why so many negatives about nursing?

[confusedstudent20]

I was reading another thread about someone wanting to leave their job to pursue nursing, and all the comments consisted of negativity about the nursing career. Is nursing really that awful? I'm still in undergrad and thinking about pursuing a second-degree BSN and working as a psychiatric nurse. But from what I see, all the nurses on here seem to hate being a nurse. Nursing seemed like the best choice for me having a psychology degree....but now I'm starting to reconsider with seeing all the negativity. So, why are there so many negatives about nursing?

[ixchel]

I am not speaking on how they do their jobs. I am speaking on the amount on negativity that is posted. That I as a student cannot form an opinion is crazy to me. No matter how many people respond to me I will still hold my same stance. I read posts here often and I am generally quiet. I know from the threads on here I have read and the context what I took from that. No one will change that perspective. When I am talking on threads, I keep it in the context of what is being asked. This post asked about the negativity. I gave my opinion based on what I have read. I will never accept a persons dismal view of something because they have been in the field longer. I will accept their vast medical knowledge, because that is based on science and not personal experiences. Personal experiences color or perceptions greatly. I come from a long line of peopler based in medicine so I have no fairy tale view of the profession. This is my last reply cause my thumbs are not up for drawn out internet conflicts that will gain me nothing. It is not am insult and I am unsure where you are reading confidence from in my posts. Sent from my iPhone using allnurses.com[/quote']

Perhaps I've misunderstood the tone of your posts, but it seems you've been the only one bringing argument to the table. Not one single person has said you can't have an opinion. Heck, I came out with a long winded opinion in this thread as a student as well. It was your response that those who are already nurses refuting your opinions with their knowledge and experience that was off-putting.

We are, of course, allowed to and encouraged to have opinions, but we need to recognize and respect that our opinions are NOT based on experience, which is largely what this thread is dissecting. The ones who are nurses post a lot of negative experiences, and to the pre-nursing student, it is off-putting and scary. But to those who have experience making those posts, us coming in with guns blazing with our idealized, book learned concepts rub them the wrong way, too. We are taught ideas. We are taught lab values. We are taught body systems. We are taught prioritization. But how can we be taught how to handle emotional, terrible crises and bosses who are unreasonable, and social services systems that fall painfully short in protecting vulnerable populations? We are not taught reality. We just aren't.

Btw, if my whole family was in professional football, I might be exposed to the language of the sport, but I still wouldn't be a football player. Not saying having inside glances from those you trust isn't valuable, but it still is not valid experience.

I do respect your need to step out of this conversation, but I do hope you still read because I have a feeling this thread will give excellent insight.

[Hygiene Queen]

This was beautiful:

Perhaps I've misunderstood the tone of your posts, but it seems you've been the only one bringing argument to the table. Not one single person has said you can't have an opinion. Heck, I came out with a long winded opinion in this thread as a student as well. It was your response that those who are already nurses refuting your opinions with their knowledge and experience that was off-putting.

We are, of course, allowed to and encouraged to have opinions, but we need to recognize and respect that our opinions are NOT based on experience, which is largely what this thread is dissecting. The ones who are nurses post a lot of negative experiences, and to the pre-nursing student, it is off-putting and scary. But to those who have experience making those posts, us coming in with guns blazing with our idealized, book learned concepts rub them the wrong way, too. We are taught ideas. We are taught lab values. We are taught body systems. We are taught prioritization. But how can we be taught how to handle emotional, terrible crises and bosses who are unreasonable, and social services systems that fall painfully short in protecting vulnerable populations? We are not taught reality. We just aren't.

Btw, if my whole family was in professional football, I might be exposed to the language of the sport, but I still wouldn't be a football player. Not saying having inside glances from those you trust isn't valuable, but it still is not valid experience.

I do respect your need to step out of this conversation, but I do hope you still read because I have a feeling this thread will give excellent insight.

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

Too many ADNs, not enough BSNs.

ADNs who heard there was a nursing shortage and charged in only to find employers want new BSN grads or several years of ADN experience.

Catty nurses who only wish to try to demoralize anyone who may one day compete with them for their job. (there were tons of these in my university's nursing program)

BSN grads unwilling to move to begin or advance their careers and being upset about it. (newsflash, you will most likely have to move if you live in a big city. If you've never had a job you WILL have to start small even with a BSN. This is just how the real world works and is true for every major of study)

Seriously, don't listen to those people. 1/3 of them are jaded, 1/3d are straight-up liars, and 1/3rd are just afraid of competition.

This has nothing what so ever to do with degrees.

There is NO nursing shortage.

BSN's also have difficulty finding jobs.

Personally....I am not catty and it is difficult to compete with me and my extensive clinical experience. Sound arrogant? Maybe..... but it is the truth. I am not threatened in any way shape or form by incoming nurses.....I welcome any one who is willing to do the job as I have a vested interest in training the new to the field as I want competent nurses to care for me when I am old and need care. I am willing to share with anyone who want to learn and put in the hard work....not the fast tract to beat feet out of the profession to the "BIG" paying jobs who show disdain for what nursing really means.

I am not jaded....I am not a liar....and we have already established I am not fearful of competition.

I will place a bet on at least 45% of those posts belong to those who are burnt out and jaded.

I think that those entering the profession need some reality of what being a nurse is....it's a hard job. Humans are messy...nursing is messy. I agree that there seems to be more negativity than positivity posted. I think the unhappy post more. They certainly get more discussion. It is a fact if someone is unhappy they will tell who ever will listen....ten times over.......If someone is happy they just tell their family.....once.

[elkpark]

I will place a bet on at least 45% of those posts belong to those who are burnt out and jaded.

Even if 45% of individuals here complaining about problems on their jobs are "burnt out and jaded," does that automically mean that their concerns and complaints are invalid and unjustified?

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

I am one semester away from graduation with my BSN. I've been reading this site since sometime early in my gen eds. This site has made me realize:

1. I need to just start with BSN, not ADN. My area has 2 programs - an ADN and a BSN. Most of the spring BSN grads go back "home" when they graduate. I'll have a higher degree than most of my competition, which gives me a leg up, and my end goal is to become an NP anyway, so it just makes sense (for me) to go with BSN right out of the gate.

2. I am actually in one of those rare areas where the BSNs DO tend to have jobs before graduation. I never would have taken the time to find that out if I hadn't read here all of the struggles everyone is facing.

3. With those two things in mind, AN has helped me realize that the market here IS favorable for me to go ahead and get some RN experience before moving on to a masters degree.

4. I *will* still be able to go into advanced practice with a masters degree when the time comes because contrary to what my school says, DNP isn't becoming the entry level standard any time soon.

5. Burnout happens, even for the most passionate and committed nurses. AN is a safe place to vent. You can learn from these experiences because chances are, you'll face them one day, too.

6. Not that I ever thought nursing would be anyway, but I've learned that nursing isn't sunshine, lollipops and rainbows. You NEED a thick skin. Even on your best days, you might be helping people with the most frustrating problems that they will expect YOU to fix, while they have absolutely no desire to do anything for themselves. And, of course, it is your job and responsibility to help them. In my psych clinical, we actually had a great discussion about nurse burnout in psych in general. The young women in the group with me were alarmed by the lack of determination and commitment they witnessed in the staff of our community psych placement. Our instructor explained that it's not ideal to have nurses who have lost the "spark", but each year you reach out to dozens of clients and you might see observable, positive change in ONE. That would wear down even the strongest-willed person at some point. I feel that vibe here frequently, and it helps to keep a realistic understanding of how I may find myself feeling when the dust settles on my degree, and helps me realize I need to take the time to nourish myself in ways that may prevent that feeling of burnout from creeping up on me.

7. People are more inclined to share their frustration than their successes. Communities like this are helpful to those who are struggling and so that's why people come here to vent. I'm certain many of the frustrations you read here are experienced by nurses who also experience joys, too, but obviously joy-filled experiences don't usually call for a need for advice and support.

8. You ever wait tables? As a server, you are the person with the customer the whole time, depending on their happiness with your service, and yet, you have no control over much of anything at all. You don't cook the food. You don't make the drinks. So if the bar screws up on your martini or takes forever making it, your tip goes down and you get yelled at, even though it's the bartender who screwed up. Reading AN has made me realize that bedside nursing is probably the same way, only you're at the mercy of the rest of the hospital staff and resources. Glad I heard that before going into it.

I feel like my nursing choices are being entered into with a higher level of "informed consent" because I can read here what the more common struggles are in each other. It increases my knowledge beyond what my textbooks say, which is filled with a lot of happy kitty hug land NCLEX fantasticness. I want the truth, and you'll find that here. I'm sure I have more to add but that's what comes to mind right this second. You really need to read the complaints here and decide if you can handle these things happening to you. Don't ever believe you are immune to the experiences you read here because we all go into this wanting to do the best we can. We ALL want to do and be our best, always. None of us is better than anyone else, and even the craziest stories here can happen to you. Can you handle that? Even more importantly, do you WANT to handle that?

well said.....

[slicksGIRL]

Personally....I am not catty and it is difficult to compete with me and my extensive clinical experience. Sound arrogant? Maybe..... but it is the truth. I am not threatened in any way shape or form by incoming nurses.....I welcome any one who is willing to do the job as I have a vested interest in training the new to the field as I want competent nurses to care for me when I am old and need care. I am willing to share with anyone who want to learn and put in the hard work....not the fast tract to beat feet out of the profession to the "BIG" paying jobs who show disdain for what nursing really means.

Thumbs up. Great mentality.

[RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN]

I love being a nurse and nursing people. Aside from that, I hate everything else. The politics, the bickering, backstabbing, disrespect, unappreciated, healthcare system and so forth.

I just want to be a good nurse and nurse!

[Clementia]

I just left the profession after seven years on an ortho/surg floor. When I was a student, I had no idea what a large percentage of mean, miserable, and generally unpleasant people I would have to coddle every night. Sure, there were lots of wonderful and inspiring people who were a joy to work with. But, after a few years, the nasty ones wore me down, and I decided life was too short to cater to crazy folks. Many of my patients told me what a wonderful nurse I was, but the compliments weren't worth it. Being a student really doesn't prepare you all that well for the hard realities of dealing with people day in and day out.

I guess what I'm trying to say is -- and I don't mean this as an attack on anyone -- is that, if you are a student nurse, you need to get the stars out of your eyes and realize that while nursing may be rewarding, it is not particularly glamorous, well respected, or well paid. The nurse is the go-to person for doctors, ancillary staff, housekeeping, management, and patients, and a lot of the time that involves ending up as a punching bag.

[RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN]

I am sorry Clementia

I have been brainstorming ways to get out as well or at the very least have a back up plan. I've only been a nurse for a little over 6 yrs and I feel it has aged me 50 years in emotional/physical distress.

At this point, I just want to find a job where I make enough to pay my car, rent, utilities and top ramen if in turn it will fulfill me and reward me emotionally.

I love most of my patients and their families but that is not enough. I hate how each day less and less actual nursing care is given to them and tending to non-nursing crap and abuse increases.

I am tired of having to go to another staff meeting where we are going to be told how we don't do enough and turns into a proverbial ***** fest. Sick of the threats and having being told to be grateful we even have a job. Yes, a job where not only do we put in our sweat and sacrifices but an unappreciated one.

Tired of having to spend my days off in some hospital related bullcrap committee or I won't get a decent evaluation thus no merit raise. Tired of being called at home on my days off to pawn the units problems, staffing problems or drama.

I am tired of having to ask for basic equipment/supplies to do my job only for it to be placed on a "wish list". Tired of management promising the world and stars to the patients only to have us deliver the opposite because we are too over worked, understaffed and never enough of anything.

Tired of feeling like a failure to my patients because I cannot meet the promises made to them and them being angry and upset at the end of the day. It is always the nurses fault no matter what. :***:

Tired of management considering the cereal bar I choked down in 2 seconds flat my lunch because "I ate" and getting 30 mins deducted from my pay.

Tired of putting fires all day that take time away from my patients. Tired of seeing them for a 15 min assessment, 2 minute med passes and the rest in front of a computer charting the same thing in 22 different places, filing out 70 pages of add-on documentation to our "paperless" charting ha! Tired of having to call dietary to bring the correct tray to my neutropenic pt or renal pt for the 8th time and inquire about my missing meal tray for the 3rd pt today. Tired of calling pharmacy every 2 mins for missing meds only to be told to send down a request in writing and having to follow up for the next several hours or go pick it up myself when it has been a scheduled med for days and THEY MISSED filling it.

Tired of having to strip beds and wipe down everything before housekeeping can clean my room for my direct admit angrily waiting for the bed. Tired of struggling just to deliver basic competent and safe care. Tired of having to go struggle to get to my patient and do an assessment or assess pain/mentation because there are 40 family members in the room and well there is an open door policy and out of control in the name of customer service.

Tired of nurses being conditioned and taught by management to abuse each other, tell on each other and throw each other under the bus instead of being united and helping each other all in the name of standing out and/or praised.

Tired of people assuming we make lots of money therefore we should accept the working conditions as are.

Tired of people who have not even entered the profession and without batting an eye call us ungrateful, bitter, too tired and that it will never happen to them.

Tired of people coming into the profession with rose-colored glasses only to be shocked by reality.

Tired of being tired because I can go on and on and on and on...........

[gloryfied]

Have Bern a nurse for almost 2 yrs , left my previous job. I know I did a great job but what scarred me most was the few ungrateful pts I had. Part of other reasons of course. I was called into the office for or complaint of not looking happy holding a urinal for him to pee. It's all good, really. I just choose to not be degraded. Nursing has lost it. I enjoy working with the old lady's with manners, every other patient was there for pills pills pills. Docs gave up and just prescribed it to avoid their nagging. Her I am every 2 hrs pushing morphine for someone there with a headache. It became so unethical. I had to take a break. Wow.

I went into nursing because I come from a family of "be successful" nursing has wiped me out if any even find the energy to do my everyday things. Smh

[DoeRN]

Jessy RN you summed everything up very nicely. I work the bare minimal to pay my bills and put food on the table. And I don't enjoy my off days because I don't have extra money to do anything fun. And I dread working an extra day to have extra money to do anything fun. Bedside nursing sucks the life out of you.

Sent from my iPhone using allnurses.com

[Hygiene Queen]

If only those with the rosy glasses knew how much trouble even seemingly simple things can be.

What I went through recently just to get a darn order for a pain med... they would cry.

You don't think about all the little things that turn into big hassles because: the doctor won't return a call, the patient suddenly declares themselves allergic to what you finally manage to get an order for (gee, that wasn't in your chart!), then trying to get a hold of the doc again... dealing with an annoyed doctor... waiting for the pharmacy to profile it, finding out they profiled the wrong thing, calling the pharmacy to fix it... waiting for the correction to be profiled... discovering it's not in your Pyxis, running across the hospital to the nearest Pyxis that has it, finding there is 5 people waiting in line to use the very same Pyxis, running back to the unit to give it and then having the pt be mad at you because they were positive they were going to die of a "sick headache" and where were you????!!!

I wish I was making this up.

This...

This is the crap that drives me crazy.

Don't even ask about the day I was trying to get my pt out to an x-ray.

Worst. Shift. Ever.