some cheese with your WHINE?

jevans · Jun 5, 2002

I definately hear you. I must be a counter part in the UK.

My main gripe is all the moans about offduty and how short we are.

These ppl are still in nursing cos they are too afraid of looking else where or are just having an off day???????

I'm afraid that it's part of our job to listen to the moans and groans

j

Brownms46 · Jun 6, 2002

Originally posted by hapeewendy
I am sooooooo tired of working as the designated incharge RN on my unit, sure I'm a younger nurse compared to some and have gotten positive feedback from everyone about the job I'm doing
but its just not me
I dont dig all this administrative stuff
I miss my patient care!
I want to leave feeling that I've helped someone specifically and made a difference......
today I walked into work and heared everyone moaning and pizzing about how heavy their teams are!
I mean I know we all complain sometimes but each team complained and really the teams are not that brutal right about now.
I wish that some ppl would start viewing their patients as ppl,and not just part of "a brutal assignment"
people are here cuz they need us, and I know I may be idealistic when I start ranting about how I dont like to hear my co workers complain about patients but it just makes me feel bad that just because a person may need a lot of care that nurses get upset and hostile because of all the potential work they are gonna have to do on their shift.
nursing is never a cake walk.....its a damn difficult career to maintain, and you cannot go into it with the notion that you will not always be working ur butt off and clearly making less money than you deserve.
the desire to nurse comes from within, comes from somewhere that I personally cant explain
but when you hear your fellow nurses complaining about this patient, or this assignment, on a habitual basis, not just because their day is particularly rough, doesnt it make you ponder why they continue to nurse in the first place?!?!?!

Umm...don't ponder too hard...because soon...they may just not be there...nursing anymore... :cool: . And why does a nurse have to work their butts off?? Why can't they come in and be able to feel good about the care they give, and not think about how fast they must move in order to do all that is required?? Being overwhelmed is not I repeat...not a good thing...for the nurse ...the pt. or the family! I think ....thinking like that is why travel nursing continues to draw more and more to their ranks. I mean if you're going to work your butt off...you might as well get something out of it. Especially since you're not getting any job satisfaction....along with the poor pay! Many nurses continue to come to a specfic hospital ...because they remember when things were different. They keep hoping...hope against hope...that one day they will again return to that state they remember. But sadly....many finally decide...it's not going to happen...and they go elsewhere! I get emails, and posts from those nurses everyday... :cool:

For the amount of pay, and the enormous responsibilty a nurse carries....I think they have a right to gripe, and complain...I mean they have to listen to it from everyone else....without saying a word! When is it their turn to be heard??? You post reminds me why nurses concerns aren't taken seriously until they not there anymore. Then it's ...how can we find more nurses?? OOh my God there is a shortage! There IS NO shortage...of prepared nurses...just a shortage of those willing to work their butts off...only to be told...don't complain...suck it up! These pts. need you...so how dare you complain!!! That why you became a nurse...right?? To be abused, misued...and discarded...when you can't keep up! And if you don't like it...why don't you leave??? :confused:

happeewendy...I have a lot of respect for you...but this post smacked of indifference.....and sounded like management. For one who says she doesn't like being in the position...you sound like you're in the right place to me IMHO! :cool:

ageless · Jun 6, 2002

Let's flip the coin over and look at the other side:

You did say you were a younger nurse so perhaps you did not stay at the bedside long enough to get "burned out" and are still very idealistic, or perhaps your back doesn't hurt like the bedside nurses at the end of the day to understand the patient load.

These nurses are not dreaming up things to complain about..they need to be listened to, encouraged, and given as much postive feedback as you have enjoyed.

I would also like to add that using the phrase "would you like cheese with your whine" puts you in a very unsympathetic stance.

My mentor who was a very dear and dynamite nurse once gave me some very good advice when it comes to speaking about our nursing peers. I would like to share it with you.

"It is difficult to dismount gracefully from a high horse"

Rustyhammer · Jun 6, 2002

Find a job that you really really like and you never have to go to work again.

-Russell

teeituptom, BSN, RN · Jun 6, 2002

Howdy Yall

From deep in the heart of Texas

Hapeewendy, you go girl. Tell them the way it is. I also have some nurses who are perpetual whiners, they come to worjk, not to make a difference, but to whine. So yes give them a little cheese, or some slices of apples. I understand strawberries are back in vogue with whine. I have this one nurse at work, she and I have worked together for about a decade and a half. Ive never known her not to whine, whether its the work or the weirdo patient who called her names or her hip is hurting or WHATEVER. She loves to whine. All I can say is make like a DUCK, with water, and just let it roll right on by you Wendy. Some people are not happy unless they are whining, the trick is to either join them or ignore their whining. but dont let it bring you down... You are responsible ultimately only for yourelf and to you patient. Like they say in a hundred years who is going to give a damn anyway. So let the whiners whine and keep yourself hapee, ok wendy.

Now I know my statements are bound to irritate someone, so let me have it yall, Im always ready.

SmilingBluEyes · Jun 6, 2002

HEARTILY AGREE TEEITUPTOM AND RUSSELL! you guys make good sense to me.

ninaldunn · Jun 6, 2002

Hmmm... I used to be an EMT and everytime I stepped into the ER all I ever heard was whining. I thought - yeow - I would never want to be a nurse!

But I am a nurse and I love my job. Where I work, you can tell cheese whine verses drowning in whine. Well, here in Wisconsin we love cheese. But when someone is drowning we help - why - because tomorrow I may be the one drowning.

Teamwork helps prevent burnout.

Administration is so appreciated when they help the floor. No one expects you to give a bath - everyone knows you have your own work too. But when you're on the skin committee it's nice for you to change a dressing now and then.

If you have to interview a patient in the morning, you can offer to give her meds while you're in there - maybe her roommate too. It's just one patient out of 20 or 30 or 40 but it's appreciated.

Even really petty stuff like moving chairs or beds or passing/picking up trays now and then. Not the whole floor - but 4 would be nice.

NannaNurse · Jun 6, 2002

ninaldunn...I love your reply. Without TEAMWORK....you just have 'WORK' and alot of it. On my unit, acute rehab, when we are full, we only have 7 pts each.....but boy some days it seems like 70.

We are over worked and very under paid....we have a right to complain...but remember, we may be a patient someday or like you said...the one who needs a hand....helping and supporting each other is not somethng you 'should' do....it's something you MUST do....if we don't, our nursing homes will be full of fiesty, grumpy, WHINY old nurses who nobody will want to care for!! :lol2:

ICUBecky · Jun 6, 2002

go right ahead wendy!! shove some cheese into those mouths to shut them up. go ahead call me unsympathetic.

i work in a very busy ICU, where we all have heavy pt loads, never get to sit, and are always running to some kind of cardiac arrest. the mental work is tough also. my back and feet always hurt, my head aches, and i deal with family members. i go in and do my work and go home, without complaint. there are many whiners in my unit, and frankly i am sick and tired of hearing it. i have many things that i could whine about, but what is the point. nothing comes out of it...it just annoys the heck out of coworkers. these whiners went into this profession, hopefully knowing what they have gotten themselves into. nursing is not a sit on your as* job. they shouldn't whine. they should switch professions or get a job they really like.

listening to them, encouraging them, and giving them positive feedback (like ageless said we should do) doesn't help. might help for the point at hand, but an hour later you will hear them complain again. that's why i have my imaginary earplugs, and ignore their complaints, and go on with my life.

becky

Brownms46 · Jun 6, 2002

My and we wonder why no one listens... :cool: . I don't expect to sit on my a** in any job I do. Nor would I wish to...as that would be boring! But I also don't expect to be worked to death either. I don't expect to constantly feel quilty about the care I give or couldn't give...because of having 8pts...two of which are total care...and one having chest pain....and oh yeah...the one who was scared of having a procedure..that I didn't get to comfort! No wonder there are so many errors made in the name of I can do more...let me! Put some more on me...I can take it!

You know these posts have told me and others? That as long as there are suffergettes out there...nurses...and I do mean all nurses...will see no change in their being overworked...underpaid...and totally ignored! I mean you like it...so why should it change?? Makes me really wonder ?? :confused:

Those who enjoy suffering...I say more power to ya! Enjoy...I have better things to do..and the money to do it with! :cool:

And NO when I came into nursing...the work was rewarding...and there were busy days. I went home tired...but I went home feeling GOOD about the work I had done..most of the time! There were many days I couldn't get enough! I would work double shifts upon double shifts! I LOVED what I did! There were times when I felt like I was floating...I was sooo up! And when I went agency it was for more money....period! Now I STAY agency...because of having to deal with those who feel it's ok...to have 10-12 pts...it's ok.....just don't say anything...keep your mouth shut...and deal with it! It's part of the job! Well...it's not part of mine...and anytime it becomes part of it..I move on! That's the part I like! WOW...isn't nursing grand...:) Something for everyone! :cool:

susanmary · Jun 6, 2002

There's a big difference between a nice person who occassionally whines and a whiney person who is occassionally nice.