Hello everyone. And welcome to my channel, my name's Maria. And on my channel,
I create videos around everything nursing.
I also have a handful of lifestyle content I am trying to get to 10 K
subscribers. So I'd really appreciate it.
If you subscribe to my channel and also gave this video a
like not only does it help with the growth of my channel,
it also tells the YouTube algorithm that you guys would like to see more videos like
this. So this video is going to be such a random video,
but I thought I'd just do it anyway,
because I think it's going to be one informative,
which is what I always try to do in all of my videos.
And I think as you just might be a bit funny,
like it's just like a really quick and light-hearted video.
So right now I'm on a website called Quora.
I think some of you guys might be familiar with it or it's not coming up,
but it's Q U O R A.
And I was just doing some stuff like that behind the scenes of YouTube.
And somebody asked a question saying,
what is everything they don't tell you about becoming a nurse?
And that no one is really, um, one. Yeah, no,
one's really answering any of the questions.
So I scrolled right down to the bottom of the webpage and there's a whole bunch of
like related questions. So I'm just going to answer them.
We'll just see how this video turns out. So the first question is,
is becoming a rested nurse worth it. And honestly,
I really do think it is down to you.
And what is it that you're looking for in a profession if you're looking to help
people well and good, that's all dandy. You know?
sell ice-cream and you can help people.
There's so many things that you can do to help people.
You don't need to be a nurse to help people.
I will speaking to the admission department at a certain university.
And she helped me. Um, the guy who collects my rubbish, he helps me,
the person who does the food through Tesco's when they're scanning the food,
they help me.
So if you do want to help people don't think that being a registered nurse is the
only way to do it. If you're doing it because you want to make money,
then there are other ways to make money, you know, wanting to become a nurse.
It's a combination of different reasons,
and that will help you to come to a decision about whether you think it's worth
it or not directly asking myself.
Oh my gosh when I was a nursing student, though,
it depends. It honestly depends on what day you asked me.
If you asked me on a certain day, yeah its hella worth it. Oh my gosh.
I'd recommend it to everyone. And there was certain times if you would ask me,
I'd tell me,
I'm writing my letter so I can drop out of this degree because I don't want to
do it anymore. So it really, really does. Depend is a,
is become a resume as worth it.
Now that I have been at registered nurse for two years now,
I would say that it is worth it because I really do think it is it's
come.
I really do think that I've had like a massive mind set shift.
So honestly, do I becoming a registered Nurse is worth it. Yes. Primarily
because if you are a registered nurse, if you do become a registered nurse,
it doesn't mean that you are locked down into it.
You can do so many other things. If all I was was a registered nurse,
I had no hobbies. I had no friends, I nothing to do on the side.
Then I would tell you it is not worth it.
But if you are a registered nurse in combination with a whole bunch of other
things, then it is, it is, um, it is definitely worth it.
And it doesn't just go to being a registered nurse.
I was having a conversation with someone the other day, and I basically said,
if you're doing anything that takes up a hundred percent of your time,
it isn't worth it. Whether that's you being a registered nurse, whether it's,
you've been a doctor, whether it's, you've been a cleaner, whether it's,
you've been a gardener, whether you know,
it's something that you've worked for for the whole of your life.
If you're doing a one thing that takes up all of your time,
but doesn't leave space for anything else, then it isn't worth it.
So make sure you find a balance. So right now it's being a registered nurse worth it.
Totally. Next question.
Can I finish becoming a registered nurse in less than four years? Definitely.
But again, it really depends on, it really depends on where you're starting.
If you've finished your A levels already then. Yeah.
And you can just sign onto a three-year bachelor's degree or an associate or
apprenticeship program, and yes, you can become a registered nurse.
I do want to say that when I'm referring to registered nurse,
I'm not talking about axillary nurse. I'm not talking about healthcare assistant.
I'm not talking about nursing assistant.
I'm talking about a band five registered nurse you're um,
registered with the NMC. You have an NMC pin number and yeah,
it's your title is a registered nurse.
That's what I mean about registered nurse,
because sometimes the word nurse registered nurse is thrown around lightly or
loosely nurse is not a protected characteristic.
So you can have usually anyone calling themselves a nurse.
And now it's an assistant healthcare assistant.
The word nurse is not a protected characteristic.
You could be a teacher and call yourself a nurse and advertise yourself as a
nurse. And nobody can legally do anything about that.
However the moment you call yourself a registered nurse here in the UK,
then there are legal and, you know,
ethical and so many different connotations attached to it.
I am a registered nurse. I'm not just not, I'm not just a nurse,
but I am a registered nurse. So that's what I mean in the video,
when I'm referring to nurse registered nurse all of that stuff? Um,
there was actually a story of a guy, where is he? I think it was based,
I don't know where it was based,
but during the whole political campaign and his whole selling point was that
they wanted to improve everything for nurses and stuff like that.
And throughout this whole campaign,
he kept saying my experience as a nurse my experience as a nurse,
my experience as a nurse, he ended up winning.
I believe he actually ended up winning and then someone actually found out that
mate you're actually not a registered nurse. And he was like,
I never said I was a resident nurse. I just said I was nurse.
Which he kind of was, he.
He was a healthcare assistant and some healthcare assistants do, um,
describe themselves as a nurse, but not a registered nurse, same thing with like, um,
mothers who breastfeed.
Some of them described themselves as nurses because they're breastfeeding their
child, but they're not necessarily a registered nurse.
So choose your words wisely. Um, which, are
some of the pros and cons of being a registered nurse and registered dietician,
I'm not a registered dietician. I'm just a registered nurse.
So I can't really answer that question because I'm not the both of them. Um,
what do you hate about being a registered nurse? Hmm. Hate is a really, really,
really, really, really strong word. What I hate been about being a registered nurse is that,
Hmm. Like how do you think about this on the top of my head? I don't want to offend anyone.
What I hate, there's nothing I hate about being a registered nurse.
And if there's something that you hate about being a registered nurse
then maybe that's just ignorance. What do I hate about being registered nurse?
Well, I hate that there are loads of pen pushers in the NHS.
You don't actually do anything. Um,
I guess you could say I hate the pay because the pay isn't great.
I hate the working conditions in terms of how we're treated behind the
scenes when you're not with your patients? Cause I felt like, you know,
for a lot of nurses, the working conditions, aren't great. Like yeah. Like,
yeah, we're not, if we're going to do that in this video,
um, how hard is it to become a registered nurse? I did think it's,
it really does depend. I was going to say that I don't think it's too hard,
but it really,
really does depend on your academic background.
What level two or level three qualifications that you have.
It depends on where you live. It depends on how much money you have,
because there's a lot of things that go into being a student nurse,
and then becoming a registered nurse. You also have, um,
a lot of sacrifices that you have to make.
Like I know of some people who are registered nurses and they legit like never,
they go, sometimes they go days without seeing any of their kids. Um,
and I think sometimes people think that, Oh, being a student, nurse is super,
super hard and then once you are a registered nurse it will be easier. And I was so naïve.
I actually thought that I remember one time with one of my mentors,
I had like quite a few essays and assessments due and I was also at placement.
It was a hectic time time. And I remember in passing saying to her, I can't wait to be,
till I become a registered nurse.
It will be so much easier than being a student nurse. And it really,
really isn't the case. Like there are some things are easier,
but there are somethings that are harder. So yeah. Being a registered nurse,
being a registered nurse is hard. It, yeah, it can,
depending on where you are at in life and what other things you're going through
and other commitments that you have being a registered nurse
can be hard and becoming a registered nurse can also be hard
again, like I said, you've got some people have to sacrifice a lot,
like a lot, like some people go from full-time employment. Like I know,
of the nurse at my hospital, she was actually like working in it,
making big bucks and she wanted to become a nurse.
So she had to basically quit that job.
Quit like a multiple dollar pound salary.
be a student nurse be broke for like three, four years before she'd be,
become a resident nurse.
So it depends on how much you have to sacrifice how much you have to give up and
how much you kind of have to adapt.
These questions are so negative. What the hell? Okay. I'm going to miss them,
them out. Can a nurse become a doctor. Yes. Anybody can become a doctor.
Um, I know of, I think I've met maybe one
or yeah, I think I've met one doctor who used to be a nurse.
So he did like his whole nursing degree and then he was a nurse for like a year or
two and basically just went back to went to medical school.
But rather than starting as if he had just done his a levels.
He basically just did a graduate degree in medicine, which was four years.
So yeah. Anybody can become a doctor. Absolutely. Anyone
Next question. I don't know why these questions are so negative and like,
or are there any dangers associated with becoming a registered nurse? Oh goodness.
Of course. There's dangers with in life in general.
But are there dangers associated with becoming registered nurse directly? Yes.
There are a whole bunch of occupational hazards.
If that's what you mean in nursing, for example, you know,
we think of the whole COVID pandemic that's going on.
You're basically putting your health at risk.
Whether you have the correct PPE or you don't have the correct PPE things,
even before the COVID pandemic, in terms of like working 12 hour shifts,
you're standing all the time.
It really isn't good like pooling of the blood in your legs.
And then some nurses like have to wear stockings because if they don't wear
stockings, their legs get really swollen some people,
a lot of nurses suffer with foot pain, some nurses walking with a limp.
Then you may get that in other professions as well, working long,
12 hour shifts. Isn't easy,
especially if where you are working is understaffed and there's not enough nurses and
you can't always take or break having to wake up super early in the morning,
depending on how long you have to travel. Yeah,
there are all occupational hazards.
I think of things like some of the products that we're using to clean that we
use a lot of bleach in healthcare that can not be good for your health. Um,
mixing certain antibiotics and stuff like that.
I'm sure that if the antibiotics are mixed in the incorrect way,
then that can have a negative impact, not just on a patient,
but also for yourself as you're mixing it.
I know that there are a couple of medications that females can't touch because
if you touch that medication,
then it can have a negative impact on your reproductive system.
So just being aware of the hazards and obviously putting things in place to
reduce the likelihood of that hazard actually being realized.
So yeah,
there are a lot of dangers associated with becoming a resident nurse
abuse as well that you get from patients because nurses are predominantly
female. I know some people don't want me to go there,
but because nurses are predominately female,
I feel like sometimes not sometimes I feel like because nurses are predominately
female, sometimes people don't give, um, the profession,
the respect that it deserves in terms of not being rude, not being abusive.
And you know, just things like that. I honestly believe that if nurses,
I honestly believe that if the majority of nurses were male,
then we wouldn't be facing a lot of the issues that we're facing.
But that's a different story for another day. We don't need to go there.
Um, what's the next question? Where can I, as a resident nurse make the most,
I'm not asking about advanced practice nurse strictly with RN
registered nurses. So he or she is basically asking
where can I where can registered nurses make the most money. Um,
anybody can make the most money, but this is specific registered nurses. Okay.
Registered nurses can make the most money if you work in any major cities and if you
are specialized, but they've said not advanced practice nurses.
So if you just go for a major, if you work in a major city,
if you're working weekends on a night shift public holidays,
that's, that's when or that's where you can make the most money. So yeah,
go for cities.
And if you're working basically undesirable shifts night shifts used to be
called graveyard shifts for a reason.
Is becoming a registered nurse hard. What are the steps?
I've kind of really answered that.
And I do have a video on my channel that kind of goes through the steps of
becoming a registered nurse. Generally, what you're level two qualification,
which, you know, most people its GCSE
Then you want your level three qualification. For most people,
it will be their A levels, IB diploma or an access course to nursing.
Then you sign on to a nursing course you can,
most people go for the three year undergraduate masters,
the three year undergraduate, the three-year bachelor's program.
Some people who are already working as healthcare assistants
then they may go through the nurse apprenticeship or the nursing associate
route. And then top up to become a registered nurse. Afterwards,
some people who may have similar degrees, for example,
you may have a degree in midwifery or a degree in sports science.
Then you can just do like a post-graduate kind of top up degree.
They tend to be anything from like a year and a half a year to maybe two years,
depending on if you want to finish with just a standard bachelor's or if you
want to finish with a master's degree.
But I do have a video that kind of goes through the steps to that next question.
What is something no one tells you about becoming a nurse?
Hm.
I kind of knew everything that I needed to know about becoming a nurse.
Like I don't feel like I was blindsided. Um,
what is something that no one tells you about becoming a nurse?
I just didn't realize that I thought being a nurse was more flexible. Yes.
That's the one thing I thought that.
When.
I became, being a student nurse is different,
but she said about being a nurse, I'm just going to say registered nurse. But,
um, one thing that no one really told me about being a registered nurse.
And one thing that I didn't really seek to find out was how flexible being a
registered nurse was.
I thought being a registered nurse was flexible in terms of the fact that you
could pick what dates you wanted to work. And you know, you,
a lot of nurses saying, Oh, I only work three long days a week.
It doesn't always work like that.
And I kind of wish it was like that that's one thing, no one told me,
I didn't realize like
how much power the employer, employee, employer.
I didn't realize,
I didn't realize how much power that employer had over its employees when it
came to nurses. Like they can literally just say,
this is when you're going to work. And sometimes you just kind of have to do it.
So that's one thing I didn't realize. I thought you had more autonomy, autonomy,
not in terms of, you know, you and your patients, but I had,
I thought we had more freedom in terms of you and you know,
the people that you're working with,
especially when it came to shift times and you know,
things like your salary and thing. I didn't realize,
I didn't realize that all nurses were paid the same in terms of the fact that
if you were a new grad on ICU, in comparison to a new grad and outpatients,
I would have thought that in areas where, you know,
the skillset required was higher,
I would have thought that generally the pay was higher,
but that isn't the case at all trust.
So those are two things that I was aware of, unaware of.
I wasn't aware of the degree of flexibility that you don't have
and, um, the degree of freedom that you don't have.
And I also wasn't aware that the pay, I didn't know, the people was so rigid.
I really didn't think, like I knew the agenda for change was a thing,
but I thought there was some sort of negotiation around it,
but it really isn't there as much as I thought, as I thought it was
what tests are needed to become as a registered nurse,
there are no kind of national tests in the UK that you have to take before
becoming a registered that you have to take before becoming a registered nurse.
But obviously, you know, some universities, some educational institutions will,
you know, required to do like a general math English tests.
Make sure you have the relevant qualifications, but unlike, you know,
kind of the medical profession,
we don't have that UKAT and all of that stuff like that.
How long does it take to become a registered nurse?
It really depends on where you are at,
but the standard bachelor's degree takes three.
Yes. Um, last question is,
um.
How'd you registered nurses become rich. LOLS that is so funny.
If you're in America and you want to become rich as a registered nurse,
then you can do like crisis nursing and all of that stuff.
But if you want to UK and you want to become rich as a registered nurse,
then make sure you have, um, additional profession,
basically make sure you have like a business on the side or something like that,
solely relying on your nursing salaries to become rich is not going to happen.
The money that you do make,
make sure you're investing your money to make sure you invest your time.
And if you are interested in starting a business and maybe start a business and
stuff like that,
just make sure you use your money wisely and cut your cloth according to your
size. So yeah,
those are the questions that I have been asked or that have been on the Quora
[inaudible] if I'm saying it wrong,
guys tell me that we'll just a really quick and a fun video anyway,
make you subscribe to my channel, give this video a like,
and I see guys in my next one, bye.