How are you feeling about nursing?

I have been doing some soul-searching, re: nursing, and how I feel about it, and what I want.

Where are you in your nursing career?

[gwenith, BSN, RN]

Trouble is I cold have at one time or the other chosen "all of the above". I HAVE been burnt - out, I HAVE left the direct patient care area to work in "office" jobs. I HAVE contemplated leaving but keep coming up against "to what?" Good days/Bad days.

I recently found that after years of ICU that I love working with patients who can speak (CCU) and interact. I love having fun with my patients - handing out quips and smiles as much as meds and obs. The patients seem to enjoy it too and on those days when the interaction is buzzing and you are doing something positive - those are the days I love.

I graduated in '92..A whole DECADE ago! I feel as though it were much more recent, because there is always something new to learn. I would say that I am content for now. If only I could go for my RN part-time!! (Need that paycheck) :)

I don't know how to answer...I've only been out of school for two years, but in my first hospital job for only four months.

I guess I would have to answer: Newbie, having good and bad days, but hanging in there.

[nowplayingEDRN]

I graduated in '92, too mert and although there is always something to learn, I feel I fall in to the seasoned but hangin catagory for now. I have been burnt crispie....I spent 1 yr and 8 months out of work due to an injury suffered on the job......I spent 3 months in a wallow of self pity because I was kicked to the curb during that time frame.....then I picked myself up by the boot straps and decided I was not so damaged that I could not make a come back in nursing.....enter Uncle Sam and a want ad in the general help wanted section and 5 yrs later I work as a civilian in a very small Army hospital as a archaic(sp) staff nurse in their SICU (I say archaic because our turn over is so high with everyone coming and going so often that i am considered an old timer here...lol). This job has it's own set of challenges, some the same as working in a civilian facility and yet there are challenges that I would have never been exposed to if I were not working here. Yes, I could make more money somewhere else (but i am too damn dedicated), yes I could work closer to home (this 1 ho ur commute is starting to do me in) and yes, I could be working in some high speed facility (and I'd be crispy fried like chicken, again). I stay for a variety of reasons but the biggest is that these people nee an advocate too...someone to stand up for quality care and patient privacy.....no it is not always pleasant and there is much more beaurocratic(sp....it's 1:30 am hey! lol) BS than most places but it is where I feel I am needed for now.....someday I may decide what I want to be whenI grow up and change but for now I will continue with the childhood dream andplay nurse (so to speak).

Christie

I feel good about nursing and patient care.

Not so great about healthcare finances and regulatory stuff.

I find that I get burnt out on jobs, but not theprofession. When the frustrations or boredom with tedium gets to me I start looking for a new job-but never a new profession and I graduated 22 years ago.

Since that category wasn't an option I didn't vote.

I think frequently we transfer our frustration with a current situation to the profession itself. I find that I'm much happier when I recognize that I love nursing, just need a new situation sometimes.

I feel good about nursing and patient care.

Not so great about healthcare finances and regulatory stuff.

I find that I get burnt out on jobs, but not theprofession. When the frustrations or boredom with tedium gets to me I start looking for a new job-but never a new profession and I graduated 22 years ago.

Since that category wasn't an option I didn't vote.

I think frequently we transfer our frustration with a current situation to the profession itself. I find that I'm much happier when I recognize that I love nursing, just need a new situation sometimes.

I wanted to put in more options/answers to choose from, but ten is the max allowed in a poll.

I've been anurse for ten years, and I have come to the conclusion this morning after a hellish week, that I am crispy-fried.

I thought that a change to a different area of nursing would help, but it hasn't.

I want to be able to provide my best for my pts, and take care of myself, too. In today's "get 'em in and get 'em out, increase your production and keep the herd moving" mentality, it is not possible.

I feel so discouraged and disillusioned right now.

=0(

I wanted to put in more options/answers to choose from, but ten is the max allowed in a poll.

I've been anurse for ten years, and I have come to the conclusion this morning after a hellish week, that I am crispy-fried.

I thought that a change to a different area of nursing would help, but it hasn't.

I want to be able to provide my best for my pts, and take care of myself, too. In today's "get 'em in and get 'em out, increase your production and keep the herd moving" mentality, it is not possible.

I feel so discouraged and disillusioned right now.

=0(

[jnette, ASN, EMT-I]

I hear you, Hellllllo ! The "system" really is the pits, but I do love what contact I have with our patients. Would like to expand my skills and knowledge to other areas yet.

Have you considered Home Health Nursing? A lot of redtape, I'm sure, (medicare billing, etc.) but perhaps you'd feel more like you were really doing patient care without all the"facility"/"hospital" hassle? It's something I'm considering for the future... perhaps IV nurse or woundcare in home health.

We'll see. Need to get more info on what options there are in that field.

[jnette, ASN, EMT-I]

I hear you, Hellllllo ! The "system" really is the pits, but I do love what contact I have with our patients. Would like to expand my skills and knowledge to other areas yet.

Have you considered Home Health Nursing? A lot of redtape, I'm sure, (medicare billing, etc.) but perhaps you'd feel more like you were really doing patient care without all the"facility"/"hospital" hassle? It's something I'm considering for the future... perhaps IV nurse or woundcare in home health.

We'll see. Need to get more info on what options there are in that field.

My choice was not up there either. Mine would be....I have left bedside care and work in an office. I did not leave due to burn out but because my goal when I went into nursing was to teach patients and other nurses and now that is what I do.

I like my job...now if they would just pay me a decent wage.

My choice was not up there either. Mine would be....I have left bedside care and work in an office. I did not leave due to burn out but because my goal when I went into nursing was to teach patients and other nurses and now that is what I do.

I like my job...now if they would just pay me a decent wage.

[sbic56, BSN, RN]

What an interesting poll! It looks like the majority of nurses, according to this mini cross-section, eventually wish they would have chosen soemthing different.

I'm in the "Seasoned nurse. Vacillating between wanting to leave nursing and hanging in there" group. But, then again, wouldn't just about anybody in the same field for 20 years be begging for some sort of change?

Dog grooming sounds like a viable alternative to me.

[sbic56, BSN, RN]

What an interesting poll! It looks like the majority of nurses, according to this mini cross-section, eventually wish they would have chosen soemthing different.

I'm in the "Seasoned nurse. Vacillating between wanting to leave nursing and hanging in there" group. But, then again, wouldn't just about anybody in the same field for 20 years be begging for some sort of change?

Dog grooming sounds like a viable alternative to me.

Was feeling a little crispy myself at the beginning of last year, dh was in nursing school and i was working full time while also taking care of my terminally ill bil and my end-stage copd fil.. lost both last year also, so I took a year off. Now back in nursing working in habilitation and actually enjoying nursing again.

It was touch and go for a little while though, after just 4 years i felt like all i did was nursing, really glad to have found my perspective and joy that i used to have for nursing again.

Was feeling a little crispy myself at the beginning of last year, dh was in nursing school and i was working full time while also taking care of my terminally ill bil and my end-stage copd fil.. lost both last year also, so I took a year off. Now back in nursing working in habilitation and actually enjoying nursing again.

It was touch and go for a little while though, after just 4 years i felt like all i did was nursing, really glad to have found my perspective and joy that i used to have for nursing again.

[zambezi, BSN, RN]

Hello everyone...couldnt find my part in the poll either but interesting topic, recent grad but i enjoy working so far, not disappointed in the profession, couldnt think of anything i rather be doing that is realistic, i figure that with any job there are really good parts and things we all hate (politics, low pay, etc) i really enjoy the unit i work in (ccu), the people i work with and most of the patients....some days are better than others of course...most of all i learn something new each day, and my paycheck is much better than what i was making as a student :) could it be that i found a niche already? I hope so...

[zambezi, BSN, RN]

Hello everyone...couldnt find my part in the poll either but interesting topic, recent grad but i enjoy working so far, not disappointed in the profession, couldnt think of anything i rather be doing that is realistic, i figure that with any job there are really good parts and things we all hate (politics, low pay, etc) i really enjoy the unit i work in (ccu), the people i work with and most of the patients....some days are better than others of course...most of all i learn something new each day, and my paycheck is much better than what i was making as a student :) could it be that i found a niche already? I hope so...

[yannadey, LPN]

"I'm seasoned vacillating btwn wanting to leave nursing & hanging in there".

I'm on to my 2nd job this month pt. load last night 70+1 admisssion only 3 nurses instead of 4 & was told this is normal (LTC) & some nights it may only be 2 nurses.

Why am I still awake at this time after a horrible night? Too angry to sleep & reading Sunday classified.