Dislike working in the lab!

this is either a joke or you are huffing to much xylene (labrat humor, haha :) ) .

how can you possibly compare the petty drama of the lab enviroment to the

serious mental & physical stress of working as a rn?

More like apples and tomatoes. Seriously, no comparison. The tire mechanic on the pit crew, or the driver???

this is either a joke or you are huffing to much xylene (labrat humor, haha :) ) .

how can you possibly compare the petty drama of the lab enviroment to the

serious mental & physical stress of working as a rn?

that would be why i am asking, because i don't know. so i could probably do without the ignorant comments. thanks.

What exactly makes you miserable in the lab- is it too boring for example? I'm a nurse, and if I knew what I was getting myself into, I would choose other professions in the healthcare for example pharmacist. Nurses oftentimes work literally like dogs in the hospital and the stress is not worth it.

I was a lab technologist and then a lab supervisor for about 18 yrs. Decided to go back to school for my BSN. I love being a nurse. I also want to add that the laboratory performs a vital service to the patient.

Hey everyone, I have posted a few times on here regarding stuff sort of like this. I am currently a lab tech at our hospital. I really thought I wanted to be a nurse, and most days I still do. Then I look at how miserable my job in the lab makes me and it discourages me. Am I comparing apples and oranges here? Or if there some validity to thinking if I don't like the lab then I may not like nursing either? Thanks in advance :) .

What is is about working in the lab that you don't like?

You certainly have more options as a nurse. Way more options. But it's still healthcare.

What is is about working in the lab that you don't like?

You certainly have more options as a nurse. Way more options. But it's still healthcare.

Thanks for the response! I find the lab to be incredibley repititive and a little bit of a snore. I feel like I would like something with more variety. I feel like I'm on autopilot most days. Nursing seems like a good fit, but I'm a bit worried maybe its just the hospital environment I don't like? I also feel as though in my hospital the lab is a bit of a dumping ground for other healthcare workers. For example, I was up on one of our wards doing morning round blood draws, and one of the nurses had a nursing student with her and she tells the student "oh don't worry about here she's just from the lab, we consider the lab to be the bottom feeders of the hospital". I had to pick my jaw up off of the floor. I also want to add I mean no disrespect towards any nurses, as most of them are great.

What exactly makes you miserable in the lab- is it too boring for example? I'm a nurse, and if I knew what I was getting myself into, I would choose other professions in the healthcare for example pharmacist. Nurses oftentimes work literally like dogs in the hospital and the stress is not worth it.

Hmmm.. If you could go somewhere in nursing outside of floor nursing, do you think that would be a better environment? Possibly public health, or cancer clinic?

Thanks for the response! I find the lab to be incredibley repititive and a little bit of a snore. I feel like I would like something with more variety. I feel like I'm on autopilot most days. Nursing seems like a good fit, but I'm a bit worried maybe its just the hospital environment I don't like? I also feel as though in my hospital the lab is a bit of a dumping ground for other healthcare workers. For example, I was up on one of our wards doing morning round blood draws, and one of the nurses had a nursing student with her and she tells the student "oh don't worry about here she's just from the lab, we consider the lab to be the bottom feeders of the hospital". I had to pick my jaw up off of the floor. I also want to add I mean no disrespect towards any nurses, as most of them are great.

She really said that? As a nurse I was always grateful to see the phlebotomists on our floor, because I've worked at hospitals where the nurses had to do the lab draws on top of everything else and I didn't like it at all. So I'm really surprised a nurse would have that attitude.

Could you try another position in your hospital, such as nurse aide or something? That way you could probably get a better idea of what goes on in nursing.

i work in a lab too. I do it 2 days a week, the other three days I work as a nurse. It keeps me sane and you know what I like about the lab is that it is mundane and boring and quiet..just what I need after 3 days of nursing. I was almost ready to give up nursing after 20 years but now I have the perfect balance..full time work and much less stress.

BUT...i could not work in the lab 5 days a week..I would go nuts with boredom! So yeah i understand what you mean.

I worked in the lab many years trying to find where I fitted in. I started out in a 600 bed hospital

as a generalist. I saw many procedures done in the lab. Eventually ending my lab career at a 25 bed hospital. At a smaller hospital I rarely saw anything different but had more patient contact where everyone thought I was a phlebotomist. Being a lab tech to me had challenges. Like doing antibodies in bloodbank. Alot of people don't know lab people have degrees. I went into nursing cause I felt I had knowledge I wanted to gain and give. I also went into nursing for more variety of places to go and to advance faster. I probably would have never become a lab manager because jobs like that are hard to come by. In nursing it is easier to move up in the profession. In about another year I plan to go to nurse practitioner school. That way I can put my lab knowledge with my nursing knowledge. When your not so busy in the lab shawdow a nurse and it may help you to decide what is best for you:)