Why Nursing Sucks...

[pixiern15]

When I was 12, I decided I wanted to help people”, so I worked really hard to get into a nursing program. I, by no means, thought it would be easy, I just thought it'd be more rewarding.

I graduated last year, and started at a hospital. I trained for 6 weeks (as a new grad!) and was thrown into it. The people who are buddies with the Charge get the better assignments. One day, I got 6 starting pts (everyone else got 4-5), 3 discharges, and 2 admits, while a nurse left and went to The Dollar Store. Yep, you read that right. When another RN, who was precepting, spoke up about my assignment, my charge came over and dryly said, If it gets too much, let me know,” and walked off. That's more or less what every day has been like.

Things you probably don't learn in school:

- Doctors are a******s. You will get screamed at if you page about a slightly increased temp, and screamed at again if you don't page about the same temp later.

- Veteran nurses are awful to new nurses (but you will continue to bear the scowls and ask questions, because your patient's safety is more important than the rumor that you're an idiot). Oh yeah, nurses gossip a lot.

- Nursing is mostly robotic- hang IVs, medicate, document, rinse, repeat (unless you're in critical care/ED). If you get 5 mins to sit with a patient, the CNA will probably call you.

- Then, there are days where you see John Doe, who came in near-comatose, get up and walk, and it fills your heart with joy. But rewarding moments are few and far between. (You're mostly being screamed at because Dr. Awesome decided to taper their narcs, and neglected to tell them, or because dietary forgot their cookie).

- BTW, forget the term break”. You'll be lucky if you get a whole 30 mins for lunch.

I suppose it depends on where you work, what your team is like, and how resilient you are. I have cried a lot, put on my big-girl pants, and return every day. But if I were 12 again…

Now that I've blown off steam, I cannot commend RNs enough for what you do on a daily basis. You are all super-freaking-heroes in my eyes. And, no, I don't hate doctors, I dislike the rude, condescending ones, like the one who told me, I don't make mistakes!” and slammed the phone down when he ordered a med the patient was allergic to. WELCOME TO NURSING!

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

Unless/until we can:

1. Get the general public to understand this is not a hotel, I am not your personal servant,

2. Get the govt and insurance companies to stop looking at patient satisfaction scores to determine reimbursement

We are stuck with what we have. I currently work on a floor where we have a 4:1 staffing model, which we achieve for the most part, but it doesn't change the fact that we often have jackwagons for patients.

Agree, but how do we change the government model of determining care standards with patient satisfaction scores? We are talking about effing MEDICARE here.... the biggest of the big boys.

[DeeAngel]

Everything you say is true. I just retired at 62, it's just not worth it to work as a nurse anymore.

[la_chica_suerte85, BSN, RN]

Unless/until we can:

1. Get the general public to understand this is not a hotel, I am not your personal servant,

2. Get the govt and insurance companies to stop looking at patient satisfaction scores to determine reimbursement

We are stuck with what we have. I currently work on a floor where we have a 4:1 staffing model, which we achieve for the most part, but it doesn't change the fact that we often have jackwagons for patients.

Jackwagons!!!!

And, yet, this nonsense is happening....

New Venture Aims to Fill Customer-Service Void in Healthcare

It's probably the brain child of old fogey richie riches who spent time in the hospital wondering why people weren't serving them. All this under the guise that somehow "concierge" will lead to better outcomes and better reimbursements for hospitals. Somehow this seems very suspect to me.

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

For example, I am supporting current legislation in my state to limit nurse/patient ratio to 4:1.

Just THINK how that one intervention alone could change the face of nursing. I believe that to be THE biggest issue facing nursing right now. I would be willing to be that many nurses would be willing to forego a raise if they could just have a decent nurse to patient ratio. Employee satisfaction would skyrocket and retention would improve vastly. In the long run, it would be a good financial move for the hospitals.

[CountryMomma, ASN, RN]

Jackwagons!!!!

And, yet, this nonsense is happening....

New Venture Aims to Fill Customer-Service Void in Healthcare

It's probably the brain child of old fogey richie riches who spent time in the hospital wondering why people weren't serving them. All this under the guise that somehow "concierge" will lead to better outcomes and better reimbursements for hospitals. Somehow this seems very suspect to me.

Are you effin kidding me. We're supposed to be a hospital, not a hotel, by DESIGN. This spa stay for detoxing/BKA d/t non-compliant DM2/COPD smoking 2ppd is just a river of effluent.

And to stave it off, yeah I used non-compliant as a negative qualifier, and no I won't stop.

Harumph.

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

Unless/until we can:

I currently work on a floor where we have a 4:1 staffing model, which we achieve for the most part, but it doesn't change the fact that we often have jackwagons for patients.

Yeah, but combine the fact that you often have jackwagons for patients with a ridiculously unsafe ratio. That is a whole other concept of hell in my book.

[ponymom]

Usually those that are weak are wanting to not be finding themselves unemployed and in the poorhouse, and tptb know it.

Yes, and therein lies the rub.

[flying_ace2]

" Roscoe noted, though, that even high-quality facilities with impeccable clinical care often generate "negative brand loyalty" by failing to communicate effectively and empathetically with patients and truly understand their needs and preferences "

So, in my previous life as an OR nurse, I could (so, so sarcastically) say something like this:

"Sir, I see your preference is for heroin, and, while I understand your need to get high using dirty needles, it is hard for me to be empathetic with you since we're now here in the OR and you are cursing and yelling and trying to kick both myself and the other OR staff members while we try to move you onto the table, since you can't, or rather, won't, do it yourself. Please, allow me to communicate effectively and alert you to the fact that you're about to go night night, and we're going to fillet your arm and chest open in order to wash out the massive, massive infection you've given yourself. Again. We hope that your experience with us, while we try to save the functionality of your arm and, quite possibly, your life, will in no way discourage you from visiting any of our fine establishments within the *blah blah* brand. We appreciate your loyality sir, both to our hospital system AND to heroin, and we know we'll be seeing you again soon!"

Give me a BREAK.

[NurseDiane]

I would have picked up the phone and dialed 911 to report an assault if I were you and a doctor threw a chart at my head.

[NurseDiane]

The reason that hospitals are reliant on the surveys is because their Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement is dependent on it. So, they want to make sure that nurses are behaving like concierges in hotels---just to get the good survey.

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

" Roscoe noted, though, that even high-quality facilities with impeccable clinical care often generate "negative brand loyalty" by failing to communicate effectively and empathetically with patients and truly understand their needs and preferences "

So, in my previous life as an OR nurse, I could (so, so sarcastically) say something like this:

Please, allow me to communicate effectively and alert you to the fact that you're about to go night night, and we're going to fillet your arm and chest open in order to wash out the massive, massive infection you've given yourself. Again. We hope that your experience with us, while we try to save the functionality of your arm and, quite possibly, your life, will in no way discourage you from visiting any of our fine establishments within the *blah blah* brand. We appreciate your loyality sir, both to our hospital system AND to heroin, and we know we'll be seeing you again soon!"

Hilarious.

[mrcn23]

nursing does not suck. the individual nurse has to find what specialty they will thirve in. Nursing has so many different specialties, each fitting a different type of personality.