- Nurses are the life and soul of the healthcare profession, providing comfort, kindness, and care to patients every day
- It's a challenging job and one that requires hard work, dedication, and a very thick skin.
- The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates there are over 2.8 million nurses working in America right now.
- Nancy Whitt, who's been a nurse for 45 years, and Liz Watkins, who's been a nurse for two years, shared with Business Insider what it's really like.
Being a nurse is not a profession for the faint-hearted.
Nurses deal with life, death, and everything in between.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nurses are responsible for assisting physicians in administering patient care, providing advice and educating patients on a variety of medical conditions, and giving advice to the patient as well as their family.
And while it might be a demanding job, it seems it's a rewarding one. A study by AMN Healthcare found 83% of nurses say they are satisfied with their choice of nursing as a career.
Business Insider spoke with two nurses, Nancy Whitt and Liz Watkins, to find out what it's really like to be a nurse.
Whitt is a gastrointestinal nurse in California with 45 years of experience. She works in Outpatient Services (sometimes called Day Stay) and Gastrointestinal (GI) Lab and is one of five gastrointestinal nurses in her hospital providing 24/7 coverage by being on call.
Watkins is a critical care nurse with two years experience working in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in Kentucky. Her patients are critically ill and in the process of recovering.
Here's what they said being a nurse really entails:
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The shifts are demanding, but schedules can vary
Most hospitals allow nurses to determine their shifts in advance. For Watkins, that's three 12-hour day shifts a week.
"I work from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m., although my shifts rarely end at the time they're supposed to. I usually leave at about 7:45 p.m. Sometimes it can be as late as 10 p.m., depending on what's been going on and how the patients are doing," Watkins told Business Insider.
In addition to her set shifts, Watkins is also required to work two support shifts in every eight-week period.
Whitt, who has been working for 45 years and no longer depends on the income from a full-time position, works per diem, and clocks in for six shifts a month.
Average days don't exist when you're dealing with patients
There's no such thing as a routine day in a hospital. Nurses have a wide range of responsibilities and tasks that they're continuously prioritizing.
In Outpatient Services, where Whitt works, her days are dictated by the kind of patients that come through the facility and the procedures they're there for.
"Most of the patients we see are with us for a few hours. They're getting IV infusions, blood transfusions, minor procedures, and surgeries. It varies a lot each day," she told Business Insider.
Over in the ICU, patients are battling with life-threatening issues, and each day brings a new set of challenges.
"I wouldn't say there's a typical day as we see all kinds of patients," Watkins said. "They're with us for different reasons each time, and the vulnerable state they're in means they can deteriorate quickly, which keeps us on our toes.
But while the patients and situations may change, the ICU has a daily care routine that must be adhered to at all times. "We monitor each patient closely and observe a strict care schedule across the ward," Watkins said.
Each day begins with a full handover from the night team followed by a meet-and-greet with any new patients. At 8 a.m., Watkins carries out full-body assessments on her patients and makes a note on their medical chart of everything she sees. Throughout the day patients are assessed from top to toe every four hours, and rounds are completed hourly.
As a critical care nurse, Watkins also responds to any codes that occur around the hospital. "Code calls definitely add an extra bit of excitement and adrenaline to the day," she said.
There are different routes available to becoming a nurse — but they all start with a degree
Obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree provides the best opportunities for prospective nurses in today's job market, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Once you've got your BSN, you'll need to obtain a license to become a registered nurse, with requirements varying by state.
For Watkins, the route to becoming a registered nurse was different than most. "I was pre-med in college but switched to psychology," she told Business Insider.
After graduating and working in marketing for a year, Watkins realized her passion lay in health and patient care, and she took a job as a certified nursing assistant (CNA) — something she recommends to anyone who's considering a career in nursing.
"It's a great introduction into the industry," Watkins said. "Not everyone is cut out to be a nurse, and as CNA you're basically shadowing a nurse, helping out, and getting used to life in a hospital," she said.
Once she was certain she wanted to become a nurse, Watkins went back to school to completed a one-year accelerated nursing program. "Spending time as a CNA allowed me to test the water and make sure I was certain this is what I wanted to do before committing to go back to school," she said.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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