So, I’ve been a nurse for almost a decade now, and one thing that has become significant over the years is social media’s glamorization of the nursing career. While nursing has many perks and benefits, it’s important to have a realistic picture of everything before diving in. If you’re wondering if nursing is the right career for you, you’ve come to the right place!

What Does It Mean To Be A Nurse? 

At its core, a nursing career is dedicated to the personal care and well-being of people, families, and communities. Beyond patient care, nurses are also educators, advocates, and lifelong learners in healthcare. 

Know If Nursing Is The Right Career For You. The Day-to-Day Reality

I’ll be honest: when I first became a nurse, I had no experience in healthcare whatsoever. Just like most people who become nurses, I entered the field wanting to comfort and nurture my patients. Nursing school, while helpful, doesn’t give enough insight into the realities of working on the floor. 

• Emotional And Social Impact: During my first year as a nurse, I was shocked by the amount of human suffering and trauma that I witnessed. As nurses, we meet people on some of the worst days of their lives. Caring for someone during such a vulnerable time requires high emotional intelligence that can’t be taught in school. For many years, I would take this trauma home with me, unable to maintain professional detachment. When determining if nursing is the right career for you, then you must be prepared. 
• Strong Smells And Bodily Fluids: Every nurse has their weakness when it comes to this, and I am no exception. This aspect of nursing is definitely not glamorous and requires lots of empathy and a strong stomach. When people are in the hospital vomiting or having diarrhea, the last thing they need is a nurse who’s going to cringe and run away. They are probably already feeling degraded as it is. Before becoming a nurse, ask yourself if you can handle strong smells and bodily fluids. If the sight of blood freaks you out, you might want to reconsider. 
• Customer Service: While nursing is primarily centered around helping others, the majority of this revolves around customer service. How are your people skills? Are you good at communicating with people who are anxious or sad? Are you good at explaining what you are doing and educating your patient and their family? Can you de-escalate situations when tension is running high? Moreover, just as much as we pass meds, as nurses, we find ourselves serving meals and beverages, catering to our patient’s comfort with warm pillows and blankets, or helping them find entertainment on TV. Is this something that would get on your nerves? 
• Hierarchy and Politics: A nursing career is highly stringent. There are many rules and regulations that you absolutely must follow in order to maintain the hospital’s standards of care. Moreover, you must always be extremely careful and professional to protect the license you worked so hard for. Definitely think about this when deciding if nursing is the right career for you.
• Be Prepared For Anything: As a nurse, you must be prepared for anything. There have been many shifts where I’d show up for work, and before I could even finish getting report, a patient crashed, or an emergent situation arose out of the blue. Not to mention, if the unit is short-staffed, there may be times when you’ll come to work and find out that you have to take on additional patients. Or if the next shift is late, you’ll have to stay until someone shows up to relieve you, leaving you to work unintentional overtime.
• Lots of Responsibility: People’s lives are in your hands. If you make a mistake, the repercussions can harm your career and personal life. Nurses have unfortunately gone to prison over errors. If you are overwhelmed, it’s better to tell someone than risk making a huge mistake. Additionally, if you are working with a CNA, you still have to follow up and ensure everything is done correctly because the responsibility of patient care will ultimately fall on you. Your charting must be accurate and reflect the work that you have done; otherwise, it didn’t happen. Think of the saying, “If you didn’t chart it, it never happened.”  Consider these factors when deciding if nursing is the right career for you. 

Who Shouldn’t Be A Nurse?

While a nursing career is certainly rewarding and noble, it’s not suited for everyone. Certain personality traits and circumstances may indicate that a nursing career might not be the best fit for you. 

• Discomfort With High-Stress Situations:
  • Being a nurse involves handling emergencies and high-pressure scenarios. If you find it difficult to remain calm and make decisions under stress, nursing might be a difficult career for you. However, this is something that often lessens with time and experience. 
• Difficulty With Emotional And Physical Demands:
  • The emotional weight of patient care, especially in dire situations, can be heavy. Additionally, the long hours on your feet, moving patients, and performing complex procedures require a certain level of stamina and resistance. If you find this off-putting, then nursing may not be for you. 
• Preference For A Predictable, Routine Work Environment
  • As stated, you never know what you’ll be walking into as a nurse. This alone can be stressful for most people. If you prefer a more routine-oriented work environment, you might find the variable nature of a nursing career challenging. 
• Challenges With Communication And Teamwork
  • As a nurse, you’ll be surrounded by people constantly. From social work, PT/OT, doctors, family members, etc., you’ll be pulled in every direction. For introverted individuals, this can lead to social overload. 
• Inability To Handle Harsh Realities
  • Beyond dealing with blood and bodily fluids, nurses face the harsh realities of life and death. On a regular basis, you will see patients battle serious illnesses or traumatic situations, and they will need to lean on you for support. This can be overwhelming for some people. 
• Limited Patience and Empathy:
  • Dealing with people who are under duress requires a level of patience beyond the norm. Remaining calm when someone is not listening to you or even disrespecting you is an important trait to have as a nurse. Often, patients or their families might take their stress out on you as the nurse, and in these situations, you’d have to remain empathetic and calm.

How Do You Know Which Specialty Is Right For You?

If you decide to be a nurse, luckily, you have a wide range of specialties such as ER, ICU, home health, clinic, school nursing, informatics, etc.). Contrary to what we are taught, you don’t necessarily have to work at the bedside, While bedside nursing is a great way to get experience, it doesn’t hurt to apply for the job that you are actually interested in and see if they are willing to train you.

What Are Your Interests And Strengths?

1. Which parts of healthcare genuinely interest you? Are you drawn to caring for children, supporting the elderly, or working in high-intensity environments like ICU or ER? 
2. Which skills are you most proud of? Are you a quick decision-maker? Do your strengths lie in communicating with patients and their families, or are you more interested in the technical parts of healthcare? 

Understand The Realities Of Each Specialty

1. When deciding if nursing is the right career for you, try to gather information about the different specialties you are interested in. YouTube was my best friend when I first became a nurse because it gave me realistic insight from practicing nurses. 
2. If possible, shadow nurses in various specialties or get a part-time job as a CNA to get a realistic idea of what you’d be dealing with as a nurse. 

Think About Your Lifestyle Preferences

1. Inpatient nursing requires shift work, while many outpatient jobs are the typical 9-5 schedule. Is having weekends and holidays off important to you? Also, think about how your specialty will affect your personal life. High-stress environments like emergency nursing might be exciting but can also be demanding on your time and mental well-being. 

Advantages Of Being A Nurse 

So, now that we got all that out of the way, here are some advantages you might want to consider when deciding if nursing is the right career for you.

Ability To Make A Good Income At A Young Age

You can start making a competitive salary with just an Associate’s Degree in Nursing. And if you work in a hospital, they will often pay for your Bachelor’s and/or Master’s Degree, making this one of the best degrees you can get at a young age. A nursing career opens the door to financial freedom for those who can leverage their incomes and manage their finances appropriately.

Flexibility

A nursing career allows you to travel the world while still using your license, work in hospitals or clinics, open a nursing home or aesthetic business, and so much more. Your license will open doors to many opportunities for a successful career. Moreover, you have access to flexible scheduling, such as per diem or extended time off between travel contracts.

Job Security

Nursing is and always will be in high demand globally, providing job security and opportunities for employment in a wide range of settings. 

Disadvantages Of Being A Nurse

Emotional And Physical Toll:

• Stress And Burnout: The high-pressure environment and critical situations that come with nursing can lead to stress and burnout
• Emotional Strain: Regularly dealing with death and suffering can take an emotional toll on nurses. 

Work-Life Balance Challenges:

• Irregular Hours: Nursing, especially if you work full-time, often requires working nights, weekends, and holidays, disrupting personal life and family time. 
• Physical Demands: Long hours on your feet, missed meal breaks, lack of time to run to the bathroom, and moving heavy patients can take a serious toll on the body. 

Public Misunderstanding And Undervaluation:

• Despite its important role, a nursing career is sometimes undervalued or misunderstood by the public and other healthcare professionals, leading to frustration. 

Workplace Challenges

• Nurses are at a higher risk of exposure to illnesses and infections due to the environment. When deciding if nursing is the right career for you, you’ve got to keep this in mind. This is especially true if you have young children at home.

All in all, a nursing career is still desirable and rewarding. The key is knowing whether or not the profession’s realities align with what you want out of your career. Keep in mind that nursing has many options away from the bedside that are far less physically and emotionally taxing, so be sure to look into those before making your final decision. Still wondering if nursing is the right career for you? Leave a comment below!