Hate being an RN

Specialties NP

Published

I'm a new grad working in ER and acute care. I dread going to my job in acute care each shift. I like what I do in the ER, but hate how the docs treat the nurses - short and condescending, and just plain mean and rude constantly. I'm already getting tired of it. "Yes sir'ing every order", apologizing when they're mad (all the time) even when nothing was done wrong. I'm fairly young now and can't imagine getting being treated like crap and with such disrespect when I'm older.

I've been wodering if I went into the wrong field altogether...but maybe I just need to be the boss. I have a bacehlor's degree in business administration, and an ADN. With NP becoming a doctorate program and increasing in length and cost, I'm wondering if FNP is still the way to go, considering they get paid significantly less than doctors. Any thoughts on this? And are FNP's respected, or are they treated like scum like the RNs are? I'm getting really tired of giving up my seat when I'm charting everytime a doctor comes into the nurse's station. Rrrrrr!

Specializes in PACU, presurgical testing.

When I was looking into graduate programs (a few years ago), PA schools expected some (large) number of clinical hours before applying. NP programs may be direct entry, where some students won't have ANY nursing experience before they become an NP. I don't have a big opinion btw NP and PA, but you'll want to make sure you know the requirements, because both are hard to get into.

More importantly, I'm sorry you are working in what sounds like a toxic environment, but unfortunately, that can happen anywhere. I have seen surgeons TOTALLY disrespect the anesthesiologists they work with. Yes, fellow docs who have gone through piles of school just like they did. There are jerks everywhere. If the hospital or unit has management or staffing issues or a hands-off approach to horizontal abuse, you may just want to find another place to work. In other words, don't go looking for the job where you think people will have to respect you. As Bob Dylan once said, "You may learn how to cut hair... you may be somebody's mistress... may be somebody's heir... but you gotta serve somebody!"

Specializes in CAPA RN, ED RN.

It sounds like no fun, sorry to hear you are having such a hard time.

One thing you can do is lay out every one of your options. Think of anything, even the silly ones, and write them all down. Nothing is off limits because this is for you. It could range from spending the rest of your life doing exactly what you are doing, to putting up posters and painting faces on the people that you feel the worst around, to changing how you approach people at your job, to changing what you focus on at work, to moving to India and starting an orphanage there, to making a couple of more friends at work, to changing jobs right away, to making sure you have your favorite chocolate available at work. You get the idea - anything that you might want to do even if you don't think it is possible or advisable. Nothing is too big or too small to add to the list.

Then look at your options and pick the one or two or five that seem like they will get you where you want to be eventually. Some of them might even give you immediate results.

The question is what makes you think that being a NP will make you a boss? Top of the totem pole adminstrators and some independent practitioners get to be THE boss. I get what you mean though, you want to be respected. That can be had as an RN, just depends on the workplace culture and how you represent yourself.[/quote']

^^^ This..

Specializes in Emergency Nursing.

time to find a new job

Specializes in medical surgical.

Think of it this way--at least you are not the poor wife. I cannot imagine being married to one of these guys!

OP - Might I suggest working for a Health Insurance Company as a nurse auditor/reviewer? I was a Medicare Research Analyst and decided to go back and finish my BSN, because I saw how the nurses were treated like gold. They were allowed to work remotely, were always flown in to town for meetings and got to stay in nice hotels. I wanted that kind of respect, so I am getting my degree. You don't have to work in a hospital setting, or even a medical setting. Plus, some nurses get to travel as auditors, and get paid a per-diem in addition to their hourly.

Specializes in Certified Family Nurse Practitioner.

I can honestly say after 23 years in nursing, I have never had a "great" job. I will soon graduated NP school myself, and frankly I expect it to be more of the same old crap. I don't think bettering yourself as an NP is going to take you out of the "crap", It will just be a different kind of crap. Having said that, I expect that being a provider will be a very fulfilling experience, as being an RN has on many levels. Also, remember that even if you are the "boss", you are never really the boss....there is always somebody you have to answer to, weather it be board members, a CEO, shareholder etc.... Plus, being a boss is not always what its cracked up to be...as a matter of fact, I've been a boss on 3 different occasions, and they were three of my crappiest jobs.

Specializes in Emergency, Med/Surg.

It's surprising to me that you're struggling with ED docs. I've been in a few EDs and the bond between RN-MD/DO has been pretty strong, in my experience. Of course, like any other relationship, it takes time to prove yourself and gain that trust.

Do you have midlevels in your ED? It might be worth asking them about their experiences and advice re: education route.

In any event, good luck. The first year is tough, but I promise it gets so much better.

I'm getting really tired of giving up my seat when I'm charting everytime a doctor comes into the nurse's station. Rrrrrr!

Wow you give up your seat when you are charting everytime a doctor come to the NURSES STATION? You are too nice! Its going to take you telling them I'll give you the seat when im finished charting for them to stop expecting ridiculous behaviour. In any case it sounds like you need to move from that hostile work environment. Oh and dont apologize to them because they are mad unless its your mistake. If you dont set boundaries everyone is going to take advantage of you.

We'll said

Wow you give up your seat when you are charting everytime a doctor come to the NURSES STATION? You are too nice! Its going to take you telling them I'll give you the seat when im finished charting for them to stop expecting ridiculous behaviour. In any case it sounds like you need to move from that hostile work environment. Oh and dont apologize to them because they are mad unless its your mistake. If you dont set boundaries everyone is going to take advantage of you.

To really be the boss, start your own insurance company. Be a Senator. Be a banker. That's who the bosses are. Or go to Medical School, Dental School, Podiatry School, Optometry School. Or do title loans. I'm only half kidding. Good luck finding your way.

Specializes in ED.

I'm a newer nurse with almost a year of ER experience. Our docs do not treat us like scum, they are pretty awesome. We play pranks on each other, our docs love teaching us and answering questions, we joke around with one another, it's a great example of mutual respect and teamwork. I think the problem for you is your work environment and not nursing as a whole.

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