Why do so many nurses seem to dislike working in Med/Surg

BETSRN · Mar 12, 2005

There's no prestige in med-surg. I think that's one of the primary reasons nurses tend to not like it. Med-surg is viewed as the beginning arena for one's career, so anyone who remains in med-surg is seen as someone who can't cut it in a more "advanced" area.
Jim Huffman, RN

You're the first one I have ever heard say that. I would NEVER think that those in med-surg cannot hack it elsewhere! What an odd idea!!

steelcityrn, RN · Mar 12, 2005

I guess this is when "to each their own" comes into play. Nursing has alot of doors, and thats one very interesting one :)QUOTE=LovePeaceJoy]I've been reading this board for a while and Med/Surg seems to be the place that most people (no everyone) pay their dues and try to get out.

What's the deal?

danu3 · Mar 12, 2005

I hear you, Dutchgirl. In fact, today I was told by one of the assistant department managers that I'm not cutting the mustard because I refuse to move beds around the floor. I can do just about anything else, including repositioning and lifts, but my back (which has been bad since I was a lass of 14) will NOT permit me to push/pull our heavy beds with heavy patients in them on carpeted floors. So now what am I supposed to do, quit? I don't THINK so..........it pisses me off to be put in such a position, where I KNOW I'm good at what I do, but feel pressured to either put my entire livelihood at risk by going ahead and doing something that may injure me to the point of ending my career, or to allow myself to be eased out of a job I love. :angryfire
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:uhoh21:

Isn't this age discrimination in some way? If I were you, this probably will get me angry enough to try to go into management! Maybe even want to the the CEO of the hospital!

One of my brother is getting close to retirement age and sometimes we talk about things like tapping into the huge resources of our older population.

If I were your manager, one thing I would do is to see if you are interested in precepting the next generation of nurses. Given your back condition, probably pair you up with someone who does not have a back problem. I means the experience you have can't be learn in nursing school and I would like to get you to pass on your experiecen to the next generation before you retire in what 10 years, 20 years or whatever.

-Dan

tiredfeetED · Mar 12, 2005

Thank you Med/surg nurses....I belive that M/S nursing is a highly skilled area..Careplans, teaching to the patient and the family and much more. In the ED, majority of the time we handle the acute care problem then move them on to the floor. It so fast pace that spending time with the patient and family is sometimes hard to do.

At our hospital, they do team nursing with a RN and LVN. The RN has to do assessment on all 12 patients, talk to doctors and arrange for procedures...Wow thats a heavy load, especially if you have a couple of tough patients. Again thank you!

meownsmile, BSN, RN · Mar 12, 2005

Well first i have to agree,, to work med/surg you do have to be able to deal with stress, love organized chaos, definately be a super-multi-tasker and have a type A personality. But i love it anyway. I have had ICU staff beg me to come work with them, but i dont think i could. I thrive on the challenge that med/surg gives me. Keeps me on my mental toes so to speak.

Although i will admit, it takes a while after getting off to wind down and relax.

*PICURN* · Mar 12, 2005

as the above posters have said...I feel its too many patients with too little time. I would rather know EVERY little detail about my 1 or 2 patients than a little bit about 5 or 6. I always felt in medsurg it was a race against time to get my assessment done, meds passed, etc. There never really was time for teaching or quality time with the patient or family. I really like the extreme detail and involvement with ICU patients.

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Mar 12, 2005

Isn't this age discrimination in some way? If I were you, this probably will get me angry enough to try to go into management! Maybe even want to the the CEO of the hospital!
One of my brother is getting close to retirement age and sometimes we talk about things like tapping into the huge resources of our older population.
If I were your manager, one thing I would do is to see if you are interested in precepting the next generation of nurses. Given your back condition, probably pair you up with someone who does not have a back problem. I means the experience you have can't be learn in nursing school and I would like to get you to pass on your experiecen to the next generation before you retire in what 10 years, 20 years or whatever.
-Dan

Thank you, Dan.

I actually don't see this as age discrimination so much as it is being viewed as a potential liability now that I've been hospitalized (for stress-related chest pain) and have had accommodations made for me in scheduling due to my physical condition. Maybe they just see me as a huge PITA after all this.......I don't know for sure. All I know is, I've been refusing to move beds for over a year now, and only yesterday did it become an issue. My back has ALWAYS been problematic---I first injured it back when I was 14 and light as a feather---and I've learned to compensate for it in many different ways. One of those ways is not risking further injury by doing something that HURTS!!!

And that's what I told the ADM.........I can lift, I can help transfer, I can do all kinds of things, but the one thing I cannot do is move beds across carpeted floors, especially when they are occupied! There is no way to do this without straining my lower back. Lifting involves using my strong leg and arm muscles.......sometimes it's hard, but it's at least doable. Our beds weigh probably 300 pounds by themselves, and then when you put a pt. in it and try to push it down a carpeted hall........it's too hard for me, even when there's another person to help.

It's so frustrating........but I guess it's like what another poster here used to say: Being a good nurse and being a good employee are often two very different things. :angryfire

Euskadi1946 · Mar 13, 2005

If the staffing situation were not so horrible on Med/Surg, I would love it because you do get to learn so much. When I was a new grad it was my baptism of fire and would have enjoyed working there more if I didn't have 8+ patients on night shift with high acuity levels. But Med/Surg is an excellent place to learn.

MryRose · Mar 13, 2005

You guys are worrying me!!!

I'm 45 and finishing up my last RN pre-req's this semester..... I'll be ancient before I even get my chance at med/surg.... is there hope for us older students???

I thrive on multi-tasking, love hard work and am not afraid to dig deep to succeed.

Any room out there for us oldeeeer peeps??

smiles13 · Mar 13, 2005

Don't worry MryROSE! :) Everybody has their area they are meant for in nursing... I disliked med/surg because it was very physical for my small frame... if you like to dig in and multi-task, you will do GREAT! I was rarely bored, although sometimes it is "feast" or "famine." Nurses are all ages, too... don't ever let your age determine what you can or can't do (unless it's health, which can happen at any age, too). Go for it!

imenid37 · Mar 13, 2005

I agree w/ everyone who said med-surg is it's own specialty. I think that they deserve a lot of credit. It is very physically, mentally, and emotionally taxing. I think many institutions set up their med-surg nurses in such an overwhelming work environment that it makes it difficult to suceed and to derive personal satisfaction out of the job they do. I worked on a tele cardiac surgery step down for 3 years out of school. Yes, I learned a lot. If I would've known how much more I would enjoy OB, I wouldn't have spent a day on that unit. Life is too short to be miserable. If a new grad really really doesn't want med-surg or really really know they LOVE another specialty, they shouldn't be required to do the time in med-surg. Med-surg nurse are a treasure and the hospitals should treat their experienced med-surg nurses like kings and queens not like second class citizens.

Roozeyk · Mar 13, 2005

I've been reading this board for a while and Med/Surg seems to be the place that most people (no everyone) pay their dues and try to get out.
What's the deal?

When I first got out of LPN school many moons ago....I worked med-surg for 3 years. Back then, you had an RN charge nurse for the shift, 2 team leaders, two med nurses and 4-6 nurses aides and 1-2 unit secretaries for a 40 bed unit. They were divided into two teams, one for each hall......those days to me, were the best....At the end of my shift, I felt like as a team, we had done the best we could to take care of the patients and that patient satisfaction was at a high level. Now...........all that has gone away, patient care providers (no matter the title), are so overloaded with patients, I feel it's at a dangerous level, for the staff and the patients, many "nurses" go home at the end of their shift feeling pretty worn out and down. If the staff to pt. ratio is bad, a nurse can suffer burn out fast and not just in med surg. God Bless all "nurses" and give them endurance as they forge ahead in this field of nursing.