I Think I Hate Nursing!!

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Help! I'm getting back into nursing after eight years and am taking a refresher class. Today was the first day on the floor and I hated it. I wasn't alone. I don't think any of the other ten girls I spoke with liked it either. My patient was okay, fairly nice, but would do nothing to help herself. Everytime I tried to get her to do something, she wouldn't. Her cranky sister was there and wouldn't leave. I went into to teach the patient about a med she'd be on and was asked to take out a flower the sister is allergic to which was just delivered. Why the sister didn't leave and get away from the flower and us so I could have a moment with her sister is beyond me. Instead she said, "hurry up get out of here. I'm allergic." They treated me like such a fool!! Funny thing was before I entered the room she was going to move the flowers out of the room herself and didn't seem to be in a huge hurry. No one could believe the patient's sister acted like this. I realize far worse could happen, but what a pain!!

I have an instructor who is alright, but could be better. My patient had every line coming out of her she could have. I hate not knowing when and where to give the meds. Use this morphine for an epidural, but don't use it for this line or that line.....etc,etc. I know this is the first day after many years, but things are crazy. I'm not stupid, but feel like I know nothing. The other thing that drove me crazy was my patient was allergic to Demerol and was given some during her operation yesterday. Today she is very itchy and it was when I was searching her chart I found it was given to her during the operation yesterday. My instructor got all mad at me for asking that question claiming a lot of patients "claim" to be allergic when they aren't. The records clearly stated she was allergic and would break out into a rash. Personally I think being so new sucks!! It seems you must ask questions, but when you do, they treat you like a fool.

I ended up getting a job at a nursing home, but don't think I'll be happy there either. It's almost too little to do, whereas the hospital seems too challenging. Is there any type of job that I could do??!! I used to know of someone who worked with care plans a lot, seldom had patient contact, but was able to keep her license valid. Does anyone have any ideas of jobs like this? Maybe I just need to give myself time, but poking at people and worrying I'm going to do the wrong thing is too exhausting. Not having a great support system makes getting anywhere miserable. Any job ideas or ways to get through this would be appreciated!! THanks.

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I'm not a nurse but my huband is. He doesn't want to work in ltc or hospitals.He got into Hospice nursing and loves his job now. I know it's not for everyone but is an option.

Help! I'm getting back into nursing after eight years and am taking a refresher class. Today was the first day on the floor and I hated it. I wasn't alone. I don't think any of the other ten girls I spoke with liked it either. My patient was okay, fairly nice, but would do nothing to help herself. Everytime I tried to get her to do something, she wouldn't. Her cranky sister was there and wouldn't leave. I went into to teach the patient about a med she'd be on and was asked to take out a flower the sister is allergic to which was just delivered. Why the sister didn't leave and get away from the flower and us so I could have a moment with her sister is beyond me. Instead she said, "hurry up get out of here. I'm allergic." They treated me like such a fool!! Funny thing was before I entered the room she was going to move the flowers out of the room herself and didn't seem to be in a huge hurry. No one could believe the patient's sister acted like this. I realize far worse could happen, but what a pain!!

I have an instructor who is alright, but could be better. My patient had every line coming out of her she could have. I hate not knowing when and where to give the meds. Use this morphine for an epidural, but don't use it for this line or that line.....etc,etc. I know this is the first day after many years, but things are crazy. I'm not stupid, but feel like I know nothing. The other thing that drove me crazy was my patient was allergic to Demerol and was given some during her operation yesterday. Today she is very itchy and it was when I was searching her chart I found it was given to her during the operation yesterday. My instructor got all mad at me for asking that question claiming a lot of patients "claim" to be allergic when they aren't. The records clearly stated she was allergic and would break out into a rash. Personally I think being so new sucks!! It seems you must ask questions, but when you do, they treat you like a fool.

I ended up getting a job at a nursing home, but don't think I'll be happy there either. It's almost too little to do, whereas the hospital seems too challenging. Is there any type of job that I could do??!! I used to know of someone who worked with care plans a lot, seldom had patient contact, but was able to keep her license valid. Does anyone have any ideas of jobs like this? Maybe I just need to give myself time, but poking at people and worrying I'm going to do the wrong thing is too exhausting. Not having a great support system makes getting anywhere miserable. Any job ideas or ways to get through this would be appreciated!! THanks.

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Hospital/clinical nursing are NOT your only options. Look under the different specialty forum and read up on your options, which are many. For instance, afert 5 yrs. of peds/adult ICU, I became a workers comp case manager. I was home-based and traveled during the day, but no overnights. Now I work as an expert witness as a Life Care Planner in catastrophic med mal/personal injury cases, which I really enjoy. It is stressfull, just as hospital nursing is due to constant last-minute, due last week referrals, but I enjoyit and continue to be be home based.

Don't give up on nursing yet until you take the time to really explore your options;looks like you just haven't found your niche yet.

Good luck,

Kim

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Maybe a lower keyed area of the floor is better. Families can be obnoxious, you just have to deal with them. Post partum nursing is usually low keyed and the families are generally pleasant...

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Ugh! I feel your pain. Tomorrow is my last day of RN school, yay! But I've had days just like that in clinical. My patient wanted me to spend 10 minutes throwing away her trash and adjusting the blinds every time I went in the room. Her family was in the room, but she wouldn't let them do it because it was "the nurses job"! I didn't like her, but I had to be theraputic.

I also have an instructor who is very unapproachable and she just makes you feel dumb no matter what you ask. Luckily she wasn't my clinical instructor!

I think nursing school is something that you will just have to survive through and hope that you find your nitche.

Jessica

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