I hate being a nurse

[okthen]

hey everybody, I've worked as a nurse for four years in a long-term care facility/rehabilitation center. I can honestly say that being an LPN in my setting is probably the worst job anybody could ever have. I make more money than I would anywhere else, but it's definitely not worth it. I know what you're thinking. Nursing varies so much. Why don't I just change fields? But, I'm married with children. I can't take a ginormous pay cut because I'm not happy at work.

Any nurse knows that I'm beating a dead horse when I bring up staffing, but it has to be said. How the hell can 2 nurses and 3 nursing assistants take care of 60 people? This ratio is rationalized by saying that in a rehab setting the acuity level is lower than that of the hospital. ********! The acuity level is whatever the patient's status is when the hospital bleeds the payor source dry and needs another bed. I've got 35 patients to be responsible for, and they are no less acute than they were when on the unit. State legislation mandates a minimum ratio for staff to patients. This doesn't help because when checking for compliance, the facility is including all the office nurses (directors of nursing, assistant directors of nursing, assessment coordinators, staff development, etc). Corporate and other contracts involved dictate a labyrinth of rules involved when staffing for the shift. Which might I add is a duty that falls right in the lap of the staff nurses. surprised? Corporate says you may have a maximum of X amount of staff. (God forbid that there be a second to...I don't know talk to a patient. this would constitute down time) The state then says you must have a minimum of X amount of staff. They try to make it sound like there is some room to play with it, but in all reality. X=X. Corporate dictates that we can not staff anymore than the minimum. the maximum is the minimum.

That brings me to my next point. Nursing as an institution is so top heavy. Take my unit for example. Two nurses do the work. Meanwhile, 8 nurses supervise. Yea, I said 8. And they are not alone. Then you have the administration and their quest for quality control. Then there's the therapists and other various non-nursing staff and their never ending concern for what the nurses are doing. Wouldn't the patients be better served with 2 supervisors and 8 hands-on nurses. Can anybody say MICROMANAGEMENT? To the "jump off a bridge" degree. It doesn't stop there. That was only the in-house supervision. It doesn't stop there; not even close. It goes on to include OSHA, corporate, the state board, the ombudsman, social services, etc, etc, etc. Everybody wants to know what 2 ******* nurses are doing.

Don't get me started on the absurdity of pain control scrutiny. when I have to wake you up to give you your pain medication because you rated it a wopping 10 on a scale of 0-10. sleeping at a 10? get real. and annoying family members." NO! your 100 year old mom is not better than she was 90 minutes ago. She is still brain dead. can I get off the phone now?" "she's been here for years and I've never met you, and you wanna come in and scrutinize the staff." "TAKE THEM HOME WITH YOU if you can do so much better" They can try to argue that they're paying out the ass for good care. What they don't know is that I can open the chart and see that the payor source is medicare and medicaid every time. So whose paying what? In fact, I am paying out the ass for the care that I provide. Don't get me started on the google'ologist. You know what I'm talking about. The person who just got done reading about every side effect and possible cause....on some dot com web site. Do they know that I can go on wikipedia and say that vitamin C causes coronary artery disease right now and a million people idiots would quit drinking juice by tomorrow? I'm all for patient advocacy, but nurses are not the bad guys. and I'm all for patient empowerment through education, but **** it let me do my job.

Nursing shortage? what nursing shortage? Did you know that the current number of available nursing positions in America pales in comparison to the number of licensed nurses that are not working as such. These people came to nursing with good intentions, couldn't stand it anymore, and left nursing just like that. It would be naive to think that they made that decision without much thought. Think of all the time, energy, and money spent on education to work as a nurse. Then think of what it would take to make people turn their backs on it. It's not an illusion. I'm not just one burned out nurse who didn't like his job. You've just heard the voice of thousands.

[didi768]

Hey Tired, what did you end up doing instead? I want new career path too.

[Nurse Fee Fee]

Let me applaud you for sharing and letting it all out. Out is always better than keeping it in. I worked in LTC for about 3 months maybe it was 3 months, but never the less I knew it wasn't for me. I had said all thru nursing school, I would not ever want to work ina nursing hoe,, never say never right. My may concern was and still is patient care, by the LTC I worked at had different priorities. They couldn't understand why it took me so long to pass my meds,maybe because I was tending to the needs of my patient, saying good morning, handing them a tissue, inquiring as to why you look so sad this morning, instead of just shoving a pill down there throat or pushing meds as fast as I can thru a tube, because the nurse on the hall wants to make sure to passes her meds to 40 paitent in under an hour and makes the supv feel like you shold be doing the same. Or maybe it is because my techs needing some assistance with a heavy or difficult patient because again 2 tech called in and you all didnt feel the need to replace them for the shift. (was on a roll, I forgot where I was going with this....lol) The long and short I knew it wasn't for me, anytime you feel that the paperwork was more important thantaking care of the patient that you would have a nother nurse, yeah that nurse do your charting for you and that havent seen a hair on the butt of your patient , I knew it was time for me to go.

Now don't get me worng there is no perfect place of employment, but it's better thanbeing somwhere where u are totally miserable and feel like youhave no other choice. I am a LPN, and despite what I have read and heard about homehealth and LTC is the only place to work other thana doctors office with less pay, i have found something that I like doing. I am a site medical manager at the detention center, yes a correctional nurse, I know some frown on it, but the things I get to see and experience as a medical professional is sometime awe inspiring, I also teach at a college here, medical assisting classes, A&P, Med Term, looking to teach some Psych classes next semester, doing flu shot clinics, work thru agency at a wonder Rehab hospital, and every now and then if I feel the need may do some med pass at a couple of LTC, dont mind working them that way as long and I can go when I want to and not if I don't. I am saying there are many opprtunites you just have to find your niche. Now when I put my resignation in at the LTC I worked at I had no job to go to, but befire I got the last paycheck I had 2 jobs, the detention center and doing flu shot clinic whic is now a yearly thing during flu season.

But chin up girlie it's all gonna work out, just have faith and be patient......And remember we are here if you need us.........,.,

[tiroka03, LPN]

In spurts. Sometimes I hate nursing so bad, I could walk away and never look back. Then I like it for a while. Then I hate it again.

I have had this love/haate relationship with nursing since the begining. When you are in hate, it's pretty ugly feeling. For me it helps to focus on the humanity side of the patient. Reconnect with a couple of your patients, and it feels better. When you are so busy you can't take a break for months on end, you don't have any time to connect.

Since I don't think the laws with change, except to get worse, my only hope is the people who made them and voted for them, will soon be experiencing the lack of attention they voted for.

[notmanydaysoff]

my only hope is the people who made them and voted for them, will soon be experiencing the lack of attention they voted for.

never thought of it that way. just comeuppance, wouldn't you say...

[irish6363]

You know this is probably of no comfort but this feeling you have can be said of many people in fields where the stress of the job is actually a component of it. I can understand completely the feeling and frustration. But as stated by others you need to really stop and think "ok I am only one person and i will try and give what i can to this job this minute and not allow it to destroy and control my thoughts" I use this method frequently myself...my husband works in law enforcement and many many days he has felt the way you do...now a days no one seems to like a sheriff they are the enemy (thankless job) and he feels it...i learn from him to not let it destroy your inner self and why you chose this profession. Until you can leave the job, try to focus just on the moment you are working and dont think of why you hate it so much, and remember it isnt permanent you can choose to walk away when you want and make other choices. Dont let that feeling make you think you are trapped. I understand your frustration.

[MN-Nurse, ASN, RN]

If you hate being a nurse, then stop being one.

I hated being an engineer, so I quit.

[xoemmylouox, ASN, RN]

I worked at LTC facility and felt the same way. Too many patients, not enough staff, everything was your faults, you never did enough, etc. I can't imagine surviving as long as you have. Good luck to you. I left and work in an out patient Dr office. Yes it was a big pay cut, but I don't cry on my way in and out of work daily.

[newtress, LPN]

I parallel the thoughts and experience of nurse fee fee. I am also in nursing positions that have reduced the astronomical stress that comes with working in an LTC. I currently teach at a small college anatomy, charting/documentation, med terminology and medication administration and light pharmacology. Other months along with this I do seasonal flu shot clinics and agency per diem. Once I abandoned the notion that I can only work in a SNF, and applied for positions I thought I'd never be considered for, a lot better avenues became a reality. I recently also just became a certified CPR instructor at this college because no one else wanted to do it! All of these diverse positions I feel also certainly bolsters your resume. I wish you well and commit to looking into very NON-LTC positions. You'll be surprised.

[GitanoRN, BSN, MSN, RN]

"Oct 15, '11 by okthen hey everybody, I've worked as a nurse for four years in a long-term care facility/rehabilitation center. I can honestly say that being an LPN in my setting is probably the worst job anybody could ever have".

Okthen, I feel for your situation however, keep in mind that everyone has choices in life. Therefore, if you still feel this way, you must do something to remedy the situation or nothing good will come out of it. In addition, think of your health & mental status, as well as your children, believe it of not they see how this is affecting you. Sending you hugs & best wishes from across the miles...Ciao~

[deb05363]

Keep working your fingers to the bone! Dedication is more than 90% of what we do in LTC.

[Butterflybee]

I hear you. I just cut down my hours/the amt of time that I am there and I feel MUCH better. I plan to supplement w/agency or per diem elsewhere. $$$ is down but :) is up. If you want to talk, feel free to email me anytime. Oh I may do p/t at another type of nursing again w/ the additional supplemental income. Im trying to find ways to continue in nursing and not have to deal with soo much of the other stuff.... Options always options. Hang in there

[Slat235]

Reading your post was like reading what my life is like right now. I'm a less than a year rn working in the exact same situation. The only difference where I'm from is that there is no ratio law. I've been looking for other jobs (anything other than LTC) and have come up empty. As an RN employers want you to have your bachelors degree and/or 2-5 years experience in a specific field. Catch 22--can't get the experience w/o the job; can't get the job w/o the experience! My only option right now (because I don't have time or money to go back to school right now) is to move around to other LTC places (same crap, different decor) which doesn't look good on a resume. Forget good wages, job security, or God forbid actual "patient care". All myths that nursing schools love to shove down your throats so they can get your money. I'm exploring other career options which is really unfortunate because I'm a very caring and compassionate nurse and I make time to actually care for my patients even if it means I work through my breaks and my lunches. I'm reaching critical burnout levels myself and it hasn't been a pretty ride. I wish I had talked to some real world nurses (LTC) to see what the reality is. Hospitals in my area are laying off nurses, medical offices are loaded with nurses who won't leave those cushy jobs until they are carried out in body bags, and even things like hospice nursing or home care want mucho experience for little compensation. Thanks for letting me vent, no haters please.