I'm about ready to kiss nursing goodbye for good. No one today seems to appreciate a strong assertive nurse like myself. I won't be a wimpy nurse! I won't take crap! I refuse to be abused and walked on! I won't stop fighting for my rights as a human being at work! I am NOT a robot! I am flesh and blood! I bleed and hurt and cry and misunderstand and get angry and upset just like every other human being. Perfect I am NOT!!! Never have been...never will be!
Should I quit nursing and go work for Wal-Marts? Perhaps I can get a job at Barnes and Nobles. I love being surrounded by books and the smell of books, so maybe I should do that?
HELP!!! I'm tired of crying on my days off about the ill-treatment I undergo on my job. They don't want a good nurse. What they want is a warm body who is "task and servant oriented" who doesn't talk or speak for herself/himself. They want a person without a bladder, without a need to deficate while on duty, without a need for nourishment while on duty. They want doormats and handmaidens. Nurses are not needed anymore in today's realm of nursing from what I see as a nurse now.
Five patients.......one me...........they all want NOW....I can only attend to one at a time.....it takes time to care for one patient.......perhaps longer than the other family members or patients want to wait for.......why not give us nurses a room with five beds in it where we can treat all five within sight of the others and their loved ones so they can see what goes on in nursing. They can't see through walls that Mr. so and so needs this or that, or that I am trying to save a life, or that I'm feeding the old man who can't use either of his hands because the PCTs are overworked and there's no one else to feed him, and........
There's not enough room to voice the drama we live with in nursing today, yet we get written up, gossiped about, talked down to like toddlers or like dogs who've just peed the new carpet.
maggiesma....I did read one of Echo's books years ago. I think it was "Intensive Care Nurse"....unless I'm thinking of another book a nurse wrote about her career. I'll check it out next time I'm in Barnes and Nobles. I love Barnes and Nobles. I could work there, I guess, but would rather be the great nurse that I know that I am.
I'll post an update as time passes. I've got an appointment Monday with Employee Relations to talk about my situation at work. I've never before had to go through so much crap just to work as a nurse. This return to nursing has been worse than my worse nightmare. I'm looking forward to being able to "move on" to another unit or hospital.
I have much the same situation. A resident at our home is on three seizure meds. Her Dilantin levels were toxic on a Friday night, so the nurse held the Dilantin. It was still being held when I came on duty second shift the following Monday. I was told at report "we are holding the Dilantin" "we've called and faxed her M.D. 11 times with no answer". My supervisor said "I'm still trying to get him to answer us". So I held the Dilantin, next day she has seizure activity and is sent to ER (funny how fast he answered then). So I've got a written reprimand that they want me to sign acknowledging I held meds w/o an order. I'm thinking maybe I won't sign it. She also was found to have a UTI. Everyone got a reprimand that had that hall during those days because we all held the Dilantin. Wonder if they'll fire me.
So what if they do?? Would you change anything you did?? Would you have given the Dilantin, knowing her lab values?? NO I think not, and since it was the MD's error for not answering the calls, and faxs, they need to fire him! Every nurse must account for her actions, no matter whether there was an order or not.
Specializes in Gerontological, cardiac, med-surg, peds.
Cheerful, glad you're getting out of that toxic environment. You're in my thoughts and prayers. You are truly a great nurse and an inspiration for us all. Not all units are like that. As a nursing instructor, I get to see many units over the course of the year. Out of 7 units I have visited for clinicals, ONE was a snake pit, the others were nice units.
Re: Echo Heron--Get her book called "Tending Lives". It was published in 1999, more of an anthology of many nurses stories. (Kind of like allnurses.com !)
I agree with Brownie, nicenurse. You did the right thing! Don't ever second guess yourself when you know in your gut that what you are doing is what is best for the patient. Others only want you to go down with them, but don't go there with them. Trust your nursing judgement. You did the right thing, and I for one am very proud of you for sticking to your guns on this one. :kiss
Off to bed. Work tomorrow. See you guys and gals tomorrow night!
I'm so sorry you are having such a rough time. It seems we are on a slippery slope most days at work. Trying to do our job, but fighting an uphill battle all the way. Hang in there! You are not alone. There are so many of us out there that are having the same problems you are, and feel we are talking to a brick wall.
Few in management seem to understand, or care. I so admire the nurses like you who do not just take whatever they throw at you. I am much the same way. I have filled out several Safe Harbor forms over the last year. Hope you have a better day tomorrow. Remember, we need great nurses like you.
Just coming across this thread... have bee preoccupied the past couple weeks with getting my new pooter set up and everything reorganized, haven't spent much time here...
I'm so sorry you're feeling so hopeless about nursing... and I do believe one poster above hit the nail on the head... we grieve for the loss of what nursing SHOULD be, and means to us individually.
I do so hope the new unit will provide you with better working conditions. What unit will you be transferring to?
If not, another poster mentioned private duty nursing... that's certainly worth thinking about !
I did agency (local) for 4 years, that helped. I could say no to specific assignments and I learned a lot, and most important I could STAY OUT OF THE POLITICS! I mostly stayed out of acute care, did long term, mostly, thru the agency. Hard work too but less fear inspiring as you knew most people were due to go Home anyway. God could be more in control; in acute care I always grab the reins as if I am in control!
The best job I ever had was working for an agency, who let me work as a field supervisor for 24 hours a week, and let me do prn work (if I needed it). The best thing (as you said), was being able to stay out of the politics, and being IN control of my life. When you are made to feel helpless, and are used and abused (like most of us are, today), that breeds anger...and depression (been there, done that, too).
Sounds like my nurse manager. Bust your butt with no recognition. Long hours, noooo overtime, low moral, etc..etc..etc.
But my residents get the best of me. I care about each and every one and have become an advocate for really good care on
my floor. I bend over backwards to get along with the families and docs. When I hear anything from management its either to give me more work ontop of an already impossiable load. We cannot keep nurses here, our turnover is huge. Nurses leave for
STRESS.....I love my job.............but management needs to open its eyes. Move on cheerful. You deserve better. Thats my plan.
I'm looking forward to being able to "move on" to another unit or hospital.
live4today, RN
5,099 Posts
maggiesma....I did read one of Echo's books years ago. I think it was "Intensive Care Nurse"....unless I'm thinking of another book a nurse wrote about her career.
I'll check it out next time I'm in Barnes and Nobles. I love Barnes and Nobles. I could work there, I guess, but would rather be the great nurse that I know that I am. 