CNAs and RNs

I have been a nurse (RN) now for 20 years. It is like any other job, in that you will have to work with people you love and hate. You will have bosses who are fantastic and jerks. You will have days you want to quit and days you can't imagine being so lucky that you get to do your job. I imagine this is the same at every profession. I have worked all my career in a fairly large hospital. Some years it sucked - staffing would be cut every October so the regional managers could get a big bonus. Some years rocked - can you say 13% raise. There is politics in every job also. Several options: 1) work nights. Night people have an even more warped sense of humor, don't have to deal with the doctors unless it's an emergency, don't have to deal with as many visitors and family, and earn more (19% for me currently). On the other hand, if you are a know-it-all, kiss-xxx who most people avoid - please work day shift. (Not that all dayshifters are like this - these type of people just seem to do better on 7-3). 2) Find out before you hire on how the management views doctors. WE are a teaching hospital - part of my job is to help train the residents that nurses are not your enemies, but we are not your handmaidens either. You can't do my job any more than I can do yours. If you are abusive or you EVER lie about a situation with me (this happened this weekend, about the ;6-7th time I can remember in 20 years), there are consequences. Giving phone orders is a priveledge - if it is not an emergency and I don't feel comfortable taking phone orders from you, there will need to be a second nurse as a witness or you will need to drive into the hospital. Also sometimes patients do need laxatives at 3 am. I'm not sure about where the other posters practice, but our med-exec director does not take kindly to physician abuse. I know it exists, especially in smaller communities. You just need to know how far you can go before you hire on.
One thing about nursing - it is easily portable and if you don't like where you are, it is easy to move. Right now, my niece is making $42 plus shift differential with one year of experience working as an ER nurse for a travel agency. She is locked in to only 13 weeks at her current facility. Hope you can make a decision that works for you.

as a paramedic I work with a lot of rns in the er every day they are saying that thier hours are being cut more job duty added the only good thing working ems is the 24hr shift just 10 days a month but sometimes 24hrs is a long time being away from home

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why did I leave the plow in the field and look for a job in the town

I vote RN for good pay and always can get a job. Also it is a gateway to CNA and nurse practitioner.

I agree to some extent. But to me being a mature person also means making a decision about what you need to do in your situation and then just doing it. No bitching, no complaining. After all, you made the decision to be there. You knew what was involved when you made the decision. And you're fortunate to have the option. Lots of people would kill to make the kind of money we do.
It's not fair to make everyone around you miserable by complaining. It's awful to be around someone who complains all the time, whether at work or home.