I don't like floor nursing...

noahsmama · Mar 21, 2011

I like health, fitness, food and diet education, drug education, etc. I never really wanted to be an administrator...I already hate the nit picky paper work I'm responsible for.

-- Public Health Nursing

-- Diabetes Self Care Educator

-- working with drug addicts/drug rehab

ImThatGuy, BSN, RN · Mar 21, 2011

-- Public Health Nursing
-- Diabetes Self Care Educator
-- working with drug addicts/drug rehab

I concur with the CDU-type environment. Of all of the rotations I've ever had, as a nurse student, or paramedic student back in the day, I was most at peace in the CDU. That was just such a laid back environment I liked it.

Granted, it doesn't have as much to do with the patho and pharm that attracts me to healthcare, but I'm fine with getting my jollies by reading disease books.

Chiboy162 · Mar 21, 2011

I am a pre-nursing student and I really hope you fine what makes you happy.

chybabe · Mar 21, 2011

I feel your pain. I went through the same thing. I actually almost gave up on nursing. Luckily for me, i now have a job i love so much. Find something that works for you. Sometimes, money is not everything. Remember, your happiness comes first. IMHO, you really have to love what you do to be able to tolerate your patients. Goodluck!

BSNin2008 · Mar 21, 2011

I'm ready to give up on nursing too. Three years in and I haven't found my 'niche' yet. In the current economy, it's hard to change your specialty as the competition is so fierce. You need experience to even get a call back. I can't get hired because I don't have experience. I can't get experience because I can't get hired. Repeat. It's so frustrating!

As a student, I was so excited to become a nurse. Now I'm just depressed. :crying2:

mudd68 · Mar 21, 2011

Hi all. I can relate with this type of burnout. I recently switched departments after working 2 years of acute care/tele, RN (rotating 12 hours shifts) and 5 years of LTC/Rehab as an LPN. The area I am now working in, which I haven't heard discussed, is telehealth nursing. With the new healthcare laws this area is considered to be "up and coming." Hospitals are going to have to find a way to absorb these new patients and we all know that ER's are not the most cost effective way to do it. Many hospitals are opening or expanding their call centers. Some companies even allow telehealth triage from home. Just a thought. It is not a totally stress free job ... but it is an alternative and I like it so far. Good luck everyone!

Here's a couple links for additional info

http://www.answerstat.com/articles/4/14.html

http://smallbusinessnurse.com/telehealth-nursing-what-is-this/

aries51 · Mar 21, 2011

I can soooo relate. I felt this way for a long time, over worked, under appreciated, and I knew that if I didn't do this or that, who would? and where would all these ungrateful patients and their families be then? besides, where could I find a job making this kind of money that wasn't a nursing job? Any way, make a long story short, after working at a facility for three years as an RCM, my grandson died at the age of four after a routine tonsillectomy, and it was devastating. I recall waiting at the hospital for the ambulance to arrive, and there was this nurse there with me, holding my hand, and when I looked at her, I realized she was crying too. She never really said any thing, she just let me know she was there if I needed anything. I never even got her name. This tragedy completely changed my perspective on what is truly important in my life. I left my job and considered leaving nursing completely as I just had nothing more to give, but that little no name nurse kept haunting me. She made a difference, she might not to this day even realize it, but she made a difference. So I guess what I'm trying to say is take a long hard look at what is truly important to you. Maybe it's just simply that nursing isn't your thing. No shame in that, just not a good fit, and no amount of continued education will change that. But if you can make a difference in even one persons life, then hang in there and keep looking for your ninch. You'll find it, ( and trust me, not all nursing jobs include poo, pee and puke.)

netglow, ASN, RN · Mar 21, 2011

I recall waiting at the hospital for the ambulance to arrive, and there was this nurse there with me, holding my hand, and when I looked at her, I realized she was crying too. She never really said any thing, she just let me know she was there if I needed anything.

Thing is, nurses like this one are not well-liked by management. She probably quit or was forced out. I hope not, but, isn't that usually how it goes.

anotherone, BSN, RN · Mar 21, 2011

Okay, I've worked as a nurses aid in a very large ER for 2 years, I've worked as an RN for 2.5 years on a cardiac step down/ telemetry unit (during that time I was floated to floors with less acuity), now I'm doing travel nursing. I like the travel part of travel nursing...I like my pay as a nurse, but I really do not enjoy cleaning up poop, pee, vomit, blood. I don't like dealing with the whinny, b**chy family members, I don't like getting blamed for everything, and I hate the fact that I hardly get to spend any time with my patients.
I'm just tired. I knew that poop, pee, and other gross things were going to be part of my life when I became a nurse. It's not so much that I'm grossed out by it as I've just grown tired of dealing with it...as I have with all the other things that I mentioned. My ability to tolerate it without getting snippy has shortened a great deal since I've started in the medical field. I'm not tired of helping people, but I don't know what else to do. I need my pay to be what it is. Furthermore, I want to have a family. I want to date so that I can eventually have a family. I'm tired of working nights so I don't have to deal with the crap that happens on days. I'm tired of working days to have a social life and having to deal with the crap on days. And finally, I'm tired of working every other weekend and every other holiday. 9-5 monday to friday or less....ah, I just want to feel like I'm living.

I just started and I feel this way. I can't even say I work days or nights only. I rotate WITHIN THE SAME WEEK sometimes. Plus I relocated for this job so the med-surg unit I work on is my social scene right now. lol I don't liek dealing with the family memebers either, the fact that nursing gets blamed FOR EVERYTHING (ex-x-ray didn't perform an x-ray means it is the nurse's fault, or lab not drawing labs that is the nurse's fault aslo....) None of this will go away or get better so good luck. I don't know what else to do either which is why I am still working in nursing.

anotherone, BSN, RN · Mar 21, 2011

I am a psych RN and although you don't have to deal with some of the things you mentioned in your post, I can tell you from personal experience that psych nursing is very emotionally draining. It can suck the life out of you, especially dealing with borderlines and patients with behavioral problems..

i agree. I deal with them all the time on my med surg floor.

carolmaccas66, BSN, RN · Mar 21, 2011

I remember I had a conversation with some older nurses when I was a student at a large, public teaching hospital. They told me that if you did all your clinical rotations at the same hospital, you were guaranteed a job there afterwards. You were paid for all your training and all your CPR etc was paid for as well. You were rotated round to every ward so you would know what it was like in every department. Now, everything is contracted out and nurses have to pay out of their own pocket. One nurse (who was thankful to retire soon) said she remembered when nearly everyone was happy to go to work (it was still busy etc), but there was great team work and camraderie. How things have changed! I wonder what nursing would be like now if the old system of nursing was still in place. We in Australia took on the US system of nursing, and I don't think it is working at all TBH.

Makes you wonder if hospital based training shouldn't be introduced again.

86toronado, BSN, RN · Mar 22, 2011

To the OP: have you considered OR? Generally M-F, no family members to speak of, and relatively little poo and pee. Just an idea...