Do you recommend becoming a nurse?

Nursing is not an easy career path to choose. It is certainly one of the most difficult. When friends or prospective students ask, do you recommend becoming a nurse?
If I asked the prospective nurse why they are interested in nursing and their reply is about helping, caring, contributing, making a difference--any sincere and passionate desire to care for patients--I would absolutely recommend the career. It's insanely challenging and stressful...and rewarding. Those little moments of making a difference in someone's life make it all worth it.

My answer wasn't included in your poll. My answer is "It depends." If your heart is in it ... and you are intelligent and mentally strong ... then "Yes, by all means, become a nurse. It is a fine way to contribute to the betterment of the world."However, if your heart is not in it ... and you are not intelligent and not mentally strong ... then you should probably find some other way to earn a living.

Yes!!! If you want to be a nurse. I was a volunteer for 2 yrs, CNA for 17 yrs and RN for 12 and I am very happy. Now there are some jobs, some pt's and family members I wish I could send to outerspace. LOL It just take one real Thank You that makes all that disappear.

I did not vote in the poll because my response would be similar to llg's.If asked, "should I become a nurse?" my answer would consider whether the person is intelligent, intellectually curious, emotionally mature, able to be respectful of various cultures & subcultures, and possesses a reasonably well-developed sense of self.If yes, and the person has a desire to be a nurse -- then yes.

Quote from AltraIf asked, "should I become a nurse?" my answer would consider whether the person is intelligent, intellectually curious, emotionally mature, able to be respectful of various cultures & subcultures, and possesses a reasonably well-developed sense of self.

All I gotta say is, you better have some people skills. I'm taking about it all: patients, co-workers, and doctors!! 8)

I voted "yes". It's a great job when you are into it and really interested and want to help people. The job require that you have a good health yourself since it's really alot stress physical and mentally.

If you know what you are getting in to, trully care about people, and want to take care of them, then by all means YESIf you are doing it for the $$ or any other off the wall reasons, then NO......there is nothing more dangerous than a nurse that doesn't like her job....

Quote from aloevera If you are doing it for the $$ or any other off the wall reasons, then NO......there is nothing more dangerous than a nurse that doesn't like her job....

Yes, I have recommended nursing as a career option for some people who have expressed an interest. I also have discouraged others from starting. Each person is an individual and I have shared my reasons when asked.In general I would encourage more people to look seriously at nursing as a career. Some of the people who have asked me have thought about it because of the money after 2 years of college. Most of these I have discouraged because they had no interest in caring for others, only financial stability as they saw it.Many people so not have the strong scientific mind that nursing requires at the same time having the compassion for others. It really takes a special kind of person to be a nurse. Brains and inner beauty shining out. Hard combo.

Quote from BradleyRNThe question is based on what you would tell a friend or a poster on allnurses. It is based more on your own happiness with your career choice than an assessment of the asker's intelligence and maturity level.

I think nursing is abusive profession and would not recommend it to anyone. I think that making it be about the person is an injustice. NO ONE should have to deal with the abuses that are inherent in being a nurse.