I started an ADN nursing program over a year ago and graduate in May. I have the highest average in class, and I really seem to be doing well. However; I hate everything nursing, I really only started the program because I was bored, and now I feel to far invested to quite. I have to keep telling myself that this is a great job, but in reallity this job holds a lot of responsibility, "crappy responsibility." In addition I feel tremendous pressure from my family, my husband, and my husbands family to finish and work. It's not like I don't already have a BSN from another university, and my husband makes an excellent salary, I don't have to work. I keep hoping that all the pretentious people in class with their over enthusiastic "I love nursing" attitude will be non-existent in the workplace. This is me just venting, but if you have any productive advice or have felt this way I would love a response. However; if you are just wanting to tell me how terrible I am, please keep it to yourself.
I have been and continue to be in management most of my career. I have worked in-patient, out-patient, LTC & Assisted Living. The bulk of mu career as been running a chemotherapy department. I know where you are coming from with inferior employees. My comment about management was directed towards 'superiors' not at you.
It was not an attack on you, but I still say - If You Do Not Enjoy It - Get Out!
Specializes in Emergency Medicine, Dr. Office, Psych.
i have to confess, in my 18 yrs of nursing i have never said:
i hate nursing! i have said : oh i hate that procedure or i hate that policy...
nursing is the best decision i made in my life!
its a challenge every day, every minute of my job is breath taking, i know that if i don't respond to an emergency, someone would die, and i wouldnt ever let that happen, down to the simple medication pass or the medical emergency, nursing is sooooooooooo forfillling!!
You know with a nursing degree there are positions available that aren't really "nursing care". Such as Insurance agency work reviewing claims/procedures, Working in a law firm picking apart charting ect. You don't necessarily have to be at the bedside.
It sounds like you are feeling overwhelmed by all the study and stress from your family. Once your degree is finished - and hang in there - it costs too much in time and money and effort to give up now - try to find an area of nursing that you feel suits you and gives you satisfaction before tossing it in permanently. That is the beauty of this profession - even industrial nursing can give the right person satisfaction. I have a friend who got a heavy truck licence and is now a nurse for a mining company. I'm an aged care/palliative care nurse. Both of us are satisfied with our careers. I hope that you can find the same satisfaction. Can you remember why you went into nursing in the first place? Sometimes it's good to go back to our roots and remember the simpler reasons for doing a job. Good luck.
I'm sure you've heard plenty about this by now, but if you truly can't find any area of nursing you enjoy, even one that doesn't involve direct patient care, then find something you do enjoy. Personally, I will never rely on a spouse to support me, since that is how my exhusband used to control me. I always want to be able to take care of myself.
Even if you hate nursing, why do you have a problem with people who love it? Not everyone shares the same likes and dislikes, and that is a good thing. It's good that you're doing well in school and plan to finish, that shows you can apply yourself even when your heart isn't in what you're doing. Explore your options and figure out what you do love, and then do it. You should choose your career based on what best fits you, not on what others think you should do.
I agree with alem992 you need to find what makes you happy. Nursing is a career you must be passionate about. I don't think that you can half way it or do it because it is a good paying job. I believe the very cranky nurses (to put it politely) are either burned out or never really enjoyed it in the first place and they should look at changing careers. I know everyone is telling you to finish and get your degree, but do you want to keep paying for something that isn't going to make you happy. Why not transfer to another field of study that you will be happy in. Just that other day I had this conversation with a nurse, she has been nursing for 3yrs and wishes she had become and elementary school teacher. I asked what was stopping her. She stated to me that she had become so accustome to the money that she proabably couldn't make the change now. How sad, she feels stuck in a job she absolutely hates. In the end you must do what is best for you. Good luck with your dicision.
I believe you are an honest nurse.I know some colleagues who hate nursing but afraid to confess and continued working as a nurse for years.Maybe you need to revise your way and find a subspecialty in nursing or even another career to be satisfied.when you hate this job, you cannot be a patient advocate.So, don't harm yourself and the patients as well.Find your own path.
Specializes in Hospital - Home Health - Public Health -.
Here's some advice from an old gramma and nurse - BAIL OUT NOW - Life is simply too too short to spend it doing something you don't enjoy and if you don't stand up to those who are presuring you to stick with it now then you are setting yourself up for a lot of unhappiness - not to mention how unfair it is to your patients and co-workers! Find your bliss, prettynurse. Find your bliss!
In nursing school, you learn a lot about the not so nice bed side stuff that nurses do. Once you're out, you can look for stuff in the ambulatory care field or case management or other areas where the patient contact is different. You can work more like a social worker, administrator, education provider or even in finance. Though there are less of these jobs, they're still out there.
I understand. There's lots about nursing that I don't like but I still want to work in the "helping somebody" field. So look beyond the ususal and customary. Everyone is not cut out to do the bedside thing. You can still have a successful and rewarding career.
The one thing I especially like about nursing is that I get to work 7p to 7a or 11 to 7 shift. I am not a good morning person, and I don't really feel good until afternoon. Nursing gives me the flexiblility to work nights and that is the only shift I will work. I am at my best, focused, alert with coffee, and happy and singing on the night shift. Adminstrators love me for that because a lot of people can't do this shift.
All my crazy sicknesses seem to go away when I work this shift. I know it sounds strange, but I just feel better. Circamdium rhythm or something like that. Also, the night shift is generally quieter, but you have paperwork. But nursing is something that I am glad I am in, and of course there have been bad times, but it is for me.
Hi, I am going to be real honest, nursing is a really tough career, its not just a job. You have to want to do this for you because if your heart is not in it and you're doing this for your family, you will resent going to work everyday. Speaking for myself, (as a nurse for too long on my not so good days), its really hard some days, its a very giving, giving and stressful job to say the least. (You have peoples lives in your hands) If you just have the "I hate this", feeling, sorry its not going to get better, you have to really want this career. I know a nurse that graduated and got her license after her 400 hours of senior practise, she never got a job as a nurse- I guess she realized it wasn't for her regardless what her family thought. So you are not alone and don't feel bad, this is your life, you have to live it for you. Now, if you were just having some bad days and are now feeling that you "like" nursing, disregard this message and all the best in your new career.
nursdianne
4 Posts
To: squawmeemaw
I have been and continue to be in management most of my career. I have worked in-patient, out-patient, LTC & Assisted Living. The bulk of mu career as been running a chemotherapy department. I know where you are coming from with inferior employees. My comment about management was directed towards 'superiors' not at you.
It was not an attack on you, but I still say - If You Do Not Enjoy It - Get Out!