Ever since I joined nursing I have heard nurses say nursing is a ‘calling’ and it's not about money. I couldn't understand why they said so and I still don't.
A particular Nurse may have a call upon his/her life. A call to give, care, assist, listen and heal.
That particular nurse is called to a ministry and nursing as a profession allows her to express her purpose and gives her the opportunity to combine ministry and work. Which is superb.
But I believe that everyone is called by God to be in the profession or job they are doing unless nurses consider themselves under the same umbrella as ‘Sangomas’ and ‘Preachers’. Those are the people who will leave their profession or jobs and focus on their calling or do both, regardless of whether they are paid or not.
Perhaps this could be the reason why nurses are under-paid and left to work in extremely unfavorable circumstances ...because it’s a "Calling".
Don't get me wrong; I have passion and great respect for human life as a nurse. But I cannot keep quiet. Nurses are the most abused professionals by the employer because they consider themselves "called" instead of being employed professionals.
Nurses, you are jack of all trades doing everyone's jobs from a cleaner to a doctor but come payday you are the ones who cry the most because you are underpaid while doing everyone's jobs. I guess it's the consequences of having been “called" instead of being professional.
We feel so comfortable working out of our scope of practice to an extent that we run a risk of performing tasks that we are not equipped to do. When told it's not your scope of practice you tell us of how long you've been doing this and you didn't kill anyone. But the Nursing Councils are out there nailing nurses and not considering your "calling" but rather your profession and scope of practice.
What hurts the most is the fact that you studied for four years and someone from another discipline who studied the same years is treated and paid better than you. I guess they are professionals and you are in a "calling".
Nurses, let's STOP hiding behind "CALLING" and start taking our profession seriously. If you don't do it, no one will do it for you. Like it or not we are professionals and let us fight to be recognized as such.
That particular nurse is called to a ministry and nursing as a profession allows her to express her purpose and gives her the opportunity to combine ministry and work. Which is superb.
But I believe that everyone is called by God to be in the profession or job they are doing unless nurses consider themselves under the same umbrella as ‘Sangomas’ and ‘Preachers’. Those are the people who will leave their profession or jobs and focus on their calling or do both, regardless of whether they are paid or not.
Perhaps this could be the reason why nurses are under-paid and left to work in extremely unfavorable circumstances ...because it’s a "Calling".
Don't get me wrong; I have passion and great respect for human life as a nurse. But I cannot keep quiet. Nurses are the most abused professionals by the employer because they consider themselves "called" instead of being employed professionals.
Nurses, you are jack of all trades doing everyone's jobs from a cleaner to a doctor but come payday you are the ones who cry the most because you are underpaid while doing everyone's jobs. I guess it's the consequences of having been “called" instead of being professional.
We feel so comfortable working out of our scope of practice to an extent that we run a risk of performing tasks that we are not equipped to do. When told it's not your scope of practice you tell us of how long you've been doing this and you didn't kill anyone. But the Nursing Councils are out there nailing nurses and not considering your "calling" but rather your profession and scope of practice.
What hurts the most is the fact that you studied for four years and someone from another discipline who studied the same years is treated and paid better than you. I guess they are professionals and you are in a "calling".
Nurses, let's STOP hiding behind "CALLING" and start taking our profession seriously. If you don't do it, no one will do it for you. Like it or not we are professionals and let us fight to be recognized as such.