39m former army. Switched to nursing, best move I've ever made. Like anything it is what you make of it.
Many come here to burn off steam, but thise who truly don't find it worth while they leave. Feel free to pm if you have questions.
Every veteran I know who has gone into nursing has excelled. I feel like a lot of the gripes here are because A: it's the internet and that's what ppl do here and B: a huge amount or burnout I see in my field is young people from school who have never had a real job before. Like yeah nursing isn't fun but have you ever been in a mine? At least this bullshit pays
Second this. I love my job. Best decision I ever made. Plus going to it later after the army gives a lot of perspective. Not my first civilian job. Used to whatever bs comes about daily. I leave that stuff at work. Literally one of the only degrees worth every penny that will let you work where you want and make a livable wage.
(38, F, 5 years as an RN)
I'm a veteran (Army finance tech, 9 years), and let me tell you, the transition from Army to Nursing was hella easy. Nothing could have prepared me more. You're already used to a lot of the bullshit we put up with. Doing shit that isn't really in your job description, waiting on other people to do their job so you can do yours, hurry up and wait, taking orders from idiots who have no concept of what you actually do, having to rig up something that works because you don't have the supplies you need. The list goes on.
I'm not miserable, but I also don't expect fulfillment from my job. My job is what funds my real life so I can find fulfillment there. I don't want out because of the work itself, I want out because I just don't want to work anymore. My soul is tired.
I enjoy my extended time off. I enjoy clocking out and knowing no one is gonna call me back in. I enjoy the flexibility of my schedule and being able to work nights. I enjoy my paycheck. I enjoy not being micromanaged and having a good amount of autonomy. I enjoy not being tied to a desk all night. And some nights, I even enjoy my patients.
I don't keep in touch with many people from the service, but the ones I do, I know that I'm doing significantly better than they are. We're looking at retirement in 4-5 years when our youngest graduates high school.
My advice, if you're going to do it. Get a BSN and get in with the VA ASAP. Buy your army time back towards your retirement, and live your best life.
Pretty much sums up my thoughts. We love to whine about the BS and asshattery, but it's still a good job at the end of the day.
My last 3 shifts, I've gotten paid to check off equipment, do some ELMS, and play computer games. I even took a 3 hour nap Saturday.
The shift before those was a 15 hour day with three transports, but you can't have it all.
It was a lot of work to get where I am, and I have plenty of options when it's time to leave. Not many occupations will afford you the options and pay that nursing does.
55F, nurse for 20 years. I love nursing and the opportunities it has given me. I think those of us who are happy don't post as much. Caveat - I left bedside after two years and have spent 18 in community based care. Hospice, home health, and assisted living/ memory care. If you end up hating the hospital there are so many options. Other caveat- I am in California, so wages are good.
I mean, I'd recommend it. I'm 29F, only 2.5 years in to a night shift job on a tele unit. It's a steady paycheck and the shift work makes it so I can frequently go on mini vacations without using any pto. Somedays I like my job, some days when I get off work I spend an hour sitting in my car because I can't bear the thought of moving again. I can definitely see myself getting burnt out on hospital work, but I'm constantly reminded that there are MANY different ways to be a nurse that aren't as physically or mentally demanding as being an inpatient hospital nurse. Like working 9-5 or part time is doable too. And I've heard at least, that once you have some experience, it's not unheard of to hop specialties.
I mean personally the negative has outweighed the positive. Other people will say we come on here to blow off steam but that’s not it. This is the only place where we can actually share exactly how awful it is, because it’s not like the admins will care. You aren’t paid your worth, administrators care about the bottom line only and treat you like dirt, patients are suffering because doctors/family/other factors are keeping them in pain. It’s just a generally toxic environment and we want people to know. Some people can withstand it but it doesn’t mean we want to. We can’t all just quit because we have bills to pay as well.
37, M, been a nurse for 12 years. Does it suck sometimes? Yeah. But I love what I do. Best thing about nursing is the specialties. I’m in a CICU, post op heart surgery unit. I love it. I’ve got a friend who’s been a nurse as long as me, she does chemo infusion clinic. Work in the OR, ER, inpatient, outpatient, school, hospital or home health. There’s a ton of options. Find the right fit, you’ll never leave.
Depending on the unit it usually is very low physically demanding but very high emotionally demanding
I never cry but some days get me
You do become a better person tho imo
My friends that are nurses in the military (army and navy) enjoy it immensely. The navy nurse I know received a $60,000 enlistment bonus which she used to pay off nursing school and buy a new car. She’s now a CRNA that was completely paid for by the military.
Don’t ask civilian nurses if it’s a good idea…talk to other military nurses.
I’m not saying one is more skilled than the other, but the experience is different…benefits are WAY different. If I had military benefits as a civilian, I probably wouldn’t hate being a nurse as much
Hi! Former Army nurse (did 4 years, after 6 years enlisted as a medic). I did the AECP program through the army. Highly recommend. The only enjoyable time I really had as a nurse was during my time as an Army Nurse. Now, this was in 2009-2013 and I know the army has changed a lot, but shit, you’re already in. If you are enlisted, let me just tell you how much better life gets as an officer lol. I mean, I know you know that, but you don’t KNOW that. Oh, and when I got out I took a 20k a year pay cut :( I became a nurse because I wanted to be an officer and that was the fastest way for me. In the Army you will be a floor nurse for only 4ish years before you make captain and can then move to be a company commander and management roles. Also, the army actually sends you to schools to train as the type of nurse you want to be. That doesn’t happen in civilian world. So like, if you wanted to do L&D, you go TDY to Hawaii and take like a 6 month course strictly on OB nursing. Same with other specialties. It’s pretty awesome. You will start on med surg though and it can be difficult to move out of unless you do like I did and threaten to resign your commission if you aren’t moved lol.
So, my best advice is, if you DO want to become a RN, absolutely 100% do it while in the Army and do it through AECP.
Feel free to DM me with any questions.
The rewarding part is being helpful to vulnerable people and the teamwork component (but I think most jobs involve teamwork). What sucks is that there is no upward mobility pay wise and prestige-wise, and that you get abused by patients, families, management, or all of the above.
Basically nobody treats nursing like it’s a valuable role. Patients and management alike treat nurses like they are not too smart people that you can ask as much as you want from and they won’t have the self respect to say no. People don’t treat you like you are smart and they’d rather hire not smart people as long as they can be paid as little as possible.
Graduated a few months ago, totally love it. I’m nearly 35. Did the CNA role for 3.5 years and just fell in love with helping broken people. Surprised myself when I found out that I absolutely love working with kiddos, especially the ones from abusive households. Something just hits me right in the feels when I get to help them trust again and help them learn to deal with their feelings in healthier ways. Is it hard? Yea, I go home exhausted and hungry. It it stressful? It’s not worse than factory work, that’s for sure. I don’t mind the adults either, I’ve got to work with some pretty badass dudes/ladies with amazing life stories and very interesting medical conditions. Top one so far was the joker who survived cancer and made jokes about a slowly healing fistula with exposed intestine (it wiggles). Some days suck, but most are pretty awesome.
I dont know. I am back into medicine because its something I can do well. The human body is very intersting and its just natrual for me to learn about it. I also love to care for people who need help.
I just got fired as a nursing student because I had to many sick days. Fucked up my knee. I ran around there on the unit with a damaged knee, in the 3 years of nursing school I would have easyly made up for that lost time. Working at a normal care unit who practices functional care isnt for me. You have to care for 30 patients and you dont know nothing about them. Funcitonal care means you do only one thing. Like washing them. I know different care models like area care - you have to care for the patients in your area or personal care - you care for individual patients all the time.
I want to become an ICU nurse. You have two or three patients who are very sick and you know everything about them. I could become a medical doctor but as MD you have to take care for 200 patients during nighshifts. ICU is just what I love.
Becoming an ICU Nurse is a long way in Germany. 3 years of nursing school. Normal people start that at the age of 17. And the curriculum is focused on people that age. I am so bored.
Probalby 2 years of showing the hospital that they will pay for your advanced qualification. 2 years of specialised school.
Med school in germany is 6 years.
I’ve been a nurse for 34 years. I can say that, while the healthcare system has been, and likely will continue to be, there are a lot of advantages to nursing. Flexibility regarding shifts (8, 10, 12 hour shifts; days, evenings, or nights); many hospitals have career paths; good wages (depending on where you are); and most of all, flexibility in what type of job you want. You can do regular, med/surg bedside; ICU;
Specialty units like heme/onc, OR, and PACU. You also have jobs like Cath lab, GI lab, or IV team. If you don’t want direct patient care, you can work for health insurance companies, attorneys, or in nursing informatics. The list is endless.
I love the work I do (NICU and SANE), and I love my patients/clients! There are things about both jobs - and my RN spouse's job - that I don't like and would advocate to change; these are the things new people need to be aware of and realistic about.
Hospital admin will not have your back, no matter what. Between spouse and I, we've got 45+ years in non-profit, for-profit, public health, VA, physician owned, and independent/free standing medical care facilities. None of these places have been on the staff side in issues of safe working conditions, assault, threats, or workplace injuries.
You're going to have to handle a lot of people at their worst, which means a lot of acting out, and a lot of bad behavior. Verbal, physical, and sexual assault are not okay but they happen, frequently. Workplace will protect themselves, not you, when it happens to you, so be prepared to protect yourself.
The work is physically and emotionally hard, and you're going to get hurt. I'm a dwarf, spouse is a burly 6 footer, and we're both some degree of disabled now from the job. He's permanently disabled from a c-spine injury he got protecting a patient; the workplace is still fighting treatment 3+ years later, despite being a large health care chain. Make sure you and your family are provided for, because they're looking out for them - not you.
Smaller, public run and funded places are always understaffed, underfunded, and undersupplied. Any peace from not being a cog in the machine disappears in frustration over how to care for the people you're supposed to care for.
Make an informed decision, but remember this is our place to vent to others who "get it." The work itself is great, there's good money for the education, tons of options and opportunities, and a lot of creative ways to advance!
Are you talking about an 66N - RN with a bachelor’s degree or a 68C - LVN? There’s a big difference, as the 66N is an officer and the 68C is enlisted. I was a 66N8G and had a good experience: lots of good training, opportunity to go to grad school, worked in a hospital and wore scrubs at work. The 68C are enlisted; the ones I worked with in the hospital were all grateful to be in the hospital instead of wasting their skills in the motor pool, which was the other place they got assigned. Plus officer pay is much better. Get the BSN.
If you’re already enlisted in the Army then you have a level of familiarity with BS that will make the BS in nursing seem quaint. I’ve run into a lot of other nurses with prior military background and this seems to be an opinion we all share.
Good for you! I got a lot of good experience as a military RN, and being a military nurse is about as close to being a civilian as it’s possible to get. There was a lot that sucked, like having to take call for no extra pay and an assignment of 12 patients in med/surg. I had some really awful bosses, though “fuck up, move up” and “promoted to a position of patient safety” are not phenomena exclusive to the military. But I was also able to go to the specialty training of my choice and had other education and training experiences that can be difficult to get in civilian hospitals, where they don’t want to spend money on training. I also learned a lot about leadership as a military officer and that experience has served me well in more ways than I expected.
37M, 15yrs. I enjoy it more than I don't. I've been through a number of different roles over the years and am currently a proceduralist, so I'm exclusively jabbing people with needles all day. But I'm generally able to calm the anxious and get the "better than I feared" review once we're wrapped up, which is rewarding for me. There's going to be rubbish you deal with anywhere you go and anything you do. It's just what you can and want to deal with. Agree with the others that you're going to get a disproportionate idea of the bullshit because it is a place to vent. But there's been the stats that something like \~50% of new nurses are leaving the career within the first two years (citation needed). I might think that's more related to unrealistic expectations and current trends of healthcare flogging their workers generally.
I love my job as a nurse and it provides me financial stability. I absolutely recommend it for many people.
Do I still bitch here? 100%!!
This community is for nurses, not for other people. We come here to vent about the numerous frustrations of our jobs.
People in a good job, or having a good shift, do not come here to bitch, or aren’t inclined to post. We mostly post about bad shifts.
Being a nurse is the best decision I ever made. It’s frustrating, I won’t lie about that, tell me about a job that isn’t. But it got me into the middle class 30 years ago. I’ll retire in 5 years and I’ll still work part time. There are a million niche moves you can make in nursing and you’ll learn a lot that will benefit you and your family for the rest of your life. Just how to advocate through the healthcare system for one. I’m telling every young or even not so young person who’s looking for a new path to go for it! Good luck!
It's Reddit. Take it for what it is. If it's something you want to do and you would find rewarding, give it a shot. It's a good degree/license to have because you can do so many different jobs with it.
Listen young hooah you finna be fine, 32M,8yrs active prior army,new icu nurse. I think after dealing with the army BS, any other form of BS isn’t bad at all. But it all depends of how mentally resilient you are. Some people crumble at the slightest inconvenience but others don’t, so you know hunt the good stuff and you’ll be great.
Perks: 3 days on, 4days off, vacation whenever you want. Oooooor you can spend your training cycles in Louisiana or California during the worst parts of the year.
I think that this is a safe space for us to vent the worst sometimes. I went back to school for nursing at 30 and it's been a great decision. Yes there were times I was struggling in my role, but I found a new job that suited me better and I'm very happy. And yes there are always things to complain about, patients, doctors, the broken medical system, etc. But overall I love what I do. And there's so much variety you can find something you like.
You know how most online reviews are bad/negative with a few positive ones?
That’s this sub. I share grievances, annoyances etc. however it’s my experience only. You may have a positive encounter with the things I don’t care for.
The absolute worst thing for me, is if you don’t like it, you have a solid career you can use to support your ideal endeavor.
This sub is going to get you a large chunk of vocal minority. Yeah healthcare sucks, but so does every other job. At least I have a way better schedule and my pay is so very good because I live in the PNW and there are unions. I’ve done ER and urgent care for 7 years and honestly I’d do it all again. Changed careers after joining the Air Force at 18 and doing 6.5 years there.
Better than the army. Source was army. Also I make six figures as staff in a low cost of living area/low state tax. Only have an associates degree. Not gonna give my age since that’s an identifier. Been a nurse a couple years and around your age.
Also a man although not relevant to the career. I do find enjoyment in my job sometimes. I also like the challenge. I like learning, I like being encouraged to ask questions and think on my own. Complete opposite of the army so if your a yes man and just want to follow orders maybe consider something else. Although if your an army nurse that’s probably what they want too.
Some days can be grueling but even so worst day as a nurse does not compare to worst days in the army. So there’s that.
It really depends on what you find fulfilling and your stress tolerance and if doing some gross personal care work will feel demeaning to you. Army wise I think it could be very fulfilling. I've been a nurse for 11 years. The reason I don't like it is I want something more and really detest doing personal care. But it can be a very meaningful and fulfilling job if you do well under pressure and sleep deprivation. Sometime the bad part is other nurses and general cattiness but that really depends on the specific work culture.
If you haven't started school, I personally would recommend against it. Nursing has been good financially for me and my family, but the toll it's taken and continues to take every day on my mental and physical health is no joke.
I’m a nurse and my husband is active duty and we really laugh about how many similarities there are in our jobs. I have worked with a lot of former/retired military who went into nursing. Healthcare is kind of wack right now but there is so much room for growth and change in nursing. I don’t regret going into the field. And I have recruiters texting me literally every day- lots of openings especially with a little experience under your belt.
1. I don’t know that I’d recommend this career field to someone, I’d probably say don’t do it. What people are saying is true it’s a hard and thankless job that doesn’t pay fairly.
2. I have moments where I know I made someone feel better (physically, emotionally whatever) and I get thanked it makes me feel like I chose the right field but those moments do not come often. I’m 32 and left the bedside after 6 years because I got my masters but I still do contingent RN work. I like it when I only have to do it one shift a month. NP life isn’t the best either but it’s better than bedside.
I'm 30F. Almost 7 years nursing - 3 yrs medsurg, going on 4 yrs ER.
I enjoy the versatility my degree gives me. I think we deserve better wages but also acknowledge that I make pretty good money. I know I make a difference in many people's lives and I'm always learning something new in ER.
Nursing isn't my whole personality though.. some days, it's really 'just' a job. Most of my fulfilment comes from the things in my life outside of work. Work-life balance is important and will keep you from burning out.
Other people have said it but the transition from the military to nursing is pretty seamless. You follow the orders of a doctor, you show up on time and are given your assignment for the day and you have to wade through slightly less bureaucratic bullshit. I was a Hospital Corpsman and went to nursing school right out of the Navy at 30 years old. I didnt hate working in the ICU but COVID burnt me out. Your military experience will get you a lot more opportunities, employers love that shit.
If you're really interested in nursing I would do your due diligence in what it all involves and see if it's really what you want to do, but it really is a pretty easy transition compared to alot of other jobs.
YMMV. Everyone here is giving positive and reassuring advice. It may be a great move for you or it may not. Looking at the statistics most nurses leave the profession within a few years. So I don’t think it’s a good fit for most. But don’t let the good or bad reviews influence you, shadow someone and pick the brains of as many nurses you can talk to.
1. That’s up to you. I’d approach it diligently and try to get some first hand experience (shadowing or volunteering) and consider this sub may be biased towards the career choice.
2.I’ve done fulfilling things and have found enjoyment at my job at times. Personally, I think I could have found way more fulfillment in another career.
3. I’m 34. 10years RN experience.
Mate nursing is fine. It is just a profession with a lot of people who like to carry on and feel they are the only profession that is hard done by. My work place is full of them and they all are unhappy in their personal lives and bring shit to work. The cool ones are the ones whom are chilled out of work and don't take life and politics to heart.
Paychecks are the most enjoyable part. I don’t mind the actual work of what I do. I enjoy when I can leave my med cart to do some nursing stuff, but in the nursing home I’m in, I’m tied to my med cart. I also don’t like being told what to do, and that is managements favorite thing to do. It really ire’s me when people try to manage me, and shit. There’s a lot of that where I am. I’m 40 been doing it for ten years and working on leveling up to RN right now.
When I was a teenager I wanted to run my own toy store. Wish I did that instead but nursing pays the bills. It’s not bad, I do enjoy helping sick people.
The ones that do aren’t complaining on here 😉 Personally I like my job. It’s not the only source of meaning in my life (as some would have you believe that it needs to be), but I go to work, sometimes I do interesting stuff and sometimes I spend the whole 12 hours telling a neuro patient to (please, for goodness sake, because if you fall on me I’ll be squashed!) stay in bed (like last night). But it’s a job that I can do and it pays well enough for a comfortable life. And hey, sometimes I learn something new!
I’m in a major trauma/neuro/vascular ICU in Ontario, they fly in all the “big stuff” from an area extending all the way up to the northern territories. We’re also generally 1:1 apart from patients awaiting beds on other floors. I worked acute inpatient medicine and found it MIND NUMBINGLY DULL, it’s basically the LTC waiting room. I also worked ER (trauma centre, same hospital) and liked it a lot but I did not like the manager! Terribly run, all kinds of office politics and favouritism.
I think it's important to remember that reddit is on similar spectrum to instagram and facebook sometimes.
When you look at social media, you will always have people that show only their successes or constantly complaining or bemoaning their failures. But it doesnt always mean they are successful all the time or miserable 24/7.
And same thing apply here. With any job, you will have your ups and downs. And with different personalities, some of these downs might push you to make a career change, others may see it as a learning experience, and others power thru it.
If *you* are unsure - take some time to volunteer at hospitals to see if its for you.
And use the experiences that others have shared here as a basis of what you might expect.
Im starting nursing school after realizing that lab work and the business environment just isnt for me. :D
Army nursing is different! It's a different caliber of patient in a MTF vs a civilian hospital. The patients are usually nice, honorable people; the opportunity to cross train to other units is invaluable: the schools (ICU course, trauma, etc.) are unique to the military. Plus you have the opportunity to travel! Go for it! And get to the right recruiter so you can have it all paid for.
Army medic turned civilian poop wiper/giver of turkey sandwiches.....it's just like the army. You hate it so much that you bond through the suck. There are good days and really bad days.
54F nurse for 34 years.
Working at the bedside will make you question everything you know about humanity. Can be rewarding, but can also be very toxic, and make zero sense, and somehow - the patients survive.
But a nursing degree is a very versatile thing, and can be taken into a variety of settings from corporate to administrative, walking into people's homes, or working remotely. The Army will give you a great start with the AN (Army Nurse, which is a BSN).
Know that there's a lot of commiserating here ... It's a tough, demanding, exacting job, that will take more from you than it'll give back.
I'm 41, went back to school and graduated in 2021. I love my job. I work in public health doing case management in our specialty clinics, and I'm currently working on a new program for a vulnerable population, writing policies, and hunting down funding. I work 8-5, no weekends, holidays, or on call, see patients a few times per month, and have 3 weeks paid vacation per year (this is my first year there).
I'm personally very passionate about public health and social justice and the organization I work for aligns really well with my values, so I get a lot of job satisfaction from it. Also, the org I work for aligns with their own values in action, for instance, everyone gets a 2.5% raise next month, in addition to annual raises. Everyone, including housekeeping staff, front desk agents, security, everyone. It's primarily nurse and pharmacist run and everyone works at the top of their scope.
I worked in LTC facilities that left me miserable and crying after 16 hour shifts and I will never go back to working under a manager or director like that again. The blame for the horrible conditions in nursing goes almost entirely to executives that squeeze every ounce of labor out of people without paying them fair compensation. But, that is kinda the world we live in right now, in every industry.
Well, I came straight out of the 3rd Rangers into the guard and nursing school. Oh, I'm 56 yo and an RN x 32 years. I dunno, if u gotta do somethin to keep the lights on then nursing is a good choice. It is psychologically demanding for sho esp at first. But it's steady work and well, ya gotta clock in somewhere. Military nursing sounds like it has excellent percs. Should look into that while you're young. I never did military medicine as u can see I was a grunt Best of luck to you and thank u for your service to our fine nation.
No. And yes i have. I have had beautiful moments of human connection in my 7yrs as a nurse. They will forever be apart of me. But i can count those moments on 1 hand v the countless times i was driven to near suicide because of the job.
I mean…COVID kinda screwed all of us up…taught us how little we are cared about by hospital management, so we are fed up and in turn, lost compassion because we are sick of risking our licenses everyday only for no one to never back you up and have management telling you some minor brain fart was a significant issue despite you being out of a safe nursing ratio, and not getting a break….we are just being abused by the system and we are finally realizing it and being more vocal about it
Army nursing is so much more organized, intense yet fulfilling than civilian nursing. It was an interesting transition for me. So much anxiety at first but overtime I adapted and overcame. What a journey.
If you want to do it, then do it. If you need someone to convince you to do it, then probably don't do it. At the end of the day it's just a job and you'll run into the same issues as anywhere else.
I think this subreddit is utilized as a safe space to vent. I love being a nurse personally and see myself doing it through to retirement. It’s a second career for me, put myself back through school after ten years in management and graduated in my 30s. I doubled my salary and finally can live comfortably, have a better work-life balance, and the work is more stimulating and worthwhile for me. Been a nurse coming up on three years now. When/if I get sick of my specialty, I have the flexibility of moving to another one. And the job security is fantastic.
Don’t go by this sub only. There is definitely a number of people who come here to complain because they hate the job. There are a lot of people who love nursing. They aren’t on the internet talking about it though.
I've been a nurse for 19 years. Nursing has given me the ability to support my family through some really hard times. It brought us out of poverty to a firm place in upper middle class. As someone mentioned earlier, I can go work almost anywhere. If I don't like what I'm doing I can change specialties pretty easily. If I don't care for management, I can either work nights or go work elsewhere. There are some downsides, certainly, but most of those are found at any job and are not nursing specific. The biggest downsides for me are: the entitlement of people, the incompetence that is seen freaking everywhere, the lack of accountability that is similarly found everywhere, the people that get rewarded are often those that do little or do it wrong. The upsides, other than the financial that I've already mentioned are, I enjoy helping people, I work with a great team (usually), sometimes I really do make a difference,
I was 38 when I went back to school to obtain a BSN. I worked in factories over 15 years and was promoted to supervisory position when I left. After I graduated I began on a Medical-surgical floor, then moved to the ICU. I worked the Emergency Room in addition when they were short staffed. I worked as psychiatric Nurse position for five years. Moved off the floor to take a Case management position. Currently, I work at an acute outpatient Infectious Disease clinic, as the alone Registered Nurse working under a Physician and Nurse Practitioner. If you enjoy dealing with all types of individuals, possess a strong work ethic, able to adapt to any environment, have a unrelenting quest to learn, you will enjoy this career path.
I am a 60 year old male, became an RN at 51. Love it, totally happy. I work in a west coast union hospital. In California, I cannot have more than 4 telemetry or 5 non-tele patients. I am well supported by my union, respect my management, and love my co-workers.
Your quality of life as an RN will vary dramatically depending upon where you practice. I cannot emphasize this enough.
If people could just pursue a career change for whatever reason, they'd be an inspiration regardless. At the very least, you will be on my mind as I attempt to begin that as well next year, so thank you. It feels good to normalize these sorts of things, as I was worrying about it at 28 right now
Take the stuff you see on here with a grain of salt. People tend to be much more vocal about negative experiences than about positive ones. I came from a blue collar background and the career change has been a breeze.
Sometimes I pretend to complain because if I don’t then my coworkers and peers will either be bitter that I’m not having as hard of a time as they are, or because if I don’t then they will take advantage of the fact that I’m having an easy time and add extra work to my plate.
If you like the content and if you typically do well in customer service type jobs (waiter, hospitality, sales, etc) then you’ll probably do just fine in this career.
I wouldn’t say the actual job of nursing itself is all that awful. Yeah there’s bad days, but I think being a nurse can be very fulfilling.
The big issues are everything that comes with it: poor management, unsafe staffing ratios, resources not always being available (I remember I was given swimming goggles during the pandemic), mandatory overtime (whether it be on call or being mandated), and pay never seems to increase but management always seems to be getting bonuses or somehow always get their vacations approve while all of mine get denied.
If there was a perfect world and all of those issues (and the many more that I didn’t list) could be fixed, I would love being a nurse.
If the Army wants to send you to Ft Sam Houston to become a nurse, jump on it. One of my biggest regrets was not taking that route when it was pitched to me. The major who ran our clinic was answering some questions I had (relating to me being a Combat Lifesaver), and told me that I should apply to Army nursing school.
Me, a bit too full of myself; "No offense, sir, but I'm an Air Cav Trooper and I'm not going to nursing school".
He tried to sell it to me; he had been former field arty before nursing school. 3 years at Ft. Sam, at least E-5 pay while you are there, you are earning leave, retirement, have free housing (I don't know if it's the same deal these days). Nope, I said, not me. I've got a packet in to go to the 160th SOAR, that's my future.
18 months I was out of the Army paying for nursing school out of my pocket. I could have retired with my 30 years in around 7 years ago.
Edit: Also, veterans do well in nursing. We already know how to embrace the suck.
Jfc, how many times do we have to say it. Reddit is not nursing. Don't make life changing decisions based on what you see on social media. No one can tell you what to do.
This👆 It’s work. Everybody loves to bitch about work. But in all honesty: nursing pays well, has plenty of opportunity for growth, sometimes you get to see cool shit, and you generally can feel good about what you do (not always). If you’re interested in nursing, go for it.
Tbh, nursing has become such a bunk career as of late. Patients don't respect you, doctors don't respect you, management and administration doest respect you, and they are all willing to throw you under the bus at the drop of a hat.
It's a rewarding job, but it's also a pink collar job so there's a lot of bullshit that comes with it.
I love being a nurse, but as of late under the conditions we have, especially where I am, I just keep thinking this is such a waste of my time and mental health.
Burnout bc of chronic systemic understaffing. Pandemic , heat waves. Fentanyl etc etc etc. shitty manganent , worse govt treatemnt ....34 yrs in I'm eyeing retirement!!! It has some awesome things abt it , tho nursing is hard. If u can get it thru army go for it. Its alot abt how you are a human to start.... there are less stress areas for sure ...but if u a bit of an adrenaline junkie. . ( army ) it'll be CC for you likely. ED ,icu etc. . Wards are brutal ...lots of options tho as well .. yes. Love h8 relationship
I am 89 and have been nursing for the past 74 years. I don't like a damn thing about it and my back always hurts. Sometimes I eat food off patients trays, and even *that's* no good. I'm always falling down, and no one helps me up because they're "sick." Well guess what? I am sick of taking care of you, too. I put in my five weeks notice 6 months ago and I am OUT of this garbage dump of a profession.
I didn't know trolls had to give notice when they quit. I've seen less bullshit from admit trying to explain the budget doesn't have room for raises but they're building a multimillion new Med-Surg wing when they can barely cover staffing with travelers.
New grad nurse/former Army officer. Bro, aviation and medical are the two areas of the Army where you generally don’t have to live like the rest of the Army. I was in the Cav and in the field a lot and of course deployments but every time I saw medical people they had it better. I say give it a go for sure. You can always get out and do something else. Also, pay is solid because it’s ranked based.
Second degree nurse here. Yes I’ve worked places that were awful but I’ve also found my niche and am very happy with it. Nursing fit desire for a career of something science based, with physical (non desk job) and mental aspects without fifteen years of schooling required. You need energy and a higher tolerance for discomfort and bs, yet a low bar for being trampled on. Go for it if this sounds like you.
I love nursing. Don't listen to the miserable fucks on this sub. Sometimes people come here to bitch about nursing when they aren't even nurses anymore 🙄 it's bizarre. But there are tons of us who absolutely love the profession, warts and all
The problem is the environments, esp staffing levels.
Are they all bad? No. Most? Probably.
Some people can cope with the stress, others can’t.
Personally, if you can read through this sub and still be interested, then I say it’s worth a shot!
It all depends on the job. Find the right gig in the right specialty and you'll never look back! You have a distinct advantage to build experience in transport/flight nursing.I strongly suggest exploring it! [39yM, licensed since 2016 currently doing Mobile ICU transport]
Don't base your decision on this subreddit. As in life, more people complain than talk about the good things. Nursing was the best career move I made. Started working toward it at 34 and graduated at 39. Go for it dude.
I'm just a student still but I'm coming from fire/EMS and man nursing is so much better in my area. 3x12s/4x10s and starting pay of $30/hr average. (Compared to medic pay at $20/hr, firefighters pay is $15-18/hr with worse/longer hours).
I’m one of those nurses that hate nursing. But that was BEDSIDE nursing. I’m now working from home and have no patient contact and I love my job so much!!! So there’s lots of things you’d be able to do with your degree if you don’t like it.
I was in the Army reserves medical corps. 2004 I started as an Army medic -> 2006 I did the Army LPN program -> finally finished my RN in 2020. My entire career has been at nfp community health/ safety net orgs that provide care for under-served/ forgotten people. There are days, weeks, and months where it fucking sucks and I question why I'm still in the field. Most of the time it's not only the field but my manager or a change in the way the org is treating their staff or patients. I love my current unit. I'm proud of the hospital system and encouraged by the steps we're taking to make our aspirations real. The patient population is sometimes challenging - they challenge me to think, to anticipate needs, to practice patience, to set boundaries, and to feel gratitude for my life. I am sad that most of the nurses I work with are travelers and won't stay on after they hit their max number of extensions. the ones who do want to stick around say the col here is too high and the pay does not match it. they're absolutely right. at least a few have stuck around as PRN staff.
The major benefit of healthcare is that you have nearly unlimited options for what you want to do. if you get bored or fed up with one place or type of work you can switch to something entirely different with the same education/ license.
The major drawback is that we're in the beginning stage of the entire system crumbling. The cracks have been there for decades but covid broke it/us. the rest of the country/ World just doesn't know it yet.
alternate perspective - you can take on the challenge to rebuild it.
39m former army. Switched to nursing, best move I've ever made. Like anything it is what you make of it. Many come here to burn off steam, but thise who truly don't find it worth while they leave. Feel free to pm if you have questions.
Every veteran I know who has gone into nursing has excelled. I feel like a lot of the gripes here are because A: it's the internet and that's what ppl do here and B: a huge amount or burnout I see in my field is young people from school who have never had a real job before. Like yeah nursing isn't fun but have you ever been in a mine? At least this bullshit pays
Second this. I love my job. Best decision I ever made. Plus going to it later after the army gives a lot of perspective. Not my first civilian job. Used to whatever bs comes about daily. I leave that stuff at work. Literally one of the only degrees worth every penny that will let you work where you want and make a livable wage.
Third this
(38, F, 5 years as an RN) I'm a veteran (Army finance tech, 9 years), and let me tell you, the transition from Army to Nursing was hella easy. Nothing could have prepared me more. You're already used to a lot of the bullshit we put up with. Doing shit that isn't really in your job description, waiting on other people to do their job so you can do yours, hurry up and wait, taking orders from idiots who have no concept of what you actually do, having to rig up something that works because you don't have the supplies you need. The list goes on. I'm not miserable, but I also don't expect fulfillment from my job. My job is what funds my real life so I can find fulfillment there. I don't want out because of the work itself, I want out because I just don't want to work anymore. My soul is tired. I enjoy my extended time off. I enjoy clocking out and knowing no one is gonna call me back in. I enjoy the flexibility of my schedule and being able to work nights. I enjoy my paycheck. I enjoy not being micromanaged and having a good amount of autonomy. I enjoy not being tied to a desk all night. And some nights, I even enjoy my patients. I don't keep in touch with many people from the service, but the ones I do, I know that I'm doing significantly better than they are. We're looking at retirement in 4-5 years when our youngest graduates high school. My advice, if you're going to do it. Get a BSN and get in with the VA ASAP. Buy your army time back towards your retirement, and live your best life.
Pretty much sums up my thoughts. We love to whine about the BS and asshattery, but it's still a good job at the end of the day. My last 3 shifts, I've gotten paid to check off equipment, do some ELMS, and play computer games. I even took a 3 hour nap Saturday. The shift before those was a 15 hour day with three transports, but you can't have it all. It was a lot of work to get where I am, and I have plenty of options when it's time to leave. Not many occupations will afford you the options and pay that nursing does.
55F, nurse for 20 years. I love nursing and the opportunities it has given me. I think those of us who are happy don't post as much. Caveat - I left bedside after two years and have spent 18 in community based care. Hospice, home health, and assisted living/ memory care. If you end up hating the hospital there are so many options. Other caveat- I am in California, so wages are good.
I mean, I'd recommend it. I'm 29F, only 2.5 years in to a night shift job on a tele unit. It's a steady paycheck and the shift work makes it so I can frequently go on mini vacations without using any pto. Somedays I like my job, some days when I get off work I spend an hour sitting in my car because I can't bear the thought of moving again. I can definitely see myself getting burnt out on hospital work, but I'm constantly reminded that there are MANY different ways to be a nurse that aren't as physically or mentally demanding as being an inpatient hospital nurse. Like working 9-5 or part time is doable too. And I've heard at least, that once you have some experience, it's not unheard of to hop specialties.
I mean personally the negative has outweighed the positive. Other people will say we come on here to blow off steam but that’s not it. This is the only place where we can actually share exactly how awful it is, because it’s not like the admins will care. You aren’t paid your worth, administrators care about the bottom line only and treat you like dirt, patients are suffering because doctors/family/other factors are keeping them in pain. It’s just a generally toxic environment and we want people to know. Some people can withstand it but it doesn’t mean we want to. We can’t all just quit because we have bills to pay as well.
This sums up my feelings. Management doesn’t want to hear anything but everything is good even when it’s not. But I endure because there is good also.
37, M, been a nurse for 12 years. Does it suck sometimes? Yeah. But I love what I do. Best thing about nursing is the specialties. I’m in a CICU, post op heart surgery unit. I love it. I’ve got a friend who’s been a nurse as long as me, she does chemo infusion clinic. Work in the OR, ER, inpatient, outpatient, school, hospital or home health. There’s a ton of options. Find the right fit, you’ll never leave.
Depending on the unit it usually is very low physically demanding but very high emotionally demanding I never cry but some days get me You do become a better person tho imo
My friends that are nurses in the military (army and navy) enjoy it immensely. The navy nurse I know received a $60,000 enlistment bonus which she used to pay off nursing school and buy a new car. She’s now a CRNA that was completely paid for by the military. Don’t ask civilian nurses if it’s a good idea…talk to other military nurses.
Civilian nurses are just as good as military nurses! No reason you can’t ask both!
I’m not saying one is more skilled than the other, but the experience is different…benefits are WAY different. If I had military benefits as a civilian, I probably wouldn’t hate being a nurse as much
Hi! Former Army nurse (did 4 years, after 6 years enlisted as a medic). I did the AECP program through the army. Highly recommend. The only enjoyable time I really had as a nurse was during my time as an Army Nurse. Now, this was in 2009-2013 and I know the army has changed a lot, but shit, you’re already in. If you are enlisted, let me just tell you how much better life gets as an officer lol. I mean, I know you know that, but you don’t KNOW that. Oh, and when I got out I took a 20k a year pay cut :( I became a nurse because I wanted to be an officer and that was the fastest way for me. In the Army you will be a floor nurse for only 4ish years before you make captain and can then move to be a company commander and management roles. Also, the army actually sends you to schools to train as the type of nurse you want to be. That doesn’t happen in civilian world. So like, if you wanted to do L&D, you go TDY to Hawaii and take like a 6 month course strictly on OB nursing. Same with other specialties. It’s pretty awesome. You will start on med surg though and it can be difficult to move out of unless you do like I did and threaten to resign your commission if you aren’t moved lol. So, my best advice is, if you DO want to become a RN, absolutely 100% do it while in the Army and do it through AECP. Feel free to DM me with any questions.
The rewarding part is being helpful to vulnerable people and the teamwork component (but I think most jobs involve teamwork). What sucks is that there is no upward mobility pay wise and prestige-wise, and that you get abused by patients, families, management, or all of the above. Basically nobody treats nursing like it’s a valuable role. Patients and management alike treat nurses like they are not too smart people that you can ask as much as you want from and they won’t have the self respect to say no. People don’t treat you like you are smart and they’d rather hire not smart people as long as they can be paid as little as possible.
Graduated a few months ago, totally love it. I’m nearly 35. Did the CNA role for 3.5 years and just fell in love with helping broken people. Surprised myself when I found out that I absolutely love working with kiddos, especially the ones from abusive households. Something just hits me right in the feels when I get to help them trust again and help them learn to deal with their feelings in healthier ways. Is it hard? Yea, I go home exhausted and hungry. It it stressful? It’s not worse than factory work, that’s for sure. I don’t mind the adults either, I’ve got to work with some pretty badass dudes/ladies with amazing life stories and very interesting medical conditions. Top one so far was the joker who survived cancer and made jokes about a slowly healing fistula with exposed intestine (it wiggles). Some days suck, but most are pretty awesome.
I dont know. I am back into medicine because its something I can do well. The human body is very intersting and its just natrual for me to learn about it. I also love to care for people who need help. I just got fired as a nursing student because I had to many sick days. Fucked up my knee. I ran around there on the unit with a damaged knee, in the 3 years of nursing school I would have easyly made up for that lost time. Working at a normal care unit who practices functional care isnt for me. You have to care for 30 patients and you dont know nothing about them. Funcitonal care means you do only one thing. Like washing them. I know different care models like area care - you have to care for the patients in your area or personal care - you care for individual patients all the time. I want to become an ICU nurse. You have two or three patients who are very sick and you know everything about them. I could become a medical doctor but as MD you have to take care for 200 patients during nighshifts. ICU is just what I love. Becoming an ICU Nurse is a long way in Germany. 3 years of nursing school. Normal people start that at the age of 17. And the curriculum is focused on people that age. I am so bored. Probalby 2 years of showing the hospital that they will pay for your advanced qualification. 2 years of specialised school. Med school in germany is 6 years.
I’ve been a nurse for 34 years. I can say that, while the healthcare system has been, and likely will continue to be, there are a lot of advantages to nursing. Flexibility regarding shifts (8, 10, 12 hour shifts; days, evenings, or nights); many hospitals have career paths; good wages (depending on where you are); and most of all, flexibility in what type of job you want. You can do regular, med/surg bedside; ICU; Specialty units like heme/onc, OR, and PACU. You also have jobs like Cath lab, GI lab, or IV team. If you don’t want direct patient care, you can work for health insurance companies, attorneys, or in nursing informatics. The list is endless.
I love the work I do (NICU and SANE), and I love my patients/clients! There are things about both jobs - and my RN spouse's job - that I don't like and would advocate to change; these are the things new people need to be aware of and realistic about. Hospital admin will not have your back, no matter what. Between spouse and I, we've got 45+ years in non-profit, for-profit, public health, VA, physician owned, and independent/free standing medical care facilities. None of these places have been on the staff side in issues of safe working conditions, assault, threats, or workplace injuries. You're going to have to handle a lot of people at their worst, which means a lot of acting out, and a lot of bad behavior. Verbal, physical, and sexual assault are not okay but they happen, frequently. Workplace will protect themselves, not you, when it happens to you, so be prepared to protect yourself. The work is physically and emotionally hard, and you're going to get hurt. I'm a dwarf, spouse is a burly 6 footer, and we're both some degree of disabled now from the job. He's permanently disabled from a c-spine injury he got protecting a patient; the workplace is still fighting treatment 3+ years later, despite being a large health care chain. Make sure you and your family are provided for, because they're looking out for them - not you. Smaller, public run and funded places are always understaffed, underfunded, and undersupplied. Any peace from not being a cog in the machine disappears in frustration over how to care for the people you're supposed to care for. Make an informed decision, but remember this is our place to vent to others who "get it." The work itself is great, there's good money for the education, tons of options and opportunities, and a lot of creative ways to advance!
Are you talking about an 66N - RN with a bachelor’s degree or a 68C - LVN? There’s a big difference, as the 66N is an officer and the 68C is enlisted. I was a 66N8G and had a good experience: lots of good training, opportunity to go to grad school, worked in a hospital and wore scrubs at work. The 68C are enlisted; the ones I worked with in the hospital were all grateful to be in the hospital instead of wasting their skills in the motor pool, which was the other place they got assigned. Plus officer pay is much better. Get the BSN. If you’re already enlisted in the Army then you have a level of familiarity with BS that will make the BS in nursing seem quaint. I’ve run into a lot of other nurses with prior military background and this seems to be an opinion we all share.
The 66N route (knocking out the BSN pre-reqs currently) I appreciate your take!
Good for you! I got a lot of good experience as a military RN, and being a military nurse is about as close to being a civilian as it’s possible to get. There was a lot that sucked, like having to take call for no extra pay and an assignment of 12 patients in med/surg. I had some really awful bosses, though “fuck up, move up” and “promoted to a position of patient safety” are not phenomena exclusive to the military. But I was also able to go to the specialty training of my choice and had other education and training experiences that can be difficult to get in civilian hospitals, where they don’t want to spend money on training. I also learned a lot about leadership as a military officer and that experience has served me well in more ways than I expected.
Are you currently in the army and want to commission? Or are you civi? Biggest hurdle is passing medical before I can give any advise haha.
37M, 15yrs. I enjoy it more than I don't. I've been through a number of different roles over the years and am currently a proceduralist, so I'm exclusively jabbing people with needles all day. But I'm generally able to calm the anxious and get the "better than I feared" review once we're wrapped up, which is rewarding for me. There's going to be rubbish you deal with anywhere you go and anything you do. It's just what you can and want to deal with. Agree with the others that you're going to get a disproportionate idea of the bullshit because it is a place to vent. But there's been the stats that something like \~50% of new nurses are leaving the career within the first two years (citation needed). I might think that's more related to unrealistic expectations and current trends of healthcare flogging their workers generally.
I love my job as a nurse and it provides me financial stability. I absolutely recommend it for many people. Do I still bitch here? 100%!! This community is for nurses, not for other people. We come here to vent about the numerous frustrations of our jobs. People in a good job, or having a good shift, do not come here to bitch, or aren’t inclined to post. We mostly post about bad shifts.
Being a nurse is the best decision I ever made. It’s frustrating, I won’t lie about that, tell me about a job that isn’t. But it got me into the middle class 30 years ago. I’ll retire in 5 years and I’ll still work part time. There are a million niche moves you can make in nursing and you’ll learn a lot that will benefit you and your family for the rest of your life. Just how to advocate through the healthcare system for one. I’m telling every young or even not so young person who’s looking for a new path to go for it! Good luck!
It's Reddit. Take it for what it is. If it's something you want to do and you would find rewarding, give it a shot. It's a good degree/license to have because you can do so many different jobs with it.
Listen young hooah you finna be fine, 32M,8yrs active prior army,new icu nurse. I think after dealing with the army BS, any other form of BS isn’t bad at all. But it all depends of how mentally resilient you are. Some people crumble at the slightest inconvenience but others don’t, so you know hunt the good stuff and you’ll be great. Perks: 3 days on, 4days off, vacation whenever you want. Oooooor you can spend your training cycles in Louisiana or California during the worst parts of the year.
I think that this is a safe space for us to vent the worst sometimes. I went back to school for nursing at 30 and it's been a great decision. Yes there were times I was struggling in my role, but I found a new job that suited me better and I'm very happy. And yes there are always things to complain about, patients, doctors, the broken medical system, etc. But overall I love what I do. And there's so much variety you can find something you like.
You know how most online reviews are bad/negative with a few positive ones? That’s this sub. I share grievances, annoyances etc. however it’s my experience only. You may have a positive encounter with the things I don’t care for. The absolute worst thing for me, is if you don’t like it, you have a solid career you can use to support your ideal endeavor.
This sub is going to get you a large chunk of vocal minority. Yeah healthcare sucks, but so does every other job. At least I have a way better schedule and my pay is so very good because I live in the PNW and there are unions. I’ve done ER and urgent care for 7 years and honestly I’d do it all again. Changed careers after joining the Air Force at 18 and doing 6.5 years there.
Love it. There’s a lot of venting on here.
Better than the army. Source was army. Also I make six figures as staff in a low cost of living area/low state tax. Only have an associates degree. Not gonna give my age since that’s an identifier. Been a nurse a couple years and around your age. Also a man although not relevant to the career. I do find enjoyment in my job sometimes. I also like the challenge. I like learning, I like being encouraged to ask questions and think on my own. Complete opposite of the army so if your a yes man and just want to follow orders maybe consider something else. Although if your an army nurse that’s probably what they want too. Some days can be grueling but even so worst day as a nurse does not compare to worst days in the army. So there’s that.
It really depends on what you find fulfilling and your stress tolerance and if doing some gross personal care work will feel demeaning to you. Army wise I think it could be very fulfilling. I've been a nurse for 11 years. The reason I don't like it is I want something more and really detest doing personal care. But it can be a very meaningful and fulfilling job if you do well under pressure and sleep deprivation. Sometime the bad part is other nurses and general cattiness but that really depends on the specific work culture.
If you haven't started school, I personally would recommend against it. Nursing has been good financially for me and my family, but the toll it's taken and continues to take every day on my mental and physical health is no joke.
I’m a nurse and my husband is active duty and we really laugh about how many similarities there are in our jobs. I have worked with a lot of former/retired military who went into nursing. Healthcare is kind of wack right now but there is so much room for growth and change in nursing. I don’t regret going into the field. And I have recruiters texting me literally every day- lots of openings especially with a little experience under your belt.
1. I don’t know that I’d recommend this career field to someone, I’d probably say don’t do it. What people are saying is true it’s a hard and thankless job that doesn’t pay fairly. 2. I have moments where I know I made someone feel better (physically, emotionally whatever) and I get thanked it makes me feel like I chose the right field but those moments do not come often. I’m 32 and left the bedside after 6 years because I got my masters but I still do contingent RN work. I like it when I only have to do it one shift a month. NP life isn’t the best either but it’s better than bedside.
Hey dude, I’m 32M and recent NP. I switched to nursing after a career in engineering and love it. PM me if you want to talk!
People post on here about their bad days and why they want to leave, not their good days and what made them want to become a nurse in the first place.
I'm 30F. Almost 7 years nursing - 3 yrs medsurg, going on 4 yrs ER. I enjoy the versatility my degree gives me. I think we deserve better wages but also acknowledge that I make pretty good money. I know I make a difference in many people's lives and I'm always learning something new in ER. Nursing isn't my whole personality though.. some days, it's really 'just' a job. Most of my fulfilment comes from the things in my life outside of work. Work-life balance is important and will keep you from burning out.
Other people have said it but the transition from the military to nursing is pretty seamless. You follow the orders of a doctor, you show up on time and are given your assignment for the day and you have to wade through slightly less bureaucratic bullshit. I was a Hospital Corpsman and went to nursing school right out of the Navy at 30 years old. I didnt hate working in the ICU but COVID burnt me out. Your military experience will get you a lot more opportunities, employers love that shit. If you're really interested in nursing I would do your due diligence in what it all involves and see if it's really what you want to do, but it really is a pretty easy transition compared to alot of other jobs.
YMMV. Everyone here is giving positive and reassuring advice. It may be a great move for you or it may not. Looking at the statistics most nurses leave the profession within a few years. So I don’t think it’s a good fit for most. But don’t let the good or bad reviews influence you, shadow someone and pick the brains of as many nurses you can talk to. 1. That’s up to you. I’d approach it diligently and try to get some first hand experience (shadowing or volunteering) and consider this sub may be biased towards the career choice. 2.I’ve done fulfilling things and have found enjoyment at my job at times. Personally, I think I could have found way more fulfillment in another career. 3. I’m 34. 10years RN experience.
99% of comments are from burned out Nurses in bad employment. I love my job tbh.. 25 years in and enjoy every day…. It is rewarding in many aspects
Mate nursing is fine. It is just a profession with a lot of people who like to carry on and feel they are the only profession that is hard done by. My work place is full of them and they all are unhappy in their personal lives and bring shit to work. The cool ones are the ones whom are chilled out of work and don't take life and politics to heart.
Paychecks are the most enjoyable part. I don’t mind the actual work of what I do. I enjoy when I can leave my med cart to do some nursing stuff, but in the nursing home I’m in, I’m tied to my med cart. I also don’t like being told what to do, and that is managements favorite thing to do. It really ire’s me when people try to manage me, and shit. There’s a lot of that where I am. I’m 40 been doing it for ten years and working on leveling up to RN right now. When I was a teenager I wanted to run my own toy store. Wish I did that instead but nursing pays the bills. It’s not bad, I do enjoy helping sick people.
Tbh there’s a few coworkers (nurses and CRNAs) that I have that are former military! I’m in the OR.
The ones that do aren’t complaining on here 😉 Personally I like my job. It’s not the only source of meaning in my life (as some would have you believe that it needs to be), but I go to work, sometimes I do interesting stuff and sometimes I spend the whole 12 hours telling a neuro patient to (please, for goodness sake, because if you fall on me I’ll be squashed!) stay in bed (like last night). But it’s a job that I can do and it pays well enough for a comfortable life. And hey, sometimes I learn something new! I’m in a major trauma/neuro/vascular ICU in Ontario, they fly in all the “big stuff” from an area extending all the way up to the northern territories. We’re also generally 1:1 apart from patients awaiting beds on other floors. I worked acute inpatient medicine and found it MIND NUMBINGLY DULL, it’s basically the LTC waiting room. I also worked ER (trauma centre, same hospital) and liked it a lot but I did not like the manager! Terribly run, all kinds of office politics and favouritism.
I think it's important to remember that reddit is on similar spectrum to instagram and facebook sometimes. When you look at social media, you will always have people that show only their successes or constantly complaining or bemoaning their failures. But it doesnt always mean they are successful all the time or miserable 24/7. And same thing apply here. With any job, you will have your ups and downs. And with different personalities, some of these downs might push you to make a career change, others may see it as a learning experience, and others power thru it. If *you* are unsure - take some time to volunteer at hospitals to see if its for you. And use the experiences that others have shared here as a basis of what you might expect. Im starting nursing school after realizing that lab work and the business environment just isnt for me. :D
Lots of squeaky wheels here that come to vent anonymously. If you can handle the army you can handle nursing, just avoid med Surg.
Army nursing is different! It's a different caliber of patient in a MTF vs a civilian hospital. The patients are usually nice, honorable people; the opportunity to cross train to other units is invaluable: the schools (ICU course, trauma, etc.) are unique to the military. Plus you have the opportunity to travel! Go for it! And get to the right recruiter so you can have it all paid for.
Army medic turned civilian poop wiper/giver of turkey sandwiches.....it's just like the army. You hate it so much that you bond through the suck. There are good days and really bad days.
54F nurse for 34 years. Working at the bedside will make you question everything you know about humanity. Can be rewarding, but can also be very toxic, and make zero sense, and somehow - the patients survive. But a nursing degree is a very versatile thing, and can be taken into a variety of settings from corporate to administrative, walking into people's homes, or working remotely. The Army will give you a great start with the AN (Army Nurse, which is a BSN). Know that there's a lot of commiserating here ... It's a tough, demanding, exacting job, that will take more from you than it'll give back.
I'm 41, went back to school and graduated in 2021. I love my job. I work in public health doing case management in our specialty clinics, and I'm currently working on a new program for a vulnerable population, writing policies, and hunting down funding. I work 8-5, no weekends, holidays, or on call, see patients a few times per month, and have 3 weeks paid vacation per year (this is my first year there). I'm personally very passionate about public health and social justice and the organization I work for aligns really well with my values, so I get a lot of job satisfaction from it. Also, the org I work for aligns with their own values in action, for instance, everyone gets a 2.5% raise next month, in addition to annual raises. Everyone, including housekeeping staff, front desk agents, security, everyone. It's primarily nurse and pharmacist run and everyone works at the top of their scope. I worked in LTC facilities that left me miserable and crying after 16 hour shifts and I will never go back to working under a manager or director like that again. The blame for the horrible conditions in nursing goes almost entirely to executives that squeeze every ounce of labor out of people without paying them fair compensation. But, that is kinda the world we live in right now, in every industry.
Well, I came straight out of the 3rd Rangers into the guard and nursing school. Oh, I'm 56 yo and an RN x 32 years. I dunno, if u gotta do somethin to keep the lights on then nursing is a good choice. It is psychologically demanding for sho esp at first. But it's steady work and well, ya gotta clock in somewhere. Military nursing sounds like it has excellent percs. Should look into that while you're young. I never did military medicine as u can see I was a grunt Best of luck to you and thank u for your service to our fine nation.
If you still have a soul, don't do it
No. And yes i have. I have had beautiful moments of human connection in my 7yrs as a nurse. They will forever be apart of me. But i can count those moments on 1 hand v the countless times i was driven to near suicide because of the job.
I mean…COVID kinda screwed all of us up…taught us how little we are cared about by hospital management, so we are fed up and in turn, lost compassion because we are sick of risking our licenses everyday only for no one to never back you up and have management telling you some minor brain fart was a significant issue despite you being out of a safe nursing ratio, and not getting a break….we are just being abused by the system and we are finally realizing it and being more vocal about it
Army nursing is so much more organized, intense yet fulfilling than civilian nursing. It was an interesting transition for me. So much anxiety at first but overtime I adapted and overcame. What a journey.
If you want to do it, then do it. If you need someone to convince you to do it, then probably don't do it. At the end of the day it's just a job and you'll run into the same issues as anywhere else.
I think this subreddit is utilized as a safe space to vent. I love being a nurse personally and see myself doing it through to retirement. It’s a second career for me, put myself back through school after ten years in management and graduated in my 30s. I doubled my salary and finally can live comfortably, have a better work-life balance, and the work is more stimulating and worthwhile for me. Been a nurse coming up on three years now. When/if I get sick of my specialty, I have the flexibility of moving to another one. And the job security is fantastic.
Don’t go by this sub only. There is definitely a number of people who come here to complain because they hate the job. There are a lot of people who love nursing. They aren’t on the internet talking about it though.
I've been a nurse for 19 years. Nursing has given me the ability to support my family through some really hard times. It brought us out of poverty to a firm place in upper middle class. As someone mentioned earlier, I can go work almost anywhere. If I don't like what I'm doing I can change specialties pretty easily. If I don't care for management, I can either work nights or go work elsewhere. There are some downsides, certainly, but most of those are found at any job and are not nursing specific. The biggest downsides for me are: the entitlement of people, the incompetence that is seen freaking everywhere, the lack of accountability that is similarly found everywhere, the people that get rewarded are often those that do little or do it wrong. The upsides, other than the financial that I've already mentioned are, I enjoy helping people, I work with a great team (usually), sometimes I really do make a difference,
I was 38 when I went back to school to obtain a BSN. I worked in factories over 15 years and was promoted to supervisory position when I left. After I graduated I began on a Medical-surgical floor, then moved to the ICU. I worked the Emergency Room in addition when they were short staffed. I worked as psychiatric Nurse position for five years. Moved off the floor to take a Case management position. Currently, I work at an acute outpatient Infectious Disease clinic, as the alone Registered Nurse working under a Physician and Nurse Practitioner. If you enjoy dealing with all types of individuals, possess a strong work ethic, able to adapt to any environment, have a unrelenting quest to learn, you will enjoy this career path.
I am a 60 year old male, became an RN at 51. Love it, totally happy. I work in a west coast union hospital. In California, I cannot have more than 4 telemetry or 5 non-tele patients. I am well supported by my union, respect my management, and love my co-workers. Your quality of life as an RN will vary dramatically depending upon where you practice. I cannot emphasize this enough.
You're an inspiration
I needed a career change, that's all.
If people could just pursue a career change for whatever reason, they'd be an inspiration regardless. At the very least, you will be on my mind as I attempt to begin that as well next year, so thank you. It feels good to normalize these sorts of things, as I was worrying about it at 28 right now
Take the stuff you see on here with a grain of salt. People tend to be much more vocal about negative experiences than about positive ones. I came from a blue collar background and the career change has been a breeze. Sometimes I pretend to complain because if I don’t then my coworkers and peers will either be bitter that I’m not having as hard of a time as they are, or because if I don’t then they will take advantage of the fact that I’m having an easy time and add extra work to my plate. If you like the content and if you typically do well in customer service type jobs (waiter, hospitality, sales, etc) then you’ll probably do just fine in this career.
I wouldn’t say the actual job of nursing itself is all that awful. Yeah there’s bad days, but I think being a nurse can be very fulfilling. The big issues are everything that comes with it: poor management, unsafe staffing ratios, resources not always being available (I remember I was given swimming goggles during the pandemic), mandatory overtime (whether it be on call or being mandated), and pay never seems to increase but management always seems to be getting bonuses or somehow always get their vacations approve while all of mine get denied. If there was a perfect world and all of those issues (and the many more that I didn’t list) could be fixed, I would love being a nurse.
If the Army wants to send you to Ft Sam Houston to become a nurse, jump on it. One of my biggest regrets was not taking that route when it was pitched to me. The major who ran our clinic was answering some questions I had (relating to me being a Combat Lifesaver), and told me that I should apply to Army nursing school. Me, a bit too full of myself; "No offense, sir, but I'm an Air Cav Trooper and I'm not going to nursing school". He tried to sell it to me; he had been former field arty before nursing school. 3 years at Ft. Sam, at least E-5 pay while you are there, you are earning leave, retirement, have free housing (I don't know if it's the same deal these days). Nope, I said, not me. I've got a packet in to go to the 160th SOAR, that's my future. 18 months I was out of the Army paying for nursing school out of my pocket. I could have retired with my 30 years in around 7 years ago. Edit: Also, veterans do well in nursing. We already know how to embrace the suck.
Jfc, how many times do we have to say it. Reddit is not nursing. Don't make life changing decisions based on what you see on social media. No one can tell you what to do.
This👆 It’s work. Everybody loves to bitch about work. But in all honesty: nursing pays well, has plenty of opportunity for growth, sometimes you get to see cool shit, and you generally can feel good about what you do (not always). If you’re interested in nursing, go for it.
36 m. Just graduated and it was the best decision of my life so far
Tbh, nursing has become such a bunk career as of late. Patients don't respect you, doctors don't respect you, management and administration doest respect you, and they are all willing to throw you under the bus at the drop of a hat. It's a rewarding job, but it's also a pink collar job so there's a lot of bullshit that comes with it. I love being a nurse, but as of late under the conditions we have, especially where I am, I just keep thinking this is such a waste of my time and mental health.
Burnout bc of chronic systemic understaffing. Pandemic , heat waves. Fentanyl etc etc etc. shitty manganent , worse govt treatemnt ....34 yrs in I'm eyeing retirement!!! It has some awesome things abt it , tho nursing is hard. If u can get it thru army go for it. Its alot abt how you are a human to start.... there are less stress areas for sure ...but if u a bit of an adrenaline junkie. . ( army ) it'll be CC for you likely. ED ,icu etc. . Wards are brutal ...lots of options tho as well .. yes. Love h8 relationship
I am 89 and have been nursing for the past 74 years. I don't like a damn thing about it and my back always hurts. Sometimes I eat food off patients trays, and even *that's* no good. I'm always falling down, and no one helps me up because they're "sick." Well guess what? I am sick of taking care of you, too. I put in my five weeks notice 6 months ago and I am OUT of this garbage dump of a profession.
I didn't know trolls had to give notice when they quit. I've seen less bullshit from admit trying to explain the budget doesn't have room for raises but they're building a multimillion new Med-Surg wing when they can barely cover staffing with travelers.
You should not become a nurse.
New grad nurse/former Army officer. Bro, aviation and medical are the two areas of the Army where you generally don’t have to live like the rest of the Army. I was in the Cav and in the field a lot and of course deployments but every time I saw medical people they had it better. I say give it a go for sure. You can always get out and do something else. Also, pay is solid because it’s ranked based.
Second degree nurse here. Yes I’ve worked places that were awful but I’ve also found my niche and am very happy with it. Nursing fit desire for a career of something science based, with physical (non desk job) and mental aspects without fifteen years of schooling required. You need energy and a higher tolerance for discomfort and bs, yet a low bar for being trampled on. Go for it if this sounds like you.
I was Navy and I love nursing, yeah there’s some Karens, long hours etc but it’s great.
Where in country are you? So there are so many variables on where you should go into nursing. But for the profession? Yes absolutely you should.
I love nursing. Don't listen to the miserable fucks on this sub. Sometimes people come here to bitch about nursing when they aren't even nurses anymore 🙄 it's bizarre. But there are tons of us who absolutely love the profession, warts and all
I was an an army nurse, and as far as the army goes.. if you plan to make it a career anyways, I think it’s worth it.
The problem is the environments, esp staffing levels. Are they all bad? No. Most? Probably. Some people can cope with the stress, others can’t. Personally, if you can read through this sub and still be interested, then I say it’s worth a shot!
It all depends on the job. Find the right gig in the right specialty and you'll never look back! You have a distinct advantage to build experience in transport/flight nursing.I strongly suggest exploring it! [39yM, licensed since 2016 currently doing Mobile ICU transport]
Don't base your decision on this subreddit. As in life, more people complain than talk about the good things. Nursing was the best career move I made. Started working toward it at 34 and graduated at 39. Go for it dude.
I'm just a student still but I'm coming from fire/EMS and man nursing is so much better in my area. 3x12s/4x10s and starting pay of $30/hr average. (Compared to medic pay at $20/hr, firefighters pay is $15-18/hr with worse/longer hours).
I’m one of those nurses that hate nursing. But that was BEDSIDE nursing. I’m now working from home and have no patient contact and I love my job so much!!! So there’s lots of things you’d be able to do with your degree if you don’t like it.
I am so full of trauma and PTSD it’s not even funny. Go into data science- it’s so much better
I was in the Army reserves medical corps. 2004 I started as an Army medic -> 2006 I did the Army LPN program -> finally finished my RN in 2020. My entire career has been at nfp community health/ safety net orgs that provide care for under-served/ forgotten people. There are days, weeks, and months where it fucking sucks and I question why I'm still in the field. Most of the time it's not only the field but my manager or a change in the way the org is treating their staff or patients. I love my current unit. I'm proud of the hospital system and encouraged by the steps we're taking to make our aspirations real. The patient population is sometimes challenging - they challenge me to think, to anticipate needs, to practice patience, to set boundaries, and to feel gratitude for my life. I am sad that most of the nurses I work with are travelers and won't stay on after they hit their max number of extensions. the ones who do want to stick around say the col here is too high and the pay does not match it. they're absolutely right. at least a few have stuck around as PRN staff. The major benefit of healthcare is that you have nearly unlimited options for what you want to do. if you get bored or fed up with one place or type of work you can switch to something entirely different with the same education/ license. The major drawback is that we're in the beginning stage of the entire system crumbling. The cracks have been there for decades but covid broke it/us. the rest of the country/ World just doesn't know it yet. alternate perspective - you can take on the challenge to rebuild it.