Its no different than that. Plus your rights are far better represented than in aged care facilities. I would hedge a bet that its less demanding physically than what you used to.

Lastly I would just like to add that I worked (unqualified) for years in the social welfare field. I was an outreach worker working with homeless people. The thought of studying for 3 years to do a job I did well already seemed bizarre. As I replied just the other day when someone asked me why I wanted to be a nurse. I'm fed up with talking about helping people, I just want to help people.