Burned out and hate nursing

goalienrse · Apr 30, 2013

I know the feeling OP. I've been a nurse for a year and a half only now and I truly hate this field.

Managers and nursing assistances can make all the difference too. Many managers are out of touch, play favorites, ding you for anything they possibly can, bully you, are ungrateful.

Many nursing assistances are downright hard to work with, lazy, expect you to do half their job (and tell the director of nursing on you if you don't, and you get in trouble), have an axe to grind against you because they feel bitter or something toward you because you have a degree (atleast it seems this way), they lie to your face, don't even dare ask them to do a task. Ofcourse there are the wonderful ones, but in my exp so far 80% have been the latter, and it sucks. lol.

Your over worked.

Pts are downright abusive and nasty and you just have to take it, on a daily basis too because there always seems to be atleast one rotten and mean pt on your set.

You get zero, nadda, respect as a registered nurse.

I have to go back to school to do something else or get out of bed side.

There were a couple students on here that this thread made them wonder about getting into nursing. My advice is I wouldn't. In fact I wish to god I never did. This is coming from someone who wanted to be a nurse for all the right reasons, I'm not lazy or afraid to work hard, can deal with a lot and have in life. But there are reasons nurses like me say what we do. Good luck to you guys.

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Apr 30, 2013

Since I was a little girl, I have always wanted to be a nurse. I wanted to help people. I wanted to heal. Now 4 years out of nursing school, I HATE nursing with a passion. I am a med/surg nurse with a BSN.
Reasons I hate nurses (in no particular order)
1. Most days I feel like a pill-pusher. I don't feel like I make a difference.
2. Doctors feel they are perfect.
3. Patient satisfaction scores.
4. Patient sense of entitlement. (see #3)
5. Family at the bedside dictating what they want...like I am their personal servant. I have to comply (see #3).
6. Lack of appreciation mized with how much more work can they give us.
7. Nights, weekends, and holiday. I don't want to give everything I've got only to see no return in work satisfaction.
I don't want to be a case manager. I don't want home health nursing. I really want to be outside of the hospital. Quite honestly, I want to be away from people. I would be quite content to work on a computer and have email interactions. Preferably work from home. Any suggestions?

Check this thread out in reference to number 3, 4, 5, 6....LOL

salvadordolly · Apr 30, 2013

I feel your pain. I couldn't go back to the hospital again for anything. You could see if your hospital would hire for things like utilization management or infection control.

GMG RN · Apr 30, 2013

WOW I dont think I know any nurse on either Tele or MEd/Surg that doesnt feel like this.

I felt the same way, I wanted to pursue something else another career altogether.

I was a Telemetry/Med Surg nurse for 2 years, and I hated every minute, I would get anxiety just to go to work, and pushed to 7 HEAVY patients every shift.

THEN I GOT A GOD SENT! I applied to the NICU, because it was something I always wanted to do, and I can say 2 months into it, I have found my place. I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE babies and I have job satisfaction every day. No ungrateful patients, no falls, no incident reports every minute, just smoothe sailing. The job is out there for you, you just need to find something you like. and go for it.

anotherone, BSN, RN · Apr 30, 2013

No. Quite honestly nothing else seems appealing. I would rather go back to customer service.

You are doing that now for a lot more money.... I hate it too sometimes. I don't think another specialty will make a difference .

anotherone, BSN, RN · Apr 30, 2013

I know of two new grads in my area - friend families, who are in Finance and Accounting who instantly were hired by big firms in the City (Chicago) near me with absolutely no effort on their part - they had multiple offers.
I have also heard these two areas are on the comeback, but without proof, like nursing you never know. But they said that that sector seems to be hiring and classmates had no trouble.

I have friends in NYC in big firms who work in finance. They work 80hr weeks. The biggest appeal about nursing is three 12s to me

CrunchRN, ADN, RN · Apr 30, 2013

Try other (non-hospital) areas of nursing. You have to put yourself out there and expend real energy, but once you get a different type of job it is worth it. I have been a non-hospital nurse for 20 years. These jobs however will not just fall into your lap. It is up to you what happens next.

netglow, ASN, RN · Apr 30, 2013

If you've never done a thing outside healthcare, it's hard to understand the difference. It's even to the level of basic human rights.

I have owned my own business, and let me tell you, 80 hour weeks fly by and really that's being comfortable doing sales are just near your laptop for calls. In the corporate world, the stress level is different and not nearly as high for obvious reasons - yes you deal with millions of dollars, but it's money not human life. You may be pushed hard, but absent are all the things that healthcare does to take away one's self esteem and health. You won't need your xanax or your antidepression meds just to get yourself to work. You certainly won't spend every hour outside of work eating and sleeping away your life.

Sometimes I think we hold back other nurses because it's nice having more people "in the same boat" instead of being happy someone gets out to something better. See how sick that is?

RiverNurse · Apr 30, 2013

How long have you been a nurse? Now then, onto options:

1. Get out of Med-Surg. Sounds like you're burned to a crisp.

2. Continue your education (i.e. specialize)

3. Consider nursing informatics (downside - then you'll have a different level of "entitled clientele").

Just a few thoughts from a middle aged frumpy nurse,

rivernurse

Kencanwin · Apr 30, 2013

Perhaps Travel Nursing would be to your liking. Your never in the same place too long and you tend to work in disadvantaged areas where any medical aid is greatly appreciated ( in general).

guest358111 · Apr 30, 2013

Since I was a little girl, I have always wanted to be a nurse. I wanted to help people. I wanted to heal. Now 4 years out of nursing school, I HATE nursing with a passion. I am a med/surg nurse with a BSN.
Reasons I hate nurses (in no particular order)
1. Most days I feel like a pill-pusher. I don't feel like I make a difference.
2. Doctors feel they are perfect.
3. Patient satisfaction scores.
4. Patient sense of entitlement. (see #3)
5. Family at the bedside dictating what they want...like I am their personal servant. I have to comply (see #3).
6. Lack of appreciation mized with how much more work can they give us.
7. Nights, weekends, and holiday. I don't want to give everything I've got only to see no return in work satisfaction.
I don't want to be a case manager. I don't want home health nursing. I really want to be outside of the hospital. Quite honestly, I want to be away from people. I would be quite content to work on a computer and have email interactions. Preferably work from home. Any suggestions?

Try other areas besides Med Surg! :) You might be surprised! I burned out of my first job two years in. I was sick, sick, sick of nursing. Took a few months off...applied other places(after a couple months when I could finally stand the thought of going through application processes again)...and got a job that I love. Four years in one specialty is a long time if you don't like it in my opinion.

hope3456, ASN, RN · Apr 30, 2013

I feel sorry for anyone considering nursing school right now. I'm glad there are posts like this to let people know. Just a little hint to anyone who is. when there is a " shortage" hospitals will be paying your tuition and giving you contracts before you even finish school. That is what I got back in 2002 - 2004. Now the market is saturated and you pretty much have to take what you can up the youknowwhat.