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!

:nurse:

I believe as others that your job is what you make it. I have been a RN for 12 yrears and have worked in the ED, ICU, long term acute care, and have been a staff nurse and charge nurse. I have loved where I worked and not loved where I worked (intensely), but I have never not loved being a nurse. Nursing school was the hardest thing next to raising my child that I have ever done (I am a single mom). I have been a staff nurse and worked agency too. I am a charge nurse in a small surgery hospital in the PACU (recovery unit). The doctors, as a whole, respect us nurses and the different units work as a team, most of the time (LOL). I hope to retire from here. I am 51.

The bottom line is if I can make a difference in someone's life it is worth it. I have been lucky enough to have seen that difference on a few occasions and am proud to have been given that opportunity.

ROCK ON GIRLFRIEND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:yeah::redbeathe

Specializes in med.surg, geriatrics, Oncology.

I've been a RN, for 34 years and Oncology Certified for 12.

I found my niche in Cancer/Oncology nursing, many years ago. I really enjoy the challange and constant changes/advances.

My complaint is attitude/lazziness, of co-workers but you'll find that in every profession.

I am the only RN, in my department - when I need a day off/vacation it's like asking for the world. The Senior person, is a Radiation Therapist - with about 6 years experience and is a "know it all - very arrogant - self centered - lazzy". I work with a wonderful physician, receptionist/secretary, physicist and other Radiation Therapists. It only takes "1", to sour the whole batch.

The benefits are very poor and the wages terrible - you make better picking up garbage. But I really love my patients/families (the majority of them).

Even when I reach retirement age, I know that I'll work part-time/occassional - nursing is in me.

Specializes in ICU, med surg, ortho-neuro.

Here I am at 56 years old and getting ready to sit the LVN exam again...what a fool I was to let my license lapse. I worked as an LVN for five years then took off to raise my family. I decided to use my knowledge and become a certified coding specialist and I have done that for over 20 years. I am tired of sitting in front of a computer 8 hours a day gleaning information from horriblly documented charts to come up with a wonder DRG to get the most payment and stay in compliance with regulatory guidelines...very stressful job. I have decided to return to nursing, my first love, however I read so many threads that reflect that nurses are miserable in today's environment. In my day...pre DRG...thanks to President Reagan, things were much different. I would like to become an RN even at this late date in life and become a midwife. Any insights from out there in today's real world?....codervn

Not all of us are miserable. I honestlybelieve that if nursing is you calling then there isn't a place for miserable. Yes, I get irritated and yes there are disappointments but I enjoy being a nurse. I am excellent at what I do and that is sharing myself and my experiences with everyone I meet. I am not expecting to change the world or even the people in my area of influence. My expectation is to do my very best in every encounter I have. If people and situations change as a result, then GREAT, if not, that's okay too, there is always tomorrow. My employer is not responsible for my feelings of success, nor are my co-workers or the jerk who may be the doctor or nurse manager; I and only I am responsible for how I respond to the outcomes in my life. So if you come with that attitude you will succeed and nursing and you will be fine. Nanacarol

Specializes in ICU, med surg, ortho-neuro.

thank you nanacarol.

Specializes in ICU, med surg, ortho-neuro.

Wow, I am just now learning how to do this. Thank you nanacarol. I agree with you that people will be miserable no matter where they are. I am so looking forward to getting back into nursing. I really miss it.

I am proud to have you as a colleague. Nanacarol

nyapa, I applaud your sticktoitiveness, Welcome back. As a psych nurse I ask you to review the issues that caused such major pressure for you and suggest that they be put in proper perspective just for future reference. nanacarol

Its a horrible job, get out while you can, you will hate having to work weekends, holidays, back stabbing, no moral support from management or patient families. You will be blamed for everything unhealthy people have done their entire lives. If you get a cigarette smoker with lung cancer and he dies on your shift, you will be blamed for all his years as a cigarette smoker, families will expect you to keep their two ton Tessie relative alive, even though they have CHF and have abused their bodies for years. They will blame you! They are idiots. Nursing is idiotic.

Specializes in Med/Surg, DSU, Ortho, Onc, Psych.

Everybody on here has pretty much said everything that needs to be said I think. Anyway, in the end, you can make yourself as happy or as miserable as you want. Some work places anywhere in any profession are always going to be difficult, one is nursing. We are literally at the very beginning and end of the human life spectrum, that is why it is such a difficult job and the public forget this. We see and hear and smell the most horrendous things - I've literally seen some nurses walk out of agency jobs half way thru a shift, cos they can't handle some things, and students quitting the next day after being in the OT.

Also some facilities are better than others. If you work with negative people etc, you will become like that unless ur a very, very strong person. But if you do work with people like that, I usually leave and remember not all facilities are bad, some are always going to be hard to work at. It also depends upon what area of nursing u work in too. Nursing is also a political hotbed, as we are in the firing line re ethics and advocating for patients and must follow the law, and you can't get away from that, no matter where you work.

You will never convince all people about what nursing is really like. They probably wouldn't believe you anyway, and would privately think we are all exaggerating.

You can probably only keep educating people as to what nursing is really like, and find a work place and area of nursing that suits you.

Specializes in Med/Surg, DSU, Ortho, Onc, Psych.
Its a horrible job, get out while you can, you will hate having to work weekends, holidays, back stabbing, no moral support from management or patient families. You will be blamed for everything unhealthy people have done their entire lives. If you get a cigarette smoker with lung cancer and he dies on your shift, you will be blamed for all his years as a cigarette smoker, families will expect you to keep their two ton Tessie relative alive, even though they have CHF and have abused their bodies for years. They will blame you! They are idiots. Nursing is idiotic.

Not the way I would have put my thoughts, but pretty much what I think of nursing in a nutshell. And yes, get used to being blamed for many, many things. You have to have a hard streak in nursing, otherwise there's no way I would have survived - I should have got out a long time ago.

Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

If you are miserable, if you think you should get out-why didn't you. Why spend your time on something that obviously ruins your happiness. Yes there were days I wanted to burn my scrubs . Self hypnotize so I'd forget how to get to work and all that. Heck I kept a full letter of resignation on my computer for 15 years.

Then there would be the patient I caught in the middle of a PE and made the doctor come and do a VQ when he wanted to wait and watch. And see the wife crying and hugging us all because her loved one lived. That un-miserabled me. Nursing is either in your blood or not.

Maybe you would be happy doing something else, either in the field or maybe far away from it. I was a telephone operator even while I wanted to be a nurse but the bills had to be paid first.

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