To ask Is nursing really horrific?

[scotchbonnetface]

It’s a bit of a pipe dream, but I always felt I had a “calling” for nursing.

Im getting to the stage where if I don’t do it soon, I never will. But I’m scared.

Maybe I’ve read too many horror stories, but if there are any nurses or HCA that could give me your feelings on the job, I’d really appreciate it.

I went back to uni to study nursing as a mature student. I started in September 2023. It really is horrific and I quit half way through.

Oh really! What was it that made you leave?

DD is a nurse & she loves it.

Perhaps you could do some work as a Health Care Assistant to give you an insight into what the work actually involves?

I have never seen anyone more overwhelmed and stressed as the nurses on all of my placement's. It creates an awful atmosphere and it makes it very difficult to give patients the proper levels of care. Bullying is a problem and not enough is done to protect staff from physical assaults. About 25% of my cohort left during the first placement. One was sexually assaulted by a patient.

I’ve been a nurse for 15 years. I worked on wards for 6 years (I did find that tough) but have now found a role I love in public health nursing.

I think it depends what type of nursing you want to do. I certainly wouldn't recommend it as a career these days

I started nursing in 1987, qualified in 1991 and have had a long and successful nursing career. Not everyone is cut out for it but if you don’t try you will never know.

I love being a nurse and working in Emergency Medicine.

I qualified as a nurse 9 years ago and I wouldn't change my choices. I think nursing is constantly evolving. There are places I would never work again (acute hospital wards). I work in primary care and I absolutely love it. It really does depend on the job itself, rather than the career. If you find somewhere focused on development with a supportive culture you couldn't wish for a better job!

I kind of have the same mind set of if you don’t try, you won’t know. It’s a risky business though! And maybe an expensive mistake (if I’m terrible at it)

I’d like to be in paediatric, or emergency/theatre. Although this is based on no experience what so over!

It’s the best job in the world. You should definitely go for it.

I qualified two years ago as a mature student. I absolutely loved the actual nursing side of things. However the atmosphere, bullying and bitching on wards was just not for me (wasn’t even targeted, just hated/seeing hearing it and trying to stick up for wronged people). I could’ve stuck it out but just found it draining.
I now work in a day nursing job which I definitely enjoy but it’s not exactly what I originally wanted.
Some places really are lovely and actual nursing is rewarding (if a bit stressful). I’d just be aware that if you do go into it and love it, it might take a while once your qualified to find a place you enjoy.

I’ve been a nurse for 15 years. I was a late starter. Never wanted to do ward nursing so worked in theatres. I’m now an Advanced Practitioner. Love it most days. It’s very hard and we certainly don’t do it for the money. Not sure I’d want to do anything else though.

Oof I’ve been nursing for MANY years. It’s never been easy but I’m not sure it’s ever been more difficult than it is right now. I moved into a specialism, which is better. I’d quit nursing before I went back on the ward.
We see people at their most vulnerable. It can be incredibly rewarding. Equally it can be awful. Some people are very emotional, some are disoriented, some are downright nasty. We are working with huge staff shortages, expectations from management to do more with less resources, budgets cuts. Staff that leave aren’t replaced (although they seem to find the budget for new roles at the most senior levels 🤨).
Patients can be extremely demanding, some expect speedy service and think they’re the only patient we look after! We are STILL dealing with the aftermath of Covid. My service has seen an increase in the number of patients with symptoms that need to be seen, flares and being short-staffed puts lots of pressure on us. I’m pretty experienced in my current role, but I was almost in tears this afternoon.
I would definitely suggest getting some work in a hospital. I worked as a healthcare on the nurse bank before I did my training. Here’s the ironic thing. In 18 years, there’s been a couple of times my health issues almost stopped me working, and I hated the idea of having it taken away from me. So in summary, yes, it’s one of the toughest careers out there. Sometimes I wish I’d occupational therapy instead. But I’m still doing it and I love what I do (most of the time!).

I think it depends what kind of setting you work in & what kind of personality you have.

It is pretty relentless on, say, an elderly care ward. I worked on one as a HCA & had a place to do nurse training via the trust I worked for, but left before starting because I just knew I couldn’t take the 3 years of study on top of working on the ward.

Elderly care was mainly dementia patients with complex needs & was the most understaffed ward day in, day out. Everybody would book bank shifts on Outpatients, Discharge Lounge, Gynae etc as ours was the most challenging ward for physically. The nurses either loved it & had been there for years - or hated it & didn’t come back after 1 or 2 shifts.

If you can find your ideal fit I’d say do it - if not, it’s a big commitment to take on for not much money.

Paediatric can be fun and rewarding, although there is a lot of safeguarding involved and some truly awful things you might see/hear about.

Theatre can be okay if it’s your thing. Can be quite boring and repetitive.

Emergency is varied, but this is where you’ll probably experience a high level of assaults/abuse.

I think it honestly just depends on your lifestyle/personality/tolerance as to whether you’ll enjoy it.

As others have said though - it’s not just the patients that can be challenging. There’s a lot of backstabbing and bullying within some departments. Ok when you are in a job and can leave but during placements you just have to put up with it, because it’s very unlikely the uni will let you change it.

It’s both the best and the worst job in the world.

I’ve been qualified 30 years and have spent 25 of them in primary care. Wouldn’t go back into a hospital for all the tea in China. (Not that they’d want me really as my skills are very specific to primary care!)

I am proud to be a nurse, and proud to lead and be a part of a team that delivers excellence. That doesn’t happen everywhere I know.

It does drain you though. You give so much of yourself there’s not always much left.

Thanks for all the info so far.

Ive been in corporate for 15 years and it’s so boring and draining. Im tired. But not like the tired where you feel you’ve been working hard, tired as in my brain is just rotting away in my head from the lack of stimulation and human contact!

35 + years and still loving it
Go for it !

I love my job (I'm a nurse in primary care) but I'd never work on a hospital ward again!
Better pay would be nice though. I'm an independent prescriber so I have a high level of responsibility, but the pay absolutely doesn't reflect it.

Definitely get a job as a hca before you apply. You will get a good feel for what it’s like. I would suggest a hca job at a hospital to give yourself a proper idea. I nursed many years ago loved a lot of it and hated some.
Shift work is exhausting, I left because I got fed up with the shifts and working Christmas etc.
I do still miss it sometimes though

I’ve been nursing 35 years, 29 of them in primary care which is slightly the lesser of two evils. I retire at 55 next year and the pension is the only thing keeping me going tbh. And many others I know. It’s a bit of a timebomb.
Working in the NHS currently is like trying to fill a bath with the plug out. Nurses always seem to be at the bottom of the pile..An impossible and thankless job in many respects.
I feel genuinely sorry for those with years left.

Nursing is not all it’s cracked up to be.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c7287gxn7m3o.amp

I am a nurse and have loved my career from cardiology to general/emergency medicine to oncology. Would I do it again, yes. I have also seen awful bullying and worked in two toxic environments. The job has changed so much over the years but my knowledge is forever evolving! Do it or you will never know 😊