I cringe at the thought of work

Nurses General Nursing

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I HATE my job... I HATE nursing... I've been a nurse going on 2 years and I can honestly say I wish I can go back and do something else. I cringe at the thought of going to work. I honestly feel sick and anxiety kicks in. My first job was in the ICU and while everyone I know was jealous and in awe of how I landed the job, there I was... a new grad in the ICU. I survived my 3 month preceptorship and I was on my own up until I had to move 'cause my spouse was transferred. But even then I was starting to HATE nursing. I can't stand bedside nursing.

I landed a job at our new place in an outpatient oncology clinic and I enjoyed it there up until my coworkers decided it was time to bully me out of the job 'cause I wasn't a local. So I ended up quiting 'cause I kept getting set up to fail. I didn't want to lose my license so I left my wonderful patients after three months.

So here I am in my third job as a tele (more like med surg) nurse at a third rate, barely hanging there hospital. Where do I even begin... Aside from being treated like a third world maid, I am constantly being hounded by drug seeking homeless patients who keep returning to us because the hospital is too hungry for ANY patients they can get their hands on. They will admit ANYONE... even those who have normal labs just to have patients and they bill the state at OUR expense!

Back to my rant... time and time again nurses are disrespected, devalued, and under appreciated by self-entitled patients/families. I can't stand having to wipe butt because they're too lazy to do it themselves, or they get off having someone do it for them when they are fully capable of doing it themselves. I'm tired of managers and coordinators ******** and whining about patient satisfaction when all they do is max you out with patients and give you 12 hrs to be a nanny, maid, servant, miracle worker on top of ensuring documentation is squared away so the hospital can get their reimbursement. I'm tired of nurses who swear they know everything and try to take advantage of you just 'cause they've a nurse longer than you.

I wish switching to another area of nursing was easy. Being where I am, everyone wants at least 2 years of specialty experience. I'm trying to be positive and talk myself into liking what I'm doing. I AM JUST TIRED OF NURSING!!!! I am so depressed and frustrated. I pray every time I go to work that I don't blow up... Of course I will NEVER hurt a patient, it's not in me to do so. However I want out... I REGRET wasting money on a degree I don't plan on using as soon I can find a way out. :-'(

Specializes in Certified Med/Surg tele, and other stuff.

Been there done that. I will say it here as well. It's not nursing, it's the facilities or specialties you have been working. I got out of nursing do to a toxic environment and was out for close to 5 years. Now I work at an amazing facility with excellent management. Yeah, sounds too good to be true, but these places do exist.

Hang touch and listen to what others have said. They have some really good advice. :)

Specializes in Psych.

I just do not know what to say except that it is not you and it is not your fault. It is also not easy to walk away. The same people who disrespect you now will have little understanding of why you no longer want to do it anymore. Nursing is considedered a good job; yet, most of the people I know who have become nurses did not become nurses because they wanted a job. But a job is what it has become and a back-breaking thankless job it is...

I just started a new position and I fear it is one of the toxic environments of which you speak. It has nothing to do with the patients, and everything to do with the staff.

The manager is an arrogant control freak. He has obvious favorites among his staff who have earned that distinction by tattling to him about every perceived shortcoming of their fellow RNs. He shows no interest in actually talking to the majority of the staff members or getting their input. I've never seen him say one word to an actual patient. The guiding principle on how the unit is run is "I've done it this way for years and it's always worked." Falling out of favor with the manager results in punishment in the form of undesirable schedule and assignments.

New staff are not welcomed, but hazed. It took me 2 weeks to get the chance to enjoy my first knife in the back courtesy of one of the manager's favorites. Egos run amok. Nurses power tripping to step on top of each other to gain the manager's favor and become one of the chosen elite. Secret societies work on quality improvement "projects" so their members can get promoted for higher pay, and patient care is almost an afterthought. Who cares about what patient care you gave, as long as the documentation is spot on?

Documentation is tailored to the needs of auditors, not patients or caregivers.

Specializes in ICU / PCU / Telemetry / Oncology.

I agree that management makes or breaks a work environment even when you have great staff. We have examples on one unit of those that are micro-managers to those that are laissez-fare to those who feel they are now managers so they avoid any patient care, even for a couple of hours of a staffing shortage. It's actually a shame to work in an environment where you cannot say "I would like to be like this manager if I ever become a nurse leader."

Sent from my iPad using allnurses

Delicate flower,

Your manager sounds a lot like mine. Yes. Our manager is pushing everybody to the cliff..

Our floor is one of the worst place to work in our hospital.

All of us, staff nurses are talking about leaving this floor soon. It is unbearable. It wasn't like this bad when I started working here about 2 years ago.

All the help has been eliminated because of "not making enough money" according to the management. It is toxic environment to work. Upper management don't care about patient acuity--> That's what they told us.

I am truly afraid that someday, something will happen to the patient and I am gonna be the only one who will be responsible for it (losing license over it).

We all know that management will throw you in the jungle, if something happen to you, you are on your own.

I have been running like a chicken with it's head cut off all the time..cuz I have to do everything like wiping patient's butt, giving pain med 1hr or q2hr for 3 or more patients in addition to new admission, hang IV antibiotic constantly, dressing change, answering call-bell, dealing with technical issue with the computer system, IV pump, bed...on and on.. We have 6:1 ratio but it looks like management are planning to give one more soon.

I am skeptical about finding any regional hospital that can provide me decent working environment. Recently, all the nearby hospitals are doing same thing (eliminating the help such as CNAs, Charge nurse, secretary...etc). So unless for some nurses who are willing to travel long distance, we have to stuck in here or find different type of nursing work.

Specializes in LTC.
In the majority of states you will only be able to teach clinicals with a BSN and that involves being in the hospital and at the bedside. Most states require and MSN to teach at the community college level...a Doctoral degree to teach at the University level AND you still have to do clinicals.

Ok gotcha. I wasn't sure about how that worked. Thanks. I didn't even think about the clinical bedside aspect of teaching. You're 100% correct. That being said, a BSN is not very far off course for a BS in Biology, maybe a couple of core Bio courses. Then get master's in Ed and teach Biology. Clinical problem solved. I'm just brainstorming. I really hope the OP finds happiness.

Hello there. You could always try putting in an application for pharmaceutical rep or a medical equipment rep. One of my cousin's retired at age 43, she was a drug rep. She was able to pay her mortgage off quite early, thanks to her lucrative bonuses. If I was younger, I would definitely take that path. However, this other friend of mine, he is in his late 50's, also just retired from his career of a medical equipment rep. He was paid quite well and all he did was in-services for various hospitals in his territory demonstrating equipment, new syringes etc.. Best of luck to you!

Hello there. You could always try putting in an application for pharmaceutical rep or a medical equipment rep. One of my cousin's retired at age 43, she was a drug rep. She was able to pay her mortgage off quite early, thanks to her lucrative bonuses. If I was younger, I would definitely take that path. However, this other friend of mine, he is in his late 50’s, also just retired from his career of a medical equipment rep. He was paid quite well and all he did was in-services for various hospitals in his territory demonstrating equipment, new syringes etc.. Best of luck to you!

That sounds pretty interesting! I didn't think nurse that go into that area.

Ok gotcha. I wasn't sure about how that worked. Thanks. I didn't even think about the clinical bedside aspect of teaching. You're 100% correct. That being said, a BSN is not very far off course for a BS in Biology, maybe a couple of core Bio courses. Then get master's in Ed and teach Biology. Clinical problem solved. I'm just brainstorming. I really hope the OP finds happiness.

Sounds like a good idea. :-)

I don't hate nursing per say, I just hate my patient population. Words can't describe the eye rolling I have when I come on shift and all of my patients are IVDU with Hep C and abscesses wanting pain meds every 5 minutes. I don't care about them nor do I feel sorry for them especially when they threaten me. Honestly I think I would like my job a lot more if I just switched geographical locations.

In the majority of states you will only be able to teach clinicals with a BSN and that involves being in the hospital and at the bedside. Most states require and MSN to teach at the community college level...a Doctoral degree to teach at the University level AND you still have to do clinicals.

True, but s/he can instruct LPN or CNA students in the classroom. Just an idea...;)

Specializes in PCCN.
Hello there. You could always try putting in an application for pharmaceutical rep or a medical equipment rep. One of my cousin's retired at age 43, she was a drug rep. She was able to pay her mortgage off quite early, thanks to her lucrative bonuses. If I was younger, I would definitely take that path. However, this other friend of mine, he is in his late 50’s, also just retired from his career of a medical equipment rep. He was paid quite well and all he did was in-services for various hospitals in his territory demonstrating equipment, new syringes etc.. Best of luck to you![/Quote/]

I have certainly looked into this, but all the ads wanted people with proven sales experience within a certain range of sales.

No hope there....

And, the medical device people wanted people with prior experience in that medical device.Huh???

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