I am DONE!!!!!!

Bugaloo · Feb 15, 2008

I have felt this way many times, sadly enough. A lot of sweat, tears and sleepless nights went into getting my nursing degree, so I am very reluctant to give it up.

That being said, at times I feel as though nursing is no longer about the patients. Staffing ratios are horrible, the charting is redundant, and at times, we are forced to cut corners in order to get our work done.

I am used to dealing with patients that are rude, demanding, and obnoxious at times, but the other day, for the first time in my nursing career, the police had to be called because a patient went ballistic. I fear that someday, a disgruntled patient will come back to the hospital with a sawed off shotgun and start shooting. I know that sounds pessimistic, but I truly fear that it could happen.

The rural area in which I practice has an extremely high percentage of drug users. In a 30 bed hospital, we average 10-20 overdoses in a month. We also have a lot of patients who are drug abusers who demand a MS or Demerol PCA when they arrive on the floor and behave in a threatening manner when they do not get what they want. The very sick patients often do not get the care they need because you spend the majority of your shift dealing with the problem patients.

Administration/Management does not back you up. Instead they cater to the whims of these types of patients and also to the whims of unreasonable family members. When the nurses try to follow protocol or procedure, we are often reprimanded for doing so because a family member complains. It is very demeaning and demoralizing to the nurses.

I try very hard to focus on the positive aspects of my job: Good pay, a smile or thank-you from a patient, a rare "easy" night with little commotion, working 12 hour shifts, so I have more days off. I also try to remain emotionally and mentally neutral. I think that most nurses are very caring and sensitive people, which makes it difficult for a lot of us to admit that we are not completely satisfied in our career choice. We are helpers and doers by nature, therefore we help and do until we are close to burn out. Being unable to do our job the way we would like makes us frustrated and disillusioned.

allnurses Guide · Feb 15, 2008

I have definately felt the same way, many many times. Anymore though, it's never "I am DONE with nursing", but more "I am DONE with Med/Surge" or "I am DONE with hospital nursing". I am married with two small children and there's no way I could switch careers or go back to school now. No time, no finances either.

But I have felt the same way. As far as "I am DONE with Med/Surge"... I usually feel that way, very strongly, at least once a week.

Nascar nurse, ASN, RN · Feb 15, 2008

Well... I AM done with long term care. Gave my notice today as a matter of fact. No job lined up yet, but will have to see what happens

Justhere, BSN, RN · Feb 15, 2008

I have felt that way with many of my jobs. Sad to say I have only stayed in one place for about 4 years before I move on. The last job I had I probably would have remained, but I went back to school to get my RN and needed less hours and more money, then I got bilateral inguanal hernias and could not return full time to lifting the 60 lb little boy I took care of and sadly he passed away in 2006. But already I love the nursery but hate the low patient nurse ratio, and if you have a sick baby the ratio does not change, you still can have 5 babies to one nurse. But alot of the times the sick baby takes up all your time. Then in the middle of the night if you get more admissions there is no one to call to come help, so your ratio just went up from 5 to how many ever more you get.

My advice is try a different floor, or a different field of nursing. I have been thinking about going to be the nurse at my kids school, I hear they are hiring. But I want my 4 month old to be over a year before I put her in daycare.

snortzmom · Feb 15, 2008

Have you thought about doing something different in nursing? Administration, education, school nursing, botox?

nyapa, RN · Feb 15, 2008

Sick of being put in postions that are unsafe, watching physicans make decisions out of exhaustion, watching patients die. I am done!

You are not the only one, and many of us know where you may be coming from. So many times I have looked at leaving too, only to have some wonderful ppl support me. It is interesting, and so true, that you point out that others, such as doctors are also under similar stresses.

Obviously this has happened to you over a long time, but was there any particular incident that brought you to this point?

We are helpers and doers by nature, therefore we help and do until we are close to burn out. Being unable to do our job the way we would like makes us frustrated and disillusioned.

Sums it up in a nutshell.

RN1989 · Feb 15, 2008

You are in good company. I am now in the process of leaving the bedside and I feel wonderful about it.

NurseCherlove · Feb 15, 2008

I have felt this way many times, sadly enough. A lot of sweat, tears and sleepless nights went into getting my nursing degree, so I am very reluctant to give it up.
That being said, at times I feel as though nursing is no longer about the patients. Staffing ratios are horrible, the charting is redundant, and at times, we are forced to cut corners in order to get our work done.
I am used to dealing with patients that are rude, demanding, and obnoxious at times, but the other day, for the first time in my nursing career, the police had to be called because a patient went ballistic. I fear that someday, a disgruntled patient will come back to the hospital with a sawed off shotgun and start shooting. I know that sounds pessimistic, but I truly fear that it could happen.
The rural area in which I practice has an extremely high percentage of drug users. In a 30 bed hospital, we average 10-20 overdoses in a month. We also have a lot of patients who are drug abusers who demand a MS or Demerol PCA when they arrive on the floor and behave in a threatening manner when they do not get what they want. The very sick patients often do not get the care they need because you spend the majority of your shift dealing with the problem patients.
Administration/Management does not back you up. Instead they cater to the whims of these types of patients and also to the whims of unreasonable family members. When the nurses try to follow protocol or procedure, we are often reprimanded for doing so because a family member complains. It is very demeaning and demoralizing to the nurses.
I try very hard to focus on the positive aspects of my job: Good pay, a smile or thank-you from a patient, a rare "easy" night with little commotion, working 12 hour shifts, so I have more days off. I also try to remain emotionally and mentally neutral. I think that most nurses are very caring and sensitive people, which makes it difficult for a lot of us to admit that we are not completely satisfied in our career choice. We are helpers and doers by nature, therefore we help and do until we are close to burn out. Being unable to do our job the way we would like makes us frustrated and disillusioned.

I truly could not have said it better myself!!

littlepeach · Feb 17, 2008

I am done with hospital nursing. The administration is so full of bull. Justifying unsafe practices and kissing up to patients that don't appreciate us is for the birds. I have been in this profession for 7 years and I kind of wish I would have went into something like ac repair or plumbing! LOL!

tnmtnman · Feb 17, 2008

i feel your pain ive been a nurse for too many years and have worked ed,,med surg,,rehab,,pcu,,and now in or everywhere but ob and after some days even that is looking good the great thing is many places to work in this field:yldhdbng:

meriposa · Feb 21, 2008

Im done too!! I have done L+D only three years and I recently have been out on maternity leave and am looking for a job away from the bedside. Im done with having to challenge the doctors decisions everyday, being told by management that its my job to physically remove the pitocin from the pump and bring it out of the room when the patient is hyperstim for only ten minutes and get confrontation with the doctors on a daily basis- (not to mention looking like a baffoon to the patients), I feel like they want me to the MD and not a nurse. IM done with managing two inductions on pit, while watching every other nurses strip, trying to be a baby nurse for three nurses at one time while trying to admit a patient, done doing a delivery and 20 min afterwards being told you have a 6cm admission waiting in triage for you, IM done not eating or having a sip of water until 530 pm everyday, done feeling like im going to pee or crap myself because I cant get relief during a three hour pushing marathon....how UNSAFE AND UNFAIR!! I want to be compensated for what Im expected to do, and instead my staff and myself are unappreciated, not valued and totally underpaid. IM DONE!! (sorry for being so bitter!)