Do I Have What It Takes To Be A Registered Nurse

One nurse helping another with a computer at a nurse's station

Jumping into something new is scary when you don't have all of the facts. That's exactly why choosing a career is so challenging. It's not like you can just spend a few years in schoolhouse, try out a job for a scrap and jump to another if you don't like it—well, at to the lowest degree non without more education and grooming.

Becoming a registered nurse (RN) is no different. We all think nosotros know what an RN does, based on Tv set shows or our real-life interactions at hospitals or doctor'due south offices. But what goes on behind the scenes? Is nursing school worth it in one case you're on the other side?

What is information technology like to exist a nurse? It's not easy to become a clear picture of this career without speaking to those who've walked the walk. So to help, nosotros rounded up nursing experts to tell you what they wish they'd known BEFORE becoming an RN.

Read their advice and find out a few lessons they learned along the way.

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I wish someone told me …

1. How much disquisitional thinking nurses do

"What surprised me the nearly when I began working as an RN is the level of autonomy that you experience—even every bit a new graduate nurse," says Sarah Pruitt, RN and managing director of clinical operations at Advocate Christ Medical Eye. "A lot of people mistakenly believe that nurses are in that location to follow whatever orders the doctors requite united states. While nosotros also do that, nurses must also thoroughly assess a patient or situation, critically think and and so implement the plan of care."

This skill is and so of import that the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) highlights critical thinking as the nigh important skill RNs need for the job.¹ "You lot will probably feel unprepared, but will before long realize that y'all actually know more than yous retrieve y'all do," Pruitt says.

ii. You tin can find day shifts—even as a new nurse

"I was led to believe everyone had to put in their time on night shifts before they could piece of work on days," says Brittney Wilson, BSN, RN and CEO of The Nerdy Nurse. "But that merely wasn't so."

Though specific hiring situations volition vary depending on location, there is no dominion against new nurses finding their platonic shifts as soon as they brainstorm.

"Many local hospitals also have new graduates into specialty and critical intendance roles, which was something I was led to believe was not common practice," Wilson says.

3. Hospital jobs are competitive

While some nurses might detect piece of work immediately in a hospital setting, others will demand to augment their horizons to other healthcare facilities.

"I didn't know information technology would be so hard to find a job as a new grad," says Ciji W, RN. West says people were talking most the nursing shortage with the general impression that it would be easy to get a task. "In that location certainly is a nursing shortage, simply most hospitals take residency programs that simply accept a certain number of new graduates."

When you lot are a make new graduate, go along your mind open to all kinds of jobs to gain the experience that will give y'all more opportunity.

"If you can't get in the hospital correct abroad, consider other facilities," West says. "Yous may fifty-fifty detect that you get paid more."

4. Certain experiences thing more than than others for the ER

If you love emergency intendance and want to work in a hospital, there are ways to be more competitive for those positions. "I wish I had known that I needed feel in medical surgical nursing earlier specializing in something similar the emergency section," says Mary Sweeney, RN, BSN, CEN, ONN-CG and medical consultant at Mom Loves Best. "I had been a tech in the ER all throughout nursing school and was desperate to be an emergency nurse."

Med/surg nursing offers the ideal foundation to build on for emergency situations, Sweeney explains. "Yous demand to develop that '6th' sense that tells you when a patient is going to go downhill, even when their vital signs say that they're fine."

"I ever recommend that new graduate nurses gain at to the lowest degree a twelvemonth of general medical nursing experience before going into emergency and disquisitional care."

5. Witnessing patient suffering is never easy

Even if you lot've never felt overnice at the sight of blood or injuries, seeing people in pain can be much less clinical than yous think. "I wish I knew how difficult it was going to be to see people suffering in concrete, mental and emotional pain," says Jeanne Dockins, RN, BSN and CNOR.

Consider your specialty with care, and give some thought to how you volition react when your patients are hurting or dealing with grief. Certain types of nurses will bargain with more severe wellness issues on their shifts than others.

"As a surgical nurse for over 30 years, I saw some horrific traumas which affected me securely. Some things you tin can never un-see," Dockins says.

six. How decorated your shifts will get

"Nurses have then many unlike responsibilities and tasks that they are continually prioritizing," Dockins says. "Nursing is 1 of the most demanding professions, only the rewards are indescribable."

Though yous might have shifts where even wolfing downwards a granola bar feels like a luxury, the intrinsic value in caring for people makes the chaos worth it. "Over the years, I have nerveless thousands of vignettes of love, kindness and compassion. These memories are forever etched in the memories of my heart. The rewards of being a nurse are priceless."

seven. How attached yous'll get to your patients

Despite all the dashing most, nurses nonetheless discover time to grow fond of the people they intendance for.

"Before I became an RN, I didn't know how attached you actually become to your patients and their families," Pruitt says. "24-hour interval in and day out you lot care for then many different patients, but there volition be special ones that leave an impression on your heart."

Pruitt says maxim adieu to these patients can exist difficult.

"But existence a nurse means that y'all know y'all made a deviation in their lives, no matter how big or small-scale."

viii. How to save your legs

"I wish I'd known nearly compression socks," West says. Nurses spend and so much time on their anxiety that it'southward vital to make smart clothing choices. "Beautiful shoes are great, but compression socks are what's going to save your feet and legs. Once I discovered them, my pes, leg and articulatio genus pain went away. And no one notices them underneath your pants!"

Information technology may seem like a small thing, but accept it to heart and brand comfort a priority when choosing footwear—your body will thank you.

9. That nurses really do eat their young

This expression refers to a type of bullying in the nursing world where older, more than established nurses treat their new recruits poorly, just for beingness new recruits. While yous certainly hope it doesn't happen to you, Wilson has experienced this trend and advises new nurses to be set up, just in case.

"There are skills you can acquire to foreclose being a victim," Wilson says.

Make sure you understand your rights every bit a professional, and don't put up with workplace abuse. New nurses naturally desire to make a proficient impression and go forth in their commencement jobs, but sure behaviors are never okay. Wilson offers a groovy article on resources and strategies for how to stand upwards for yourself.

Sweeney encourages nurses to be ready, just also non to expect bullying beliefs from their colleagues. "There'due south frequently a feeling of more experienced nurses eating their immature, so to speak. While that does happen, more often than non, experienced nurses are willing and able to assistance guide new nurses when they are struggling."

New nurses may often need support from more than experienced nurses, and Sweeney emphasizes that they should feel free to ask for help. Anybody has been the brand new nurse at some point.

10. How easy it is to forget yourself

A sacrificial attitude is one of the greatest strengths of the nursing profession, but it can also be a detriment.

"People don't understand that nurses cede eating and going to the bath to get work washed," Westward says, adding that nurses can sometimes sacrifice to the betoken of harming their ain health.

W emphasizes the importance of passion in nursing. "Burnout is real. I certainly experienced it and wanted to quit nursing altogether." Due west says a perspective on how nursing matters to your passion or purpose will aid you stick with it in hard times. That, and equipping yourself with stiff nursing self-care habits to make sure you don't sacrifice your health.

"Nosotros take on a lot, and information technology'south important to go on yourself grounded and take intendance of yourself," West says.

xi. How capable you tin be under force per unit area

"The one thing that genuinely surprised me about life as a nurse was how well I worked nether pressure level," Sweeney says. "Nursing is not an easy profession—it requires both physical and mental stamina to arrive through those fourteen-60 minutes shifts."

If you love the piece of work y'all are doing and believe in the bear upon it makes on every patient'southward life, you might discover yourself thriving even in a whirlwind of activeness. "I surprised myself with how much I could accomplish in the organized chaos that the ER exuded, all while remaining calm."

12. How many ways there are to be a nurse

"Nearly people think that being a nurse means wearing scrubs, starting IVs and taking care of patients directly at the bedside," Wilson says. "Only nurses piece of work in so many different roles with varying levels of responsibleness. From executives to software consultants to professional bloggers, there is no i style to be a nurse."

Every bit you begin your career, you might envision one path for yourself, merely your skills and desires can pb you in different directions every bit y'all get. Nurses work in many unlike industries and settings. "You will never be bored," Wilson says. "You will accept unlimited potential for fulfillment."

Are you lot ready to become an RN?

If you've been asking should I go a nurse? you know simply how many factors go into the career decision. These insights from nurses can illustrate what becoming an RN really ways. Practice you think information technology's the job for you?

"Think that you will have some very challenging days both in nursing school and every bit a nurse," Pruitt says. "But it is all worth it! Nursing is a calling. Yous run across people at their absolute everyman and have the privilege to help them. It takes a special person to be a nurse."

Is it difficult to become a nurse? If you lot've been looking into nursing credentials or considering the path to become an RN, you might find all the unlike levels of nursing (and their requisite educations) confusing. Don't worry, all those options make nursing one of the more customizable educations out there! Check out "A Beginner's Guide to Understanding the Levels of Nursing Credentials" to learn more about educational paths you lot can take. Or, if you're ready to become started on the path to becoming a registered nurse, visit the Professional Nursing program folio.

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, [accessed April, 2020] www.bls.gov/ooh/. Information represents national, averaged data for the occupations listed and includes workers at all levels of education and experience. This data does non correspond starting salaries. Employment conditions in your area may vary.).

EDITOR'S Annotation: This commodity was originally published in Baronial 2014. It has since been updated.