Burned out and hate nursing

Nurses Stress 101

Published

Since I was a little girl, I have always wanted to be a nurse. I wanted to help people. I wanted to heal. Now 4 years out of nursing school, I HATE nursing with a passion. I am a med/surg nurse with a BSN.

Reasons I hate nurses (in no particular order)

1. Most days I feel like a pill-pusher. I don't feel like I make a difference.

2. Doctors feel they are perfect.

3. Patient satisfaction scores.

4. Patient sense of entitlement. (see #3)

5. Family at the bedside dictating what they want...like I am their personal servant. I have to comply (see #3).

6. Lack of appreciation mized with how much more work can they give us.

7. Nights, weekends, and holiday. I don't want to give everything I've got only to see no return in work satisfaction.

I don't want to be a case manager. I don't want home health nursing. I really want to be outside of the hospital. Quite honestly, I want to be away from people. I would be quite content to work on a computer and have email interactions. Preferably work from home. Any suggestions?

Specializes in Home Health, PDN, LTC, subacute.

My pt has a silver trach too, lol. I have to polish it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I hear ya about the entitlement attitude. I work in Medicaid case management and so many people think because they chose to smoke for 50 years and now have COPD that they are owed something!!! I have had numerous clients actually call their home care aids their MAID! Ugh this kind of crap really makes me irritated, I want out of nursing so bad, so sick of it all.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I've done it 30 years, starting first in a field I loved - L&D. I sucked it up, learned as much as I could possibly take in clinically and on my own. I did that 10-12 years, then slowly burned out. They used me up and I resented catering to the ******** for the sake of patient satisfaction. I got sick of working nights, weekends, holidays, etc. oh and call too. I quit several years ago and went to work in an ASC. I can't stand it. I am anxious, stressed and miserable because I hate it so intensely. I can't any of it. I wish I could have a hit of versed every day to wash it all away.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I did telephonic case mgmt, and it was one of the worst, most micromanaged jobs I ever had- I worked from home and absolutely dreaded logging on and going to work! I did it for two years, then couldn't take it anymore.

I'm back at the bedside now, and believe it or not, I'm less stressed.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Update: I went part time and entered a masters program for education. I am loving it. I think education is my calling. I am told the pay sucks. In the end, I would rather have a job I love and be paid little instead of a job I hate and paid well. It's all about personal happiness.

I feel less burned out since cutting back hours, and I am starting to love nursing again. Being back in school made me realize why I went into nursing in the first place. Thank you all for your posts and for allowing me to vent. It was nice to know that I wasn't the only super frustrated person out their. I truly hope you all find happiness in nursing. Keep searching.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Good for you, RN1023, thanks for this update!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Cath lab, acute, community.

I felt like that myself, I intensely disliked the ward and in fact during nursing school I questioned whether I wanted to be a nurse at all. At the end of nursing school, as a new grad, I was then accepted as a direct entry into the cath lab. I found something I liked. It turns out I disliked the ward, I found it boring. But I love the intensity and challenge of the cath lab. Perhaps you just haven't found your place, and there are other places to go.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I mop my own rooms. How do you folks think I feel about my current career path.

For the record my coworkers are a mix of ADN, BSN and MSN. We all have to mop our own rooms. Working bedside = Maid Work. We talk about our critical thinking skills, higher education etc. Yet here we are mopping floors, taking out the trash, taking out the laundry, wiping poop, fetching snacks etc. Not what I had envisioned.

I keep telling myself its only temporary until I meet minimum requirements for where I want to go.

Also would like to note, proper staffing would be nice.

speaking of maid work...I dealt with a recent bout of burnout by flying to Spain for a month, where my aunt and uncle own a snack shop/concession stand on the beach. I got more respect serving fried food to tourists than I do as a nurse.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Community Health/School Nursing.
speaking of maid work...I dealt with a recent bout of burnout by flying to Spain for a month, where my aunt and uncle own a snack shop/concession stand on the beach. I got more respect serving fried food to tourists than I do as a nurse.

Tourist are happy to be on the beach....plus they don't want you to spit in their food by being rude! lol If your aunt/uncle need help in Spain...on the beach....holla!! :-) I will leave my nursing job anytime!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Community Health/School Nursing.
Update: I went part time and entered a masters program for education. I am loving it. I think education is my calling. I am told the pay sucks. In the end, I would rather have a job I love and be paid little instead of a job I hate and paid well. It's all about personal happiness.

I feel less burned out since cutting back hours, and I am starting to love nursing again. Being back in school made me realize why I went into nursing in the first place. Thank you all for your posts and for allowing me to vent. It was nice to know that I wasn't the only super frustrated person out their. I truly hope you all find happiness in nursing. Keep searching.

So you are going into education? :-) I am a school nurse.....I see both sides of the playing field. The job is hard....exhausting...demanding but worth it for the teachers. Good luck!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

There are so many different specialties and practice settings for nurses it is hard for me to understand anyone who hates nursing. If you do not like your current setting then find a new one, which the OP is.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

If you hate nursing then get out a sap and make room for someone who wants the job you may be a danger to your patients

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment