However, a nursing career is like a rollercoaster ride—one minute you're laughing and feel on top of the world, the next you're crying and want to crawl in bed. As with any good thing in life, there are the ups and downs in nursing school, all of which work together to help you attain your goal. So, before you decide to enrol in a nursing school, it may be a good idea to know the ups and downs of the profession.
Great advantages
Nursing school is a place where you not only learn about vital signs, lab values, or a head-to-toe assessment. It's also a time to learn a lot about yourself and discover what you're made of. There is no better feeling than acing your nursing exam or doing well in your clinical. Confidence is also a skill that you learn during your program, and it is an incredible feeling knowing you did well in your nursing courses. (Enjoy that feeling!). Another advantage is making new friends and experience the true meaning of teamwork with your "nursing family." These people will help you get through the long study hours and clinical days and will laugh with you through the good and the bad. It's not uncommon to find lifelong friends from your nursing program as well.
You'll make a Difference
Perhaps the best thing about becoming a nurse is the fact that you get the opportunity to make a difference. There are days where you can literally save a person's life. That alone can be a fascinating part of the profession.
There are Numerous Opportunities in the Profession
Another excellent thing about nursing is that there are numerous opportunities outside patient care. You can work in fields like case management, discharge planning, and even education. Hospitals are not the only facilities that need nurses. Law firms, Insurance companies, and schools ideally hire nurses.
The Career can be Interesting and Diverse
As a nurse, you can work in various patient care areas including surgery, ICU, labor, and delivery. Taking a career in this field also means that you have the opportunity to take care of all kinds of people and treat varying conditions. No day will be similar, and this makes the occupation more exciting.
There's a Lot of Comradeship in Nursing
Working together in order to save a person's life can be an excellent way to bond. Nurses comprehend what other healthcare workers have to go through and this creates comradeship as they help each other. This not only improves your social skills as a nurse, but it makes the job even more enjoyable.
Flexibility
This is another benefit that most people don't get to enjoy in their occupations. Yes, most nurses operate on a full-time basis, but numerous opportunities to work part-time or on-call ideally exist. If you are the adventurous type, travel nursing jobs are also an option.
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Not the best
Some Days Can be Overwhelming
This profession can be stressful for a number of reasons. Expect days where you are short staffed or suddenly have to deal with many patients.
Exposure to Pathogens
If you are the delicate kind, then nursing may not be an ideal profession for you. Blood and other body fluids are common in nursing, and that means you will be exposed to all kinds of pathogens.
You'll Experience Sad Situations
There will be days where in your career you'll witness tragic situations. Not all patients survive and watching a person die can be painful.
You may have to Report during Weekends and Holidays
Working from 9 to 5 is common, but there are days where you will have to work until late night. That in itself may sound overwhelming, but so can working during the holidays and weekends.
Last but not least, not every patient will want or appreciate your assistance. It is how it is, and you'll have to accept the fact that not everyone is polite.
Just remember
Remember, you can do this! Keep your eye on the prize, and know that there is light at the end of the tunnel—you becoming a successful registered nurse, to be exact.