Easy Department

Gompers, BSN, RN · Oct 4, 2004

Any suggestions? Ideas?

Find another career besides nursing if you want an easy job. I'm serious.

malusport · Oct 4, 2004

I didn't mean to say "easy", I should rephrase. I would like to know which department has the highest retention of nurses.

For example, I know that certain departments are hated by majority of the nurses.

Which ones do you love?

Better, yet please list your top 5 deparments and the bottom 5 department that you've worked at. (and the reasons).

I think that would be better.

Gompers, BSN, RN · Oct 4, 2004

I'm sorry, but there really isn't an answer to your question. Like I said, nursing isn't easy and it really doesn't matter what department you work in. If you work on a floor with "easy" patients you're going to have quite a few of them assigned to you and you'll be running around all shift, and when you're sitting down, you'll be doing mountains of paperwork. If you work in an ICU, you might only be assigned one patient, but you'll be busy all shift just the same trying to keep that person alive.

It all depends on what personally interests you. No one can answer your question for you because the answer has to come from YOU. Whatever area you're passionate about will be the "easiest" because you'll enjoy going to work everyday and working with that patient population and in that environment. There is no simple top ten list of great places to work - everyone has their own feelings and experiences.

But no matter how much you enjoy your nursing job, it is NEVER easy. EVER.

NurseKimmy · Oct 4, 2004

which department is the easiest? which patients are the easiest? is that even a vailid question in the realm of nursing?

i feel nursing is always challenging, which is why i enjoy it. if i wanted an easy job.. i'd be a ticket-ripper at the theatres.

i would say the easiest patients are the ones with discharge papers in hand, walking out the door. and the easiest department would have to be.... hmmm.. ... hmmmm.... still thinking... this could take a while!

Katnip, RN · Oct 4, 2004

Retention is based more on the individual facility or unit and depends a lot on management, not the type of work that's done.

That said, as far as work goes, you'll be happy in doing what you like, not what someone else's favorite job is.

And as said above, no nursing job is easy.

chris_at_lucas_RN, RN · Oct 4, 2004

deleted by me.

chris_at_lucas_RN, RN · Oct 4, 2004

deleted by me.

Trauma Columnist · Oct 4, 2004

To the original poster - perhaps you would like to edit? This is just bound to get ugly.

UM Review RN, ASN, RN · Oct 4, 2004

To the original poster - perhaps you would like to edit? This is just bound to get ugly.

Please note that this is the OP's second post. It could be an honest mistake, y'all.

Or if you think the OP is a troll, just report it and be done with it.

No need to get ugly.

missmercy · Oct 4, 2004

Love of a specific unit or practice within nursing is SOOOOOO individual!! I LOVE Pediatrics :) and have friends that would rather have bamboo sticks stuck benieth their finger nails than work there! OB/ newborn nursery :) is a very close second and many of my pals would prefer to lay on a bed of nails or walk across hot coals to spending a shift there. On the flip side, many of my pals think community health nursing is the best -- I hated it when I was there! And LTC, - :uhoh3: - worked my way through nursing school with that -- wouldn't want to go back unless I ABSOULTELY HAD to!! SO, it depends on where your heart is!! None of it is "easy" however!

No matter where you work, there will be ogres to work with or scheduling/staffing issues, horrible things can happen in any area -- even though OB is our typically happy/fun outcome floor -- when things go wrong there -- it is AWFUL!! Same with pediatrics -- it can be a really tough place to work -- you see alot of ugly situations and you can't fix some of them!

Nursing isn't an "easy" profession. It requires you to put part of yourself on the line every time you go to work-- and sometimes that is REALLY hard and hurts like the dickens!! But it can also be one of the most rewarding, most "Stretching" careers you can be involved in! Looking for easy? GO SOMEWHERE ELSE! LOOKING for life altering -- nursing may be a good fit.

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Oct 4, 2004

For example, I know that certain departments are hated by majority of the nurses.

There is NO easy area in hospital nursing today.

Each area has it's plusses and minus: what works for one person, doesn't "fit" for another person. Each facility has it's own characteristics and strengths: good department management is hard to find as our bb members have stated.

LOVED my pulmonary/telemetry unit as LPN charge on nights. I always thought the Renal Unit floor "easy" to work on, till I did that last semester senior year of college.

Learned how important lab values pre and post dialysis were as we coded a patient with K+ of 7.8 as missed dialysis one day as "sick". Itchy skin---just let patient moisturize with lotion. Needed to master so many lab values and different meds--felt like a fish out of water. Didn't like it that I couldn't see the effect of dose of lasix due to anurea--no output! Pushing that scale up and down the hall at 6AM to get weights. I'd much prefer to suction and deal with six trached patients as I could SEE the effects of my actions. Renal nurses left any trached patient to me and HATED it when floated to telemetry unit around the corner due to high acuity in unit. Hightailed it back to my Respiratory Unit as soon as new night nurse hired.