does every rn out there hate their job? sonography/x-ray tech instead?

NurseGirl525, ASN, RN · Jun 8, 2015

OP, nursing is just like every other career out there. Some people are going to love it and some are going to hate it. It's like that in every profession out there. It's very faced-paced and there is a lot of responsibility on your shoulders as a nurse. It is difficult work. You are going to have to turn patients and all that back breaking work. You are working with sick people that pretty much can't take care of themselves for whatever reason at that time and need medical intervention. So, just keep that in mind.

Nursing school prepares you take the NCLEX and some basic nursing skills. Most of what you will learn will be on the job. I most certainly haven't retained every nugget of info in my first year of the program, but you do need to know most of it for NCLEX. Schools get their accreditation based on how many people pass the NCLEX the first time. That is what you are being prepped for. Yes, we have clinical and get some experience, but it is basic experience. Doing med passes, injections, ivs, caths, that kind of stuff. My first semester of clinical we spent in a LTC facility doing nothing but helping the cnas. Basic ADLs. I liked it. It didn't bother me at all, I just learned I didn't want to work in a place like that as I got too attached to the residents. I had one die and it broke my heart as her and I would have a conversation every time I was there about her life.

In my area anyway, rad techs and ultrasound techs don't make near what a RN nurse does. I'm not sure if they even make what a LPN does. I think job availability is different in all areas. Some areas are very saturated with nurses, some are not. Same goes for the techs. I live in an area where hospitals and medical facilities are popping up everywhere. I live near Indianapolis which is experiencing lots of growth right now. When I moved 18 years ago, the little towns on the north side were rural and mostly corn fields. One town in particular has now just turned into a city with two brand new hospitals going up right across the street from each other in the past 3 years. It's all young families there. Other areas are also experiencing growth. And while there are several schools around the area, many are non-accreditated for profit schools and employers don't hire from those schools. They are basically scams.

What you need to do is research the job market in your area thoroughly. Look at what people are hiring, how much they pay, and what is required. I scan the job listings in my area usually at least once a month so I know how the market is changing and what is needed to obtain a job.

LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN · Jun 8, 2015

My job is fun and rewarding. I am also well paid.

This.

I have picked jobs that fit my personality, or used jobs to my advantage to get into the position I'm in today. :yes:

I also have been an independent contractor, staffing myself and created a wonderful work-life balance.

Tinkk · Jun 8, 2015

Thought I'd put my two cents in.

I am not a nurse as of yet, but I have worked as a CNA in an LTC facility like you. I agree, most people dislike working in LTC (at least at my facility) and it really does take a special person to work in gerontology and love it. However, nursing isn't strictly limited to LTC or your facility. Have you considered getting a tech job at a hospital? I do not have hospital experience per se, but I know many of my co-workers gotten jobs as techs there and love it. Otherwise if it isn't an option for you, have you ever tried shadowing a nurse in a hospital setting? I think this would expand your horizons a bit and see a different side of nursing. Of course many LTC nurses are going to hate their job because they haven't found their niche and many nurses' niche is not in LTC.

As far as x-ray tech or sonographer goes, I do not have experience in those fields either. BUT, I have heard from people that those programs are highly competitive and you need to have a strong background in math and physics to do well. At my school, the sonography program is the only one available in this area and only accepts ten students per semester whereas the nursing program accepts fifty students. Career-wise, I've heard sonography isn't as in demand as nursing is, so you may have a harder time finding a job, and may have to relocate (this may be an issue for some people). Other people have stated x-ray techs don't make much, but I have heard that sonography pays just as well as a nursing career does. I don't mean to discourage you or anything, but these are some factors to keep in mind. If I was in your situation, I would look for shadowing opportunities in both nursing and sonography/x-ray tech. Either that or find a job at the hospital, and you may see a lot more. Go from there to make a decision. We can't tell you what to do, you will have to find out for yourself what suits you best.

**emergenceRN17, ASN, BSN, RN** · Jun 8, 2015

I have been a dental assistant for 19 years... although I love my patients, it is the same thing over and over again. Got burnt out quickly... I applied and didn't get accepted into the sonography program that I really wanted. I was heart broken. My husband talked me into applying for nursing school at the last minute and I am SO thankful that I did. I just finished my first year and I do not regret my decision.

I wish you the best!!

Weary1 · Jun 8, 2015

Before spending the time and money, I'd suggest looking at ALL options - x-ray tech, etc. The Nuclear Med Tech make as much as RN's in the hospital I work at but work 8 hr shifts versus 12+. A good living can be made in other areas of healthcare besides nursing. The hospital I work at is large, tries to treat it's staff well but the nurses & techs I work with (who get along & help each other out) by & large (90% I'd say), DO hate their job..alot seems to be because of the 12+ hr shifts...some transfer to other units, some leave, most of the staff has worked less than 2 yrs with a few exceptions, on the unit I work, there are a few new grads but very few.

If I had it to do over again I would not become a nurse or at least would not work in a hospital setting that required 12 hr shifts.

nightfly · Jun 12, 2015

I think that a lot of people who tell you that they hate their job, are simply fed up with all the little annoyances we have to put up with, and there are a lot. Computer problems, docs who blame us for their own situations, equipment that doesn't work, techs who disappear when we need them, radiology and lab depts too slow, phone operators who don't even know extension numbers, etc., the list just goes on and on. I think one of the things we have to remember is, it's a job. Things are not always going to be simple, or easy. It's why they pay us. If it was all fun, people would do it for free. I was a volunteer and then an e.r. tech before I went to nursing school. I knew what the job was before getting it, and I don't think most nurses do, they have an idealized image of what they expect, and when reality hits, they're disappointed. They they get the older experienced nurses who complain all day, and it makes the job seem like it really sucks, when it doesn't. I still like my job. There are days when it drives me nuts, but that happens with every job. Remember the good things, and the parts that you enjoy doing. Don't let all the negative things be what you focus on. Even the worst jobs I had, were enjoyable some of the time.

NEradtech · Jun 12, 2015

How long did you work as a rad tech? Are you switching because you can't get a job? I keep hearing mixed things about the job market. Thanks for your advice. There def aren't many openings for sonography or rad tech that I've seen either. I just liked that it was less stressful and you work one on one. I don't want to struggle to find a job though. I just hope I can make it through the program whenever I get in and pass the nlcex. The rate of people passing nursing school isn't great so that is frightening. Thanks for your advice and for replying.

I never worked in the field because I couldn't find a job. I cant relocate cause my husband is in the Air Force. I decided on nursing because I didn't have to take any extra classes and the entire ADN program will cost under 4K. Too good to pass up. I hope to eventually become a np or pa working in interventional radiography so my rad tech degree doesn't go to waste.

Yes, rad tech is one on one with patients but facilities will look at your time and accuracy. It's just like an assembly line. If you make too many mistakes and take a long time with each procedure, they will discipline you. There's something called a repeat rate. It looks at your competency. you don't want to repeat any images. More images = more radiation, so it's highly monitored and stressful in that fact.

Also, as time goes on a lot of ultrasound tech develop wrist and shoulder problems due to the repetitive motion of using the probe. I guess it's equivalent to nurses having back problems.

blackribbon · Jun 12, 2015

I am one year out of nursing school. I work at the number one hospital in my state...6 years magnet status. Nursing school was abusive...especially for those without a really strong support system (me). I graduated toward the top of my class and passed my NCLEX with 75 questions...I only say that to say, I learned my stuff and use it every day. I wouldn't have survived orientation without it (orientations in our area are getting shortened significantly...my hospitals has gone from 12 weeks to 6 weeks...which is not enough). I was given a full patient load on the first day out of orientation and often ended the shift as the nurse with the most patients (have the census paperwork to back this up). I was chewed out for not delegating more tasks to my NAs while at the same time, my assigned NAs were disappearing on me and never answering their phones. I will not ignore a call light, nor refuse to assist a pt to the restroom, nor refuse to meet a reasonable need because ultimately, if they fall, it is my responsibility. Now my NAs works with me though because I have always shown them respect...even when they didn't deserve it. There are plenty of things I learned on the job but I was expected to have good basic understanding to start with.

I both love and hate my job. I am so physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted at the end of a shift that I can't even begin to be able to explain it. I am in contact with other people I graduated and find they say the same thing. I love helping people but find that often I am more frustrated by the things I don't have time to do than actually get to do. Nurses can be cruel to each other...and the first two weeks alone were pure torture. I don't cry very easy and often cried all the way home. However, I must have earned my way into the "family" and now love most of my co-workers...but still hate the nasty way I am often treated at handoff...but again, that is starting to improve.

Do your research. Talk to people who are new nurses and find out how they like it. Make sure you are going into it for the right reasons because it is a hard way to make a living. Personally, I couldn't see doing anything else at this point in my life but there are still plenty of shifts that I walk to the car from wishing I could quit. I am good at what I do ... and yet recognize I still have a lot to learn and often spend a couple hours of my precious sleep time looking up new diagnoses at home so I won't feel so helpless caring for a patient the second night I have them. I can't say I'd recommend nursing to anyone who doesn't have a burning passion to be a nurse.

eh14 · Jul 28, 2015

These are great posts. I agree with many of the postings that Healthcare is becoming quite corporatized and profit-driven ( which is why the salaries are increasing), but it makes it a job based more on quantity than quality, and efficiency as opposed to personal touch. If you know this, you won't be disillusioned when you walk into the "crazy" that is some of these medical jobs.

You also won't be as disturbed when patients and families are demanding or even abusive, because they are paying thousands in insurance costs, and want "service", like its the Ritz or something.

As long as you know that healthcare continues to be driven by numbers, insurance, government policy and the like, you will know why management is the way it is, and not be disappointed when patients and staff are treated as numbers. Even though there are lots of opportunities to feel good, and that you are making a difference for patients, thats' the unfortunate reality of healthcare at this time.

I think going into the career with eyes wide open will put you in a position to do the most good, and to take steps to take care of yourself to prevent burnout and resentment.

I also think based on prior healthcare experience, school just prepares you to think and grow in whatever job you end up in. As far as "knowing everything" from school, thats unrealistic, especially as you go into different venues. Patient care needs to become instinctual at some point, and you need to be resourceful when confronted with situations they didn't tell you about in school. Protocols change over time so you need to be able to adjust and know why things are changing, and more importantly why some things need to change.

My gut feeling is that kindness and caring towards patients can assist in healing when delivering medical services, especially as so much disease is affected by stress and environment. I think anyone in healthcare should bear this in mind when entering this insurance & money-driven business. Interfacing with patients is what you make it, and the more you know about the "business" of healthcare, the better able you can operate within it while contributing to patient health, and preventing burnout.

PacoUSA, BSN, RN · Jul 28, 2015

This RN LOVES his job! Or should I say his career. It is my 2nd career and I have no regrets. Great schedule and great steady pay. I am currently a travel nurse and have no complaints. This is not for everyone but it certainly is for me. So to answer your question: NO, not every RN hates their job.

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msquaredthefirst · Jul 28, 2015

As a vascular sonography student who's also not so great at math, I just want to say that the physics isn't too bad. That math isn't very advanced, it's all about remembering equations and being able to plug in numbers. Ultrasound physics is more about remembering concepts than anything. I learned a little about xray physics and it seems to be the same.

I think physical problems are a given in any medical field. I've barely started my clinicals and I'm already having trouble with sore arms/hands.

Bailando · Jul 28, 2015

Thank you all for your in depth reply! I work as a cna in a nursing home and all I see is moody, angry and hateful nurses. That is what scares me about becoming an RN because everyone says don't do it! It's been my dream as a little girl and I feel like I'm starting to second guess myself. I am glad to hear there are some people who don't hate their jobs! I have learned a lot about patient care and I see what you mean about the families being mean etc it happens all the time to me. I have already seen how much the money/insurance is the most important thing and not the actual cases. It sure is sad to see how bad it is, but I know it'll only worsen over time. Money is all people care about and that is what will always be the most important to most employers.Thanks again for your reply! Really helpful ðŸ˜€