What is it really like to be an RN?

what is a RN's career really like?

• hello, i'm a senior in high school and i'm curious about becoming a registered nurse. I want to know what a career as a registered nurse is really like. I've already read many articles on the job description but i still feel like i do not know what life as a registered nurse is really like. What should I know about this field that might not appear in print? and does this field have particularly desirable and undesirable elements? this would really help me make a decision on pursuing a RN career. thanks so much. p.s. I'm a guy so i'd guess i'd be a male RN

• Answer:

  Hi Michael, thanks for addressing this question to me. You have asked a very good question which has many different answers (depending on the person you have asked!). In my experience I have worked in some great places and some that were not so great. Working on quiet units makes the shift very long, working on very busy units can sometimes make me feel as though I have no quality time to spend with patients. Dealing with demanding families/visitors can be frustrating - but the same is true for demanding doctors, surgeons (or any other member of staff for that matter!). Generally though, once you have found the field you are interested in and are established as part of a team the work is very satisfying - I really feel that what I do makes a difference in peoples lives (I know that is a cliche, but for me it is true). I think that I reached this level of satisfaction once I had developed the ability to critically think through situations - something starts happening to your patient and you have the knowledge and experience to handle the problem and identify further issues. When I first started nursing I did have some reactions from patients because I was a male nurse, some good and some bad - but those days seem to be gone and male nurses are accepted as professionals alongside their female counterparts. I hope that this has helped you Michael, please do not hesitate to get in touch again if you have more questions. Alex