help! i think i hate nursing!

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Mar 15, 2008

Personally, I found being an LPN on the floor to be stultifyingly boring so I understand it. I spent my days pounding out meds and wheeling people to the dining room.

Getting the RN affords you a lot more choices. I'm almost done with mine, and just that I'm going for it along with my systems background opened the door to my getting into informatics, which I prefer.

engima2174 · Mar 15, 2008

What about Nursing don't you like? what made you get into Nursing initially? Any chance that your pregnancy may be enhancing your negative feelings of Nursing?

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Mar 15, 2008

You might need to change specialties. I worked on a rehab unit and hated most minutes of it. Working in rehab entailed constant tension and stress for me, verbal abuse from family members, and annoying patients who suffered from "needyitis." There was always too much to do, and so very little time with which to manage my tasks. I now work in a very traditional LTC unit and am somewhat enjoying it. Some of my patients are younger psych cases, and others are little old ladies and men.

Before you give up, keep trying different areas. There's always something that will interest you.

eldragon · Mar 15, 2008

Personally, I found being an LPN on the floor to be stultifyingly boring so I understand it. I spent my days pounding out meds and wheeling people to the dining room.
Getting the RN affords you a lot more choices. I'm almost done with mine, and just that I'm going for it along with my systems background opened the door to my getting into informatics, which I prefer.

I agree with this post.

I have only been a practicing LPN for 2 weeks at a skilled nursing facility, and I feel like I'm an underpaid waitress.

I'm constantly running, from the second I clock in until the second I clock out. There is too much to do and not enough time to do it in. The morning med pass is a nightmare, and I see no way to do it correctly and get it done on time. But if it's not on time, nothing else will be on time, either. And the only "extra" time I have to cut into, is my 30 minute unpaid lunch break. I need that break to sit down, hydrate and rejuvenate myself. Yesterday I didn't get my lunch break, because there was too much to do. The facility policy is that, if you don't take a lunch, they still dock 30 minutes from your check. How is that fair, when I was busting my hump instead of resting, when I needed a break so badly?

And I started my period yesterday.

From the time I stepped out of my car until the time I sat back down in my car after work - I did not sit down. My back was killing me after work. I was in a horrible mood, and took 2 advils and went to bed at 7 pm, but not before yelling at my daughter and husband.

Will I get used to this? Will it get better? This isn't what nursing should be.

I'm like an underpaid waitress.

bb.rn · May 20, 2008

I am a registered nurse of less than 2 years. I have tried EVERYTHING!! Including hospital floor, nursing home, home health, geri-psych, psych nursing, MDS nurse...I have written before regarding this stuff months ago, am still having the same troubles. I feel like I'm whining but I honestly just hate to go to work. I have worked before at jobs for years so I know it's not that I just don't want to work. I worked as a home health aide for about 6 years before going to nursing school, it took me a long time to make the committment to go to school and I wish that I had listened to my instincts or to other nurses who tried to tell me that - yes, you will make pretty good money, but, you will work for it. Right now I am in orientation at a nursing home. The educator who is supposed to be orienting me is going through a divorce, her mother has a brain tumor, her kids come in and out of the office all day, everything is so disorganized. I have not learned one thing about the job that I will be doing and I will start my rotation NEXT WEEK!! It is causing me so much anxiety and frustration that I have no motivation to be there. My husband says, look at it this way - you are still getting paid to train and when you start your rotation it will be different. But the thing he doesn't understand is when I start my shift 11p-7a, I will be the only RN in the building with approximately 110 residents. There will be other nurses, aides, but I will not know what in the world I am doing much less be able to supervise anyone else. I have run into this before. The other employees will lay everything on the RN so fast it will make your head spin. I really don't mean to discourage anybody from getting their RN, but think long and hard about the responsibility that will be YOURS before you make that committment. If I had it to do over, maybe I wouldn't go into nursing at all but I would certainly do the LPN first to get that experience before being thrown into so much - IVs, supervising and everything else that goes along with being a registered nurse. And please believe me, you will get thrown into situations you are not ready for no matter what they tell you when you are hired. There is definitely a shortage of nurses, no one to put you through proper orientation because of shortage of staff, and with that comes inexperienced educators. So it seems like a no win situation, and I hate that. I have had really good experiences that were brief but gave me hope to keep going, but it boils down to spending 12 hours running, trying to keep up with meds, treatments, etc, while trying to figure out what in the world you are doing. There are nurses that will help you but I have also found more than not, other nurses who WON'T help and they will watch you struggle so by the end of your shift you are so aggravated, not to mention exhausted, that it seems utterly impossible to return to that situation. I have heard the same complaints from others so I don't think it's just me. I am at a loss of what to do, I need to work but am just about at the end of my rope when it comes to nursing.

racing-mom4, BSN, RN · May 20, 2008

I think there are a few points to this original post...1st being your pregnant. Having survived 4 pregnancy's I know my emotions were very raw. I was easily upset and frustrated over what my non pregnant self would consider pety things.

2nd being your still a relativly new nurse. 6mos in. You may not like your job for good reason, even your non pregnant self may not like this job and that is OK. You may need to find another job, unfortunately being pregnant now it may be hard to find another job that will orient and train you then let you take 12 weeks off and come back and basically have to re-orient and train you all over.

My advice is if financially able go down to part time--get a Drs note if need be. Try to take one day at a time and know that when your on maternity leave you will be searching out other jobs. When baby is about a month old put your application out there. Maybe call some places you think you would like to work and inquire about job shadowing. If you have a plan in place now, it will make your day easier to get through.

best of luck to you!!!

Curious1alwys, BSN, RN · May 20, 2008

I agree with this post.
I have only been a practicing LPN for 2 weeks at a skilled nursing facility, and I feel like I'm an underpaid waitress.
I'm constantly running, from the second I clock in until the second I clock out. There is too much to do and not enough time to do it in. The morning med pass is a nightmare, and I see no way to do it correctly and get it done on time. But if it's not on time, nothing else will be on time, either. And the only "extra" time I have to cut into, is my 30 minute unpaid lunch break. I need that break to sit down, hydrate and rejuvenate myself. Yesterday I didn't get my lunch break, because there was too much to do. The facility policy is that, if you don't take a lunch, they still dock 30 minutes from your check. How is that fair, when I was busting my hump instead of resting, when I needed a break so badly?
And I started my period yesterday.
From the time I stepped out of my car until the time I sat back down in my car after work - I did not sit down. My back was killing me after work. I was in a horrible mood, and took 2 advils and went to bed at 7 pm, but not before yelling at my daughter and husband.
Will I get used to this? Will it get better? This isn't what nursing should be.
I'm like an underpaid waitress.

:icon_hug::flowersfo:kiss

I am so sorry things are like this for you. I don't have any clue if it will get better, I just wanted to tell you I really feel for you. Sounds like it really sucks! My only :twocents: is for God's sake take your lunch if they dock you for it anyway. That's crazy. I think I'd rather fall behind and take care of myself than stay at par and go physically and mentally insane. So sorry! :uhoh3: :bow:

Curious1alwys, BSN, RN · May 20, 2008

I am a registered nurse of less than 2 years. I have tried EVERYTHING!! Including hospital floor, nursing home, home health, geri-psych, psych nursing, MDS nurse...I have written before regarding this stuff months ago, am still having the same troubles. I feel like I'm whining but I honestly just hate to go to work. I have worked before at jobs for years so I know it's not that I just don't want to work. I worked as a home health aide for about 6 years before going to nursing school, it took me a long time to make the committment to go to school and I wish that I had listened to my instincts or to other nurses who tried to tell me that - yes, you will make pretty good money, but, you will work for it. Right now I am in orientation at a nursing home. The educator who is supposed to be orienting me is going through a divorce, her mother has a brain tumor, her kids come in and out of the office all day, everything is so disorganized. I have not learned one thing about the job that I will be doing and I will start my rotation NEXT WEEK!! It is causing me so much anxiety and frustration that I have no motivation to be there. My husband says, look at it this way - you are still getting paid to train and when you start your rotation it will be different. But the thing he doesn't understand is when I start my shift 11p-7a, I will be the only RN in the building with approximately 110 residents. There will be other nurses, aides, but I will not know what in the world I am doing much less be able to supervise anyone else. I have run into this before. The other employees will lay everything on the RN so fast it will make your head spin. I really don't mean to discourage anybody from getting their RN, but think long and hard about the responsibility that will be YOURS before you make that committment. If I had it to do over, maybe I wouldn't go into nursing at all but I would certainly do the LPN first to get that experience before being thrown into so much - IVs, supervising and everything else that goes along with being a registered nurse. And please believe me, you will get thrown into situations you are not ready for no matter what they tell you when you are hired. There is definitely a shortage of nurses, no one to put you through proper orientation because of shortage of staff, and with that comes inexperienced educators. So it seems like a no win situation, and I hate that. I have had really good experiences that were brief but gave me hope to keep going, but it boils down to spending 12 hours running, trying to keep up with meds, treatments, etc, while trying to figure out what in the world you are doing. There are nurses that will help you but I have also found more than not, other nurses who WON'T help and they will watch you struggle so by the end of your shift you are so aggravated, not to mention exhausted, that it seems utterly impossible to return to that situation. I have heard the same complaints from others so I don't think it's just me. I am at a loss of what to do, I need to work but am just about at the end of my rope when it comes to nursing.

OMG, your post makes me want to fun FAR FAR away from nursing, lol. Hugs to you too. I really don't know how nurses do it. Put up with all of it and stay...

Curious1alwys, BSN, RN · May 20, 2008

...and to the OP....

I am now 30 weeks pregnant. I was a new grad when I got pregnant the first time and that ended in tragedy. I quit my first job after only a little over a month because I felt I couldn't take the stress combined with the pregnancy. Fast forward a few months, got another job, and got pregnant AGAIN! Well..never really even started that job before I decided, once again, I didn't want all the stress...especially now with a history of m/c. So...I have been working PT in another field this whole pregnancy. I am not sure if it was the right choice, but here I am. But how bad is that job hopping going to look when I go back??!!!

So..my advice to you would be that yes I think hormones play a role. I am so irritable pregnant. It doesn't take long for me to reach my limit. Even if I had stayed in my job, to be honest, I probably would have left later anyway cuz pregnancy sucks, physically (for me anyway!) and it is so hard to keep your emotions under check. I don't think my swollen feet could have ever taken the 12 hour shifts that turn into 14's! But..looking back I see that I kinda freaked out and if and when I do go back, now, how will I get a job? Will I be able to? etc. I had the same issues with FMLA and mat leave so that helped kinda make up my decision to leave nursing and go part time. There just were not any part time new grad positions..no one would hire me for that. So, given your current situation..unless you have some other less stressful job to fall back on (I did)..I'd stay..at least 6 months since you already have 6 months in. Then you will have a year and hopefully will be marketable to the point you can leave for mat leave and easily get a job after. It will be very difficult for me now given the choices I made. But you just do what you think is right for you at the time and then live with the choices you make, you know? What else can you do? :up:

Congratulations on your new little baby coming! BTW..when are you due?? This will be my first (little girl) and I am so excited yet so totally terrified! I am glad I don't have to worry about my day to day job at the same time, right now. Especially since we all know the state of nursing these days. :rolleyes:

bb.rn · May 20, 2008

OMG, your post makes me want to fun FAR FAR away from nursing, lol. Hugs to you too. I really don't know how nurses do it. Put up with all of it and stay...

I hate that but it really felt good to get this off my chest.

PN143 · May 20, 2008

I can relate. I feel the same way. I think I hate this whole field. I always dreamed of being a nurse and now that I am one, I hate it. I don't understand how I could have wanted this for so long and now I want to run as far away from it as I can go. For the most part, it is other nurses who have made me feel this way. I am a new nurse and it seems that more seasoned nurses hate us new nurses. I just want to get to a point where I am a "seasoned" nurse, but I have to start somewhere. I started my first day on the floor last week and every one was so nice that day, but my second day, a whole new crew acted as if i had a disease. They actually argued in front of me as to who had to be my preceptor. My feelings were hurt so bad and I was so upset by this that the rest of day was horrible. I couldn't concentrate on what I was supposed to do because I just knew all the other nurses were annoyed by my being there. All nurses start out the same way, fresh out of school with lots to learn. Please be considerate of the new nurses. We can learn a lot from you more seasoned nurses and we want to learn. Thanks to all who are more patient with us and take the time to teach us.