How to stay positive in nursing.

[littlecheese]

I am curious how other nurses stay positive in the profession. I honestly in 15 years have not met one nurse who was not looking to get out, or who was stuck because of the money in the profession. I have met those who were going to school to do something advanced, I have met those always hunting for "some" other type of job in companies that standardly treat their employees better, but I have never met one nurse who wants to stay on their own accord. 90% of the nurses I have worked with want out but for one reason or another can't get out at this time. I recently asked around for my own information. Most nurses I have encountered do not find any rewards in what they do. The families are mean, the patients are even more mean, and administration is always trying to stick it to them. I have worked at both large city and small community hospitals and the opinions did not change from one to the other. I questioned why nurses are would rather leave than make the profession better and most nurses who I asked were in the profession for awhile stated that there is no why to make nursing better. The general feel seems to be that nurses will never gain any power so why bother? I personally have alway thought that if nurses would band together we could easliy overcome health care as top dog. So my questions are these:How do nurses stay positive in a profession that in general offers little reward? As middle management I would like to encourage my staff to do more for nursing but how should I do this when most hate the profession so much? For those who are looking to get out of the profession or have gotten out of hospital care where are looking or where did you go? And finally for those who have gone on and advanced their degree other than CRNA's did it pay off?

Thanks:idea:

[VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN]

I don't see a 'vast majority' of 'Martyr Marys' in the nursing profession. Your average working nurse is not stupid---THEY JUST GET TIRED. That's what happened to me in my last hospital job, and I walked away rather than be worked into the ground. There was no martyrdom involved; I put up with it as long as I did because I enjoyed taking care of patients and I needed the $30 an hour I was earning.......or so I thought until I realized that my health and self-esteem were worth more than mere cash.

I didn't need a union to convince me of that, either.........in fact, the union at my workplace did NOTHING to improve staffing ratios or offer protection for older nurses. All they focused on during negotiations was money, benefits, and vacation days---all of which are important, but not necessarily the be-all and end-all of existence. I make less money now than I did five years ago, I've had to wait six months for health insurance, and I'll get only a week's vacation after completing the first year of employment. But the satisfaction I derive from working in the right place, at the right time, with the right people, is more than enough to keep me healthy, happy, and best of all, SANE. What could be better than that?

[ksrn2004]

"- be a Wal*Mart greeter."

:roll

I could not resist replying to this!! I cannot tell you how many times I &/or my nursing buds have stated this very same quote!! :chuckle Nice to know we're not alone in that thought!!

I've only been in nursing for about a year & a half now, before that I did insurance for 14 years. I see so many similarities in the 2 jobs & the things that I hated about both were the paperwork & the upper level management who, let's face it, have no clue what goes on in the "real world"!! But I truly feel that nursing has some great rewards which is way more than I can say for the insurance world!! (Now ask me 14 years down the road & who knows what I'll say!!) It would be nice to have some sort of nurses union though! Wonder why we don't?!! Anyway, just my 2 cents worth!

[aspentree13]

Anyone ever think that what the nursing profession really needs is a union???

[lindarn]

Anyone ever think that what the nursing profession really needs is a union???

I have always felt that nurses needed to organize BIG TIME. But too many nurses are of the "martyr mary" persuasion, and refuse to consider the benefits that a union brings.

I keep hearing on this listserve, "I don't need a union to speak for me", I can negotiate for myself". I haved yet to see a nurse, by him or herself, negotiated staffing levels, fair and LEGAL grievance procedures, and wages and benefits that CNA has obtained.

It is, what I would call, delusions of grandeur, if they believe that they can negotiate, and accomplish what a seasoned union officials can.

There is power in numbers. There are too many nurses who have tried to make changes, and have been the victims of "retaliatory discharges" by the hospitals.

Nurses also need to be educated in subjects like Employment Law, and Administative Law. Nurses are like babes in the woods when it comes to their legal rights in the workplace. The classes can be obtained in a community college that has a paralegal program, or on line with Kaplan's Paralegal program.

Unfortunatly, most nurses fight any and all attempts to help. It has been most frustrating to watch nurses "self distruct" over an over again. The new nurses get disgusted and leave. The average time a new grad stays in bedside nursing is 4-6 years, and they are gone. They see how bad bedside nursing is and they want no part of it in the long term, only in the short term to get them where they want to be- grad school, CRNA school, where they will make alot more money and have more control over their careers.

We are not attracting new grads to stay at the bedside, in part due to nurses' reluctance to organize, and take control of the profession. We let everyone run rampant over us, control over what and IS and WHO IS A NURSE, (medication aides, MT), and we expect the new grads to stay and put up with it. They are a completely different breed from the older, diploma grads, who put up with this. It has to change in the very near future, or we will not have a profession to fight over.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Spokane, Washington

[Beneficence]

I am so glad this is posted. I got work this morning, and all I thought about was "Did I do the right thing by going to nursing school"? Where I am the doctors and PA's totally disregard us. When we give them report about how the pt did over night it is like "what are you telling me for" type of attitude from MOST of the docs. It's like "I am the doctor and you do what I say and DON'T question me"!! type of attitude. I actually have seriously thought about going to medical school just to have autonomy!! Even the NP's here work "under" the physician and some of them feel like they are just nurse maids or "do girls" for the docs. Ya'll, I need encouragement. I do love being a nurse, but I don't like the lack of respect!!! I do understand that all docs/pa's don't act like that, but they are swarming all around me!!:angryfire :angryfire :angryfire