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6 Common Nursing Career Myths
Jennifer LeClaire | Monster Contributing Writer
Ellen Lipman, MS, RT, director of professional development for the American Society of Radiologic Technologists, agrees. “Continuing education can be more rewarding for individuals if time is taken to identify career and personal-development goals,” she says. “Aim for focused, self-directed and self-initiated learning opportunities. All healthcare providers must remember that ultimately, we are in this business to provide quality patient care.”
Myth 4: Once I become a clinician, I will be stuck in my role.
“Today, there are hundreds of different opportunities for clinicians outside of standard clinical roles,” Marshall says. “Many pharmaceutical companies are looking for clinicians in a variety of roles. Consulting companies are always looking for seasoned clinicians. Management always beckons for those willing to acquire advanced education and gain the necessary skill sets.”
Myth 5: To protect my patients and myself from emotional stress, I must not establish a relationship with them.
“The provider/patient relationship requires respect, integrity, trust and compassion,” says Dr. Georgianna Donadio, founder and executive director of the New England School of Whole Health Education in Wellesley, Massachusetts. “Without creating an equity-based relationship built on these values, the provider cannot facilitate patients’ healing in an authentic and appropriate way.”
Myth 6: A degree in healthcare will allow me to help other people in the way that I want to.
“Helping patients looks different from each specialist’s perspective,” Donadio says. “Some of the interactions can be rewarding, but, often, unless you are a licensed provider of a healthcare treatment-focused specialty, you will be asked to do the grunt work so that the practitioner can have more time to spend with the patients.”
Read the original article Common Healthcare Career Myths on Monster.com.
nurseamy_1979
about 4 years ago
1762 comments
This article is so true. I have been an LPN for 6 years, and even though school is over you still are constantly learning new things and going to different inservices.
stephaniepereira24
over 4 years ago
6 comments
wow this article surely open my eyes abt this profession n whether if i will ever get through. but i am going to be a nurse one day n i will succeed. there are challenges in life n if you are destine u get through
fashionablady
over 4 years ago
10 comments
Its a surprising article to say the least! Every hospital I have looked at has around 50-100 nursing positions waiting to be filled... I do live right at a metro area though with 4,5,6?? hospitals... not getting a job out of school has never crossed my mind :0
but like everything else, I will just trust God to bring me and the right job together! somewhere in the 300,000+ nursing jobs they'll need filled within the next five years is the perfect fit!
I will just get through accelerated nursing school first... I hear that's an accomplishment in itself
cab020881
over 4 years ago
8 comments
Haven't worked a day since 11/15/2008. Can't even get an interview. No jobs!
AmbitiousFutureRN
over 4 years ago
52 comments
Great article!
mrsbeck826
over 4 years ago
34 comments
to cxg174
I appreciate your honestly and have to agree with you when you say that it has to be in your heart to be a nurse. I agree 100%. All jobs come with challenges, but it's truly about how we handle the challenges.
Helping people is what God wants us to do, so why not get paid to help? It's almost like killing two birds with one stone. As nurses, we get to interact with so many different people and have a positive impact on their lives.
I am so excited and cannot wait to get my first nursing job, as I'm only a student right now.
Take care and God bless you,
mrsbeck826
over 4 years ago
34 comments
This article really opened my eyes. So many people, including myself, are going to school to do something great - become a nurse, and some of us may not get hired.
I have to be honest, I never thought about the possibility of not getting hired. That would be horrible.
I am just going to have faith in God and walk by the spirit. With God, all things are possible.
cxg174
over 4 years ago
50 comments
etracie - any previous experiences that we have can benefit us in some way. Certainly you could use your teaching experience to go into nursing education. My question is - are you out of your mind??? Every nurse I know wishes he or she had gone into teaching instead. Long hours, on-call, swing shifts, weekends and holidays, overtime, stress and lousy staffing, no retirement plans - the list of why not to get into nursing is awfully long. The only reason any sane person would do it is because it is in their heart to help others. I know teaching is no picnic- I taught at a college and a vo-tech school, but compared to nursing it is a dream. There is no comparison. Still, when I help someone who is in pain, or frightened, or dying, I know that what I do means so much more than any non-nurse could ever understand. It is a shame they reward the wrong things in our society. Nurses deserve far better than they ever get.
etracie
over 4 years ago
2 comments
Can a previous career in teaching be beneficial if you are considering a career in nursing?
I am a tenured teacher, and have professional teaching experience for the last 8 years. I also have specialization in teaching intellectual disabled students as well as a Bachelors, Masters degree in Education, and a Masters degree in administration and supervision.How can this benefit me in the health field as a nurse?