CONTINUED IN WHAT IS THE MAJOR REASON Why are they all leaving?

Nurses General Nursing

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What conditions would cause so many nurses to leave? Our ER has been losing friends fast. Why is there such a large turnover in nursing? I'm going to school, yet I talk to many RN's who are looking for a new career!!

Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

WHY are they leaving, did they leave , will they leave? Right now I am up at 545 am, tears in my eyes from pain.

I'm a child of the 50s and 60s so I can say with authority that "the establishment" does not regard their seniors as they should. I'd like to see a count of how many of us (oldies) here were kicked to the curb.

I have a LOT to give in experience, knowledge and skills. However, why are they (we) leaving? They don't want us anymore is what I see.

I have to believe that we leave because you can't "turn off" being a nurse. It's a 24/7 job, whether you're being paid or not. YOu mentally take your work home with you, and sometimes physically (On you uniform).

It's also what you make of it. If you let other workers degrade you and do nothing, than who's at fault. If a doctor expects you to fetch his coffee and hand him papers, and you do, who's to blame? I learned a long time ago to stand up for myself (but not in an obnoxious way). Not only does it make others treat you better, but you feel better about yourself. Why would you let co-workers and complete strangers treat you worse than your own family?

I also believe that the work level that most, not all, nurses are expected to function is incredible. Management knows that we WILL go without lunch, breaks, bathroom time, stay late, because of the PATIENTS, no because of MANAGEMENT. It's just something we as nurses do, other people can't comprehend why. Our jobs don't stop just cause the clock says it's quitting time. We can't close the doors at 5pm on Friday and reopen on Monday.

We don't slow down on holidays, or off shifts.

It takes someone very special and dedicated to become a nurse. I applaud each and everyone of us, and those in school, who have accepted this challange. And boy what a challenge it is.

Maybe some of the "posters" who are in school will be the ones to figure out how to make our jobs easier and less stressful

....It's also what you make of it.....

I have just read this phrase one too many times in this thread and others today.

:trout: :barf02: :barf02: :barf02: :barf02: :barf02: :barf02: :barf02: :barf02:

Specializes in cardiac.
HAHAHAHAH phew - sorry had to laugh - nextshift doing it? yeah - i can go away for 2 days and still have to finish the paperwpork from admit i started 2 days ago - all the shifts are as bad as the next on staffing and even though days have powers that be there all day that are rns do you think any of thoise powers that be will chip in and help? NO. nursing is like chasing your tail an never being able to catch it.

Well, if passing on work to the next shift is not an option at your facility, then I would suggest working overtime and making sure you get your overtime pay. Hopefully, the facility will get tired of paying the OT and possibly do something about it. I guess there is no real answer. Most hospitals, not all, take advantage of their workforce due to coporate greed. And yes, at every interview they ask, " Are you familiar with the misson statement." Secretly I tell myself, "Yeah...I'm here to run my butt off, put my license on the line, and wear a smile on my face to every disgruntled pt, MD, RN, etc, with an attitude problem." Because in fact what all this boils down to is GREED. It's a sad, sad, thing.

I work in a SNF...I always have since I love the geriatric population. But I also have anywhere from 21 to 36 patients depending on which floor I'm on. I left one job because I got tired of the holes in the schedule that were never filled and you were told, when it was time to go home, that they couldn't find anyone so you'd have to stay for the double, and if you didn't you'd be reported to the board. They didn't care that a young child would be coming home from school to an empty house. Then your supervisor would add, "Bye, I'm going home now." That's a whole lot of disrespect, not to mention too much responsibiliy for someone who's tired and achy at this point and is expected back at 6:30am the next day. Then add the families who want their loved one cared for RIGHT NOW even though you and your aides are spread too thin to give proper care. And then there are athletes who make a whole lot more in a season than any of us will in our lifetimes...and we're responsible for people's lives. I don't expect 5 million a year, but a little more would be nice.

And did you read the post about the Wisconsin nurse who's facing 6 years in prison for a med error? Whether she was right or wrong, we all face the same possibilities.

And we work holidays and weekends. If I knew then what I know now, I wouldn't go into nursing. I'd stay in the medical field, but I'd be in a different part of it. Probably in some capacity as a patient advocate for the elderly.

I know this sounds so negative, but after only 13 years as a nurse, I'm tired. And burning out. The only thing that keeps me going is when some little old lady grabs my hand and pulls me close for a hug and tells me how sweet I am.

Pass it on to the next shift!!!!!!! You haven't seen a dirty look till you've tried that one! Chasing your tail and never catching it. Too darn true!

Specializes in ER.
Pass it on to the next shift!!!!!!! You haven't seen a dirty look till you've tried that one! Chasing your tail and never catching it. Too darn true!

I think most of us don't pass off to the next shift because we know they are in the same boat we are. Yesterday was horribly busy in the ER, When the next shift came on, I just told my "relief" to pick up the new patients I had not seen yet, and I would finish up the rest. I had double what I would consider a safe load, had not even seen 2 patients who had come in 2 hours before shift change and didn't even know they were there. The triage nurse usually lets you know you have a new patient, but she was way behind all day, and barely keeping afloat. I stayed not because of administration or even my patients, but for my co-workers.

We were short staffed and no one could/would come in to help. 2 extra doctors came in to help, but once they came in it really got bad, because we had more orders to do. They can order a lot faster than we can complete them.

I "only" had to stay an hour overtime (of course no lunch either) to finish charting, give report to the floor on 2 patients and get them upstairs.

Of course my rooms were not stocked, I left my bandage scissors in a room where I was cutting splinting material, I left my lunch in the frig, and I stumbled to my car praying to make it home safely.

And we have to worry about being sued or prosecuted if we make a med error??? Whose fault is it. Is it administration for putting us in unsafe situations or ours for staying?

For me, this is a short term problem because I am in week two of a thirteen week travel contract. You can bet I won't be renewing this one!

What a shift! I am getting too old for this.

I think most of us don't pass off to the next shift because we know they are in the same boat we are.

And we have to worry about being sued or prosecuted if we make a med error??? Whose fault is it. Is it administration for putting us in unsafe situations or ours for staying?

Yes we are all in the same boat here, question is, what are we going to do about it?Why are we so anti union? Are we victims of the brainwashing that managemnet has done any time the word union is mentioned? How many out there remember the mad scrambling a facility does when nurses try to organize,all the anti union mandatory meetings, all the promises that "if you vote no we will give you this and that, etc, etc..." and then when the silly nurses did vote no all the promises went poof! There is a Darn good reason that management and facility owners dont want a union, could it be that they would not be able to get away with what we all have been complaining about here? Bad unions are no good to anyone, but there is a way to get rid of ineffectual unions and get one that has some "balls" and "teeth".(Sorry if this is crude, but I am so frustrated !)

hi to all my fellow rns,

first, thanks to all the rns since i know how hard we all work. our jobs are so demanding.

i am in process of quitting my med/surg job because i so tired of the taking care of everybody else but me; my messed up schedule (i work nights and i'm tired all the time even on my days off); older rns talking crap about new rns (how supportive is that); patients expecting everything when they want it; not being able to advance (yes, i do have my bsn and phn); not getting off holidays to spend with my family and just overall poor job satisfaction (from nursing in general).

i had a secondary major in college which i have pursued and will complete in jan-feb 07 so i'm excited about opening up my own businss and being independent.

i just feel that nursing is a noble and caring profession but many people in it are just not that. you have to work in a place which you like (if not love) and i feel that is true success (not just making more money because it just isnt worth it).

good luck to all the rns out there!

shelnewgrad

Hi there,

Good luck w/ school. I am a RN and I just wanted to make a point about when you get your license and start working.

As a RN, you have at least 4-5 patients depending on you (typical med/surg floor) and its very difficult to be able to do your job and take breaks and a lunch. Ideally, I know it sounds great but its not realistic but it does depend on where you work too.

I think RNs are very caring people who do not want to leave their patient's care to another RN who they might not feel can do a good job because a lot of RNs are busy at the same time and if anything goes wrong they would like to be there because patients can go south fast........in an instant (I've seen it).

It's different when you're licensed and on the floor because you are the primary caregiver and if something goes wrong, you're legally liable so just think about it in those terms.

Take care and good luck in school, ok.

ShellyNewGrad

I think you may need to work on your organization skills. I am saying this not to offend you. Some people can prioritize better than others, maybe you can ask the hospital education if they have a class for organization and prioritizing. I used to work in med-surg/ telemetry so I had very sick med-surg patients and on top of that with heart issues. I always made sure that my patients were taken care of but I always took my break too. So I am not just telling you this because it sounds good, but from experience. I work in surgery now because I just happen to enjoy it better. Have you tried any other types of nursing? Med-surg is not the only thing out there.........

Don't give up........Smarty_RN

Specializes in disability.

I agree with the statements by steve0123. Nursing is under valued & under apprieciated by admin staff and then not to be recognised as a professional is very demeaning. This attitude of disrespect really makes me :angryfire

How do we can this culture?

I can only say 1st we need to recognise the situation & then dont do the same to people around us or under us. Still havent worked out want self perserving strategy to use for those lording it over me, some people do have a attitude problem it is sooooooooo frustrating sometimes.

My cuddle pillow does get a work out sometimes

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