It is a very people-oriented field, and it can be very rewarding. There are also disadvantages. Quite often nursing can be stressful and hectic, as decisions and actions involving life-threatening situations must be made immediately. Communication is often brief and hurried. This is one reason why I chose rehabilitation nursing since it allows me to have a long-term relationship with patients, thereby making communication easier.
Many people think of nursing as spending extended amounts of time in patient care.
Actually a large proportion of time is spent in charting, paperwork, and administrative duties. The field of nursing is changing dramatically, with the advent of HMO's, Medicare, and other issues nursing is dealing with. The idea of spending ninety-five percent of your time in patient care and counseling families is a misconception. I love working with the patients and meeting their families. I find it very interesting to learn of their life experiences and how they cope with their injuries.