Please do not think I am bashing teachers, because I am not. I have great respect for most of them and what all they do. The reason I used them in this comparision is because of all the uproar between them and the government in cuttin out future retirement packages. One of my main points is that they are not sitting back and saying "oh well there is nothing we can do about this. We just have to take what we can get and do our jobs to help the children.

How many nurses have said "oh well I am in this profession to help people so if I have to work long hours and short staffed and never get a thank you for anything I do, then I knew it would be that way when I started being a nurse. Too many of us do that. We work until our feet fall off and our health is ruined from the stress. Heaven forbid that we ever make a mistake because that goes on our records in big bold letters, and everyone forgets about the 20 odd years you have worked without mistakes. My point is we need to speak up more for ourselves and the future nurses, because if we don't no one else will.

Here is an example: I received an elderly patient into the ER. She was brought in by EMS. She was buying groceries and started having chest pain and feeling sick. She set down for awhile in the store and the manager there checked with her and offered to call 911. At that time she refused and left the store and went to her car where she started getting sick again. A lady stop by the car to check on her and called 911. They brough her to hospital where it was discovered she had an MI. We worked with her for several hours and sent her for procedures in record time, which poss. saved her life. I talked with this lady and her family constantly trying to keep her calm. She had large family.

To make this shorter. Several days later there was an article in the paper from her and her family. They thanked the clerk at the grocery store and the manager and the lady at the car was an angel and the EMT were the greatest. That is where it stopped. No mention of the Nurses and Doctors who stepped in to save her life. I know that is our job, but just a little thank you would be nice every now and then.

hey. just one comment about what you said. you said that when we reach the age of 50, we will be soooo tired and worn out
now, is that what you said? something about being 50 and totally wore out. i may of misunderstood what you were saying. ok, what you meant was that when you are 50, you are not worth as much as when you are younger? because being that "old" you wont be as energetic or spunky or hyper or ......? whatever you may expect from a younger counterpart.....!! no, i am not being angry, upset or anything negative, okay? just clarifying what you said.

and my comment is:
i am glad that what you said is absolutely NOT TRUE.
guess what?
I am soon to be 48. thats not 50 yet but close.
guess what? i am in college , nearly fulltime,
I clean 2 houses a week for cash income.
I work at a local nursing home as a nurses aid, on average, 25 hours a week,
I drive a 98 camero (most expect a teenager to drive)
I am active in my church functions 3X a week besides personal Bible studys and praying, and do charity work on the side (collecting clothing for homeless, aluminum tabs for McD's house, etc)
and when i get home at night, I normally sit up and watch CSI Then the nightly news.
guess what?
it is ok to be "old" at 50 but just because your 50 or close thereby, does not mean you have to be ready for a nap on the rocking chair on your front porch. i have survived , with Gods help, last year.....
2 mild strokes, 2 rear end car collisions, and the list goes on. and here I am still active and ........
guess what?
I am NOT tired !! OR wore out !!!
rather instead.........
I am on the edge of my seat hoping to be start RN training next year !!
hope this debunked your thinking that when you turn 50, you will be tired and "old". hahahahhaa.......
with tongue and cheek and love
rascal
ps. you turn "old" when you are , lets say.......60? ??? lol

Teachers and Nurses are both essential. Without teachers, there wouldn't be any nurses as they wouldn't have the education and qualifications behind them to start training.

Yes nurses do have an incredibly stressful job, and we don't often get thanked for it. I am fed up with the constant bad reporting we get in the press, but nothing is going to change that i'm afraid. But we do it because we love it, and in every job there is always bad stuff that comes with it. Nurses are not likely to strike. I know for one I could not walk out on the children I look after over a dispute in money. We do all say we knew what we were getting into when we started our careers, and maybe we do sit back and not complain enough, but fact is, how many people can say they saved somebodys live today, or made a huge impact to thousands of patients every year. I think its quite a gift to be able to do that, and we should be proud.

Been away from this site for awhile. Just noticed replies to my post. First let me clarify that the post was made to point out what our state government is trying to do to our teachers and how they are reacting. I work with teachers every day and as I said they deserve everything they get fromm their retirement. My comments about us as nurses was a fair statement and those of us that are already in nursing for the past 24 years understand what I said. I also said that we did what we do because of our love for what we do. I also said how many teachers could say I have saved a life today. Again not taking anything away from them.

Rascal I feel that your assault was a little to over done. Of course you are welcome to your beliefs. Do not assume that I am sitting in a rocking chair complaining. You could not have been further from the truth. I am still working full time even with a fracture foot that happened last May and I have been different braces up to the knee since then but I have not slowed down yet. So do not judge me. My comment that we are tired by the time we are 50 years old stands true, yet we keep going because we don't have the option of retiring with full benefits at 50. Please understand that what you read in that post is a veteran nurse calling for some equal opportunity for fellow nurses. My point in the post is that we seldom get a pat on the back or a well done from our higher ups or the public. We must give them to one another and often.

I do not know if the kind of vehical you drive makes you young or not, but if it helps you to think so good luck. You have just started a long walk and the fact you have already had 2 CVA's before age 48, I wish you all the luck in the world. I know you said you have worked as CNA in Nursing home. From my experiences a good CNA is worth gold on a hard shift, but a CNA who thinks she knows more than the RN's is not. I do hope you are not that way. I recently saw two such people who were rude and know-it-all CNA's graduate from RN school and after one year both lost their jobs from their attitudes. Nursing is a partnership. I hope you are a team player. Be a good nurse not a I am better and know more than anyone nurse and you will be a great asset.

Good luck with your schooling and take it easy due to your past medical history. God bless you and come back in 24 years and tell me you are not tired at nights when you get home.