Nursing Sucks! Or Does It?

Nurses General Nursing

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I took ten minutes this morning and read a lot of the recent titles and some of the messages. WHY are nurses SO miserable? I am a new graduate and I OFTEN do not like my job, but I FULLY realize that we, as nurses in 2007, have SO MANY opportunities. My life goal is to see the world AND help people. So, I am starting a master's degree in public health in January. If you dislike your job, try something different...within nursing! If you feel like you're not getting paid well enough, consider going back to school to earn a master's degree or to become a nurse practitioner or... Better yet, take a stand and write the CEO of YOUR hospital. That's what I have decided to do. Why should I earn $20.99 per hour at night based on ideal staffing (i.e. six patients) IF I have eight or, sometimes, nine? I am NO mathematician, but I CAN do the math! Several recent postings addressed "rude" patients, colleagues (doctors and nurses), etc. You're ONLY a doormat IF you let yourself be! I have politely and professionally READ a patient (and my HOLLABACK girls KNOW what I'm saying!). We have two unit clerks (the "nice" one left last week) and I left her speechless last week when I politely reminded her that her reality check OBVIOUSLY bounced because the last time I checked, they aren't giving sign-on bonuses to unit clerks. RIGHT?!?!?

I don't LOVE my job, but I do realize that I have to make it work for ME. I may have to work three or four 12-hour shifts in a row, but I WILL be getting five or more days offs before I do another stretch. I hope each and every one of you finds your way in world...nursing or otherwise! Happy holidays! :)

I took ten minutes this morning and read a lot of the recent titles and some of the messages. WHY are nurses SO miserable? I am a new graduate and I OFTEN do not like my job, but I FULLY realize that we, as nurses in 2007, have SO MANY opportunities. My life goal is to see the world AND help people. So, I am starting a master's degree in public health in January. If you dislike your job, try something different...within nursing! If you feel like you're not getting paid well enough, consider going back to school to earn a master's degree or to become a nurse practitioner or... Better yet, take a stand and write the CEO of YOUR hospital. That's what I have decided to do. Why should I earn $20.99 per hour at night based on ideal staffing (i.e. six patients) IF I have eight or, sometimes, nine? I am NO mathematician, but I CAN do the math! Several recent postings addressed "rude" patients, colleagues (doctors and nurses), etc. You're ONLY a doormat IF you let yourself be! I have politely and professionally READ a patient (and my HOLLABACK girls KNOW what I'm saying!). We have two unit clerks (the "nice" one left last week) and I left her speechless last week when I politely reminded her that her reality check OBVIOUSLY bounced because the last time I checked, they aren't giving sign-on bonuses to unit clerks. RIGHT?!?!?

I don't LOVE my job, but I do realize that I have to make it work for ME. I may have to work three or four 12-hour shifts in a row, but I WILL be getting five or more days offs before I do another stretch. I hope each and every one of you finds your way in world...nursing or otherwise! Happy holidays! :)

Nursing doesn't suck. The CEOs of the healthcare system, who view the right to healthcare as a commodity from which they can pad their wallets - they're the ones who suck. So much of what people complain about has to do with working conditions. The corporate mentality will try to squeeze out as much work from people as they can for the bottom line. It makes nurses burn out, and causes unsafe situations for patients.

Diahni

I think the forums here allow us all to vent as nurses, without the reprimand or scrutiny we would get if we did at our jobs. It is a safe haven where we can all vent from time to time. I think that overall most nurses enjoy nursing, but maybe not so much the politics involved. I too was idealistic when I was a new rn (which was just 2 short years ago.) I am now seeing the "reality" which is not always a cake walk, but overall I am glad I became a nurse. I believe as time goes by, you too will see it.

One more thing, The quote regarding the unit clerk and her "reality check" bouncing...be careful. I am so grateful to my unit clerks when I am swamped with new admissions, and they are there for me to enter new orders, call consults, page md's, etcetera. Be careful about alienting ancillary staff, that can bite you back in a bad way down the road. I think most clerks and CA's are grossly underpaid for their jobs. Not to say there are not some out there that are not the greatest, but I can also name some "not so great" rn's and md's as well. That is what a team is all about. CEO's...well they seem to be on thier own team most of time, not ours, JMHO.

Specializes in ICU/CCU/CVICU/ED/HS.

Nursing does NOT!!!!!!! suck.... I have been an RN for a short time, all of it in Critical care areas(ICU/CCU/CVICU/ED) and I am here to tell you I LOVE MY JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I started as an EMT in 1980, went to Paramedic then Army Medic, then back to Paramedic then to nursing. Believe me when I say...NURSING DOES NOT SUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There are still those that ENJOY working with people and seeing the difference we can make.

I am also one who will look at the rude patients, doctors and co-workers as a challenge to get them to "lighten up". So...BPPITT...Good Luck on your career path...I hope your "reality check" does not bounce.

One more thing, The quote regarding the unit clerk and her "reality check" bouncing...be careful. I am so grateful to my unit clerks when I am swamped with new admissions, and they are there for me to enter new orders, call consults, page md's, etcetera. Be careful about alienting ancillary staff, that can bite you back in a bad way down the road. I think most clerks and CA's are grossly underpaid for their jobs. Not to say there are not some out there that are not the greatest, but I can also name some "not so great" rn's and md's as well. That is what a team is all about. CEO's...well they seem to be on thier own team most of time, not ours, JMHO.

couple o' things here: nurses have to be aware of how the system works to change it. In western Mass., where I live, there's a strong nurse union. About underpaid workers - two people were stuck in a room with a patient they had taken from a MR group home. I asked them if they wanted something from the cafeteria while I was getting lunch. One said it was the first time a hospital person acknowledged their presence in the room. I feel so strongly that people should be respected whatever their job, and people on the bottom of the salary scale are either ignored, or treated badly. Part of the work environment depends on our own behavior - but there still is a lot of work to be done to change the burnout environment. With a nursing shortage, who will be inspired to become a nurse if they see the way we complain? I'm a second career nurse, and it almost scared me away.

Diahni

Nursing can suck...sometimes. Some areas of nursing have fewer happy nurses due to work overload (long-term care & many hospital jobs). The sad truth is that nurses have to work against the system to care for their patients as they deserve to be cared for! Healthcare is a business trying to turn a profit at all times! I chose a job that I love. It doesn't pay very well but I am happy there!

Specializes in Med/Surge, Private Duty Peds.
as you are a new grad, i can strongly sense your burgeoning idealism. however, a sense of realism will emerge with the passage of time and the accumulation of nursing experience. it is true that nurses have so many opportunities in 2007; however, the vast majority of these opportunities are in bedside nursing, which has been a source of burnout for so many. you make this statement as if many of the complaining nurses have not already tried different things within nursing. i know of nurses who still have not found their niche after trying about 5 different bedside specialties and about 2 or three "desk jobs" away from the bedside. after so many different attempts at different positions within nursing, some may feel defeated.unfortunately, nursing is a career pathway that generally does not offer any financial incentives for attaining higher education. the typical bsn nurse earns about as much as the adn nurse. many msns earn significantly less than their bsn counterparts, especially if they decide to become a nurse educator or researcher. while nurse prectitioners have plenty of automony, the money is not as good as it should be for the level of responsibility that they must accept. the average np earns about $75,000 yearly, yet a bedside nurse with an adn can earn that amount with overtime.to ceos, nurses are expenses. they do not want to pay you anything more than they must, because it cuts into their profit margins. i'm being realistic when i declare that your letter will not get anywhere. .with the push for "customer service" by healthcare facilities today, the hospital expects the nurse to take abuse from patients and family members. standing up to your colleagues is one thing, but standing up to cruel patients and abusive family members can get you fired quickly.

i'm glad you are making your job work for you, but you obviously have much to learn. please do not discount the personal experiences of seasoned nurses.

:yeahthat::yeahthat::yeahthat::yeahthat::yeahthat: commuter, you said that very well!! no additional comments needed. thank you thank you thank you!!!!

It's not nursing that sucks, as Commuter so eloquently stated.

I politely reminded her that her reality check OBVIOUSLY bounced because the last time I checked, they aren't giving sign-on bonuses to unit clerks. RIGHT?!?!?

Pretty arrogant and self-important comment there. You think it's rough now? Wait 'til you alienate your ancillary staff...

First off, most of you missed the point of my posting. I understand that this site is a venue for nurses (and nursing students) to rant and rave. I work with SO MANY nurses that hate their job and I am trying to understand why. I STILL maintain that there are a lot of opportunities for nurses in 2007. I think it's ironic that nursing is a "caring profession" and yet many of the responses to my initial posting dealt with money. I treat all of my co-workers with respect, but I EXPECT it in return. Actually, I just purchased Christmas gifts for the nursing assistants that work at night. I was trying to motivate people to make their situations work for them.

Commuter was dead on in her post.

And what you said to the unit secretary wasn't directed at her specifically, but to unit secretaries in general--- and to any other ancillary staff not lucky enough to be offered 'sign-on bonuses'. If I were charge and heard you utter such a comment, I'd have counselled and written you up in a heartbeat. If you have a problem with other staff being rude, then you need to simply state their actions and statements are unacceptable; if it continues, take it up the ladder. You don't come back with a rude, arrogant, condescending generalization such as what you said--- it was very immature, to say the least. For all your talk about "professional", that was anything but.

As far as money, well... I'm not a volunteer, and I'm not a martyr. I work hard. I do my job and do it well. I expect and deserve to be compensated for what I do, as does any nurse out there.

Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.

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