Hello everyone. After lurking for a really long time, I decided to jump on in. I've been a nurse for 8 years and I'm getting ready to leave on my first travel assignment. Well actually my second, but I don't count the first one because it was only an hour from home. I'm going to be 1100 miles from home this time and I'm nervous and excited at the same time.
I have become extremely disenchanted with my career and have seriously considered leaving the proffession. This is my last ditch effort to get some joy back. It took me eight years to be able to sign RN after my name. I went to school part-time, worked full-time and raised my daughter alone. I was so proud of myself when I received my degree and even prouder when I passed the NCLEX. Like every nurse on this board, I have worked beside the cream of the crop and the scum of the earth. I have met nurses that I aspired to be like and nurses that would never touch me if I were in the hospital. I've had co-workers who thought they knew it all and those who really did. Throughout the last eight years I have had great jobs that I never should have left and really crappy ones that I remained at for too long. Now....I'm just tired. Tired of feeling as if my patients have to be second and the $$ comes first. Tired of working long never ending days for less money than I'm worth. You have to be a nurse to understand a nurse. I am remarried now and it is hard to explain to my husband what a nurses day is like. I have attempted by telling him how multi-talented I am from learning how to be a nurse, secretary, counselor, teacher, and maid all in the same shift. He stares blankly.
So here I am getting ready to hit the road for 13 weeks and praying I have a good assignment. I hope that it will make me appreciate what I have a little more if I can't see it everyday. My feelings about my career have spilled over into my everyday life and I know I need to get over it.........fast. I think a change of scenery will be good.
Hope I wasn't a bummer. Just feeling a little sorry for myself tonight. I have enjoyed reading the posts and hope to contribute my own 2 cents every once in a while. Thanks for "listening".
