Less Stressful Areas

[peacelovestar]

less stressful enviroments for a nurse?

[kontakt]

My wife (my avatar is a picture of my wife), who is also an RN, is applying for a case-manager type position for a kind of health spa for people who have $$$$. It's a day job. 10 hour days. Rotates to weekend every 3 weeks. During her 1 hour break, she can use anything within this "land for the la-ti-da's" health-fitness facility.

And the pay is good.

I guess she would be doing initial demographical, medical and physical assessments. The MD's at this particular facility would then "prescribe" the "treatment" (exercise, diet, etc).

I am sure that there is a certain amount of stress to be found doing this particular nursing gig. But I still haven't figured out what exactly that stress would be. :chuckle

I hope she gets this job.

[peacelovestar]

I hope she gets the job too!!

Thanks for the reply

[kontakt]

I hope she gets the job too!!

Thanks for the reply

Me too! LOL! :chuckle

Seriously though. . .

First, I want to commend you for seemingly being self aware of your interests and of your stress level. I suspect that many people start their nursing program without thinking too seriously about the stress that comes with this profession.

Almost every nursing position, I believe, carries some level of stress. We're dealing with people's lives. But I guess there may be certain nursing/healthcare specialties that may tend to have less stress involved (like the nursing position my wife is seeking, for example). One possible job involving less stress would be a drug rep. Although they tend to work long hours and do a lot of traveling, as well as dealing with cranky doctors, I would think that the potential stress level of a drug rep is less than one of an ER nurse or an ICU nurse. (I could be wrong, though.)

I would also suggest discovering strategies in dealing with the stress. Sounding-off is one. This bulletin board is one HUGE example of people sounding off (typing) their stress. Networking is another. Being patient with one's self is still another. Most new grad nurses seem extremely stressed as they learn to practice what they learned. Developing outside hobbies is still another. For example, I like music. I like it a lot. In fact, I would LOVE to be a full-time musician. Again.

It will be interesting to read the other responses that other people will share to this thread.

Good luck with your career goals. It seems like you're off to a good start. :)

[lauralassie]

Most people think this is really weird, but I've always found hospice to be a job that is not only low stress but good for the sole. After many , many years in critical care and ER, I've found hospice to be a place where I can help people in the worst time of their life and most of all help them die with dignity. Seemed in ICU , we tie them down , put a tube in every orafice and then say " NOW DIE I DARE YOU !" Then after a few days or weeks of a fight between surgery and med docs, a peg and trach and c-dif complete with the raw butt and bleeding peri area, they finally decide they can't do anything more and let the pt go. I guess to sum it up , hospice was less stressful because I felt good about the job I did.

[llg, PhD, RN]

I think stress is a matter of personal "preference." What is stressful for one person may not be stressful for another. For example, some people feel stressed when they are busy. Having a lot to do makes them feel stressed. Other people are just the opposite and like to keep busy. They feel stressed if they "sit around" too much and have to "look for things to do."

Personally, I never found the NICU very stressful -- because it was the right kind of stress for me. I liked having 1 to 3 patients even if they were very sick. A general care med/surg floor would be horribly stressful for me because it is not the type of work I enjoy and because it would involve a larger number of patients per nurse.

The key is to pay attention as you do your student rotations. Pay attention to the types of things that stress you out in a negative way and the types of things that stimulate you in a positive way. That will tell you what factors to look for in a job after graduation.

[miko014]

Any job you have will have stress. You could work at a grocery store and come home angry and upset every night. Don't let this board scare you!! Yes, we all have stress, but we (usually) don't come on here and write about the good shifts! A lot of us come on here to blow off steam when things go crazy!

For example, my shift on Sunday was great! Everything went smooth, all the pts were safe and happy (well, as happy as they can be in the hospital, lol!), and so was I! So I felt good, and had no reason to come here and tell everyone about it! Chin up, and don't take us *too* seriously!

[nurseangel47]

Hi, Hawaiian Spam lover! LOL....have always heard you guys love your Spam! I wish you luck in pursuing a nursing career. GOOD LUCK with school!!

[peacelovestar]

Yup, they even sell spam and white rice at McDonalds! And they used to have pineapple, too. Not sure if they still do.. Don't frequent Mickey D's all that much

[snowfreeze, BSN, RN]

Hmm, spam at McD's now I could deal with that. Planning to travel again in the next year or so, Alaska first then Hawaii. My suggestion is find an area of nursing that you like and feel comfortable doing; this will develop during your clinical times. There are going to be many low stress jobs with the elderly over the next 20 years. Long term care is more passing medications to stable patients, doing a few dressing changes, give some IV antibiotics, talk to patients and their families, you are busy but rarely is there an emergency. Patients die but that is expected as they are near the end of their life, most are DNR or do not resucitate so you don't do anything except assess and call family and the physician.

[jannrn]

Some say med/surg is a rite of passage, and the hardest place to work, but not always. the unit I am on can be very busy but usually is pretty low-key with only 3 or 4 pt each and sometimes less. It is all what you are happy with. I don't believe anyone has to be stuck in any one place, look around for the setting that suits you. some hate to be slow and enjoy a fast-paced environment. I like someone's advice to think hard about each clinical and evaluate it for yourself. It may stress one out and suit another fine.

I know one nurse who was an ER nurse and also on the side did some night shift Peds advice nursing. sat by the telephone all night with a computer in front of her.....

[PHM]

I'd also commend you for facing up to your reaction to stress. I would suggest further that everyone reacts differently to stress, has different ways of coping and overcoming it. You may feel a bit stressed and worried how you will perform as a nurse, but you just don't know until you get into it. I was pretty worried about working the Med Surg floor (as were most of my classmates---who ran over each other's backs to get into an ICU with a couple of patients rather than the usual six) but figured an ICU environment with "critical" patients would be even worse. Initially, it was stressful indeed, but you quickly learn and refine time management and organizational skills and the stress level pretty much wanes (except for a few choice moments). I'm really happy where I am now (Stepdown) and really encourage to just get into nursing for all the reasons you probably are considering it. Like all of us, you'll adjust, refine your skills and find it very rewarding.

Good luck to you.