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View submission: r/CasualConversation Welcome Thread - Month of January 01, 2025
I became a nurse in 2008. Became inactive during lockdown as I am vulnerable and immunocompromised. During that time I started therapy for unrelated reasons but was quickly diagnosed with PTSD from all the abuse I endured (from patients AND other staff) over the years. Nursing can be rewarding if you get into the right specialty. Typical bedside nursing is... Extremely difficult. It's true that there is a Mean Girl to Nurse Pipeline, nurses eat their young etc. Just do your job to the best of your abilities and try your best to stay out of work drama created by the bullies you will definitely face in the course of your career. I do not want to discourage you and don't mean to be negative. I just think back to when I was getting ready to go to Army basic training and my marine older brother took leave to come home to prepare me for what I was about to go through and I will be forever grateful for that. Nothing surprised me, I was ready and prepared and ended up killing it and was promoted at graduation.
So with that being said, I'm just trying to prepare you so when you walk on to the unit for the first time nothing comes as a surprise to you. I am sending you well wishes and the hope that your experience is much better than mine. If you have any questions, about nursing school stuff or my experiences (I have stories for days. Some funny, some sad, some scary, some bad. I did not mean to turn into Dr Seuss it just kind of happens some times) I would be happy to help or just share my knowledge and what the nurse life looked like through my eyes. Not to pat myself in the back (kidding total non humble brag ahead) I graduated in the top 5 of 50 in my class and despite the negatives I was a damn good nurse. It was just time for me to hang my stethoscope up for the last time. I truly hope you only have kind coworkers and management. The patients are a whole mixed bag and range from grateful and cooperative to attempting to kick your ass, rip out IVs catheters feeding tubes and then complain to your manager about some fictional things you did or didn't do. Try not to let it get to you. Get the highest degree that you can afford because Nurse Practitioner is the ultimate nursing job, at least in the US. I can't speak for other countries. Good luck with the rest of school and may you have the best nursing experience ever to be told. Or at least abuse free.
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