Is it just me or does this board seem really negative? I belong to other forums that deal with working out, cars, and mountain biking and there are hardly ever any "rant" threads, maybe 5% at most. Here, it's like the opposite. Do people come here in the general discussion just to rant?

People vent when there are problems.

I think being able to vent is very healthy and normal! Not talking about negative experiences and situations seems very deleterious and destructive to me. Internalizing feelings of anger, fear, sadness, depression, frustrations, anxiety, etc., is not a healthy way to live, IMO.

Unfortunately, Nursing has many problems. Until the Nursing Profession is totally revamped, I have a feeling that the vent threads will not be going away anytime soon.

The other lists you described are hobbies. I would hope there would be no ranting...hobbies are fun. Nursing on the other hand can be hectic and really difficult. Ranting is a way to get things out with people who understand. Besides, this give my husband a break from having to nod his head and give me a consoling look while he tries to figure out what I'm talking about:twocents:

the most destructgive threads generally involve a them againts us topic

students/cans/lpn/rnasn/rnbsn apn and or course doctors, sw, managers and all o the above

We need a place to do this.

You wouldn't want us going "nursal" on the job, would ya?

most people who are not nurses do not understand what we go through on a daily basis. if i did not have the opportunity to vent anonymously to people who really get what i am dealing with, i guarantee i would either lost my mind or quit nursing altogether!

:yeah::yeah:this is why we have an's so that we can vent and not wind up losing our minds!!

We're not allowed to vent to the "customers" so we have to do it somewhere. I have been called kind, nice, and sweet by my residents. Little do most of them know that I am seething inside at times with frustration and anger over the amount of work and responsibility that is heaped on my shoulders on a daily basis. When I am smiling at them and patiently asking them what can I do for them after answering the call bell for the tenth time during my shift I am really thinking that I would like to "lay hands" on them if I could get away with it. I am finding out after 1+ year that part of being a nurse is being a good little actress. It's not the person's fault that they are sick and can't take care of themselves so why should I take it out on them? That said it is very HARD to take care of sick people and most sick people are unpleasant to be around. They feel poorly and aren't on their best behavior so snotty whiny attitudes are something that a nurse has to deal with up to a certain point. My DH, family, and, non-nurse friends do not need to hear me b*tch and moan on a daily basis. That kind of talk sucks the life out of people and ruins relationships. All nurses serves a very necessary function for me...it's my sounding board and and my release valve. When the pressure gets to be too much and I have no one to talk to I come here where it's supposed to be safe.

What I could do without on allnurses are more people telling me to suck it up and not complain.

I agree with all the posts about why threads like this exist.

Also, agree with the thought that "hobby websites" would have folks on there who LOVE their hobby.

Fortunately for AN, there are hundreds of forums to choose from - not just "General Nursing".

steph

What I could do without on allnurses are more people telling me to suck it up and not complain.

I can't stand those types too. Because taking it and shuting up about it is so conducive to solving the problem. It's right along the lines of "don't be negative", which irritates me too. Just be positive and it will get better, yeah right.

I love the stuff from: http://despair.com/

They take those stupid "motivational" posters they put up everywhere and spin them -- same beautiful pictures, but with things like a lighthouse lighting up a stormy night with "customer care: if we care'd about our customers we'd send them somewhere better" or "Destiny: You were ment for me...perhaps as a punishment."

I may actually take this one to work. I don't think my NM knows enough anthropology to get it....

I love it! The negetive I will admit gets me, too. I must say - there are so many sweeties on this board -----Yes it is safe to Vent here. Even when ............ AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAArrrrrr , maybe I will be a pirate in my next life. HA HA.

I notice that the other websites you mention all have to do with "fun stuff" ... hobbies ... etc. People don't usually find their hobbies to be all that frustrating. If they did, they would simply stop doing them.

Work on the other hand ...

I look at a couple "fun" boards and yeah people are happier. I also look at several professional boards too (not just nursing) and a lot of people are disgruntled and discontent. It's a shame that people don't feel more positively about having a license and a job that allows them to earn a decent wage. Maybe if they stopped and became aware how little some people in the world earn and what their working conditions are like it would make them feel more thankful. What I enjoy most are blogs by people who actually enjoy their work (any profession). Believe it or not they are out there.

It's a shame that people don't feel more positively about having a license and a job that allows them to earn a decent wage. .

So basically you are telling everyone to just "get over it". That doesn't help.