Nursing Essay, Research Paper

Nursing

I was in a hospital for my co-op placement, I chose this because I was considering nursing as my chosen career path. For this reason, I have researched the nursing career. I have spent many hours in this setting and feel that I have a pretty good understanding as to what goes on day to day.

Before choosing to become a nurse, one must first examine themselves and look to see if they have the right qualities for this demanding job. Some qualities are such; caring, compassion, a strong desire and willingness to help those in need, patience, honesty and above all, good health. You need strength for such duties as lifting patients to and from bathroom facilities.

In order to become a licensed nurse, one could take a three year course at a college, or a four year program at a university. Even though the starting salary and job requirements are the same whether a graduate from college or a university, with a degree one is able to further their placement and a possible pay increase is more likely. There has, and continues to be, a very high demand for nurses all over the world.

After talking with an actual nurse I was able to see more closely the actual duties of this job. The work hours are 40 hour weeks. There are many shift hours there as well. Working in a hospital requires 24 hour responsibilities, so many of the nurses may have to rotate to afternoon, midnight or weekend shifts. Duties of the job are varied, depending on the area of the hospital you work in. In outpatient area, the nurse assists with

obtaining pre-operative information, takes vital signs (blood pressure, pulse, temperature) and obtains patient s medical history. The nurse then has to prepare the equipment for procedures to be done, and may have to assist the doctor with the procedure.

Afterwards,the nurse assesses the patient taking blood pressure, pulse, etc. until the patient is stable enough to be discharged home. On the floor the nurse has various duties. She takes reports from the previous shifts, assesses patients, gives medication, performs procedures give treatments and sees the patients with the doctors.

All hospitals in Windsor are unionized. The nurses hired are given a 90 day trial period and after that time the nurse is approaching to join the union. Salaries are paid hourly, starting at around 20 dollars an hour and ranging to 26 per hour. Increases are dependent on seniority and job responsibilities. Salaries in Ontario are generally higher. There is a various pay range with nurses working in hospitals or home health care and

clinics. Hospital nurses appear to be better paid.

Being a nurse is open to both females and males although traditionally nursing was considered a predominately female profession. More males are now in the nursing profession. For a nurse to be hired, she or he must take a series of examinations to qualify for her R.N license (registered nurse). One is able to apply for these examinations after having taken and completed the appropriate college or university degrees.

Nurses join a union to work in hospitals. they may also belong to professional organizations such as ONA (Ontario Nurses Association). Some of the nurses feel that although union dues are high, the union may protect them and also negotiate new contracts and raises for them. In my opinion I feel there is security in being part of the Union.

A hospital nurse has various benefits. All health care, dental and life insurance is provided. The union negotiates the details about the coverage that the hospital worker receives. In general the hospital workers seem to be like the package of coverage that they receive.

There is various opinions regarding job satisfaction. Job satisfaction is good in general. Some workers dislike the weekend and shift work. Most like working with people and caring for the patients. In my own opinion, I feel that nurses are not as appreciated or respected as doctors or other heath care professionals.

However, the job satisfaction seems to be quite great. They are able to work closely with sick and troubled individuals and see their progresses and know that they helped them to improve and strengthen themselves. It would be very rewarding in this way.

Nursing jobs can vary. As people live longer and more diseases are treated, the need for nurses increases. At times in the past twenty or thirty years even, there has been a shortage in nursing staff.

In the hospital, nurses are able to transfer throughout the hospital and obtain better jobs or better shifts. Once a nurse has her R.N license she may transfer all over the country or the US by applying for a license wherever she is going. (In some areas such as the States, she may have to take additional exams).

As people live longer here will always be people getting sick. There will always be a need for nurses and that need will only increase.

As for my personal reflections, I admire nurses and their duties in the hospital. I have seen many incidences of true compassion towards patients and other individuals entering into the hospital setting. I have seen many good nurses doing their job with great preciseness. There of course is always complaints of how nurses are not doing what they

should be and a lack of care may be also noted. However, if those people who took the time to see just how much these nurses are responsible for or the kind of stress they are under, I am sure there would be more understanding in this way. Nurses work very hard, and are on their feet most of the day. Being a nurse would be a very difficult job.

Being in this co-op placement at Hotel Dieu Grace hospital I was able to observe things that I would have never gotten the chance to see otherwise. And therefore I have no regrets whatsoever. I think the thing I liked the most was meeting the doctors, talking with them and getting advise from their point of view. I also liked getting up and going there every morning and wearing the same uniform that the doctors and nurses wore. I felt respected more, being seen as a part of the heath care profession.

After spending countless hours in the hospital, and working with nurses, doctors, various technicians and as well as the patients, I think that it would be a very satisfying job. However, I have still yet to decide my career path. I feel that whatever I do I can take what I have learned in co-op and take it with me, no matter what profession I am going to chose. I am certain it will be something in the medical profession, the path I have

not yet decided for sure.

As my co-op is coming to an end, I know that I will miss being at the hospital everyday and seeing things so close and being a part of a team that way. There are other co-op programs at the university that I am going to look into as I continue there next year.