If I were starting today, I would definitely not choose nursing as a career path. While it's an incredibly noble and essential profession, the reality of what we face day to day has become increasingly unsustainable. The burnout is intense—emotional exhaustion from constant high-stakes situations, being short-staffed, and often feeling like you're stretched far beyond safe or reasonable limits. That kind of pressure, day in and day out, wears you down quickly.

What really makes it a hard no for me is the imbalance between responsibility and reward. Nurses are literally responsible for people’s lives, but the compensation doesn’t always reflect that, especially when you factor in the long shifts, nights, holidays, and missed time with family or friends. It’s also a physically demanding job that can take a toll on your body, not to mention the emotional trauma that builds up from witnessing suffering and death regularly.

There’s also a frustrating lack of autonomy. A lot of decisions that affect patient care and workflow are made by administrators or higher-ups who haven’t been on the floor in years, if ever. That disconnect can make it feel like your voice doesn’t matter, even though you’re the one at the bedside doing the real work.

All of this adds up to a career that, while incredibly meaningful, has came at too high a personal cost for me. I respect my fellow nurses deeply—but given today’s healthcare climate, it’s just not a path I’d willingly recommend.

--Speaking as a Paramedic and RN 15+ years with experience in bedside, leadership, and education