Has there been an incident that made you question your decision to become an RN?

Nurses General Nursing

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Has there ever been an incident that has made you question your decision to become an RN?

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Specializes in Developmental Disabilites,.

Yes. About once a shift I question why I even went into nursing in the first place. The work load is more than I ever imagined, pt's are sicker, management keeps taking away support staff, MD attitudes can get old real fast and patients often have unrealistic expectations. The way the system is I can not be the nurse that I want to be and it breaks my heart.

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Specializes in ER, ICU, Education.

That's like asking has there ever been an incident that made you regret getting married?

So yes there have been brief moments .... when they admit the foul mouth, over dose who is kicking, bitting and spitting at everyone. And I have to call the local police to help hold her down so I can give her a sedative injection.

Perhaps we should ask -- Overall do the negatives of being a nurse out way the positive?

Then my answer is no. Most days I can come home from work and feel like I've done something good for someone.

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Specializes in ER, PACU, Med-Surg, Hospice, LTC.

When I was a new Nurse, another Nurse called in sick. The facility didn't even blink when they told me my patient load would double that shift.

WHAT?

I could hardly handle my own patients, now I have double the trouble?

I almost quit my Nursing career that day.

Oh, and I had some pretty horrible clinical experiences. Not like some of my classmates, thankfully (many ended up having non-stop crying spell, some ended up dropping out of the program), but I always wondered why Student Nurses were treated so poorly.

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Specializes in Vascular Access.

A patient issue has never once made me reconsider my decision. I am convinced that my job is the best in nursing. However, the employers have. With increased duties, demands, lack of pay raises, cut staffing, cut support, and general lack of respect I sometimes wonder if it's really worth the effort. Healthcare administration, and I'm convinced this is a universal issue, will continue to lower the bar by demanding more with less. But as educated professionals, we must insist on respect and quality treatment for ourselves. This is a two way street, we are not a dumping ground for administration, doctors, patients,their families, and anybody inbetween. I've seen too many great nurses give it up. Bedside nurses should be treated like gold. It would make a huge impact on patient care.

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
When I was a new Nurse, another Nurse called in sick. The facility didn't even blink when they told me my patient load would double that shift.

WHAT?

I could hardly handle my own patients, now I have double the trouble?

I almost quit my Nursing career that day.

Oh, and I had some pretty horrible clinical experiences. Not like some of my classmates, thankfully (many ended up having non-stop crying spell, some ended up dropping out of the program), but I always wondered why Student Nurses were treated so poorly.

They doubled your patient load, but I'd be willing to bet dollars to doughnuts they didn't double your pay for that shift.

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Specializes in tele, ICU.

Sure. When I have a full patient assignment, I'm in charge, we have no unit clerk OR nursing assistant, and no staffing coordinator, but somehow I'm expected to successfully and safely carry out all the duties of the aforementioned positions for...wait for it....ONE WHOLE DOLLAR an hour more... it makes me want to RUN back to work the next day! :rolleyes:

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Specializes in They know this too!.

Yes, mostly in LTC... when the ones who are late everyday, don't work as a team, leave things not finished without telling you from the previous shift (constantly), leaving critical labs for hours and hours sitting around and you have the doctor yelling at you, only for your DON to cover up the previous nurse's behind while you are stuck your whole shift fixing the issue, etc. etc. and others mentioned above. Those are the ones who always seem to get promoted. It was like if I ever did those things I would get written up, or geez fired.

My first nursing job in LTC was great, but I left to get hospital experience. Loved being a nurse there. But, I didn't have those type of experiences in a hospital setting. As far as I know you just can't get away with it.

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Specializes in Home Care, Peds, Public Health, DD Health.

My first nursing shift was a disaster, I felt like it was some sort of cartoon! I was all thumbs and the funny thing was that I wasnt new to it at ALL! But now, that I have settled in a field I love and have gotten to a point where I am confident to say when I will take a patient or not, know how to set boundaries and not feel bad, not feel like I have to work EVERY shift etc...I work in pediatric home care and visiting nursing....I LOVE IT. I can honestly say that most days I come home tired yes but with a smile on my face.

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Specializes in acute care.

When I'm told that I have to do the unit secretary's job on nights because we do not have one (no extra pay for that)

When a patient rings to call bell to tell me to change the channel, make his/her coffee over because it wasn't done properly, clean up the mess they made on the bedside table, etc.

When I look around at other healthcare professionals (OT, PT, etc) and they are smiling and enjoying their work, while my RN co-workers look like they will quit any day now.

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Specializes in Hospice, ONC, Tele, Med Surg, Endo/Output.
Has there ever been an incident that has made you question your decision to become an RN?

How much time do you have?

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Every day that I want to work for a living but do not have nursing work to do for wages, makes me question my decision to become a nurse.

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