Frustrated & ready to leave nursing... (long)

suzanne4, RN · Aug 14, 2005

There is alot of cleaning of blood and other body fluids in L & D. Emergency C-sections can be very messy. Same thing with the OR, body functions do continue to work. Patients also vomit coming out of anesthesia sometimes.

BETSRN · Aug 14, 2005

It's a long one... need some input, here's the down-low:
Been an RN for 1/5yrs (almost all experience in tele/PCU). Really dislike nursing, some days hate it & ready to walk out te door... I know I can't abandonment of pts,etc. Actually, I can't b/c I'm supporting my husband who's finishing up school this May, & works pt. We're buying a home, so I really can't leave now. The fact is that I like the hospital I'm at, I've looked into 2 other depts I think I'd enjoy... LDRP & OR. OR has a PT position (can't live on PT salary right now), LDRP has had several positions (I've applied 3 times, they keep saying they need experience - I even wrote on the bottom of the one application "I know you'd like experience, but if you don't give me a chance, then I'll never gain the experience."
I'm looking into 2 different degree programs, b/c I've decided that I think I want to do Pharm sales. I refuse to go for my BSN b/c I dislike nursing so much. I hear that pharm co's like bachelor's in business or sciences. I could earn my BA in Economics w/ 36credits; or, I could further my animal career w/ a BS in Animal Biotechnology & Conservation degree w/ 64cr. (lil' background... I started college as an Accounting major, switched to nursing, moved out of state, had to take a yr off nsg b/c schedules, so earned AAS in Animal Management - loved it! Unable to start earning more than $10, returned & finished nursing school. Hated my instructors & no fond of clinicals... loved L&D/Mat rotation.... thought it'd be better once I began working - wrong!)
So my ? is that both of the above degrees would get me into pharm sales, one more quickly than the other. I guess my ? is that I know there are several avenues I can go w/ the BS, other than pharm rep or management, I'm not sure what I can do w/ an Economics degree. I'm planning on meeting w/ an academic advisor in the next few weeks, but thought I'd seek some advice before totally changing careers.
To be fair, I should let you know what I dislike about nursing... my biggest issue is confused, demented, sundowning, mental pts. I have no patience for them, you can't re-orient or reason w/ them... I'm all about RESTRAINTS - chemical or physical (1:1 supervisions). I've never liked orthos. Can't stand young pt's that are admitted & all of a sudden loose control of bladder/bowel. (I had a 52yo male, **** himself in his sleep...300#, unable to clean himself, aid busy, I just had a CP admit...& I had to spend 35mins cleaning **** off his back, legs, feet, change the sheets... what do these people do at home????) EEERRRRRRRRRRRR:angryfire
LDRP, most pts younger & happier events. OR, people are out cold, best kind of pt!!! :rotfl:
Sorry, had to vent, really bad week at work!!!
Thanks-

If you "hate nursing so much" as you say, then why are you looking into LDRP? It's nursing (and very hard work) just lke everything else. You have plenty of body fluids on your in labor as well. Why are you even lookig at nursing at all if you have such a negative attitude?

sun_chica · Aug 14, 2005

It's not bodily fluids thatget to me, it was the 52yr old, whose now helpless, since in the hospital. I was at my sister's home birth & cleaned her jacuzzi after the birth... not the fluids! I was trying to look at all posible avenues I had any interest in, before completely changing gears/careers, attending more schooling, when I already have 138cr under my belt!

sbic56, BSN, RN · Aug 14, 2005

It's not bodily fluids thatget to me, it was the 52yr old, whose now helpless, since in the hospital. I was at my sister's home birth & cleaned her jacuzzi after the birth... not the fluids! I was trying to look at all posible avenues I had any interest in, before completely changing gears/careers, attending more schooling, when I already have 138cr under my belt!

I don't see L&D being an answer to your dilemma. These can be the neediest, most dependent patients of all. Pain and anxiety does strange things to people. Plus, you have to care for the entire family, which can make the care of momn the easy part. You will need more patience here than in most areas. And, you will be cleaning feces among all other body fluids from vomit to baseball sized blood clots. I bet your maternal-child rotation didn't give you a full sense of what OB is like; it's grueling work. It can be extremely rewarding, no doubt, but can be the most miserable specialty in nursing as well. This is an area of extremes!

I'd go for the drug rep. I think you'd like it and it pays.

SmilingBluEyes · Aug 14, 2005

I am so sorry you feel so badly. I feel for you, really. It sounds as if a change is surely in order. But.....

DO understand something:

L/D is not for those looking for a "vacation". or relief from stressful nursing. It's not an easy place to work, either. When things go bad....THEY GO VERY BAD, very quickly. Babies are still born....they die. Moms die on sad occasion due to hemorrage, uterine rupture or other conditions that either we knew or did not know about at the time....... There is (a potentially hazardous) pool of blood and body fluids you figuratively wade through in each delivery. It's not for the weak or faint-hearted.

Just one maternal or newborn death is enough to almost make anyone quit. I almost did following a sudden and tragic case of death some years back----one for which none of us were held culpable, yet it broke our spirits and our hearts.

And, I daresey, it's possibly the most LITIGIOUS area of nursing you can practice. You have a pretty good chance of being called for at least one deposition, or even yourself, being sued in OB. The statute of limitations is VERY long----you can be called to give a deposition many years after the delivery of a given infant. Law experts advise OB pracitioners keep records/strips for as long as 26 YEARS!!!! (yes twenty-six!!!)

Personally, I knew a few nurses who left due to the legal aspects. One is an accountant now........the other in another non-clinical area altogether---there are others I have no idea where they are now. It can destroy your career and homelife being sued.....

And just like in any area of nursing, there are "young eating" and primadonna nurses and doctors to deal with. WORSE: Family members can be very difficult, demanding and even a bit combative at times----they expect OB is a spectator sport and they want the "front seat ticket" ....it's not fun to deal w/that mentality, believe me.

Make your choices without too much emotion. You can follow some L/D nurses to see if it's for you----but make no mistake, L/ D is not "easier" than other areas of nursing-------you don't just "try OB for a break"-----it has its unique challenges that some cannot tolerate.

sun_chica · Aug 14, 2005

Thanks for the insight into L&D... I'm thinkin sales rep or animals may be the better place for me:p

sbic56, BSN, RN · Aug 14, 2005

Thanks for the insight into L&D... I'm thinkin sales rep or animals may be the better place for me:p

Glad to offer any assistance in your decision making. I am a little bit envious of the animal career choices you have, as that's where my heart would lead me:heartbeat. But, at my age, my head says the money is in nursing. I'm good at this, but it is still good to know that in just a few more years and I can do what I really love!

RavenC · Aug 14, 2005

It's a long one... need some input, here's the down-low:
Been an RN for 1/5yrs (almost all experience in tele/PCU). Really dislike nursing, some days hate it & ready to walk out te door... I know I can't abandonment of pts,etc. Actually, I can't b/c I'm supporting my husband who's finishing up school this May, & works pt. We're buying a home, so I really can't leave now. The fact is that I like the hospital I'm at, I've looked into 2 other depts I think I'd enjoy... LDRP & OR. OR has a PT position (can't live on PT salary right now), LDRP has had several positions (I've applied 3 times, they keep saying they need experience - I even wrote on the bottom of the one application "I know you'd like experience, but if you don't give me a chance, then I'll never gain the experience."
I'm looking into 2 different degree programs, b/c I've decided that I think I want to do Pharm sales. I refuse to go for my BSN b/c I dislike nursing so much. I hear that pharm co's like bachelor's in business or sciences. I could earn my BA in Economics w/ 36credits; or, I could further my animal career w/ a BS in Animal Biotechnology & Conservation degree w/ 64cr. (lil' background... I started college as an Accounting major, switched to nursing, moved out of state, had to take a yr off nsg b/c schedules, so earned AAS in Animal Management - loved it! Unable to start earning more than $10, returned & finished nursing school. Hated my instructors & no fond of clinicals... loved L&D/Mat rotation.... thought it'd be better once I began working - wrong!)
So my ? is that both of the above degrees would get me into pharm sales, one more quickly than the other. I guess my ? is that I know there are several avenues I can go w/ the BS, other than pharm rep or management, I'm not sure what I can do w/ an Economics degree. I'm planning on meeting w/ an academic advisor in the next few weeks, but thought I'd seek some advice before totally changing careers.
To be fair, I should let you know what I dislike about nursing... my biggest issue is confused, demented, sundowning, mental pts. I have no patience for them, you can't re-orient or reason w/ them... I'm all about RESTRAINTS - chemical or physical (1:1 supervisions). I've never liked orthos. Can't stand young pt's that are admitted & all of a sudden loose control of bladder/bowel. (I had a 52yo male, **** himself in his sleep...300#, unable to clean himself, aid busy, I just had a CP admit...& I had to spend 35mins cleaning **** off his back, legs, feet, change the sheets... what do these people do at home????) EEERRRRRRRRRRRR:angryfire
LDRP, most pts younger & happier events. OR, people are out cold, best kind of pt!!! :rotfl:
Sorry, had to vent, really bad week at work!!!
Thanks-

Gosh, I think you hate nursing more than me! I love the sundowning patients as long as they don't get violent. We don't restrain anyone where I work, which can sometimes be frustrating, because you may have to take them with you everywhere you go to watch them. I never try to reason with them...the neurons just aren't there. But when they go to bed, the beds are very low to the floor and we have mats for them. Right now I'm in a mixed unit. Some confused, some okay. No wanderers though. I think you'd be much happier in personal care, which I loved, but it doesn't pay as well. Or perhaps as a treatment nurse as I am. If you're working in a hospital, do they have an IV nurse? I know the Pharmacy we use has an IV nurse that will come out and start IV's for us if needed...maybe that's an option? Hospice has nurses that come to the nursing home and to private homes that evaluate patients and deal with their meds, but CNA's do the hands on care. How about that?

You said you like them out cold..."best kind of patient". Please don't take this wrong, cause the thought is making me laugh and I hope it does you too, but...have you considered mortician?

For myself, I'm starting an online quilting and fabric business and hoping that in the not too distant future I'll at least be able to cut back on my nursing hours, but I'd like my next job to be with hospice in-patient, hopefully up in Flagstaff. Hope things work out for you.

sun_chica · Aug 14, 2005

mortcian... lol:rotfl: don't know if I like them that "out cold"???

Good luck w/ your quilting bus on the side!!

renerian, BSN, RN · Aug 14, 2005

I used to work with a few nurses who worked part time on two units to = full time. Their managers communicated on their scheduling. they loved it.

renerian

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Aug 14, 2005

I had a RN friend who got tired of working in the hospital and feeling much the way you are, as well as being fed up with the doctors. She quit and went to work for the company that made Clinitron beds as a nurse educator. She didn't like that job and got others: for a medical malpractice lawyer as one of several chart reviewers advising the legal team before any decision was made to take to sue, for a company that audited patients hospital bills for correctness for large auto insurance companies, law firms (prior to a lawsuit) and patients stuck having to pay their own hospital bills, and the last I heard was she was working for Hill-Rom beds as some sort of hospital educator teaching the employees of the facilities buying their beds how to use the features built into the new beds. She's never had to wear any kind of nursing uniform again. She was always able to find very creative jobs and would come back to visit and tell us about her "company car". I should also tell you, however, that she did have a BSN. There was an RN working a total desk job in the medical billing company I was a coder for a few years ago whose job was to be a conduit between the office and the physicians showing them how to improve and correct their documentation in order for the company to get maximum reimbursement from the third party payers.

Before you decide to throw your nursing education out the window, so to speak, try going to a head hunter firm (not an employment agency) to see if they can help you find an executive type job where your nursing skills will be seen as an advantage and you'll probably never have to wear scrubs again.