How Much Longer.......

cargal · Feb 20, 2001

SLS, I know how you feel. You have my sympathy. It is always ssssoooo hard to be a nurse with little experience, as I am, at age 45. My suggestion- peruse the help wanted ads every Sunday, etc and respond to only the ones that interest you. There is no reason to stay at a job that stresses you out . But be patient, and only make the move when you are sure it may be the right one. By the time you find the right one, you may decide that you can live with your present position. Make a plan to be able to stay or leave prn. Empower yourself. You will find your niche, but a year's experience on a difficult job will help in many ways. Good Luck!

petulip in Alabama · Feb 20, 2001

first..DON"T QUIT !!!! you are re-learning nursing...and a mere 6 months into it you want to give up??? yes, the enviornment appears full of toxic people..and the workload is typical in today's shortage..and the stress of being the only provider on the home front is tremendous..but try to remember WHY you became a nurse in the first place..and when you are at work, be positive DESPITE it all...and focus truly on your patients. Learn something new everyday..even if it is that you cannot stand Nurse Nancy !!! and I know nursing for you is a means...but surely it is more than making a living for your children?? Surely you feel the need to perform the art of healing ..that being a nurse is something you are proud of. Don't find another job...it is all the same,sorry...and to go part time is to give in to the beast of the shortage that has everyone stressed to begin with !!! Why not start a journal?? esp if you are "taking it home". maybe in writing out your frustrations you will come to unerstand yourself and your peers better. or even find solutions. find a funny nurse joke and post it anonymsly(SP?)..try to do your part in Lightening the Mood on your unit. good luck to you !!

soundsLikesirens · Feb 20, 2001

Oh, no, no, no!!!!!!!! I don't want to give it up...no way. I want to STAY...and no, the only reason isn't to make a living. God, I love being a nurse. I guess I just don't understand why there are so many bitchy people in nursing...I mean, peruse these boards. The woods are full of 'em. I wrote that when I was still stressin' but I'm off tonight and the next night and just knowing I have a few nights off has already worked wonders....I have been thinking about things and I realize that I do feel lucky to have this job, actually, even if we are short-staffed. I get tired of all the COMPLAINING that goes on on the floor....every day, that's all they do is COMPLAIN. Hey, it beats working at McDonald's....the pay's alot better, too. Next time they start complaining, I should suggest Tyson's (a chicken processing factory). There ARE people who HAVE to work there.....

**canoehead, BSN, RN** · Feb 22, 2001

Just from your past posts I think the floor you work on is a poor place to stay for someone who wants to maintain their sanity.

I say transfer to another unit when something comes up that you like, ask around and find out where the nurses support each other. You can always come back to your first love if you like, or after you get your initial experience with a supportive group.

That's my 2 cents, don't let your job bring down the rest of your life.

Mijourney · Feb 25, 2001

Hi. I have to agree with canoehead on this one. In addition to working with many nonsupportive coworkers as indicated under another of your topics, your patient care environment is ridiculous and in my opinion unsafe (10-12 patients for one nurse and 10 FS blood sugars at the same time for one nurse! Is the entire hospital staffed like this for 7p-7a? I'm sorry, but that is really sticking in my crawl).

Soundslikesiren, I know that you have a goal in mind. But, you may have to go somewhere else to fulfill it. Don't do like I have in the past and stick with a position or an employer because there is one or two important things you really want out of it.

Now if you really plan to stick this job out, you can use a strategy that some of us tend to use as a defense mechanism and that is to simply adopt an avoidance and a superficial relationship manuever in order to put up with your coworkers and perform quality patient care. Go to work in a civil, positive manner working as a team player, but avoid getting caught up in negative, personal discussions. Use discernment in knowing when to bring concerns to the attention of management. You have goals to focus on, use what little down time you may have to read professional journals on the specialty area you're interested in. Network with the educators and other clinicians for that area. Go to your hospital library once in a while when you're off and can spend some time apart from the children. Once you get sufficient experience from your direct patient care, you'll know all the other options available in your specialty.

By the way, what happens if you go registry in this hospital for a while until you find a position you want? Are you having to provide insurance coverage for your children? Best wishes.

JillR · Feb 25, 2001

SLS,

I have been reading your posts for a while now and it seems that they assignments you are given are humanly impossible to handle safely. It also sound like you are working in a very toxic environment, maybe the team work is almost non-existant because either your co-worker are toxic or they are just burnt out because of the pt loads you have. I am inclined to think it is the latter.

I know that you have been out of nursing for quite a few years, so there was some reality shock that I am sure you were aware was going to happen, but it seems like you were not estimating the impact this would have on you .

I know that this is not the same because I was a new grad, but I do remember wondering why I ever wanted to become a nurse just about every day for at least the first six months. I was put on the weekend with another nurse who was not at all organized and she could not prioritize, even though she had been a nurse for 30 yrs. I requested off that shift and I have to tell you that my life has completely changed.

I was on the brink of quitting and had been sending out resumes and going on interviews and all.

Things have not changed on the shift I was working, I was just replaced by someone else, who si not couting the days to get away from this nurse.

First, bitching about management does not work if they are only bitching to each other. Complaints need to go up the food chain along with possible solutions to the problem and it always helps to include how the problem is or has the possibilty of negatively affecting patient safety. It really helps if the complain can come from a group and not just one individual. Using the patient safety angle had worked really well for me, especially if the complaint is in writing, because then administration cannot deny that they problem had been brought to thier attention, thereby making them legally responsible for the problem.

I do not agree that staffing is all the same everywhere, I have never had more than 8 patients at a time, with the average being 4-7. This is on PM and/or night shift. And the teamwork is great.

good luck with whatever you choose, and just remember that we have all been there, please feel free to come and vent here anyday.

soundsLikesirens · Feb 25, 2001

You know, when I got to work, "they" (the ones I'd worked with the other night) were fine....it wasn't about me, evidently. (Imagine that..... ) The one nurse apologized to me...it was just like old times. I don't know; evidently the stress was coming from another source and it flowed over onto me....strange......but I'm glad all is well now...thanks for the advice....