Job satisfaction in nursing (RN)?

I'm considering changing majors from education to nursing. I'd like to know what is most and least satisfying about the job. My main considerations are neonatal or surgical.

I am sorry to report that tonight I went home early due the other nurses were trying to screw me over on the assignments. Nursing has many drama queens. If you go to school for nursing get your MSN so you will be respected. I am not happy and want to leave nursing. My better half works med surg and hates it. Get your MSN and be a nurse educator. Combine both your interests together teaching and nursing! They are in demand right now. Good luck!

There are good and bad parts about all jobs. I am an RN in a CCU and I think the job is great but I have bad days.
Also as an RN I have been able to live and work in different countries. I don't like surgical nursing or medical wards but Cardiology / CCU is interesting and challenging. ICU would be ok too if you are not interested in the heart. If you do your nurse training see which areas you like when you are training and go with that rather than choosing before you train.
It is a great feeling to know you have helped someone live longer or survive a life-threatening illness but it sucks when you get to know a patient and they die.

I'm sorry that I can't tell you anything about neonatal or surgical nursing as I have been strictly geriatrics for years.

The most satisfying thing about my job is knowing that each day I go to work it is to help someone be comfortable and safe during their final years.

The least satisfying is dealing with personnel issues on a daily basis. Some days it's like i have 80+ children; and they should all be acting like adults.

I worked in surgery for six years. I recently transferred to mental health to fin. school.

I loved LOVED LOVED surgery!!!!!

It was hard work but satisfying. The best part were the hours. I work for the gov so it was m-f, 8a5p (unless you were on call). You did not get as emotionally attached to the patients because they were sleep b4 and after surgery. The work (scrub circulate) was very technical & diverse, I did opthmalogy, general surgery, orthapedics, G.U., ENT, Vascular, and more.
In surgery you wear your own clothes to work and dress out in scrubs when you get there. So no uniforms to buy and maintain. Plus you get paid slightly more than other nurses in the hosp becasue the work is very tech.
The bad thing about surgery is standing for hours and hours but if you wear good shoes and support hose you will be ok. You have to have a strong bladder because some surgeries can go on for 12hours or more. I once did a neck flap with ENT surgeons that lasted 28hours straight.
Another bad thing is the surgeon gets to choose the music. If his taste in music sucks or he does not want music... you are screwed.
The good thing is you get to work closer with the Dr's than any other nurse, they respect you more (most of the time) & free medical advise. At my hosp the Dr's & Nurses did NOT have seperate break rooms we had to eat lunch together.

I loved surgery. Now I only work weekend so I had to leave the m-f to go to school during the week and be home with the kids blah blah blah.

In reg nursing you get so emo attached to patients, their family, it can sometimes become exhausting dealing with their personal probs and your own.

As far as neonatal goes.... I have no idea, Im not a big fan of tiny tiny babies, obgyn. you can keep it.

Good Luck Girlfriend
Hope this Helps

I could talk about surgery all day long I loved it cant wait 2go back. e mail me if you have any more questions about the disgusting stuff.