I want to do something else

Nurses New Nurse

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I have been working on an extremely busy med/tele unit for about 7 months..........and I hate it. Nursing is not what I thought it was. I dont have to explain y, you guys already know. I am looking into other careers that may pay less but that I may be happier with. I envy people who enjoy their jobs and have careers they love.........I can't quit because I need the money. But I am trying to save so I can work towards another career that I would love. I know people say that you should try to stay for a year in one place because it looks good and I am going to try to stick it out that long but I just want to be honest with myself, this is not something I see myself doing for much longer. Anyone who is considering a career in nursing, RUN and fast!

Specializes in Med/Surg, Home Health.

I dont do the legal nurse consulting, but a friend of mine does. She charges 250.00/hr. She gets paid for chart reviewing, whether she takes the case or not. She said it is definitly NOT worth the money she spent for training though. I was going to do it until I talked with her. I feel the same way you do about nursing, but everyone tells me that it isnt the actual nursing, its the facility I work at. Maybe thats the case with you? Im looking for a new job. It is hard being a nurse, but if you are working more than 3 12's per week, its no wonder you feel the way you do. Im going to try to get a weekend plan (work 2 days but get paid for 3).

On your days off, check caller ID and dont answer it if its your employer. Dont let them make you feel guilty for not coming in on your off days, its YOUR DAY and YOUR BODY that needs rest and time to yourself. As far as docs, I have called one in particular who will get mad and hang up on me or anyone else who calls in the night and wakes him up. Ive felt the way you do for about 6 months now and Im hoping a new job will make a difference. If this is your first job, it wont look bad on you for switching jobs prior to a year experience, although most places prefer at least one year experience to hire you. If you arent happy, why stay. It isnt worth it. Before giving up on nursing, at least try a different employer. Good luck. I hope things get better for you.

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Future nurse, right? WAit and start working before you judge others who need support, not condemnation. The real world is very different from nursing school.

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Seriously, if you are a student, you have no idea what you are talking about. Get some experience first and I think you may revise your comment. To everyone else, thank you for your suggestions! I will keep my eyes open for some other oppurtunities, anyone do or consider legal nurse consulting? I know the training is expensive.......but anyone doing this?

No, I will not revise my comment. Everyone is saying the same thing, find another area to work. Whether is school nurse or another place. The worst thing is to be unhappy at work. Sometimes, the patients can tell an unhappy nurse. I know the feeling because I worked as a CNA before, where I used to not want to go to work. After one month working, I realized it was better for me to find another job. So I did! I do not have to be a nurse yet to understand been miserable at the workplace.

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Specializes in He who hesitates is probably right....

Yes, but you have yet to be a miserable nurse.

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Specializes in Occupational Medicine, Orthopedics.
Yes, but you have yet to be a miserable nurse.

Good one K98!

Blue

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Yes, but you have yet to be a miserable nurse.

One great thing about nursing, you do not have to stay miserable. You can leave and find a different area of your choice. So, I rather have that option!

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Specializes in He who hesitates is probably right....

Right you are, but exercising most of the options requires a little thing called "experience". Therein lies the misery. New grads have choices, and a lot of them are uniformly bad. I went to an ICU to avoid a lot of what I heard other nurses complaining about on MS units. I guess I did all right. I only care for two really-ill-confused-combative-incontinent-elderly-patients-on tubes feeds. While I "can" spend 7p-7a turning, bathing, and continuously cleaning up liquid poo, I don't enjoy it. At this point, it is important that I enjoy what I do. I'm still looking (just not at nursing).

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Specializes in none, still looking.

I am at a standstill with nursing myself b/c of med errors and I want a change, not b/c of just hating nursing, but the legal aspects of nursing. :angryfire

What did you end up doing?

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1. The long work hours, you never get off on time, 12 hour shifts turn into 16s.......

23. shall I go on?

I wish I had known this when I was in school.

I understand you in many ways. I work on a tele/medsurg/ortho unit. Its crazy most days. Every 4th shift is 'alright'. The rest are hell.

Look into other fields of nursing though before you quit. For instance, I talked to a nurse I know, who I see every few months. She works in a NICU. After I went on and on about how I hate my job for several reasons you named above, she went on to tell me how her job was a struggle because she had nothing to do half her 12 hour shift at times. I know having a job with nothing to do makes the shift longer but puhlease, I would take that over running around like a chicken with its head cut off, 'playing nurse' without a lunch break for 12+ hours. But the grass is always greener..... I guess. Im almost considering NICU.

My *dream* job now is camp nursing. Working as a camp counsler with kids and also at times utilizing my nursing skills. Too bad it may only be seasonal and the pay cannot be as good as I would need it to be. I also *should* get more bedside nursing experience before I leave off to camp because I know it would be harder to get back into if I need to (and probably would need to) in the future. For money and stability reasons.

Dont give up. There are nurse grads who are out there that were lucky enough to find a position they like. I like some of my co-workers and we just got a new manager. So I want to stick it out to see how it goes over the next few months.

And about getting called in? DONT PICK UP. SAY NO. Its not your problem. At everyother job I worked at, even at busy retail places, I would come in to work extra all the time. Thought I would do that as a nurse, and make big money. I wont go in extra at all. AT ALL. You cannot guilt me to come in. I have the power in my finger to say no, thats it, and hang up the phone. JUST SAY NO. It works. I stink at saying no, but I have NO PROBLEM saying no to coming into work for antying but my days.

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Specializes in Cardiovascular and Surgical ICU.

:redbeathe You may not necessarily need to choose an entirely new career, but do a different type of nursing job. My mom works in a Coumadin clinic where she calls the elderly and tels them their INRs and when to get new lab draws. She even makes a dollar more than me. How cushy of a job. I graduated in last April and got my RN license in June 2006. I love floor nursing. I work on a cardiac step-down unit. It has a 4-1 ratio and the patients are awesome. Maybe you just need to pick a different specialty.:redbeathe

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Specializes in med-surg, ER.

Phew. Whenever I read one of those "i hate my workplace" that unfortunately seem to be plenty at this forum, I am amazed. I know you're not too fond of unions on your side of the pond, but is this the case among nurses? If so, why? I know they won a fight in California over nurse to patient ratio. Perhaps if you got better organized at your workplaces, these problems wouldn't be so common.

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Specializes in ICU, CM, Geriatrics, Management.
... I WAS JUST LIKE YOU...I HAVE 2.5 YEARS OF EXPEREIENCE AND HAD TO GO ON A MONTHS STRESS LEAVE AFTER 7 MONTHS OF WORK. SO THEN I LEFT MY CRAPPY WARD AND WENT TO THE OR. IT SUCKED, SO I WENT TO ANOTHER OR...MUCH BETTER...

Good going!

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