Ive been out of nursing school 2 years now and I have bounced between countless jobs. ICU, NICU, med/surg, home health, and different hospitals. Sometimes I feel so strongly that I REALLY dont like nursing, but its so hard to look past the flexible hours, pay, and benefits. Im depressed, anxious, a nervous wreck, now Im having physical pain from the tensions.
My question: Do most nurses REALLY love their job and their patients? Or at least most of the time?
Because I cant honestly say I do.
PS. I have an associates degree, so I feel limited to the bedside.
really, it seems to be the poor working conditions (that are very pervasive in hospital nursing) that make many of us not like our jobs, rather than nursing itself.
That is definitely the impression I get from reading these boards over the last year or so--most of the unhappy nurses feel that way because they're not allowed to BE nurses (at least not the kind of nurse they want to be) due to management, CYA policies, penny pinching, etc. It's still sad and scary for someone about to enter the field. Unhappiness is unhappiness--whatever the cause.
I've had 5 years nursing experience, I've found nursing to be a very fast paced, demanding, and often times thankless career. I must love the feeling of helping those in need otherwise I would not put myself through all this on a daily basis. Some days I wonder if I made the right career decision. Then I wake up the next morning with a new attitude. I try to maintain a positive attitude in my daily life, if for nothing else, myself.
I hated nursing school and the bipolar instructors. I hated working in the hospital with the bipolar nurses and all of the politics and gossiping that went with it. I hated running around like a chicken with my head cut off for 12+ hours a day. I hated sitting in our stuffy, little break room and not understanding one word being spoken because everyone in there spoke something other than English. I hated going to work and ended up on blood pressure and anxiety meds. After putting in my 2 years there, I got a job doing home infusions. Now I like my job, am off all medication, am relaxed, happy and stress free. I make more money and have more flexibility. I work about 25 - 30 hours a week and get paid for 40, my boss is really cool and easy going -- the patients love that we come to them in the comfort of their home. You couldn't pay me enough to ever go back to the hospital.
really, it seems to be the poor working conditions (that are very pervasive in hospital nursing) that make many of us not like our jobs, rather than nursing itself.
Truer words were never spoken! (And it's not just hospitals-I work in a rehab facility as a charge nurse. I work 16 hour days sometimes without even realizing that I haven't peed all day, and admin just keeps giving me more tasks to do).
This is just a suggestion and to be honest i didn't read all the posts. Do you think maybe changing your attitude about why you work woud help.
Let me give you an example. I'm no florence nightengale i come from a long line of nurses and REFUSED to become a nurse. Then I talked to a friend who has been a nurse for a long time, he said some really interesting things. This is the gist of what I got. Nursing isn't my life, it isn't my mission, it isn't how I define myself. Its my job plain and simple. My life is my life, my family, community I live in my vacations, my friends thats my life. I define myself as a good mom with two cute kids and a great husband.
Nursing is a means to an end for me. I'm good at it, I'm safe and a team player but when i hit that elevator button at exactly 7:30am I forget the unit and when those sliding doors close behind me I forget the hospital.
I don't make friends of my co-workers, that meaning I don't party with them. This helps me not to mix my 'real' life with my 'work' life. I guess my point is if you can't change your work, change the reasonwhy you work.
I have been an RN for 20 plus years. Returned to school a few years ago and obtained my BSN. I got into nursing as a single parent knowing I only had to go a couple of years to school and I would be set as far as pay, benefits and hours of work go. I must say I do NOT like this career path I have chosen. But at my age, 52...where would I go to start all over again and make 100 grand a year??? I will tell you...It is not possible. So I will stay in this career...I do psych nursing which is the ONLY type of nursing I would even consider doing at this point in time. I do enjoy the clients but sometimes its just the same old thing. I am excellent at what I do and can do psychiatric assessments that are fantastic. My clients like me and tell me I make them feel better. I have worked in Oncology, ICU, med/surg, Burn unit, and have worked psych for the last 14 years. My motto...work smarter NOT harder. My daughter wants to go to nursing school...I am trying my best to talk her OUT of it...but if she does wish to go...I will support her...Hopefully, she will follow into psych.....Who in their right mind ENJOYS bed pans, hanging up IV, trach care, Foleys, and having the management staff treat the nursing staff horribly. Come one....any nurse who says they LOVE doing this is in my opintion...not being honest with themselves. I have been a supervisor in the hospitals for many years. I no longer work in the hospital setting and would NEVER return....Good luck to all those new ones. Nursing is NOT what it used to be years ago. I think most nurses after years of nursing DO get burned out at some point...but we just keep on going....What else is there to do?
This isn't about finding our niche. Trust me - we all go into this job for the greater good. If you think it's OK to run around like a chicken with your head cut off for 12+ hours, not be able to go to the restroom for who knows how long, orders coming in so fast you can't keep up, not being able to take your lunch break, charting and repeat charting, etc, etc. Personally, I'm not a glutton for punishment. I guess that's why I didn't love working in the hospital
To Castymiss: Very nice explanation. I haven't been a nurse for as long as you have, so I totally respect your knowledge. I agree with your post and kudos. You are absolutely right.
That's funny. i've been reading the posts here. it makes me feel good to know others feel the way i do about nursing. i dont see myself in this profession for long, but I don't know what else I want to do. I'm thinking about going back to school for masters but am unsure about it.
You will probably STAY in the profession. The money is just too good to turn away from. You might obtain a Masters but I bet it will be in Nursing..After 20 years, there is nothing I can do at this point and make the kind of money I make.
I am *lucky* to have found the great job that I have in nursing, I know as a new RN (1 yr) there are nurses who would kill for my job.
If it wasn't for this job I would be out of nursing, working at Starbucks. Nursing sucks for the most part. There is no WAY to know what your getting yourself into before you make the commitment either (I worked as a tech and CNA before becoming an RN).
Scooter321
238 Posts
That is definitely the impression I get from reading these boards over the last year or so--most of the unhappy nurses feel that way because they're not allowed to BE nurses (at least not the kind of nurse they want to be) due to management, CYA policies, penny pinching, etc. It's still sad and scary for someone about to enter the field. Unhappiness is unhappiness--whatever the cause.