Being a Registered Nurse Isn't What it Used to Be

The nursing field used to be all about the patient: hands on nursing that provided time for patient care...meeting the physical, mental and emotional needs of the patient. You even had time for the patients families. Nursing was a caring profession and one that women, and men, would be proud to enter into. And it takes a special person to be a nurse. You shouldn't become a nurse because of the money. It isn't a profession that you should enter into lightly. You make good money, although you work long hours, and sometimes make life and death situations, especially in Home Health because you aren't just down the hall from the nurses desk and the helping hands of a few more nurses. You're out there in patients homes sometimes in a remote area and you are all the patient has. But the regulations you have to follow now cause you to have less patient care and more paperwork.

I used to work in the hospital before I went to Home Health and I worked the evening shift, 3pm to 11pm. At about 9pm every night, we used to go around in teams of 2 people and give everyone, that wanted one, a back rub. It was the best part of the evening for most people, and to be honest, the best part of my shift, too. It gave you 10 minutes or so to talk to the patient, visit with a family member and really listen to the patient. Needless to say, they don't do that anymore. Sad. Really sad.

I say we get back to the old way of nursing and throw the paper work in the shredder.