My experience...

[nyapa, RN]

I am an enrolled nurse who cancelled my RN training recently. Some of the reasons are listed below...

1. My EN and RN courses never prepared me for the violence I have had to deal with in my job. I am not good at confrontation, never have been. I am fed up with being threatened, yelled at, and more rarely, though it has happened, physically abused

2. The legal tight rope nurses have to walk. I know I cant discuss specifics, but it always seems to me that the nurse is between the law and the medical profession. Document, document, document. Its so frightening to consider what can happen, and Ive seen it happen.

3. Nursing training itself. Not sure about other areas but there was too much theory not related to nursing. Chemistry et al aside (I realise that there are some parts that are important, such as understanding the Kreb cycle), one subject that I had to do involved creating a proposal for a research project...as an undergraduate. Couldnt this time be better spent on issues more related to direct nursing care?

4. the difficulty of trying to keep food on the table along with studying and maintenance of a coherent family unit. I am sure everyone understands this one.

I made a conscious decision to cancel my RN training. I was receiving Ds and HDs the whole way through. I did very well in my practical sessions too. But due to work place bullying by one particular staff member, the combination of the above and working permanent nights as an EN I ended up being off work for an extended time not only due to stress issues, but also because my physical health was affected. Why the heck would I want to become an RN just to cope with more of the same?

On returning to work, the most important thing I experienced was the support of my fellow staff. I had got to the point where I thought noone cared, or even liked me. People are constantly asking me how I am. And it is fantastic how we work as a team. Nurses seem to do that automatically. It makes for a great work environment.

I dont miss my course a bit. I would have graduated in February. I would have done very well. It is funny, but many ENs who have become RNs actually support and understand my position. A small amount have even said they wished they had never made the change.

Each person has their own strengths and weaknesses. The gift of this horrible year for me has been to discover mine.

Jacqui

[gwenith, BSN, RN]

There is nothing absolutely nothing wrong with dropping out for a while or for good - you are where you should be in your life now - end of story - as for the bullying - I am so sorry this happened. If you ever need to vent or just to pour your story into a sympathetic ear we are here. This is one of the functions of this board - to support one another.

Hope this next year is better for you.

[ceridwyn]

Hi Jacqui, Boy do I relate to what you are saying!!!!!!!

I am from down south, gee its hot today:cool:

Anyway Yes, Yes, Yes, RN is great if you are young and want to make a career of it, or kids have grown up and you always wanted to be a nurse.

I have been an EN for 24 years, always thougth, and was told by patients and other staff, "You should go on and do "your RN"

Sound familiar?? I even received a scholarship from a nurses board to go on and do the degree.

Put the final nail in the coffin of my marriage (probably a good thing was abusive and a drop kick) that was at the beginning of the degree. He told me a couldn't do it, along with former friends.

Well last year a gained my Bachelor of Nursing with HD's, So what!!

Good side of this: 1. The studying and rewards I got kept me sane through all the rougth times, of family court, contempt of court(family court) abuse of ex- and new wife. etc etc.

But I could escape from all this by just being student nurse and a good result student nurse at that.

2. You get asked to look after the S8 keys. In some australian states you can start checking out drugs.

3. STop getting spoken to like scum from some RNs that think ENs are ENs because they are dumb.

Bad side: 1. responsibility, I did not realise that once you have that new title the buck stop here!!! Doctors can be real pains, admin staff can be very nasty. Patients relatives can be very very unreasonable.

2. The worry that an EN knows about, you know, we know that legal responsility is very real. New RNs never nursing before don't worry about this. I go home only sometimes, thinking, gee did I sign for that, or did I remember to give that?

3. And this is the big one for me at the moment--------THE MONEY

A old nurse friend of mine finished her primary teaching degree as I was finishing my degree. She gets all school holidays, weekends, most night off. and works away gross with 41,000 a year. I work rotten hours, have to find babysitters, work mostly out of school hours and I am getting 32,000 a year gross. I just don't get it. I get a university degree and go down $5.00 an hour. Bet no other professional occupation would except that!!!!

It will take me 6 years of at least 24 hours a week to get up to my pay as an EN!!!!

No Jacqui, you have done a very brave thing and followed your heart, if you really wanted to be an RN you would have completed your course.

I wish you well, and thanks for your post, I am not the only one who questions, "why" did I do it.

[gwenith, BSN, RN]

Wow! C I had NO idea things were that rough! - A pay drop of $5/ hour is that right rather is that wrong??? I jwould have thought you would have started at least at your old pay scale?

Hope this next year is better for you ((((((((((((((hugs))))))))))))))))))

[ceridwyn]

Thanks for the hugs, Gwenith, I am sure things will pick up.

No, it is actually $4.53 an hour difference, I was on the highest pay scale for an EN. Was told when I question it with the ANF rep that came to our uni and I quote" you must realise that becoming an RN Division 1 is a whole new ball game and you must come in at the bottom level as a grade 1 Division 1." ....... so be it.

I must be all burn't out a think. Sorry guys for all the negativity.

C

[Unregistered]

I am a 4th year EN and I am so sick of the reaction I get when RN's ask me if I am doing my RN's. It's one of total shock and disbelif "YOUR NOT????" Like there is nothing else to aspire to than to be a registered Nurse. I trained in QLD where the training is not hospital based, but acadmically based like RN's. 18months full time at tafe studing at Diploma Level with 3 clinical placements a month each in duration. I come out accredited to give up to s4 meds via Oral, SC, IM and PR routes. I am also allowed to moniter IV infusions. In line with our skills we come out a second year pay level.

Then I move to NSW

The Nurses registration board treated me like I was trying to pull a fast one on them, None of my advanced skills were recognised, and the dropped me back a year in pay!!!

Still now, 6 years after QLD began training EN's this way nothings changed, EN's are still often regarded as "dumb" or "useless" or generally of lesser value (especially among older RN's who shouldn't talk) and the Uni's here don't even recognise my qualifications should I be masochist enough to do my RN's.

Why would I want to get $30k into debt, study, work unpaid, and miss out on alot of paid work for 2 years, get heaps more responsibility, heaps more workload for a degree that is almost useless outside of the nursing field so I am more qualified for a job that pays $4 an hour more than my current job, with limited chance of promotion, low paying for the amount of responsibility, requiring I work antisocial hours, Put my health at risk handling infectious, dangerous, offensive materials and people.......Are they CRAZY???

Yeah ok, Nursing does have some benefits, like flexability, being able to travel and job security, helping people and (hopefully) making a difference in peoples lives but I can do all that to a large extent with my current qualifications, so now you know why I am very happy being an enrolled nurse thanx very much.

And they wonder why nurses are leaving the profession like the plague.

[ceridwyn]

Gidday, Agree on every level except one,

The nursing degree is not useless outside of nursing.

In one week been offered a university place in a postgraduate 2 year primary education, Bachelor of Teaching,

and to my absolute surprise have also been offered HECS place in a 3 year graduate law degree, cos I got good marks in my BN.

I got good marks because I was already an EN so it all follows on dosen't it?

Decision, decisons. I know that I do not want to stay in nursing,

Maybe a health/law position somewhere? C