Dwindling faith in this profession

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Specializes in CCM, PHN.

I am having one of those days that just brings me to my knees in terms of my faith or enthusiasm for this profession.

I see SO much adamant, flagrant unprofessionalism in my colleagues, and my managers and leadership.

I see the quotient of profits quickly overtaking people as a priority on all levels of practice. It's sickening how pervasive this is. And accepted.

I have only been at this a few years and am beginning to see grad school (for something unrelated) as a means to get OUT of this mess, and save my quality of life at age 42. Life is too short to be this miserable.

Compassion and fastidiousness are no longer compatible with this line of work.

Thanks for listening. Any pep talks welcome.

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.

Try to find a niche in nursing you'll be ok with or move on. I could parrot a zillion reasons nursing has taken a hit over the past couple of decades but I'd be preaching to the choir. I had the opportunity to be a school nurse 13 years ago; it's me, myself, and I in my clinic - just the way I like it. If I hadn't been able to go this route I would be driving a truck or working on a shrimp boat today.

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

A lot of the care has been taken out of healthcare. It was one of the myriad of reasons why I left nursing a year ago. It's all about the Benjamins, at every level. I don't know what it will take to break corporations' hold on the health"care" professions, but at some point the system will break down and be crushed under its own weight. It has to. It's the only way we can start over. But I don't think it will happen in my lifetime, just saying.

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I think all nurses who work in the profession long enough get very disillusioned with the 'system'. The priorities of the corporation that runs your hospital/facility/whatever run counter to the idealism that brought you into nursing in the first place. It is the truth.

However, there are patients out there that need you and the care you provide. Do it for them. Whatever the priorities of administration are, there is (most of the time) enough wiggle room within them to do what you meant to do when you became a nurse.

Do it for the patients, and yourself. Be resourceful and take the initiative on behalf of yourself and the patients to grow as a nurse. Over time, you sort of 'grow up' and lose your idealistic expectations of admin, kind of like a kid no longer looks to their parent for every validation. The idealism you have is not a bad thing at all, it's just that it barely exists outside our own personal integrity :)

Some places are impossible to do your job in, others are easier. Find the 'easier' places and BE A NURSE just like you always wanted to be :)

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Specializes in LTC Rehab Med/Surg.

I'm feeling extremely negative about my job, my place of employment, and my patients. I don't know if it's the season. I don't know if it's a life stage. I just know I absolutely don't care about any of the people I'm supposed to take care of. I'm going through the motions, and I'm doing a really bad job.

No pep talk here.

Maybe after the new year

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I'm feeling the same way lately. I feel bashed by the patients, thrown under the bus by management, and the only thing keeping me going is that I have to make money somehow. I think it's time to get away from hospital nursing.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Oncology, School Nursing, OB.

Sounds like you're getting burned out. Time to move on. I'd look for another position/job or consider furthering your education to get a better position you'll enjoy more. The fact you are not one of the unprofessional ones shows you still care and are most likely a very good nurse and we need good nurses! I love acute care but had to leave it for all the reasons you stated. It's a shame how it is but I'm afraid it's not going to ever get any better. I'm also a school nurse and it's nice to be in an environment where I can just take care of the kids and not have to worry about patient satisfaction scores or middle management telling me I need to do more with less. It's not a perfect job by far and has it's own stressors but at least it's one that I can see myself retiring from!

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Not knocking on the OP specifically, but whats with all the nurses who seem to blame all hospitals problems on money.

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Specializes in Med nurse in med-surg., float, HH, and PDN.

I like Private Duty.

Yes, there's crap factor any place you work and agencies have it in spades sometimes.

But when I work, I get to do patient care , and that makes up for everything else.

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Nursing has changed so very much, and yes, there are times when it is all about revenue, but at the basis of it all is the care of sick people. It is very hard to come up out of the tunnel, sometimes it seems day after day we are in the same hole. But, truly it is up to us to dig out!! I know it can be very defeating to know there is not an easy way out, and we are not getting credit for all we do and out plates just keep getting more full with all that is expected of us. It could be you are ready for a change, and maybe there is some opportunity for you. Look into furthering your education or see what certifications you may be able to obtain to further your career. Sometimes it takes a push to get more satisfaction. Time to look outside of the box!!

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Specializes in Trauma, Teaching.
whats with all the nurses who seem to blame all hospitals problems on money.

Well, let's see. For just one visit (out of 12 for this drug) for chemotherapy, my insurance was billed for:

a) pharmacy $41 (2 OTC pills)

b) IV therapy $1000

c) IV solutions $22

d) chemotherapy-IV $1850

e) clinic (15 minute visit) $1018

f) drugs $4959

g) treatment room $252 (yes, on top of the clinic visit with MD, they charge for use of the room, took 15 minutes)

total charges: $9146 and change

How much of that do you think the nurses and aides got? When I see the NP, she said she doesn't charge anywhere near that $1018 for a visit. I spend about 4 hours there altogether. Before the clinic was bought out by the hospital (which was bought out some years ago by a national health care org., there was no tx room charge. Labs were billed separately.

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quote: whats with all the nurses who seem to blame all hospitals problems on money. quote

Well, let's see. For just one visit (out of 12 for this drug) for chemotherapy, my insurance was billed for:

a) pharmacy $41 (2 OTC pills)

b) IV therapy $1000

c) IV solutions $22

d) chemotherapy-IV $1850

e) clinic (15 minute visit) $1018

f) drugs $4959

g) treatment room $252 (yes, on top of the clinic visit with MD, they charge for use of the room, took 15 minutes)

total charges: $9146 and change

How much of that do you think the nurses and aides got? When I see the NP, she said she doesn't charge anywhere near that $1018 for a visit. I spend about 4 hours there altogether. Before the clinic was bought out by the hospital (which was bought out some years ago by a national health care org., there was no tx room charge. Labs were billed separately.

You do realize how not for profit entities (most hospitals) work right?

Hospitals are exceptionally expensive, all that money goes somewhere

Ill also point out with salary + benefits included nurses get more than the average american.

While only having a bachelors (or less)

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