I went to learn CPR and can now perform and help others if in need. Our class was fairly large one with 25 or so people. Mostly nurses a couple of them were fall nursing students and some common people. Class was enjoyable and great.
When we introduced ourselves and mingled before the session. There wasn't one nurse there that did not hate their job. They were from various hospitals and different areas. In uniform they all shook their heads and said if we knew what we were entering once we spoke and said we were entering nursing school. I had a 2 nurses come up andask why I wanted to enter this field.
This has my brain spinning, will I dislike my job as much as them.
But I think its what you make out of it.
I know not all nurses out there hate their jobs. I just had to get this negative experience off my chest.
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
I don't hate being a nurse at all, but I hate the policies, politics and placing us in unsafe positions on a constant basis. What I have done to brainwash myself is to take it is as a challenge rather than sit around angry. It helps most of the time, but then, there are others where I do rant and rave.
I think that some people don't know when to move on when they are burned out. If someone hates their job they should look around at all the nursing positions available. I was on med surg x 1 year, home health x 5 years and RN Case manager x 3 years. I am now missing med surg and going back with a fresh renewed passion for nursing. There will always be people bringing down Nursing we need passionate Nurses to balance it out!!
I think sometimes new grads go into something like nursing thinking it will be this beautiful job on helping people all day, the patients being thankful, Drs being nice, etc. The reality isn't like that so I think it can be a let down. Everyone hates parts of their jobs, why should nurses be different?
I used to be a school bus driver. I loved my job, but hated the BS. Parents complained if you were late even if there was a foot of snow on the ground and you were just trying to stay safe. Management yelled at you if your bus broke even if you reported it broken over and over. You never felt like the money you got paid was enough to justify driving 65 screaming middle schoolers around.
I don't expect to love nursing every day but I think despite the BS I'll love what I do. Hope that makes sense. Of course I've only been a nurse for like 3 weeks so I could be talking out my behind. lol
I should clarify that I work in ICU, so I'm not responsible for 35 pts per shift, or have multiple med-surg admissions. I have other issues, naturally (pts crashing, death, codes, etc.), and those can be difficult . . . but every field has difficulties, so I'm ok. ;-)
I don't think that all nurses hate their jobs. I don't hate mine. I do get disgruntled on some days, but generally I leave work tired (ok, exhausted), but knowing that I did the best I could, and stood in the gap for the patient/ family members. The days when I've busted my butt but the patient is still alive? Priceless. The day that the family comes to me, says "Enough.", and I go through that emotional day with them? Also priceless. But as equally difficult. And sometimes that difficulty, more than the technical aspect, can be overwhelming to nurses.
You know what often refreshes a nurse (perhaps just me. LOL)? Having students that want to learn. Granted, they're a lot of work (teaching a student *all you know* in a month is an impossible feat, but the ambitious, good students want that, and as a preceptor, your brain is wracked trying to find the "BEST" experiences), but seeing the profession through fresh eyes and being able to mentor them through the tough stuff really does help. And sometimes it's a nice attagirl/attaboy to learn that you actually KNOW why you're doing the stuff you're doing. ;-)
Everyone has their own view. I have been nursing for about twelve years now in various settings: Prison, Med-Surg, Orthopedics, ER (currently). I can say without reservation that I would not enter this field if I had it to do over and am seriously considering re-entering college to do something else. I do genuinely enjoy helping people and interacting with them but the hypocrisy of admininstrations/corporate boards, difficult doctors, rude patients and family that will never be satisfied, legal liabilities and implications, working shorthanded often, and countless other things make it not worthwile IMO. There IS a reason why there is a huge national shortage of Nurses. There are those times when there is much gratification in what I do. However, those times pale in comparison to the endless headaches and such. Do I expect every day to be glamorous and easy, of course not. But honestly, most days are bad. You can go to any hospital (and probably other healthcare entities), at least here in the south and find numerous nursing openings. The current hospital I am at is in a serious bind with staffing. They have closed down a wing because there are not enough nurses to staff it and they can't even get agency coverage unless done in advance. A neighboring hospital is in similar shape. We hold patients in ER often because there is not enough staff to take care of them in the hospital. Why? I personally know several nurses where I work that have expressed the idea that they would like to get out of the field their in. Having worked in Louisiana and none elsewhere, it may be that work conditions are worse here than other places but I doubt it. I am not trying to be negative, but I honestly could not recommend this field to anyone who had the option of choosing.
I am glad I became a nurse. It's not perfect, but no job is. But, I am also one of these people that will pick up and go elsewhere if I'm not happy, seniority be damned. You have these people that say "but I have 5 weeks of vacation at this hospital". Yes, but for the other 47 weeks, you're miserable.
I love my specialty, but come 10 years from now, if something else in nursing interests me, I'll try that. I'm not afraid to start over. I think sometimes the bitter ones don't want to make any changes, don't want to go back to school etc.
And hey, some people just don't want to be nurses anymore, and there is nothing wrong with that. I wouldn't let the words of a few burnt ount nurses change my mind, though. This will be your career-you need to take on the responsibility to make it thrive.
I think it is important what the above user said: it is "your career." Many of the nurses that claim to love their job on this board and in real life are those with few years of experience, often three or less(hardly the beginning of a career). Notice I said many -- there are exceptions. I worked with a lady who retired a couple of years ago with forty-three years of service and she still enjoyed nursing in spite of the difficulties. On the other hand I had an aquaintance whose daughter went through school, graduated, and worked for less than a year and left to never return again. All the money and time and now wasted-- not totally though. She despised nursing. It is a career and should be a lifelong affair. Just think carefully and listen to multiple people when making such a decision. As for "Burn Out," what does cause burn out''? An engine wears more quickly under adverse conditions; a horse tires faster when moving uphill; people wear mentally, physically, and emotionally under less than optimal conditions. Burn out is not a function of time, rather it is most directly related to conditions and then compounded by time. No job is perfect, but a career is more than just a job: it should be your lifelong livelihood. Choose it wisely whatever you decide. There is a sea of things to consider. Live outside the box. For the record I am going on 13 yrs of service. Not just beginning, but a long way from the end.
Specializes in Trauma,ER,CCU/OHU/Nsg Ed/Nsg Research.
I guess I'm an exception, then. 14 years as a nurse, and still glad to be one. No regrets here. I have had jobs that I didn't like, and did suffer from burn out a couple times. The key is knowing when to leave for greener pastures, as someone mentioned earlier.
lol
pagandeva2000, LPN
7,984 Posts
I don't hate being a nurse at all, but I hate the policies, politics and placing us in unsafe positions on a constant basis. What I have done to brainwash myself is to take it is as a challenge rather than sit around angry. It helps most of the time, but then, there are others where I do rant and rave.