Is it age, or is it overwhelming to be a nurse?

Nurses General Nursing

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I became an RN three years ago at age 44. Let me start out by saying that I am proud of my accomplishment and proud for any person who survives and graduates from nursing school. Most people have no idea how challenging nursing school is or what the duties and responsibilities of a nurse encompass.

My first job was at my local large medical center/teaching hospital on a trauma unit, which was a great place to learn but completely overwhelming for so many reasons. As so many have shared, the sheer magnitude of responsibilities and learning was overwhelming. Laundry list of meds, diabetes, pumps, labs, wounds, tubes in any and every orifice including man-made holes, burn patients and care, back breaking boosts, washing and cleaning only to have a fresh mess, start an IV/draw blood, depressed/elderly/bariatric patients medicated to stupor and dependency, bariatric patients sick because they weigh 300 lbs., broken bones, chest tubes, poor/city/ghetto population, sad cases, working the system cases, nowhere-to-go-so-stuck-on-the-unit cases, the stench of so many gross bodily things, DOCUMENT it all, admit them, discharge them, need pain meds, wait for a doctor/resident, AND, add a topping of ever changing shifts, 12 hour night shifts, some very wonderful and friendly but many very nasty, mean co-workers (and arrogant doctors) who make you want to cry out of sheer frustration, parking and walking a 20 minute walk away, sometimes in the rain and snow, and then go home to your family and try and have some energy left for husband/kids/aging parents.

I stayed there almost a year until I found a day/ambulatory position. For which I am sincerely grateful.

I am not fishing for sympathy; I am trying to ask, do you feel like sometimes how can it possibly be worth this horrible job? Dealing with gross things, depressed/sick/sick because of their lifestyle/flat out crazy patients, their families, and on top of it, some horrible co-workers? (and I do need to say, I have had absolutely WONDERFUL, caring, helpful, kind coworkers whom any patient would be lucky to have). But nasty people can ruin your whole already sucky day.

So, I became a nurse because at age 40, I had a degree in something else but wanted a career where I could make a difference in peoples' lives daily. Sounds corny but absolutely true. Is it age? Do others of you my age (now 48) feel like to work on a floor is just physically and mentally impossible? I can't help but think that this type of nursing is for the young.

And I must reiterate, the average person has no idea what a nurse does or needs to know to take care of patients. A good, experienced nurse is worth their weight in gold.

So, like to OP, I chose nursing as a second career, as well. I became an LPN at the age of 31, and completed my RN two years ago. As an LPN, I worked on a telemetry floor for a few years as my first position in nursing. After that, I left the hospital to work in an office during the week, and worked agency doubles every weekend to help my husband finish his RN. Once he was done, I spent more time at home with my kids, and left the bedside for a bit. What I found was that I missed bedside nursing a whole lot.

Once I was out of the hospital, it proved very difficult to return, as well. After finishing my RN, I worked full-time as an RN Case Manager in a Certified Home Care agency for a year, as it was the only job I could get. I finally got a position as a float nurse in a critical access hospital this past summer. I work per-diem there and doing the home care, and I find that I really do want to be back in the hospital more. Once this semester is over, I should be better-credentialed to find a position in a larger, better hospital. By December, I will have taken Advanced EKG interpretation, ACLS, PALS, TNCC, and finished my BSN. It amazes me that this is what it takes now to get into a hospital, but I know that I will be well-prepared.

The physical aspect of bedside care is certainly demanding, there is no argument there. What I guess I am saying is that I feel like there is something about most nursing positions that is demanding. In home care, I would routinely work an 8-10 hour day, (slurping down liquid lunch in my car between visits), and then get home, have dinner, shuttle the kids to their activities, get them in bed and then sit down to get my documentation done. This would take 2-3 hours most nights, and only then, did I start my homework! This last year was crazy-busy!!! I can say with complete certainty that my family was thrilled when I said I was leaving the home care job. While the job could be physically demanding at times, (nobody to help with positioning or transfers in someone's house, or trying to cath someone on their own bed.....what do you mean there is no ability to raise the darn bed?!?!?!?!?!?) Home care was much more demanding in a time sense than anything else. In the hospital, you leave the work there. There is another nurse who is going to follow you and the day/night goes on. In home care, the job comes home with you.

I anticipate that as I get older, I will no longer be as physically able to do as much bedside care, as well. I plan to work part time, and am thinking about pursuing a masters in something law-related, to bridge my love for written thought and nursing.

Specializes in ED, ICU, PSYCH, PP, CEN.

Nursing is very hard work, and most of the reasons for it, have already been noted in other posts. That said, I still get a kick out of it. I do work in a good place with nice, helpful people. I graduated school at age 47 and have been out 10 years. Love the 12 hour shifts and luckily don't have any trouble sleeping to speak of.

There are several nurses in their late 60s and early 70s that work in our ICU. The nice thing about nursing is there are many different nursing jobs that we can do. Hopefully you can find one and let us crazy broads run the hallways.

Specializes in Oncology.

OK, y'all are scarin' me! I'm a new grad RN at 61 years young, in great shape physically, mentally & emotionally. I landed a new grad residency at a major teaching hospital in the medical oncology unit, and I start Sep. 23rd. From the sound of what most of you are saying, I will be hard put to keep up with the demands of my job. Suggestions for a newbie who is an oldie?

Specializes in CCM, PHN.
OK y'all are scarin' me! I'm a new grad RN at 61 years young, in great shape physically, mentally & emotionally. I landed a new grad residency at a major teaching hospital in the medical oncology unit, and I start Sep. 23rd. From the sound of what most of you are saying, I will be hard put to keep up with the demands of my job. Suggestions for a newbie who is an oldie?[/quote']

-Don't hold up the locomotive for any reason

-Make sure you are speedy, proficient and confident with all forms of technology

-If you aren't, figure out a way to be, now, TODAY

-Understand you can learn from younger people on your unit just as much as they can learn from you

-Don't patronize/condescend

-Embrace change

Specializes in orthopedic/trauma, Informatics, diabetes.

I am a relatively new nurse (a little over a year in). And 49. It is hard work, but I have a harder time dealing with the drama and stupidity than the actual physicality of it-don't get me wrong-it is really hard work and I have a long ortho hx, but I think you figure out how to work smarter not harder.

I've been a nurse now on a busy, busy floor for two years. Started when I was 28 and I feel exactly the way you do. So no, I do not think it is age that is making it hard. I think it's just hard. Period. I'm leaving floor nursing to go into home health. This floor unfortunately has burned me out of the hospital setting all together at this point.

I totally agree with Marshall1 - Im started this as a second career too and it doesn't have to be so crazy on the floor, it just makes the company more money if it is. This is THE hardest job I've ever had and I used to work on a farm. It's compounded to ridiculous when your job has become so mismanaged that you run around like a crazy person and interrupted 15 times a minute....ok, ok, just 10 BUT STILL!! Every study on attention to detail and productivity states that you can't be interrupted and get something done safely so I guess nursing management uses evidence base where they need it .... to make money. :) Ok, have a great day! and don't forget to laugh.

It is not just age. I am thirty. I became an LPN at 21 and an RN at 28. I have been sick of it since the first year. I went into nursing because it was suggested as a stable career with decent pay and flexibility. Flexibility has a downside. The only way to make any money is to work nights and/or weekends. I am now looking at other career options. I don't even like to call myself a nurse anymore.

Specializes in Hospice.
OK, y'all are scarin' me! I'm a new grad RN at 61 years young, in great shape physically, mentally & emotionally. I landed a new grad residency at a major teaching hospital in the medical oncology unit, and I start Sep. 23rd. From the sound of what most of you are saying, I will be hard put to keep up with the demands of my job. Suggestions for a newbie who is an oldie?

Oh you are my hero. I just started my ADN three weeks ago at age 50 (but I JUST turned 50 six days before school started, and you better believe I will point that out!:cautious:) I am so excited to work, I want to work in trauma and I will do whatever it takes to get there!

The drama/rude behavior of some other nurses upset me at times too. In my mid-40's, it felt like being back in middle school. I want to go to work, work together, and get the job done. Help out if I can. The eye-rolling, cliques, gossip. I can ignore this and go about my business, until at one point about six months in one other nurse approached me and told me that some other nurses were talking about me/something they think I did wrong. It was so distorted, (as gossip is) it just made me so furious/sad/demoralized. It just magnifies and adds to the already challenging day.

I realize that anywhere you go or work you have to deal with all kinds of personalities and you can't be Miss Sensitive. However, it didn't make the job any more pleasant.

i became a nurse at 23, and 6 years later it's just as exhausting, and it does not change regardless what unit you're on. I've done everything from med-surg, ortho, telemetry and now in cardiac surgery ICU. I keep getting more degrees in nursing so I won't leave ;) but joking aside, I do not want to be a floor nurse past 35. yes, no one has any clue what nursing is like until you live as one.

night shift is a different pace, less family/ doctors to keep getting in the way of what you're trying to do. but task wise, it's still demanding, and you're sleep deprived so it's not a solution to all of nurse's problems.

Specializes in Pediatrics, Women’s Health.
OK, y'all are scarin' me! I'm a new grad RN at 61 years young, in great shape physically, mentally & emotionally. I landed a new grad residency at a major teaching hospital in the medical oncology unit, and I start Sep. 23rd. From the sound of what most of you are saying, I will be hard put to keep up with the demands of my job. Suggestions for a newbie who is an oldie?

I just started as a new grad in July. I'm only 27, but I have some minor hip/back issues that make long hours on my feet difficult. After a 12 hour shift, I have been limping my way out to the car and feeling like I'm 90 years old. A couple things that have helped me are supportive shoes (Danskos!), support stockings (After less than a month of the floor i started getting varicose veins so I really recommend starting off with these from the beginning!) , and sitting down whenever you can. Don't be afraid to take a seat while you're documenting or checking out meds/labs. And do NOT ever be afraid to ask for a couple extra sets of hands when turning/transferring big patients. It's safer for you and for them!

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