[Howardhughes]

First I would like to say hi to all my brothers and sisters nurses out there. Now to the issue, I Made a Huge mistake becoming a RN. I spent 25 years in the Aviation industry where you were bumped/transfered all over the US to keep a job. After 3 years of Nursing School (very hard) I became a RN thinking I would have a stable job and perhaps find meaning to my last 10 or so years in the work forse. Whew what a mistake. I kept thinking that it surley couldnt be this bad while in school...I must be seeing things through the eyes of a newbe...WRONG. Upon Grad I spent 6 months in the ER (Would NEVER do that again,running at 120% ALL the time and making critical judgements all the time ( from checking the "Docs" bad med orders to having 3 sick peds pt's hit your rooms back to back). Quit. Then I did staff nurse/ supervision with the Dept of Corrections....slower pace but between the dim-wit corrections staff, killers, & child molesters *itching about their care and rights I had to go after 10 months. There is a reason why head hunters are paying $45.00 a hour for nursing staff...NOBODY WANTS TO DO THE WORK. I learned so much in school...and yes Ive had a handfull of exc paitent encounters where the team saves a life, or you realy did a exc job from Dx to dischage...but its rare...Most of the time its 120% work, low pay and stress, hell Im still not up to my pay level that I was making in 2001.

[Beggar♂]

Just curious - did you do any research into nursing before you decided to become one?

It sounds to me like you picked a field that doesn't suit your personality and temperament.

You have my sympathy.

[SweetLadyJ]

Maybe ER and Corrections wasn't for you. Have you looked into other options in nursing???

[Jessy_RN]

Why not try something else that might suit you better? I think that nursing is not for everyone and you would be happier doing something else. If this is not your cup of tea.........get out. Your sanity should be worthy.

Good luck

[Howardhughes]

Yes Begger I did research...my wife is a Master preped RN and a PA, she did 22 years in the military and loved it. Went into managment asap because of the poor state of Civ health care. Yes I did my research. There seems to be MANY who feel as I due, perhaps we need to improve the enviroment the RN works in...as in realistic work rules, improve pay etc. Its sad when after 20 years working like a dog for a hospital you might recive $200.00/ Month retirement. The MD is well comped for his/her service and well so....Ive seen way to many RN my past 18 months willing to put up with all the #hit due to a wide range of issues ( single mom, the old nightengale creed, etc). I may do Industeral Health and safety or work a urgent care enviroment. 1 thing I know for sure... there is a reason most of the folks you see in the nursing industry are older as in 45 and up.

[RN1121]

Howard,
I understand your point of view. I wish I'd never invested my time and money to become an RN. What a waste! I dread each and every day I have to go into work and I'm one of "those" nurses who won't hesitate to take a mental health day. Through the years it has only gotten worse! I must have tried almost every area of nursing and still I am far from satisfied with my career choice. AS SOON AS I can financially afford to, I'll gladly pursue another field altogether. Until then, I'm stuck in a rut. Nursing is not, and hasn't ever been, rewarding to me.

[agent66]

Hi Howard,

Nursing sure isn't a glamour job, or well paying for that matter, but there is a lot of job satisfaction when you bring comfort to a sad family, or restart someone's heart who just the hour before told you ,you reminded him of his grand-daughter. Hopefully you will find something special about the job to go along with all the negatives.

still in it after almost 20years

[Jessy_RN]

Thank you 66shop66

I too wished to see atleast one positive for all the negatives about nursing. If we keep scaring folks away like that........who the heck will there be to take care of us or our aging family members?

[clac2009]

Nursing is not for everyone - look into a new career if it's a possiblity for you. Also, did you work in a state prison? The pay is usually better in federal prisons for RNs...my husband is a correctional officer at a federal prison...and I have to say, not a "dim wit".

[queenjean]

The hospital where I work has great staffing. That isn't to say that there aren't times where ER suddenly fills up, we get hit with a bunch of admits, and we are running around like mad. Sure that happens, because it is impossible to acurately predict hourly needs. But in general I do not feel overworked or overstretched. I have plenty of time to perform all my tasks, med passes, assessment, as well as time for charting and for patient care. I work with a good team of coworkers, we pick up and help each other; if one person has an overwhelming night everyone else chips in and helps him/her out.

Just because two places that you worked were bad working environments doesn't mean that every job and every situation is a bad deal.

Also, you haven't been a nurse for that long. In my experience it takes the new grads a minimum of a year, oftentimes longer, before they are truly competent, or maybe rather, before they have the experience to be comfortable with their competence, and also before they have good time management skills. Maybe you just haven't hit your groove yet. Right now on our floor we have two new grads who run all shift. The rest of us are sitting down, charting, or even reading a magazine or chatting, having plenty of time for lunch--but they don't. We'll chip in and help here and there, but they also just need to do it. They need to figure out how to manage it all, and they will. They are good nurses. They are just new, out of school about 6 months. We've all been there, and keep reassuring them it will get better.

Or maybe you are right, nursing isn't for you.

I guess your options are to find a different nursing job that might suit you better, or get out of nursing all together.

Good luck, whatever you do.