Is anyone happy with their job?

Jenny P · Mar 11, 2002

I love my job. I work CV-ICU and only have 1 or 2 patients. Rarely, we may have a patient who is so sick that we will have 2 nurses to the 1 patient. We do not have mandatory overtime, rarely get called in on our days off, and only occasionally have overtime (unless I'm disorganized or have a needy patient). I actually have time (working nights) to do emotional support for both families and patients, and even give backrubs to my patients.

EllanRN · Mar 11, 2002

I love my job. I work in a 16 bed ICU, 7p-7a. 1-2 patients max, even if they are overflow from other floors. No mandatory OT but I pick up at least one extra shift a pay period because the financial incentive makes it worth it. On very few occasions, I've had to work through my break, but get paid the OT for it. I like the challenge. I like the people I work with. I like working with Intensivists. They are a wealth of knowledge, eager to teach and work well with us. I really like working 12 hour nights.

PhantomRN · Mar 11, 2002

I am really hoping my next job will give me what I am looking for.

I start next month.

mattsmom81 · Mar 11, 2002

ICU (CVICU in particular) was always my fave too. We took call to help each other out and I loved the people I worked with for the most part! OT happens cuz patients can go bad very quickly and you need another set of hands to stabilize, requiring several nurses per patient as mentioned. It's a team effort and the 'heart nurses' bond.

Phantom, you'll have to let us know how this triage position works out...it sounds interesting.:)

nursedawn67, LPN · Mar 11, 2002

Originally posted by wenron
If you enjoy your job, please state what you do, how many pt's you have during a shift and how much overtime you put in?

Thank you,
Wendy

I enjoy my job, I fought hard to get to the facility I am at. I live maybe 3 minutes from it. And like most jobs it has it's ups and downs, but I love it there, I work with 2 other nurses that went to nursing school with me, and even though we can be swamped with work we have fun. Actually all the staff does, the residents seem to enjoy us and we enjoy them. We have a great staff!:chuckle

I live in Michigan.

I generally have 25 residents a night, occasionally 50 (when we are "staffed challenged") and I have 2 to 3 aides a night. :rolleyes:

RoaminHankRN · Mar 11, 2002

I too love my job. House Supervisor on the night shift.

Not too long ago when I worked ER, I hated my job!!

kewlnurse · Mar 11, 2002

Love my job, CMICU 2-3 patients, we don't have mandatory OT and I never work any voluntary, keep saying i'm going to pick up a shift but never do. Hate where I live though, but right now thats a moot point.

MassLPN · Mar 11, 2002

I would NOT have said that 2 months ago, but I have a new job now, and really enjoy coming to work now. I used to work LTC, with an average of 40 patients, I worked 'agency' so I worked in many of our local LTC facilities.

Since Valentine's day, I've been working as the Employee Health Nurse at a rehabilitation hospital. The inpatient hospital where I'm located has 198 beds, we have a 22 bed unit at another location, and about 12 outpatient therapy sites. I'm responsible for the employee health program for the employees at all sites, totalling about 1100 employees, alltogether.

It's such a different job than patient care. I did a similar job in Maine a few years ago, though on a much smaller scale. I get a great feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment when I get done with my day, I enjoy coming to work, and I'm not watching the clock to see how much longer I have to be here!!

BeachNurse · Mar 11, 2002

LOVE mine. I'm a research coordinator. No nights, weekends, holidays, OT. Minimal patient contact. Little stress and lots of perks. Great boss and coworkers.

jaelle · Mar 11, 2002

I'm kind of a beginner at nursing, have only been practicing 4 years. I started out working on the Surgical floor at night of a large hospital. Average patient load was 8, sometimes more...but never less. I was really lucky to have a great supervisor, and a fantastic preceptor. Sadly both of those nurses left within my first year there. Six months after starting work, I was the senior employee on night shift and one of three permanent night staff. The hospital had trouble finding nurses to work night shift, so we had a lot of traveling nurses. I was expected as a new grad to train these travelers to our floor, make assignments each shift, organize staffing for the shift following me, in short perform duties that a charge nurse should be doing. To say I was overwhelmed is an understatement. It was sink or swim, so I swam....but I got out of the situation as quickly as possible. For the last two years I've been working at a small rural hospital. This hospital knows the meaning of teamwork to a tee. I love the fact that I get to see OB patients, ER patients, a little of everything. I walk in the door every morning, still excited, still naive, thinking........"I'm going to make a difference in someone's life today."

I feel so sorry for those nurses who graduated with me. Out of the 22 new grads my original hospital hired from the class I graduated from....not one of them still works for that hospital. And every one of them seems so bitter about nursing. I love my job. I'm lucky.

TMPaul · Mar 11, 2002

I am a Nurse Practitioner. I work in a hospital based Employee/Occupational Health clinic. I have a staff of 3 and my precepting physician is off-site. We average 35-40 patients per day and over 1200 procedures per month. There is very little overtime here but I am available by pager on the off hours if needed (happens rarely).

dianacs · Mar 11, 2002

This is such a refreshing thread. I have enjoyed reading all of your responses.