I cringe at the thought of work

Nurses General Nursing

Published

You are reading page 3 of I cringe at the thought of work

ALHRN11

8 Posts

Subsippi: 3- 12's is considered part time here. I was only doing 2-12's but my new boss decided to make everyone 36hrs/week to ensure we are fully staffed. Her thoughts are, "take it or leave it".

ALHRN11

8 Posts

EVERYONE: I am so touched by the outpouring of support! You have no idea how your suggestions and advice have made such a difference! Bless you all for your kindness! There was a part of me that was expecting the negative comments and there may be some coming, however the ones who've already contributed something positive has already made that difference.

Ideally, Outpatient Oncology would be something I can enjoy. I LOVED the patients and I LOVED helping them and felt privileged they allowed me to be a part of a very private moment of their life. Maybe I'll get lucky and land a job in Oncology once we go home. We have 1 1/2 year left to go. :-)

I plan on going back to school eventually so I can increase my marketability once I go home. I'm trying to be positive and live life day by day. I also have small children so I have to make sure their needs are met before mine. It's a constant battle, but I'm not the first going through this and I certainly won't be the last. :-)

Now about landing a federal job, saying how difficult it is to get your resume looked at is an understatement. I'm also a "veteran" with a "spouse preference", but these days it's not about what you can offer, it's about who you know in the inside. I try not to be bitter and always think, it wasn't meant for me, however it can be a bit frustrating when it seems like you send in your application into a black hole. LOL.

I tried to go back to the ICU where I currently work, however my new boss already has her favorites running the positions they want... And yes, that includes allowing someone with no experience in the ICU and who's failed the dysrhythmia test twice land a slot in there. Again.... I guess it just isn't my time.

Thank you all again for your thoughts and advice! I am back in the jungle tonight. You've all lifted my spirits and I feel I can hang there tonight! :-)

Specializes in Family Practice, Mental Health.
Please do not suggest teaching to someone with the smallest sliver of experience and who wants to leave bedside nursing at the earliest opportunity- students deserve to have someone who enjoys the bedside role and who can help them navigate the many pitfalls of nursing by having actually experienced most of them. There's a lot of good advice on this post but I don't think this is some of it since 99.9 percent of new nurses will have a first job that involves direct patient care. I'm not saying the OP should never teach, I just don't think that should be her short term plan.

I agree with the poster above.

Please do not go into teaching. You may even consider getting out of patient care completely ~ but that does not make you a bad person!! Nursing is flexible enough that there is something for all nurses.

I would like to suggest research. Look into it. You may very well be pleasantly surprised.

CheezheadFLRN

10 Posts

ALHRN11-

I am not sure I have anything more to offer you that hasnt already been said. I am a firm believer in "everything happens for a reason". I have a Bachelors in Community Health and a minor in Health Education. It wasnt enough for me, as I had wanted to be a nurse for several years. I went back to nursing school, accelerated, almost quit halfway through the program. My father (a veteran) convinced me that I had it in me to complete the program, so I did. I graduated, probably lowest in the program. Then I told everyone I wanted to go back to being a nanny or daycare worker where I was happy making $8/hr. Then I realized "be careful what you wish for". The economy crashed at the same time. The hospitals were not offering graduate nurse programs, they wanted experience to hire me, but no one would give me the experience, catch 22. I worked for Early Head Start with two Bachelors making $12/hr because that was the only place that would hire me as I was "over qualified" for any position outside of nursing. Then, a stand along psych unit offered me a full time night position. I jumped on it thinking if I do one year I am no longer considered a graduate nurse and I can switch to something I want to do. I started the job, at first I was extremely nervous, I would go home at night thinking about things I had forgotten to do, worrying about if my patients were ok, stressing about my license being in jeopardy, and again I wanted out. I want to quit in the worst way because my anxiety was getting the best of me. I had a manager from hell that cornered me and screamed orders at me one night, I had physicians that I couldnt understand what they were saying, and we were still using paper charts. Everything was so foreign to me, and it didnt seem like it would get any better. I never, in a million years, wanted to be a psych nurse. I thought for sure I was going maternal health or PEDS. I will say, that 4 years later, I am still a psych nurse. Eventually you build that comfort zone. Dont get me wrong, I still have days where my anxiety is through the roof. In four years I have worked for 5 places. I attempted med-surg nursing, they gave me 6 days of training having never been a med-surg nurse, and threw me to the wolves. I am proud that I lasted 5 months! LOL Then I went to Tricare because I was convinced I wanted OUT of bedside nursing. I did telephonic case management for 7 months, super boring, and I missed my interaction with my patients. So..back to inpatient psych I went. Now, I work PEDS psych and I have to say that its really not all that bad. Most of my patients are medically stable, no tele, nothing in our rooms or on our walls, they walk and talk, and they do for themselves. The parents tend to be worse than some of the kids at times. Many nights I sit here, on Allnurses. haha I do have some rough nights still, a psychotic kid, or a child with oppositional/defiant behaviors that wants to turn the unit upside down, but those are far and few. Again, I believe everything happens for a reason. I still doubt myself and my abilities at times, despite the fact that staff and management continuously tell me I am a fantastic nurse, I was meant to do psych, I'm such a great team player, etc. We are our own worst enemies. My dad taught me as a teenager that no matter where you work, there is going to be someone you dont get along with. You can't let that affect you. My first preceptor told me (in reference to my horrid manager) that people like that hang themselves, and he couldnt have been more right. She walked out one night, never gave a two weeks, and never came back. :) Have you considered branching into psych? Being a veteran and marrying a military man, you may do very well working with other veterans who have mental health issues. PTSD is huge now. I have been told one of the easiest places to work (for psych) is the VA. Tricare wasnt all that horrible either, it just wasnt my cup of tea. If you loved oncology, you may enjoy the psych aspect as well because oncology has a huge mental health component to it. Anyways, I hope this helped it some form or fashion. Keep your head up! You are not alone! I still come to work some nights thinking if I could make a nurses salary working as a nanny, I'd be a nanny! lol Everything does happen for a reason. :)

tyvin, BSN, RN

1,620 Posts

Specializes in Hospice / Psych / RNAC.

Hey girl...local girl here. "What" "you no like work with the kind eh?" Just joking. The mainland people have no idea what's going on over here, but I hear you so very loud and clear. Thank the Gods I'm done with nursing over here and moving to the mainland. In general, everyone I know has already gone to the mainland and I'm just waiting on a court case I'm involved in and than I'm outa here!

I can no longer stand by and watch the BS that goes on. Every time I see a mainland nurse talk about how they want to work in Hawaii I get chicken skin and hope they never make it...for their sake. Granted, some do succeed, but you and I both know it's not what you know but who and who you are. I say give it all back to the Hawaiians; it was an illegal overthrow that has never been settled. Hold on girl and smile; the tour will be over before you know it.

There are many post about things nurses can do instead of bedside nursing on this site and others. Good luck to you...you got your whole life ahead of you.

Aloha

MMARN, BSN, RN

914 Posts

Specializes in Cardiac/Telemetry.

I am so sorry you're feeling this way. Honestly, though, I think almost (if not, all) of us at bedside nursing are feeling what you're feeling. The burden being put on nurses these days borders on abuse. So, I can understand where you're coming from. I think your best bet right now would be to specialize in something. Any outpatient clinics or something like endoscopy that would enable you to have very little bedside contact would be something you might like to pursue. Legal nursing is also something that makes good money and has no patient contact at all. Plus, I think legal nursing lets you have pretty much all the autonomy you might need to work for yourself. Good luck!

Specializes in LTC Rehab Med/Surg.

I haven't liked being a nurse, or my job, for a while.

What has made it almost unbearable, is the disrespect from the patients.

You expect the MDs and management to dump on you. I simply can't handle the people I'm breaking my back for, treating me like I'm the cashier at WalMart.

Sorry, I admit I have not read all the responses yet, so someone might have already suggested this but here goes. I feel for you, and although I can't say I feel the exact same, I have found nursing really hard because of some health issues I have. I decided to go into home health because I heard it was generally less stressful. I have liked it so far for the most part and would recommend it for you at least until you can decide what to do. If you get the right case you might even be able to study on the job if your client is sleeping and you want to go back to school. I work a full time night shift where most nights I have at least 4 or 5 hours of free time. One could easily study and do class work on a case like mine. They aren't all like this, but they are out there. A home health job would be a way to work while you go back to school. Night nurses are in demand, and generally they are easier in some ways as long as you have a stable client. You don't have to talk to docs or supers unless there's a serious issue.

Just my 2cents. How you find the answer.

mama.RN

167 Posts

As others have said, you may want to consider an trying an oncology (or other) clinic/private practice again if you liked that. I work in a specialty clinic and although there is interaction with patients, it is not like on a hospital floor. As far as families, the interaction is limited to the duration of the visit, then it is strictly over the phone which is pretty tolerable. If you choose a small practice, that can contribute to a nice work environment too. It is a peaceful existence most of the time. Don't get me wrong, it's busy, can be stressful, I use my knowledge every day and am always learning something new. But, I very rarely deal with all of the other factors that would make me dread going to work.

elsterling27

6 Posts

What about becoming a school nurse? I've been a LPN for 10 years, and I'm going back for my RN in January. I had a terrible time trying to decide what to do with myself when I was suffering from burnout- the thought of going back to school for something I was already doing was... difficult to swallow. I worked on a traumatic brain injury unit for years, and psych, and chemical dependency. I know all about feeling burned out. "Compassion Fatigue." But it does get better. They say a change is as good as a break. I day dream about being a school nurse. Hanging out, giving nebs, getting to know all the kids... and summers off. There is something out there for you. It's normal to feel this way. Don't let the bleeding heart martyrs make you feel bad. Most of them are full of sh**. It's ok to feel this way. But listen to it.

seanynjboy, BSN

225 Posts

Specializes in Medical-Surgical, Supervisory, HEDIS, IT.

There are so many avenues of nursing that do not involve bedside nursing. I personally HATED bedside nursing as well. I took an IT nursing position where I provided onsite support to nurses going through a paper to EMR transition. (Cerner) Although I hated Cerner, I loved that job. I wish I could do that full time rather than a short-term contract thing. I got a job in home health, but only lasted 3 weeks because we decided to move.

I moved, and when I got to NJ, I found a job managing a doctor's office. I am the only RN there, I have an LPN and 5-6 MAs working under me. I personally love administration.

I truly hope you find your niche! :)

Good luck!

monellsr68

1 Post

You took the words right out of my mouth! I am so sick of going to work and smiling, bending over backwards for my patients (nursing home patients), running 10 - 12 hours with no break, just so I can deliver everyones pills exactly when, where, and how they want them. Unappreciative, rude!! No thank you or please. No kind words. I have been lying to myself for the past 10 years, telling myself and everyone else how wonderful it is and how I have this purpose driven life of bringing comfort and healing to the elderly and less fortunate. What a crock!!!! I just couldn't bare to admit to myself or anyone else that I had just spent 20 grand on schooling for a career that will probably be the death of me. The Stress!!! The hours!!!! The workload!!!! The B.S.!!!! That must be how they came up with BSN!!!! HA! I hope I have not offended anyone. I am obviously burned out. At least on geriatric care.

+ Add a Comment