rose colored glasses

P_RN, ADN, RN · Mar 10, 2003

Hellllo Christina...I HAD the country doctor job......best job I ever had. Wonderful man.

I had stars in my eyes so bright I glowed in the dark when I was a teenager. Cherry Ames books told me everything I needed to know......What?....you don't get to go to the south Pacific, or be a visiting nurse while in school.....needless to say the stars dimmed considerably upon the first instance of emesis/diarrhea/alcoholic breath.

Brownms46 · Mar 10, 2003

When I started nursing the problems I have had to deal with lately weren't there. I loved everyday I went to work...and I worked a whole lot of OT, because I wanted to. I had no complaints except for the money I was making. It wasn't until the 90's that I started feeling burnt out. I took care of that by starting to travel.

But over the years nursing has become a totally different animal...so to speak.

justjenn · Mar 10, 2003

I too am starting nursing school in the fall. Yes, I think I do have the "rose colored" glasses. But, no matter how you look at it, we will make a difference and save someone else's world.

jenn

psychonurse · Mar 10, 2003

I also worked my way up from CNA, LPN to RN so there were no rose colored glasses here. I just got fed up by working in hospitals that the doctors didn't think that I had a brain and couldn't think for myself. Now I work in corrections and we have autonomy and are able to make some decisions about the patients that we take care of. I can assess the patient and make a decision what to do with them even order specific medications for them and if they are bad enough, then I get ahold of the doctor to help me with my diagnosis. But of course corrections isn't for everyone but it sure got me away from my hospital burnout.

TCmeds · Mar 10, 2003

Once upon a time.....14 years ago....I had my brand new shiny licence.....and I was going to change the world! Less than 2 weeks later I realized it was all about CYA !! I still do everything within my power to make life better for my patients......but will we ever get back to pt. driven care and leave the MDS crap behind? Right now the MDS rules and our Res. suffer.....Anyone have an answer?

Tweety, BSN, RN · Mar 10, 2003

I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I didn't think I was going to save the world though.

Instead of trying to save the world, can I suggest that you just keep a good conscious and a good work ethic? Strive to be the best that you can be (realizing that your best is going to be different every day).

nimbex, RN · Mar 11, 2003

Every day I show up, I wear my rose colored glasses, after 8 years of nursing.... the trick is to keep them from shattering.

LoisJean · Mar 11, 2003

Jeez, after 10 years as a nurse's assistant I had a small clue as to what nursing involved-after all, I was taught bedside care by RNs who knew what bedside care entailed and by their teachings did I come to understand a bit about what they knew. I went to nursing school to learn the application of the principles behind those involvements exactly and how to participate in them as a nurse. Glad I did. And on that note, let me say that after 30 years as a nurse, I continue to learn.

But no rose colored glasses--only because I'm not geared to those types of emotions. I wanted to see how far my nursing license could take me and over the years it's taken me for quite a ride!

It's a nasty little world out here sometimes. The deeper we dive into the sea of patient care, the more we see in terms of frustration and despair. The nurse who has the kahonas to see these things with clear vision- up front and personal- finds that in time, the thicker the skin becomes, the softer the heart becomes. Compassion is born, in my opinion, out of the constant reminder that, 'life gets dirty'; we roll with those punches and come back for more. We stick our hands and our hearts into it; we touch the untouchable, we comfort the uncomfortable and we do this because deep inside we believe there is a hope for those who are sick and suffering. We believe that we can play an active part in that hope... in the process of healing...if not the body, perhaps the soul. And not only for them.. but ourselves as well.

Peace

Lois Jean

nurseygrrl, LPN · Mar 11, 2003

Being a nurse is a lot harder than I thought it would be. I had this notion that the doc was the boss and he'd tell me what to do and I'd do it. Little did I know it would be the other way around!

Seriously, it is a hard profession, very tiring physically and emotionally. The cool thing about it though, is that just when you're at your wits end, someone says 'thank you' in some way shape or form and you realize how important you've been in someone's life and how being a nurse is so much more than a job...you feel lucky to be able to impact lives like we do on a daily basis.