A dose of reality I didnt need!

Russ Dowling · Aug 9, 2001

Please don't let that post discourage you. Nursing can be a very difficult job, but you'll never have a more rewarding career. I consider nursing the highest human calling there is. We do things for people that sometimes their own families won't do! You definitely will have bad days; sometimes several in a row. But you will also have a day here and there which will make you stop and say: "Wow, this is what nursing is all about!" Someday, hopefully soon, people will realize the importance of nurses, and our situation will change. Until then, ignore the gloomy gusses, and be the best nurse you can be!

oramar · Aug 9, 2001

I have unleashed tirades just like that and the person who posted that has my empathy. However I don't think I would have posted it on a student thread. I have done my share of ranting but I mostly aim it a experienced nurses who can understand where I am coming from. A lot of nurses are fighting a terrible lonely battle right now on several different fronts. If you graduate into a better world you should remember things would have never improved if it was not for all the people who told the truth about all the terrible conditions.

NurzofFaith · Aug 9, 2001

Thank you for your response, I wasnt sure if it was appropriate to post as I was frustrated at the time.

I will never forget those that have paved the way for myself in this career. I thank you and them!

Channa :)

There are 2 way to live your life, One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle. ---Albert Einstein

mustangsheba · Aug 9, 2001

When in doubt, post it here!

prmenrs, RN · Aug 9, 2001

And a very UN thank you to whomever that was posting on the student board--cheez, like it's not hard enough recruiting potential nurses.

Channa, you know in your heart what you want to do--don't let ANYone mess with that dream. Take that entire message out of your conciousness, and just keep on going. You need encouragement, e-mail me!!

[email protected]

Jenny P · Aug 9, 2001

I have been a nurse at the bedside for 32 years. Yes, the past 2 years are tougher than they used to be, but I'm eternally optimistic that things are getting better and that now that the general public is becoming aware of the shortage and that nurses are speaking out about the shortage and the work environment, our shortage will improve. We nurses helped cause the problem by not speaking out; and now in the past year we are ALL speaking out and making others aware of the situation we helped create. We thought we were helping out by taking larger assignments, or picking up the slack that we saw, instead we made it worse. I don't think we will mutely accept the impossible assignments anymore.

The nurse who posted that message on a student site was not only venting steam, but trying to cut the throat of a profession she obviously hated. She was being mean-spirited and trying to scare off nursing students who may not know what they are getting into. The idea of posting that message where she did is cruel and wicked. She is trying to ruin nursing for everyone still in it.

KC CHICK · Aug 11, 2001

unfortunately, there are people like that in every job setting. it's completely what you make out of it. i'm 'brand spankin' new' to the profession and no posting like that will stop me from loving it. when people get like that they need to look at themselves and not everyone else around them.

that nurse needs to retire, or move on - asap!!!!!

buffett · Aug 12, 2001

You know what I have hear enough negative sh@# on here. I think with the increasing shortage and the continuing problems nursing has nowhere to go but up! I mean that in patient ratios, salary and respect! I have a BS in Bio already and am entering an acclerated BSN program of 16 months in a top 10 ranked program and am very excited for the future of nursing. Personally my end goal is a CRNA! I think in the next 5 years things will have to change for the better and lett bit@#ing will occur... I hope.

J

debbyed · Aug 12, 2001

I have been a nurse for > 20 years and I can't think of anything else I want to do.

If there is a problem, work within the facility to change it or move on, don't let it destroy what to me is truely a wonderful profession.

I work in a busy Metropolitan Emergency Room and many mornings I come home tired and stressed but a good "Days" Sleep can cure that. Nothing outweighs the feeling of helping to alleviate pain and suffering, of teaching people how to make their lives better, and just being there to hold the hand of a greiving family. And yes there is always time to hold a hand and to make a difference.

KC CHICK · Aug 12, 2001

wildtime88 i am normally quite impressed with your insight and wisdom, however, this time i was not. as i mentioned before, the job is what you make it. if 'floor nursing' is not this nurses' thing anymore and its making her feel this way, there are plenty of other areas of nursing to be in. i went directly into the or due to my dislike of the floor - patient ratios and such. i know i'm green - i also know that the or is not a piece of cake either. if i didn't let a lot of things roll off my back like a duck, i'd easily get that way too.

you stated not to tell other nurses to quit or retire because it will cause a larger patient load, etc, etc. well, do you think that if they discourage potentials out of nursing, the outcome won't be worse in the long run???? also, what is this attitude doing to her present department's morale? it couldn't possibly have a good effect.

i believe the whole point of this thread is - that nurse absolutely should not be discouraging or attempting to scare new and potentially new nurses out of nursing. i stick with my original post in saying if she needs to retire, then retire.

by the way- i may be new to nursing and its downfalls and disappointments, but i'm not new to life and its downfalls and disappointments. in other words: i'm not ignorant of what's out there. life isn't pretty, or predictable, whatsoever and people don't always do the right thing for a patient even when they are capable of doing so - unfortunately.

we may just have to agree to disagree on this one. :cool:

buffett, you have the right idea!! keep going - all the way through crna training. from what i've seen, every one of them loves their jobs.

Level2Trauma · Aug 12, 2001

originally posted by wildtime88
quote]originally posted by kc chick
unfortunately, there are people like that in every job setting. it's completely what you make out of it. i'm 'brand spankin' new' to the profession and no posting like that will stop me from loving it. when people get like that they need to look at themselves and not everyone else around them.

that nurse needs to retire, or move on - asap!!!!!

with all due respect, that disgruntled nurse might have came in to profession with the same feelings which you hold now. you are new and have not seen how bad it can be. if the conditions continue to get worse at the bedside and that is where you choose to work, then you might understand once you are here a year. if you think nursing school was rough with just a few patients, just wait.

maybe that nurse actually thought she might gave been doing a good thing. maybe she has lived and seen enough that she felt compelled to warn people about what it might be like.

that nurse probably will move on or retire with about a thousand others or more if things do not change, leaving you and others to face even more mandatory overtime and even higher nurse to patient ratios because of unfilled nursing vacancies. if will be interesting to see how you will feel after you have ran for 8 hours and are told you have to stay another 4 or 8 hours. it will be even more interesting to see if you say another nurse should quit or retire so you can help pick up their slack when you finally get to go home. especially if you are scheduled to be back in 8 hours to do it all over again.

we need more nurses to fill the spots that are open, but you need to respect what you have not yet experienced on sometimes a daily basis. so go ahead and tell every nurse who is tired and warn out and complains that they need to quit or retire, and you might find yourself with a whole lot more to deal with in order to pick up the slack. remember people do not schedule their illnesses, and they do not stay away just because you are short staffed. and contrary to what you might believe, if you are in an area with only one hospital, they do not shut down beds and let people die. especially if the nearest hospitals are in the same shape.

this nurse actually presented a big dose of reality and actually put a positive spin on it. things use to be different, you had time to say "do you need help with anything". there are places where you have to run now just to get your stuff done and when you leave you are wondering if there was anything you forgot or apologizing for the things you just could not get done as you are reporting off.

please do not tell other nurses they need to quit or retire, because they may just take you up on it.

as jenny said, she is cutting her own throat in the long run. but, in actuality maybe she was telling someone the difference between the dream of nursing and the reality. many of us enjoy the concept of nursing, but dislike the reality that we come face to face with when we are there

i can't believe it!!! you and i actually agree on a post, wildtime.