I’m not a nurse, but I’m married to one. She’s been doing it for 30 years, always a floor nurse on a busy floor (trauma, med surg, etc.). She loves the one in a million patients where they need help, appreciate the help, their families are nice and thankful, and she gets to help that person recover and get better. Makes up for the million other shitty things that happen.

She’s often thought about the pa thing, but never did it for a few reasons. 1) she likes being a nurse, and a pa isn’t nursing 2) job opportunity/need as you mentioned 3) she’s watched me climb the corporate ladder and she appreciates the simplicity of being an individual contributor. 4) she thinks pas ultimately lose their nursing skills and she doesn’t want that.

Anyways, the point of this novel is that we’ve moved around a bit and she’s learned that there is always a job available for her as a floor nurse, and that if “the grind” is too much - IT’S USUALLY THE FLOOR. Go somewhere else and it changes drastically. Hospital administration, managers, co workers - they all make or break the experience. Her toughest job was also her favorite because of her boss and co workers, one of her easiest sucked because of her boss and coworkers. So nothing wrong with the pa path (it’s never too late for anything), but don’t forget to look at your other nursing options - maybe there’s another floor or hospital that’s more of a fit for you.

Or just ignore me because I’m not a nurse and don’t really know what I’m talking about. I’m just parroting what I’ve heard my wife say. Good luck!

Years ago, I was driving through NY city-ish. We pulled over in a rest area and I saw a sign about turning your engine off. I thought it was the stupidest thing I had ever seen, as did many other people apparently as their cars were idling. Then I got out of my car. I was wrong. The heat was insane. I couldn’t wrap my little head around it. I started doing the engineer math thing because it didn’t make sense.

Doesn’t surprise me at all these massive data centers are creating little heat domes. The cars were bad enough, and they are a fraction of the energy.

100% this. Intentionally being cryptic here - even if you think you “get it” after two, you are wrong and know nothing John Snow. Keep playing…