I read Allnurses every day, rarely do I post. Over the past year or so I've been reading more and more about how hard "that first year of nursing" is and how many new nurses just can't handle it and are looking to get out. I understand.
As an old, seasoned nurse, now retired I have watched nursing get harder and harder, working with sicker and sicker patients with less resources. How long can this continue? I've read lately about nurses who need antidepressants and anti-anxiety meds just to be able to come to work each day. And we all nod and say that's just how nursing is now. I read about nurses who cry and dread each day that they have to come to work, working in fear of making a mistake. The horror, a human being might make a mistake. And then I read other nurses who say, "we should never make mistakes, we should triple/quadruple check everything we do because the poor patient should not be harmed in any way, ever." What utopia do they live in? And yet we have to drop everything that we are triple checking to run and get a family member an extra pillow or a soft drink or risk being reprimanded.
What other career puts such a burden on it's members? I can't think of any that routinely have members dreading to come to work and needing medications to get through a shift, maybe airtraffic controllers, or combat soldiers. I don't know.
And then we tell ourselves that we should be happy that we're lucky to have a job. Really? What is so lucky about this?
I started nursing 40 years ago on a busy labor and delivery unit. I was afraid at times. But there was a support system from the top down. Director of nursing, nursing supervisors, head nurses (they weren't called managers back then) and the shift charge nurse, everyone pulled together. I miss that. I left hospital bedside nursing 10 years ago because of the lack of support and teamwork, and the increasing focus on the patient "experience" versus a positive outcome of disease or injury.
I don't have an answer, well I do but for some reason, nurses I have known don't want to talk about solving problems for their profession. We're great at solving everyone else's problems but not our own. How long can this continue? I feel sorry for new nurses and for my older colleagues as well.
agreed, but look at the personality of the rookies. But look at what the CEOs of the hospitals chains want. All their staff on contract and independent of the hospital. We had this happen at McLean Hospitals in Michigan. All dr. were on contract, billed individually The Newbie nurses, cant handle the workload because the supervisors are poor quality.
They have been bubblewrapped, with a smartphone in each ear. I see quality of nursing in the future as poor.
I am a new grad myself. Started in the ICU new graduate program at my local hospital. I am 5 weeks in and must say, I love it and the support I am receiving from my department and preceptors. Is it hard work? Yes, but I love going there and learning and improving my skills. I am blessed to be in this department and to work within the ICU. Yes, there are stand off'ish nurses, but the doctors have been great and very patient with all of us new grads.
Listen, no place is going to be perfect. You have to decide what works for you. Complaining only sets up negativity, if you don't like nursing or your department, find s different department or maybe a different career. Good luck to all of you new nurses out there. Stay strong and keep going. Brush off the rude comments or bitter nurses and just do you:).
I mean this in the nicest way possible, but as a new grad with 5 weeks in an apparently very supportive (and very rare) environment, you need a few more years of seasoning before understanding the issues well enough to offer advice.
Well, all I can say is that after 35 years I'm finally retired. Most nurses don't last that long and nursing has probably shaved 10 years from my life. I'm really sorry about what new nurses have to face but honestly, I'm too tired to care. I know that comes with a price because what am I going to do, especially a boomer, when I need them? I just don't know and I don't know what the answers are. In some respects I think some feel entitled like they're somehow above direct care. Also, it is totally uncool how nursing has destroyed the diploma programs, arguably the best nurses ever. I saw an article once that said we need to have the BSN because they make fewer mistakes. What? Really? Nursing has also relegated the ASN to the bedside only, another bad move. i have an ASN and I was one of the best workers in my department: Medicare disease management. If we want the BSN as the only entry level, fine, but it must be through a process of attrition, not one of punishment. There are so many things wrong with nursing that are a threat to the survival of the profession that it would fill volumes. Volumes I tell you. The question is whether or not it's fixable and with current leadership I would say no.
Specializes in Med-Surg; Pain Clinic; School Nurse.
I absolutely agree with your post. As a Vet who finished my military service to become a nurse, the stress levels are almost one in the same. I have been a bedside nurse for 6 yrs and I believe I am moving away from it. I gave up countless hours with my children to work and was too tired on my days off to enjoy them. Life is too short and too precious to not have those years with them. It's crazy because, even with saying that, I feel a little selfish about leaving my fellow nurses out there.
I pray for our profession and those who are still pursuing changes to make it better.
Excellent post! Describes just how I felt for the last 5 to 8 years of staff nursing. I thought I would drop over dead while I was working. I also agree that the support was much better years ago. We were like a family. I hope that things get better but I don't have a lot of hope. I'm just glad that I am away from bedside nursing.
I see lot of comments/frustrations about the nursing job. This is really worrisome. How can this noble job be made less stressful? Thoughts?
I appreciate what you are going for, but after 20 years, I am beyond caring. I either hang in there until retirement (God willing in about 10 years) or I just figure something else out. I don't think there is anything to "do." If go to management with ideas to improve you get lip service and nothing ever changes. Sadly, you don't see any of our health care "colleagues" helping us or trying to lighten our load; in my experience they continue to dump a giant steaming pile of s*** on us and expect us to double check and check if they made mistakes, meanwhile expecting us to assist them like concierges. Then the patients verbally abuse you and act sweet to the physician. What can you do? Leave nursing? Emplode nursing as a profession; go back to the drawing board and call it something else? Maybe we won't be viewed as handmadiens? Clear lines should be drawn, and yet we still are pulled in a million directions because everyone wants a piece of you yet you bear the entire responsibility of the patient; bottom line there is no respect for you, your time, or what you need to acheve during your shift; everyone see you as there to assist them, I am just tired of it.
I tend to disagree. No career is perfect. I guess I didn't go into nursing with rose colored glasses on. I've been in healthcare for many years. I didn't like what I used to do, so I left and went down another path. My advise, if you can't stand it and cry in your car, then maybe this isn't the career for you
I've been a bedside nurse for 2 years now. I dread every day I have to work. During my days off I dread going back to work. When I see a ditch digger I get jealous of their job. I've often wished I were in a car accident so I wouldn't have to work. I'm on antidepressants in order to function. I've been looking for a new job outside of bedside, but with only 2 years experience I am apparently not marketable. My previous job was as a medical biller for 15 years. Before starting nursing school I was getting restless thinking that I was not contributing to society in any way, so I decided to go to nursing school. It was by far my biggest mistake in life. Now, I'm stuck and miserable.
Specializes in Med/Surg, OR, Peds, Patient Education.
Wow, I guess I'm not alone afterall. I just happened upon this article and it really resonates in me.
When I became an RN in the early 90's nursing was great! The hospital I worked at was a pretty decent size and staffed well. We never had anything to complain about. Life was good. After 7 yrs I left work to raise my family and we decided I'd go back later when it was time to pay for college. Fast forward 15 yrs and it's college time. Whoa! I've been back in the hospital for 2 yrs and barely have the self-confidence to keep going. This is very heartbreaking. I wasn't sure if it was just difficult for me to get used to computer charting, different dynamics on the west coast,(since I had been in the Midwest), or I just wasn't cut out for it anymore. So much is different and so much seems to have changed in these past 15 yrs. The depression, anxiety, all that! I feel it and thought I am just lame and couldn't hack it in the big world of nursing anymore. The past couple weeks I've been seriously looking into other types of nursing and thinking I will take some coding classes and possibly work for an insurance company...get the heck out of patient care! I love parts of my current job, patient/discharge education but there is so much pressure put on us, I'm not having the time I need to do what I'm being paid TO DO. Nursing needs to change.
I am sorry to say, that many of my former coworkers are planning to do what you have done. Several have, all ready, left nursing before they had planned to retire, and one is now working as a BSN in a non clinical role.These former coworkers were excellent clinical nurses, as were you.
It is tragic and quite frankly, obscene, that nursing is often losing its brightest and best, due to poor management.
Specializes in Allergy/ENT, Occ Health, LTC/Skilled.
It's important to remember that you do not have to work in the hospital (obviously other oppurtunities have to be present) and there are many other options out there for those who find themselves feeling like they would rather die than go to work. Do not continue life this way! It's not worth it. I know job markets vary per area but there are loads of job listings out there for RN's in my mid size city looking for occ health, ambulatory care, LTC/SNF, home care, telephone triage, insurance appeals, etc etc. Of course most come with a pay cut but I would rather take that then feel so awful every day
I've been a bedside nurse for 2 years now. I dread every day I have to work. During my days off I dread going back to work. When I see a ditch digger I get jealous of their job. I've often wished I were in a car accident so I wouldn't have to work. I'm on antidepressants in order to function. I've been looking for a new job outside of bedside, but with only 2 years experience I am apparently not marketable. My previous job was as a medical biller for 15 years. Before starting nursing school I was getting restless thinking that I was not contributing to society in any way, so I decided to go to nursing school. It was by far my biggest mistake in life. Now, I'm stuck and miserable.
With two years of experience, you are marketable. What is your specialty?
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Roy Hanson
211 Posts
agreed, but look at the personality of the rookies. But look at what the CEOs of the hospitals chains want. All their staff on contract and independent of the hospital. We had this happen at McLean Hospitals in Michigan. All dr. were on contract, billed individually The Newbie nurses, cant handle the workload because the supervisors are poor quality.
They have been bubblewrapped, with a smartphone in each ear. I see quality of nursing in the future as poor.