Sometimes I just don't give a hoot!!

911fltrn · Nov 19, 2002

Yes Im sure there are many here that have felt your pain and frustration! (If they havent they must be new nurses) I work agency E.R. and I.C.U. SHow me some decent money, a manager that has even close to a spine and good working conditions and I will sign on! Is there anywhere else you can work? I like your picture Im orginally from Iowa. Best of luck, take care of yourself first!

dhogan · Nov 19, 2002

Dee I know just how you feel. I too work med/surg. Somedays I feel like I will not ever go back there, but I do. I tell myself every am that "Today I am not going to let them get to me and I will not vent". But most days I can't take it.

And management they kill me when they tell us we will just have to make do with one less nurse and we will not give you all the admissions at one time, but they do and disappear into their little meetings. Then they come out 2 hours later and ask is everything okay. What do they care they don't have to do our job, they just like to tell us how to do it.

Think I'll change my motto.

deespoohbear · Nov 19, 2002

I could drive to one of the larger facilites which are about 40 miles one way but otherwise my choices are pretty limited. I really like the people I work with and I have almost 8 years at this facility. I would hate to have to start all over again at the bottom of the totem poll...may have to though to preserve my sanity..... :rolleyes:

I am not sure where I downloaded my avatar from. My husband has a dairy farm and I thought this barn looked like ours....

ShortFuse_LPN, LPN · Nov 19, 2002

Lately I have been wondering why it seems as though I am the only one stressed at work. Co-"workers" sitting around laughing, having a good ol time while a couple of us run our butts off. And tonight, I think I figured it out. THEY JUST DON'T CARE!! I guess there is less stress if you are only there for the money and not the pts/res, but I just can't go to work and not care. And as for paperwork, I agree, it is ridiculous and getting more so by the day!!

Tweety, BSN, RN · Nov 19, 2002

I hear you loud & clear. Been there done that. Those stretches of days sometimes just kill you.

Sleepyeyes · Nov 20, 2002

yup. got slammed last night bigtime; no break and 2 hours ot. shifts like that make me feel like such a failure.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Nov 20, 2002

Sleepy eyes, I do know how you feel. But blaming ourselves for being busy isn't helpful.

I did once go through a bad stretch of days when I was working 8 hours shifts. The assignment I had was just murder day after day after day. I was staying late everyday, missing lunch. My manager who had no clue what went on while she was sleeping said "Don, do we need to talk to you and teach you time management?". I hadn't been working for her that long. She almost got murdered that morning, not a jury anywhere would have convicted me. LOL

I hate to say those were the days of hand-written time cards and not a time clock like we have now. I was so whimpy I always wrote down I left on time, just to shut her up. Makes me sick to think about it now. I literally gave away dozens upons dozens of hours.

Sleep well.

Cherry Soda · Nov 20, 2002

Yep, I usually run my ass off all day while others talk on the phone or chat all day. How do they do it? I really don't know. They don't care though, and that is obvious. Personally, I do care and could not stand to have people talking about me the way others talk about the lazy ones.

But it gets old.

I try to take one shift at a time, but after a few days off I start getting anxiety attacks about going back to work. I just know what's ahead of me for the next 12, 13, 14 hours and I can't handle it anymore. I have the least seniority and get the worst patients day after day after day.

I'm looking for a job away from bedside nursing. I've had enough.

Cherry

Dr. Kate, BSN, RN · Nov 21, 2002

Isn't the real problem that you care so much it hurts and makes you angry no one else seems to care at all.

I think you are doing the right thing for you by not working the extra hours and shifts. The frist person you have to care for is yourself. Then and only then will you have the resources to care for other people.

Have you taken some time to refresh your soul lately? There probably aren't too many flowers to smell but what about leaves turning color or snow falling. Or a cup of tea with a friend. Or smelling a baby's head.

I have a friend who talks about introverted sensation activity. That's a fancy way of saying solitary activity (gardening, sewing, even housecleaning, yuck) that gets your body moving but doesn't require interaction with other people. Those of us who have to deal with people on a continuous basis really, really need time when we can move about alone. I don't know why it helps (I'm a nurse, she's the psychology person) but it does.

RNforLongTime · Nov 21, 2002

I care but only to a point where I don't let it stress me. Whenever I am asked to work extra, I come up with an excuse. Oh, I have a Dr's appt, or I have to babysit my nieces while my sister is at work. I put in 40 hrs a week. I'll work overtime when the Vice President of Nursing gets out of her office and works the floor.

On second thought, that's probably a REALLY BAD IDEA as she hasn't touched a real live pt in like 15 years and would be totally useless.

SmilingBluEyes · Nov 21, 2002

Just too much...that you care so is a really wonderful thing to read...but guard your heart and health carefully...you are all you, your family and your patients have! Take good care of that investment. I wish you well........get some REST!