How stressful is nursing?

allnurses Guide · Jun 9, 2012

I find it very stressful (sometimes) and I believe that it is because I expend a lot of energy trying to stay calm, cheerful, professional and in-control.

It also tends to go against my grain (personality-wise) to be assertive, confident and out-going.

Hence, I won't do nursing full-time.

I joke and play music (not everyone can do that) at work to help with the stress.

However, I work psych.

Know that for all the "hard" days we have, there is often a day or two sprinkled in there that reminds me that my job is sometimes actually easy and sometimes actually fun!

It's worth it more on those good days, that's for sure.

nursefrances, BSN, RN · Jun 11, 2012

a day in my life as a nurse:1. potential to make a med error and cause serious harm/death2. dealing with death and dying3. begging for a peaceful death because it is humane and right4. working so short, you can't do right, and are held accountable for failing to do so5. doctors that don't talk to patients/family and you are held to a two hour needed talk, while patient go without care6. training new staff continuously, that leave after a year exp. it's exhausting to give so much constantly!7. written up for clocking in one minute late, what other "profession" even clocks in, let alone has a one minute timer?8. hospitals have become full service hotels where providing coffee to family is more important than patient care!9. no visiting hours, keeping family happy is more important than patient rest and recovery.10. management doesn't care what is done, just be sure to chart it was done, with no ability to do it all11. the patient without family that can't speak for themselves will be ignored for the unrealistic, angry, demanding family that brings all their personal issues into your shift, because it's all about them and their drama, they need their "moment".12. patient satisfaction scores are more important than saving the patient!13. family will keep patients alive until the social security check comes and they will drop them off at the er for made up reasons on the holidays to get a "break"14. the frequent flyer, the dka, that you have spent hours on that you finally have gotten through to, will be admitted next week.... with dka.15. fill out umpteen papers, or computerized charting that is occasionally fudged on times or time adjusted because you can't be everywhere to comply with the policies joint requirements, you do this because you were holding a hand for an hour with a new cancer diagnosis and 5 minutes late on reassessing pain. charting the pain assessment 5 minutes late will cause you to be written up, falling out of joint commission compliance. 16. when you take a break to pee and eat, the thoughts of all you need to still do is running through your head, and your patient is hitting the call buzzer, and your peers may be ignoring it, even though they really promised to "listen out" for 5 whole minutes. yes this is reality. you will need to find a way to be ok with all of that and still show up and do your best to provide the safest care, in the toughest circumstances, with (sometimes) everything against you, because you just might make a difference. when you do... on those rare moments... it is breath taking, and unexplainable to do so. it's those rare moments, that keep nurses, nursing. i wish there were more of them, but when they happen, they make me whole. i just wish there were more of them... that keep us going...

i think we might work at the same place.

all those things do happen and many times at least two or three are happening at the same time. but then i think about the patient that hugs you and thanks you sincerely when they get discharged. for the family member who appreciated that extra touch when you held their hand. i had a patient who was going on hospice with inoperable throat cancer look me in the eyes and hug me and tell me "thank you for saving my life while i was here" because i listened to his worries and him talking about his kids. this is why we do what we do. :) this is what makes it worth it.