I need 10 people to answer these questions regarding their opinions of nurses... HELP

[SnowWitch]

THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!!!

What is your perception of a nurse? Why is it negative/positive?
If it is negative , have you had an experience that helped to form this opinion? If it is positive , please share why..



Thansk to ALLL who respond to this!!!!

 

[mhopset]

My opinion of a Nurse:

Kind, compassionate, under paid, over worked, very stressful career, very rewarding (sometimes)

I can say these things because my DW is a nurse in maternity. She has to put up with a lot, and sometimes the patients can be very demanding not to mention the doctors. All in all she is glad she is a nurse and I am very proud I married her.

 

[tiggerlover]

My answer is about nurses in general. It is my experience that most are compasionate, hard-working and dedicated to their job. Many that I have come in contact with have gone above and beyond the call of duty and that was greatly appreciated. There are some that are cold, uncaring and brusque (sp?), but those are few and far between.

I am curious as to why you ask, are you working on a research paper of something? Whatever it is, I hope this helps.

 

[Krisu]

Underpaid,overworked and expected to still give good care while management makes budget cuts. I have worked in all aspects of nursing in my more than 25 years of nursing. I now have a boss that appreciates me although it is a still a demanding job. The hardest was hospital work where your patient load could be from 5 to 10 patients depending on if they were short of help. Many times not a safe situation. Did you have a bad experience?

 

[snowwhitemom]

I think that being a nurse is awesome. I have the upmost respect for all nurses, even the "bad attitude" nurses deserve the upmost respect. I think in the end it will not matter how many degrees you have or how much cash but how you have treated people, nurses help people every day in such a personal way...oh yeah they are so underpaid ( just going on what nurse friends have told me) I hope this helps.

 

[lilboo]

Overworked,underpaid-not enough of them to go around! Trapped between love and commitment to their work and the odious choices they have to make on the fly! And the hospitals and doctors who threaten them to stay mum-!

I'd read that Time or Newsweek(?) article about the nursing situation in the U.S.-absolutely atrocious. We owe nurses who stay and fight our gratitude!

 

[yepod]

I couldn't have said it any better!

I admit being biased because like mhopset my DW is a nurse

But even before she came along, my experience was always good! It always amazes me for much less pay, how they seem to cover for & do what the doctors should be doing JMHO

 

[snoopy]

When my father was dying of cancer, it was the nurses who showed him the compassion and dignity he deserved, When we had a question, regardless of whether it was about his care or his diagnosis, we spoke directly to the nurse, rather than the doctor. IMO, its really the nurse that treats the patient, the doctor more or less treats the disease itself.

I have a whole lot of admiration for nurses, its a job I could never do though. I have a good friend who is a nurse - she has the perfect personality for it. A very strong person who tends not to let her emotions get the best of her.

I also agree that nurses are way underpaid. As are school teachers and police officers, but that is a whole other thread.

 

[A kid at heart]

Nurses do most of the work and don't get enough credit.

 

[6_Time_Momma]

Do we nurses get to answer?? LOL!!

 

[AZKathy]

Why should a new high school graduate put four expensive years in a University for a nursing degree when he/she could go into another field such as computers and get paid a whole heck of a lot more money and have much better hours?

I have been an RN for over 20 years. I work in an Operating Room in a Level 1 Trauma center. I still rotate to weekends and midnight shifts as often as a new grad....the pay is poor and the hours and work is hard.

It definately takes a special person to go into nursing any more. I am honest that if I had to work on a floor, I would have quit that field many years ago. My respect for floor/unit nurses is incredible. They are a wonderful group of people in my book.

 

[BWVDenise]

thought not as a nurse. I see all the things they have to do and I fully agree with the "underpaid and overworked" opinion. I would never want to do it myself! They are always short-staffed, and the amount of things that they need to know is overwhelming.

 

[DopeyRN]

I think most nurses ARE nurses because they are caring and compassionate people.

The nursing shortage is bad and will become so much worse in the years to come. I loved being a nurse, but the politics of hospital life forced me out. I was no longer able to give the level of care I wanted to. I now work for a health insurance company as a pre-cert nurse. If one of my children wanted to become a nurse, I would not encourage or discourage it. I would give them the facts, and attempt to stay neutral. I am glad I had the 22 years of clinical experience that I did, and hope I never have to return to it.

 

[SnowWitch]

tiggerlover I am working on my RN and we are discussing the attitudes of the public towards the profession of nursing. Why people feel the way they do and so on..... Thanks everyone for answering!!!!

 

[Music Mole]

SnowWitch - I hope you don't mind another opinion, even if you've gotten your 10! I think nursing (like teaching) is one of the most vital and yet underappreciated careers. To be a nurse is a special kind of calling or commitment and I applaud anyone with the commitment (and stomach!) to do it.

I had major jaw advancement surgery 2.5 years ago, and because of a snafu I ended up staying in recovery the whole day & night after. I could not have had better care - it was a quiet night (this was at the county's major trauma center hospital) and the nurse was so kind and very reassuring as she checked on me and made sure I was comfortable. The next morning it was very busy in recovery but another nurse that came on duty with the morning shift was so kind and attentive. I really was grateful for their compassionate care. I wrote thankyou notes afterwards because I'm sure they see so many patients day in and day out, but I wanted them to know how much i appreciated their care of me. i am a total "weenie" about needles and medical stuff and I can't imagine what that day and night after surgery would have been like (this was scary as far as I was concerned - lots of swelling and all wired shut) without them.

SO to you and every nurse out there - thanks for all you do. you touch lives and make a difference every day and it is appreciated.

 

[Talking Hands]

I had a lot of respect for nurses until my last hospitalization. Now I really don't have much good to say about them or any hospital staff. Because I can't hear well, it was very difficult to communicate with them and they refused to take the time to accommodate to my needs or provide a sign language interpreter so I could have a clear understanding of what they wanted and planned to do. They would walk in and grab my hand to do the bs and prick me with no warning. They would adjust things without explaining.
I'm very oral and lipread well if people cooperate but the nurses were in too much of a hurry to take the time to stand still so I could lipread. And of course the hospital won't provide an interpreter either. Geez I had my sugery on my leg and nothing was explained to me. It wasn't until after I left the hospital that my surgeon told me they originally thought they would have to amputate the leg.

 

[mamajoan]

Nurses in general are intelligent, hard working, empathetic, often misunderstood and mismanaged group of PROFESSIONALS.

This comes from a medical professional who spent a career working with nurses in a wide variety of settings. Also, my opinion is based on having been a patient in acute hospital and homecare venues.

I have found there is no difference between RN's with an AA vs RN's with a BSN when providing direct patient care. I have found that both are able to provide the same level of direct care. However experience in years of service and educational in service classes DO make a definite difference in the nurses ability to continue to provide better patient care.. Some BSN's are better qualified to do management, DON or Staff Educational Resource Managers.
I have also found that RN's who are not overstressed or overloaded with an unusually high number of patients per shift, are less likely to have burn-out attitudes. Thus providing far better care for each patient they see thru out their careers. Also, Feeling appreciated by employers and co-workers goes a long way in helping to avoid burnout.
JMHO.
Joan

 

[MosMom]

I have a positive view of nurses and I think they are severely underpaid. The only time I have have dealt with a nurse in a hospital setting was having my kids and I always had great nurses. The doctor showed up to catch the baby and left. Actually, my doctor didn't even deliver my first..an intern did.

 

[SnowWitch]

Talking Hands I am so sorry for you. I truly hate that you were treated poorly. I want to hear the negative and positive, everyone's experience is different and your opinion is just as helpful as the positive ones. Thank you for taking the time to share your experience.

 

[6_Time_Momma]

They would walk in and grab my hand to do the bs and prick me with no warning. They would adjust things without explaining.

That stinks! I work in an Alzheimer's unit and I know several of my residents are to a point in the disease where I am pretty sure they have no idea of their surroundings and I STILL take time to explain things to them before I do anything on them. I can't imagine just doing stuff to you without explaining to you!!!