This is for all the students I freaked out...

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Okay, guys. Let's talk turkey for a minute here. Seems I might have scared a few of you with my 'that's it, I'm out' post a few days ago.

Let's start with that post, and what was going on with me at the time. I'd just come off the shift from hell, and was, ah, shall we say, a wee bit RAW. I know you guys understand stress as students, but believe me, when it's your name on the chart with the big RN or LPN after it, and YOU are the official go-between for the physician and patient, it's a whole different ball game. I was FRIED, okay? To put it mildly, my 'coping skills' ain't the greatest right now, due to other things going on in my personal life I don't care to go into. I needed to blow off steam. I was about 3/4 serious when I wrote that, ready to chuck it in for a nice cushy desk job.

I've had a couple of days now, in conjunction with 'group therapy' in the chat room and some advice from my elders, and am a little less crispy at the moment. I'm feeling better, and although I'm still not quite sure what I'm going to do (home health, decrease my hours, run off and join the hari krishnas...), there's about an 80% chance I won't leave nursing. Okay, more like 90%.

Look...yes, it's stressful. Yes, there are some shifts where you DO fantasize about taking your hemastats and clamping them on that jerk of a doc's testicles or jabbing them in your co-worker's eye socket. Yes, some days you come home and you cry. Sometimes you cry BEFORE you get home. But some days are good. Some are great. Some days, you think to yourself, 'I love this job!' You laugh with your friends. You laugh with your patients. Someone tells you 'thank-you' or 'you're a really great nurse.' Nursing, a la forrest gump, is like a box of chocolates...you never know what you're gonna get!

I had a bad day. I had a bad week. I needed to come here and talk to my peers, as they are the ones who really understand where I'm coming from. Please, please, PLEASE don't let my temporary slump deter you from what can be a great career. Nursing is what you make of it, which is true with any career. I just need a vacation, a good long foot massage, and maybe a little re-work of my job situation.

Everyone cool? Great. Have a good rest of the week. biggrin.gif

Kday, I'm glad I caught you on the chat thingy. I have always enjoyed your commentary. I especially like the graphic examples! Students should read these, once in a while, to get a better perspective, I think. Take care of yourself, because who else will do it? You are really cool!

Kday: Figured you'd be back. Some days are impossible to describe, huh? There is just no way a non-nurse can possibly relate to what our job entails. You have to survive those days from hell and those moments when you know you've made a significant difference in another persons wellbeing. Tahiti for about a month sounds pretty good to me.

Originally posted by buckboomer:

Kday, I'm glad I caught you on the chat thingy. I have always enjoyed your commentary. I especially like the graphic examples! Students should read these, once in a while, to get a better perspective, I think. Take care of yourself, because who else will do it? You are really cool!

Thanks, buck...glad I ran into you, too. biggrin.gif

Specializes in ER.

I'm so glad you're back and with us again. You have a lot to add to the profession, not to mention the BB. When dealing with nitwits at work, think about the lives you have saved just by being there, and insisting that thingss be done safely and correctly.

We're all in the handbasket with you-hang on.

Kday

As a nursing student let me assure you that you did not "scare" me.. I thought it was great the way the people on here rallied for you and tried to cheer you up. You are only human and I can only imagine how hard it will be to be a real nurse. Thanks for your honest input. smile.gif

Paula

lol lol lol

Sorry, I couldn't resist. I wouldn't wanna be that Dr. OR the Co-Worker. lol lol

I almost lost my iced-coffee all over the keyboard. You really should warn people that you are so funny.

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Sheryl

Specializes in ER, PACU, OR.

Yes. Kay is absolutely right. We have all been through nursing school, and know that particular feeling of stress/pressure. However, there are times, when it's much worse, when you kow you are ultimately the difference between a seemingly uncontrollable life or death situation, and/or just plain keeping up with your legal responsibilities. Unfortunately, the one thing that cannot be underestimated is the amount of legal responsibility you will have when you are a nurse. I think the schools, call it accountability, which actually now days means legal responsability. Now days, that's what counts, because people are just chomping at the bit, to find a reason to file a lawsuite and get rich quick, so they can dump their jump and live well. One thing for sure, nurses are not living that lifestyle.

Anyways, good luck to all, and don't let any post on theses BB's persuade you to quit. You have to do what YOU want to do!

smile.gif

Rick

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