Nurses...Miserable?

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I am finishing up my first undergraduate degree and starting immediately into an accelerated BSN. Most people don't understand why I have decided to make this switch. Until recently, I didn't let it bother me.. because I had done some soul-searching and I have a plan - one that I am quite happy with. Today, however, my friend made a stupid generalization that really angered me. I was talking about the nursing program I'll be starting and she said, "That's so funny, I really can't see you being a nurse. Every nurse I know is miserable." Now I know I will get some fired-up responses because of that line...and that's what I want to hear!! I want to know that my friend was wrong, that she made an uneducated, sweeping generalization. I know a lot of venting goes on in this forum, and after being on here a few months I've read both stress-ed out threads as well as ones describing greatly fulfilling experiences. I just want to be reassured that there are many nurses out there that love their jobs! I also really want to have a good attitude going into this program... any tips on how to approach my first clinicals? Should I be prepared to become thick-skinned? I know I'm going to experience some stressful situations as a student and I don't want to be scared away!

Specializes in Case Managemenet.

It is different for everyone. I have had happy seconds, minutes , hours,days, weeks and I have had the same with being miserable. Nursing for me is a very emotionally charged profession. It is difficult to care for people and keep your emotions intact. I worry and want what is best for them. If there is something going wrong it effects my feelings of job satisfaction. If I am truely miserable and it not just situational, I change jobs. Currently I am a traveler and love it. It has recharged my batteries so to speak

Specializes in Neuro, Cardiology, ICU, Med/Surg.

Well, JerseyGirl, if we haven't scared you away yet, I wish you luck in your pursuits. I am finishing up an Accelerated BSN program myself and looking for a position in the tight entry market of Boston. I know many long time nurses who love what they do (my sister included). I'm not a nurse yet, but I have, for the most part, loved my patient interactions at clinicals and at my PCA job. I am sure there will be times I will be upset with things on the job, but I eagerly await doing something that truly matters to real people in need after more than 20 years in the corporate world, having to pretend that things mattered.

Welcome to the world of nursing and good luck!

I like my job as a nurse, but sometimes I wish that it could be like other vocations where you can leave it behind as you walk out the door. What I mean is, I feel held hostage by my own telephone, never know for sure what my schedule will be, find it hard to make plans outside of work due to being stuck on a double shift or asked to come back on my day off. I also find the majority of the people to be quite difficult, including managers, other nurses, and some families, as well as some of the NAs that work with me. Working shift work is very tiring, especially when you combine all 3 shifts in a week, work short shifted or doubles. I find I am tired all the time and don't enjoy my time off as much as I should be able to. The money is fine, but often people assume that because I am paid well I should be willing to do all of the above at a moments notice, sacrificing everything else for my job.

If you are a happy upbeat person, you may bring that to your work as a nurse, or it may jade you, it depends on how you handle the stresses involved, and whether or not you let the job affect your life too much.

I think for these reasons, I would not do it again, but was told that before I went in and didn't listen either:innerconf I thought it seemed like the ideal job to work around family and a hobby that is quite demanding of my time, but instead find that it interferes quite a bit with everything.

Specializes in Med-Surg, Psych.

I suggest you read some of the recent threads with potential nursing students asking for advice on nursing as a career. They had more negative responses about nursing than yours has had.

Nursing, much like life, is what you make of it.

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I think I've read dozens of posts on this forum from students and new grads, saying "nursing it what you make it." I do not know why so many students and new grads post this exact sentence.

It is an absolutely meaningless statement, and offers nothing to nurses experiencing the stresses of nursing.

Nursing is a challenging career. I am an introvert and while I had a excellent clinical education, my people skills were terrible. Nursing challenged me to come out of my shell, work hard, and become more than I thought I could be. While I am on anti-depressants, my grandmother was severely depressed. I think that nursing might have contributed, but I was predisposed.

For all the new nurses out there - find a good support system of friends and family. Nursing IS worth all the hardship, but you have to work on taking care of yourself as well.

it is interesting, after viewing several career boards/forums, that everyone complains about their career. i went on the dental hygiene forums recently and read a lot of negative complaints about their profession. in any profession, you will find pros and cons. i come from a family of educators. each one of my family members advanced to higher levels in education. one of my sisters is a principal and the other one works for the state dept of education. anyway, even with their jobs they have negatives and positives. both of my sisters worked in the classroom before they were promoted out of the classroom. there were days that were highly stressful for them being a teacher. both of them had gray hairs because of the stress of being a teacher.

my point in saying all of this is, there isn't a perfect career unless you are working for yourself. even if you are self-employed there is still pros and cons. anyway, i've been reading a lot of negative comments about nursing on this board. i don't know if this will encourage you or not, but keep in mind that there are many that would like to be in your shoes. there are many who would like to have the problems you are having in your job. for one, people who couldn't pass nursing school would love to be in your place. so be thankful that you passed nursing school and have a rewarding career with great benefits. i heard a minister say one time that they used to sing a song in their highschool choir, "too much complaining and not enough hallelujah thank you lord!" so when you are having a bad day at work and feel the urge to gripe and complain just keep in mind that there are many who would like to be doing what you are doing in your career. :flwrhrts:

nursing is a challenging career. i am an introvert and while i had a excellent clinical education, my people skills were terrible. nursing challenged me to come out of my shell, work hard, and become more than i thought i could be. while i am on anti-depressants, my grandmother was severely depressed. i think that nursing might have contributed, but i was predisposed.

for all the new nurses out there - find a good support system of friends and family. nursing is worth all the hardship, but you have to work on taking care of yourself as well.

i wondered about that also. do you have to be overly friendly to do your job as a nurse. i know my personality, and i feel that i will just be courteous and professional. i don't see myself getting wrapped up into the patients personal lives. i will just do my job and get out of the room! i'll just do what's expected of me, which is providing a service, and leave work at work and not bring it home. that is what keeps people from being burned out in any profession. you can't take work home with you. you have to have a life outside of the workplace. if you have trouble balancing a personal life with working, you might be working too many hours.

i find that many nurses aren't good money managers. they tend to overspend more than they actually make, and then they work all of those hours to pay for all the debt they have accrued through over spending. i know that this is off the topic, but that is how nurses get burned out because of overspending and trying to work long hours to pay for it. i know many nurses that are like that. they spend, spend, and spend and try to work long hours to make up. nurses need to realize that they are only bringing in a certain amount of money and need to budget properly so that don't have to work like a fool! oh well, that is just my theory. :idea:

Specializes in Post Anesthesia.

....just keep in mind that there are many who would like to be doing what you are doing in your career. :flwrhrts:

i wonder if the bus boy at bob evans restraunt realizes that there are many of us, degreed, college educated health care professionals who, given the chance, would trade jobs in a minute.- providing of course i would keep my current pay. i was happier as a dish washer at the local country club than i have been for much of my nursing career. when things are running as they are supposed to nursing has a lot of job satisfaction.

when management makes foolish decisions that obstruct my ability to provide the best care, when families are unreasonalbe, when the docs are rabid, when i can't get out of my car when i get home in the morning because my knees and back feel like they are broken- scraping garbage into a bus pan and calling off when it's a sunny day just for a day off sounds so much better.

i honestly thing the "many people" who would like to be doing what i am doing in my career would only feel that way because they haven't done it!

Specializes in Jack of all trades, and still learning.

i find that many nurses aren't good money managers. they tend to overspend more than they actually make, and then they work all of those hours to pay for all the debt they have accrued through over spending. i know that this is off the topic, but that is how nurses get burned out because of overspending and trying to work long hours to pay for it.

what? intriguing statement. perhaps you would like to use it as a basis for a research project?

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i find that many nurses aren't good money managers. they tend to overspend more than they actually make, and then they work all of those hours to pay for all the debt they have accrued through over spending. i know that this is off the topic, but that is how nurses get burned out because of overspending and trying to work long hours to pay for it. i know many nurses that are like that. they spend, spend, and spend and try to work long hours to make up. nurses need to realize that they are only bringing in a certain amount of money and need to budget properly so that don't have to work like a fool! oh well, that is just my theory. :idea:

i don't agree. i worked my way through school. i borrowed no money, and have no debt. the only debt i have in the whole world is my mortgage, and i've paid extra on it to get my house paid off early.

i have saved a large nest egg, and have some investments. i drive a ten year old car with 100,000 miles on it and only shop bargains. i'm an excellent money manager!

i work only 30-36 hours a week.

i'm burned out by working conditions, pt loads, and the way nurses are treated.

money issues and hours have nothing to do with it.

.....when you are having a bad day at work and feel the urge to gripe and complain just keep in mind that there are many who would like to be doing what you are doing in your career. :flwrhrts:

i think many others would like to do what they imagine we are doing in our careers, but not what we actually are doing.

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