I hate being a nurse

Isitpossible, LPN, LVN · Oct 25, 2011

im still a student but... maybe your your burnt out of bedside nursing? it seems alot of nursing feel this way, underappreciated by everyone, overworked ect. why dont you look for a different area of nursing...maybe you need a change?

SJE RN · Oct 25, 2011

I guess I should move around and see what works. I got into PA school and Nursing school and chose to do nursing. I think that's one of my biggest regrets. Hopefully, working as an NP might be a little better than bedside nursing.

heavencutstma32 · Oct 25, 2011

maybe it is the type of nursing you are doing, every job is a little different. like a don of a dda field is different from an rn in the hospital. try different nursing areas. maybe you like long term care, or maybe you like the hospital type nursing.. ect! i would try a different nursing area if i was you, seems like you may be burnt out from the nursing area. maybe you are unhappy with your current job, so try for another one.

PHeilman · Oct 25, 2011

You should not be crying on your way to work. You're depressed with your situation and that only creates a downward spiral. See what else you can do with your degree. Maybe a different environment or pace will help. Are you underutilized? Maybe go for that Masters and the challenge will help! Good luck.

EDnursetobe · Oct 25, 2011

I feel this way too, and I cry on the way to work also... I'm going to try to find another department before quitting completely, but if I still don't like it, i'm going to move on.

it's not worth being miserable.

before you start an FNP program, you should evaluate what parts of the job you do like (if any). Or maybe get a master's in something different.

good luck!

ksc0723 · Oct 25, 2011

I here ya. I don't hate nursing, I hate bedside nursing and working in the hospital with a passion. My mental, emotional, and physical health has sufferred. Even now I sit here and want to call into work because I work a 12 and have only slept 4 hours in the last 36 hours. Awesome. At least you have school to look forward to. I am the breadwinner and have no options right now. I am thankful to have a job but working as a staff RN sucks the life right out of you.

I have decided the schedule for nurses sucks and it was contributes to burn out. Nursing is the most demanding job of every part of you and yet there is no respite. Holidays, every other weekend, call. eves, nights and on and on. This job constantly interferes with my life outside of work. And that is the rub. I think if I just worked m-f 8-5 or even 4 10's with none of the extra BS of holidays, weekends, eves and nights I would love my job. It's the fact that I can't even enjoy my life outside of work because of how my schedule interferes. With how horrible nursing can be no matter how passionate, you need to be able to leave work and enjoy life outside of work and have that opportunity. That only comes when you have been doing this for 20+ years and don't have to do holidays, we, nights, call, etc. but by then more than half your life is gone. Screw this.

Good luck in grad school

SJE RN · Oct 25, 2011

I just started this job in July (kind of stuck because I can't move anymore until a year). The hospital I worked for closed (my co-workers were so supportive). This new place is horrible. We are always short staffed. Most of the nurses are horrible. My manager views me as someone with so much potential and is hoping to promote me into the Cardio-Thoracic ICU (I don't know how I feel about that and I don't know if I can do it...I feel like my manager keeps telling me all these things so I will stay). I will only have 1 patient but the patients are so sick and extremely heavy.

Amandalabigang · Oct 25, 2011

I also feel this way. Most days before work I question why did I even become a nurse, but then I think what else would I do. I have been a nurse for 4 years now, the first 2 in the hospital and then the 2 recent in Home Health. I did not feel this way in home health but I recently had to go back to the hospital because of school, I too want to pursue FNP. You are not alone, and quite honestly I also feel stuck and don't know what to do from here....

SJE RN · Oct 25, 2011

Makes me feel a little better that I'm not the only one feeling this way. I used to go into work with my mom back in the 80's early 90's for bring your child to work day. I remember loving what she did and told myself this is exactly what I wanted. Healthcare has changed so much. My patient expired the other night (I work 12-13 hour night shifts) administration was on top of me to get the pt to the morgue so they can book the bed. The son of the pt was hysterical at the bedside. What was I to tell him? Get the hell out we need this room? Where is the compassion? I swear I told all my family...I want to die and home. Don't ever keep me in the hospital.

neatnurse30 · Oct 25, 2011

I hear you. I agree that bedside nursing is extremely draining and these 12 hour shifts don't help either. I sometimes float to psych unit and kind of like there- it is very different there comparing to med-surg. One of the psych nurses told me that she hated med surg floor with a passion and she loves psych unit. I actually started working in outpatient infusion clinic and it is a different flow of work, and patients are ambulatory. I know that there are jobs for nurses besides bedside care. I never liked nursing that much, but right now I don''t want to go to school to switch careers, I have BSN in nursing and plan on master's, so that I can get out of bedside care nursing for good.

passionflower, BSN, MSN, RN · Oct 25, 2011

I agree that nursing can be ALL of the negative things everyone here has said because I have felt every single one of them. I'm sorry you guys are in that position now.

However the words nursing and "feeling stuck" should NEVER go together because nursing is one of the few jobs that you literally can move in and out of positions and have a variety of choices. I started in long term care (hated it) then management (hated it) then med/surg (hated it) then a stint in the ER (kind of liked it but wasn't ready) volunteered in home health (liked it but pay wasn't enough) then mother/baby (hated it) then labor and delivery (BINGO) loved it! Now I only hate going to work because the long 12's overnight are tiresome but NOT because I hate my job.

My advice: explore many choices - and be glad you can. Find something in nursing that you are drawn to and want to be part of and go for it. Find something OUTSIDE of nursing that fulfills you otherwise so when you have a bad day you can turn to that. Meanwhile keep exploring ALL of your options because there is many, Good luck!