Reluctant Nurses
Recently, the upsurge in the demand for nurses abroad brought about an unprecedented increase in the number of nursing students. The number of nursing students rose to the extent of overtaking 50% of a University's population. The top Philippine Universities even saw professionals going back to school just to cash in on the nursing rush.
The sole reason that so many are jumping on the nursing wagon is MONEY. Cold hard Dollars. if you ask today's nursing students why they want to be a nurse one day, two answers are prevalent: to be able to work abroad and to earn dollars. Sure one or two hypocrites might tell you they want to become a nurse because they want to take care of people but majority are really in it because they want to be rich.
Other nursing students are in it because:
1.) Their friends are all taking up nursing
2.) They are undecided on what direction to follow in life, so they take up the course ng bayan3.) Their parents forced them
I for one am one of the people who took up nursing to work abroad and become rich. Actually my parents also forced me. I was about to become ideal again and pursue my dreams of becoming either a writer, web designer, psychiatrist, or a business man. None of those happened because I chose to be ideal (for a change). Unbeknownst to me, that sudden impulsive decision to become practical (now that's an irony!) would become my downfall.
Yes, dear friends. I am an unhappy nursing student as most nursing students are. We have all been forced into this black hole devoid of any freedom of expression. We have all been pushed into wells of desire of our parents!
Right now I should be taking tiny steps towards becoming either a successful young entrepreneur (like D*n*ld Tr*mp), a flourishing opinionated columnist, or an internet geek millionaire. Instead I am memorizing drugs, procedures, etc. *Sigh*
One day though, I hope that my spur of the moment decision to do something very rational would pay off. Someday, I hope to breath a sigh of relief and say buti na lang nag nursing ako.
Anyone else out there, suffering from this type of depression?
goodness! i thought i was alone! good thing there is someone out there sharing my woebegones in life! lol!
ReplyDeletebut seriously, there's nothing funny about what we have to go through just to finish this course! i myself have cried buckets of tears just to finish one ncp for a particular disease. hmmm, i think what makes nursing difficult for me is that i never really wanted to become a nurse, neither did i ever think about it. but what can i do? i was 17 then? pure and innocent. and yes there were some good deals they said i could have if i take the course. gosh i wanted to become an economist then later on pursue law and teach. or if that is so unimaginable, i thought i could get a course that is math related as that is what really interests me. i also even thought of becoming a sportscaster! gosh, but never, NEVER, did i ever see myself nursing sick patients. assisting and wiping doctors' sweat during an operation, and not even emptying urine bags!
ok, ranting should be over by now. i'm graduating this March. and i'll be taking the board in June. will i pass? i don't know. do i care? gosh, i don't know too! one thing's i'm sure of, graduating from this course, is just the beginning for me.
so to you, jerome, pursue your dreams! be a writer! or a businessman! if you fail, at least you still have nursing to return to :)
Omigosh, we are so alike. Five years ago, I never really thought I would go into nursing. But here were are today, emptying urine bags, nebulizing patients, carrying out doctors orders, etc. I remember there were nights that I would cry and feel like such a failure because I knew that each day that I go to duty or NCM is a day that I could've used to work on my dreams. But just like in American idol, I am keeping the dream alive.
ReplyDeletehi jerome..=)
ReplyDeletebeing in any health course can really drain you in many ways.. emotionally,physically,mentally??! and socially..you name it! aside from law,,i guess this is the hardest course of all,,coz we can bring a person back to life or bring them closer to death (opps hehe but we're not god)
jerome and I had exchanged few thoughts regarding this topic about being a nurse..ayt? =)
but one thing i want to say: I salute you guys for being strong amidst all these. i can't imagine being forced into something i don't want to be or to put aside my dreams..
but here you are,, still breathing and holding on till the end..=)
i just want to share one thing my mother told me when i was in college... i was having a hard time coping up in one class..she told me "you've got to love what you are doing so it wouldn't appear to be difficult. you've got to put your heart into it even though you can't seem to understand,and if you do,slowly you will be able to understand and do well."
i tried hard practicing that principle,and it worked for me.
in your case it is difficult "loving" it since it wasn't your dream to begin with, i guess it is up to you whether to make it easy or hard on yourself..=) gee i don't know if i am making sense.. oh well.. hehe
yup harmonian is right... be a nurse.. but also continue being a writer, don't let that first love die..it is like your inner source or inner fire ( hehe to be more dramatic) it is like your sanity if you feel like loosing your mind in nursing.
you are a smart and talented guy, i can see that. so wherever you go or do, plus the hard work i am sure you can be successful wherever you choose to go.
>>yeokashi..
Thank you so much yeo for those inspirational words.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!
ReplyDeleteIf it's of any consolation, you are not alone. Remember, "this too, shall pass.." so just continue with what your doing, nothing wrong with "obeying" your parents wishes. If nursing is your first course, well and good. You can just imagine how the "2nd, 3rd, 4th or even nth coursers" must feel...the adjustments they have to go through psychologically, emotionally, socially, even physically.. not to forget financially.
I understand your sentiments... It's tough. :)
i too, had to take nursing for financial reasons, but as it turned out I learned to like it, the people aspect of it is the one I really look forward to, except of course yung mga patients na toxic at yung tingin sa iyo eh alipin.
ReplyDeletei graduated 2005 and lo and behold simula lang pala ng paghihirap kasi you have to pass all of these exams to work sa US.
nyway, who says you can't be a nurse writer or what not...we might not learn to love nursing but we can learn to like it.
happy new year.
ps hope you don't mind me leaving a comment, i saw your links on phil idol forum
jeromy! na-shy nalng ako mag comment kay ben serious and mahaba ang nagcocomment d2.. hehehe.. well anyway... makarelate tlga ang mga sinasabi mo.. pero may mga things na man din sa nursing na nastart ko na rin magustuhan.. and marami akong natututunan na makabuluhan and maaaring magamit sa mga certain life situations.. basta masasabi ko lng jeromy, kaya natin to fwen! heheh! ipagpatuloy nlng natin ito..pwd pa nman mag-aral ulit or magpursue sa totoo nting hilig pagkatapos kung gugustuhin natin dba?... =)
ReplyDelete---ms. anonymous -->hehe
Thanks for the words of encouragement.hehe..
ReplyDeleteYou will finally breathe that sigh boy when you got your hands on the cold hard cash and you reach unexpected places the profession most people underestimated, would take you to.
ReplyDeleteFor me I would pick the first reason you gave but I have a mixture of 2. First and second year I like the science related to humans but on the 3rd and 4th I felt ambivalent but I hung on to the course because it would be a waste to pursue another course. I took the board and worked in the hospital to support my hobby in computer and electronics as if nursing is my nursing is a side line.
At one time I took a holiday in Manila. I saw an advert about nurses hiring for abroad. I filled up an application form and in 3 months I found myself in the arrival area of Heathrow airport.
I kept saying to myself I was on holiday and my base in the tour of europe is UK.
Well, I am here for 6 years now and still enjoying lots of holidays anywhere but of course work a little harder compared to the way I do back home.
If you are still in school and have the means you can to make peace with yourself but if you hnag on you might just say you are glad you did it. You can always do other things while practicing nursing as a side linel.
Base on the responses by some, it seems that most are in it for the big bucks. No harm there except that the hard reality will stare right at your face once you reach the final destination (the hospital)and start digging at someone else's behind. The money is good but you will have to work for it, and I mean really work hard for it. So if you're in it for the long haul, start loving the profession that was forced on you...if not, find yourself a calling most suited for your kind of personality.
ReplyDelete