"You've never said you liked nursing." A vent.

Nurses General Nursing

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Had a really tough shift the other day, and I brought it home. My husband asked me what was wrong, and I just rambled for 15 minutes. When I was done, he said to me, "You've never said you liked nursing."

He's right. I've never said that. Ever. I didn't even realize that I've never said it.

I've been on these boards since I was in nursing school. I read the descriptions of experiences by so many other posters, I talked to nurses in my family, and you never really get a good perspective on it. You think, "Maybe it's the facility; maybe it's the manager; maybe it's the unit."

I float now. Same ****; different place. Acute care floors are all the same.

Oh, yes. There are days where I feel like I truly cared for my patients and watched out for them. But those days are maybe one day a week, if I'm lucky. The rest of the time? I'm frustrated with so many things that end up sucking my time from taking care of patients. Vitals machines not working, glucometers not being docked in a timely fashion, meds missing that need to be tubed, orders put in by residents that need to be corrected or parameters entered, no one able to help on a complex sacral dressing change for a 400 pound patient because who has 30 minutes of spare time.

It's so difficult to find your niche in this profession without job hopping like crazy. I see posts by people who were miserable in one area, but found a job they love, and I'm happy for them. And jealous. There is one specialty unit I float to that I actually like, though. Hrmmm...

I have time off coming up in January, and I need it. I missed three weeks of work due to a medical condition that wasn't fun, but other than that, I haven't missed a single stinkin' day of work in the past 18 months, and I've not taken any PTO. Time to destress and consider my options.

This whole post is a ramble, but I just needed to get it off my chest. There's a lot more I want to say, but, quite frankly, I can imagine the posts I would read in response, and I'm just not putting it all out there. Anyway, thanks for reading!

Specializes in geriatrics.

That's definitely part of the problem. It's fine to desire a specialty, but what happened to be willing to pay your dues? In every profession, new grads have to start somewhere. It isn't realistic to expect ICU or Emerg as that first job for many new grads. Aside from that, employers are much more cut throat and brutal. We're just a number.

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Specializes in being a Credible Source.
employers are much more cut throat and brutal. We're just a number.
This is true of most employers in most industries these days and is, I think, simply a reflection of our culture as a whole.
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Specializes in L&D; Post-Op Med/Surg.

Wow, I knew I was not the only one but I had no idea this many nurses felt just as appalled and devastated with this "job" as I do! Kind of nice to not be the only one so absolutely frustrated and angry! I am an RN on a post-op Ortho/Neuro/Trauma Med/Surg unit in a hospital. I have been a nurse for a whopping 6 months. I hate it! I only cry occassionally now vs every night at work. I am so upset I put all that time, money, & effort into school for this & this is what I get. Disappointed!

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Specializes in Managed Care, Onc/Neph, Home Health.

I am so upset I put all that time, money, & effort into school for this & this is what I get. Disappointed!

Exactly, what were you expecting???

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Specializes in Managed Care, Onc/Neph, Home Health.
Wow, I knew I was not the only one but I had no idea this many nurses felt just as appalled and devastated with this "job" as I do! Kind of nice to not be the only one so absolutely frustrated and angry! I am an RN on a post-op Ortho/Neuro/Trauma Med/Surg unit in a hospital. I have been a nurse for a whopping 6 months. I hate it! I only cry occassionally now vs every night at work. I am so upset I put all that time, money, & effort into school for this & this is what I get. Disappointed!

You are disappointed? Exactly what were you expecting??

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You are disappointed? Exactly what were you expecting??

Probably a professional environment within which to work - not much to ask for.

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Specializes in Managed Care, Onc/Neph, Home Health.
Probably a professional environment within which to work - not much to ask for.

I just don't see why you people, "fresh" on the job, out of school, could not see the enviornment into which you would be entering during your clinical rotations, even during your preceptorships. Why on earth would you think it would change, just because you are a part of it now? I just don't get it. Stop blaming the hospitals and the acuity of the patients, and the staff, and management, whomever else, just because Nursing is not what you thought it be, in your mind, and just accept the the poor choice in the profession YOU CHOSE. Sorry to sound mean, but stop the belly aching already!! :banghead: and bow out gracefully...

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I just don't see why you people, "fresh" on the job, out of school, could not see the enviornment into which you would be entering during your clinical rotations, even during your preceptorships. Why on earth would you think it would change, just because you are a part of it now? I just don't get it. Stop blaming the hospitals and the acuity of the patients, and the staff, and management, whomever else, just because Nursing is not what you thought it be, in your mind, and just accept the the poor choice in the profession YOU CHOSE. Sorry to sound mean, but stop the belly aching already!! :banghead: and bow out gracefully...

You see this is what I assume from your posts. Simply stated, that, you are the type that never has been in a professional environment to be able to benefit from the difference it makes or to have any where-with-all to even want to be in one, if you could. Some people are the "it's my lot in life" types. You would be surprised at what you could have if you'd only want it for yourself and those you work with.

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Though I loved my patients, I hated nursing the whole time I worked at the hospital. It was exhausting being treated so poorly. Then I left for a specialty practice and I love it.

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I just don't see why you people, "fresh" on the job, out of school, could not see the enviornment into which you would be entering during your clinical rotations, even during your preceptorships. Why on earth would you think it would change, just because you are a part of it now? I just don't get it. Stop blaming the hospitals and the acuity of the patients, and the staff, and management, whomever else, just because Nursing is not what you thought it be, in your mind, and just accept the the poor choice in the profession YOU CHOSE. Sorry to sound mean, but stop the belly aching already!! :banghead: and bow out gracefully...

Hmm, one of those people who think thinks nurses should shut up and take whatever the boss man throws at them.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Academics.
I just don't see why you people, "fresh" on the job, out of school, could not see the enviornment into which you would be entering during your clinical rotations, even during your preceptorships. Why on earth would you think it would change, just because you are a part of it now? I just don't get it. Stop blaming the hospitals and the acuity of the patients, and the staff, and management, whomever else, just because Nursing is not what you thought it be, in your mind, and just accept the the poor choice in the profession YOU CHOSE. Sorry to sound mean, but stop the belly aching already!! :banghead: and bow out gracefully...
No, you're not sorry for your attitude toward newer 2nd degree nurses. I am also not sorry for my perspective on the work environment. You seem to get mighty riled up at those who don't share your view of the profession. I'm glad you like what you do and the environment you do it in. I don't, and my and others stating so shouldn't send you into an apoplectic fit.
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Specializes in geriatrics.

I saw exactly what nursing was when I was in clinical, and I wasn't impressed then either. I'm also a second career nurse, and I was very aware of what I was entering. I also knew back in my second year of my four year program that I had no intention of staying in bedside nursing forever, and I still don't. Bedside nursing can suck the life out of anyone, due to the environment that exists, which none of us asked for. It just is what it is. Fortunately, nursing offers many choices. I'm paying my dues without complaint at the bedside, but I am getting out within the next few years, and that is a choice I won't regret. My quality of life comes first, and many people, including the OP feel this way. If we weren't dealing with chronic understaffing, mandatory overtime, and lack of resources, more nurses would enjoy the bedside I'm sure. Nursing is great....it's the current system, which we did not create that is draining.

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