New job! No more hospital for me!

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Mar 12, 2004

Congrats for getting out of the hospital rat race. Let the rats have at it- you're out of it!

I have a friend who became a legal nurse consultant. She now makes $75,000. a year and gets a yearly 5 day vacation paid for by her medical malpractice attorney boss. Last fall, he paid for her and her dh to take a cruise to The Bahamas.

And- I find that floor nursing makes nurses fat- No time to eat for 12 hrs, then shlep home, starving, eat too much and fall into bed. I'm always too sore all over (wrecked back, knees and ankles) to work-out.

Congrats to you Cherry!

soltera · Mar 12, 2004

Hello everyone.
Well, I got myself a new job.
NO more bedside nursing for me. NO more hospitals. NO more 12 1/2 hour shifts that turn into 14. NO more days of no lunch and no breaks. NO more standing on my feet all day! NO more DOCTORS! NO more lazy manipulative RN's and CNA's! NO more loud obnoxious berating nurse manager and her minions! NO more responsibility for everyone else's job plus mine! NO 5am phone calls at home on my day off to come to work! NO more asinine rules, regulations; NO more redundant, repetitive, paperwork, policies, procedures, etc! NO more feeling guilty for calling in sick! NO more FAMILIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NO more being treated like a slave, waitress, doormat, housekeeper, maid, dietary worker, tv repairwoman, telephone repairwoman, pharmacist, psychologist, social worker, secretary, and policewoman. NO more ugly scrubs and ugly shoes. NO more blood, vomit, urine, stool, secretions! NO more heavy lifting! NO more sweating! NO more exposure to diseases! NO more being in charge because no one else wants to do it so I get stuck with it bull*&%$! NO more working with a full census and not enough nurses!!! NO MORE working weekends, holidays etc. No more being stuck on the unit and unable to leave without someone covering for me!
Finally, I will have a Mon-Fri, 9-5 job. Off every weekend and holiday. I'll be home at a decent hour! I'll have time after work to meet friends for dinner, go out with my husband, go shopping, go for a walk! I'll be able to leave my work at work where it belongs! I can go shopping now for nice clothes, nice shoes. I can wear my nails long and wear pretty jewelry! I will smell nice at all times!!! I'll be respected as a professional with knowledge! I'll work in a pretty office! I'll have LUNCH EVERY SINGLE DAY! I will be able to put my work down and leave the office any time I want!!!!!!!!!!! I'll be able to register for a class in literature and know that I will have EVERY TUESDAY NIGHT OFF TO TAKE IT! My weeks will have a natural rhythm to it. I will be able to attend parties, BBQ's, christenings, showers, weddings, etc. on the weekends and holidays! I will be paid better than I am as a bedside nurse, and be eligible for quarterly bonuses! There are raises for MERIT not just raises at a small percentage!
I can't wait to just be a normal person again.
I will miss my lovely patients though. I will miss some of my friends at work.
That's it. Thanks for listening.
Cherry

wow, that's a huge load off your back isn't it? what's your now job?

WalkingInTheRain · Mar 13, 2004

Congratulations :)

jewelsg627 · Mar 13, 2004

Cherry,

I am really excited to hear you looking forward to your new job. Actually, it sounds like an AWESOME job. It really helps me see that there are SOOO many other things you can do with nursing besides beside...this gives me hope. I am not a nurse (yet) but I will be entering (hopefully) grad school to get my M.S.N. In Fall 2005 (Depending where I get accepted...if anywhere :uhoh3: ).

Anyway, I have a question for you (and others who might read this). It sounds like you really have to put up with a alot of bullsh*t in nursing that you don't deserve. Yet, I hear all the time that nurse still LOVE being nurses and love their patients. I can see form your "list" :) that there are many things "wrong" with nursing "trends" right now. So what is it that makes you love being a nurse and love your patients?

I truly hope things change for nurses...WAAAAAYYYYY too disrepected and unappreciated. It really disheartens me.

RNPD · Mar 13, 2004

Really happy for you Cherry (and jealous!) You should take your original post and send it to every news agency in the country. What a wonderful description of the job of the typical staff nurse!

Much luck and happiness to you in your new job!

mattsmom81 · Mar 14, 2004

Congrats Cherry...don't forget your roots while you're reviewing charts for holes..(like Tweety I also worry when a nurse looks for holes/mistakes in charts, cuz I know how fallible we are in today's crazy healthcare system)

DEFINITELY send your original post to the newspapers...I agree!!!

I'm glad you have found a better way to use your nursing education and wish you the best!

orrnlori, RN · Mar 14, 2004

Good for you. I looked at Legal Nursing Consulting long and hard but figured I needed to finish my education first. Still looking at it strongly though. I will definately say that I miss the desk (and that wonderful high backed chair I had), the clothes, the jewelry, pretty nails, a hairstyle, smelling good and staying clean all day Monday through Friday that I had in my former life of banking. I envy you for sure. I wish you the best, you sound like you deserve it.

SmilingBluEyes · Mar 14, 2004

way to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

angel337, MSN, RN · Mar 14, 2004

congrats cherry,rn on your new position!! it's good that you got out of bedside nursing before you became the bitter, miserable nurse that patients don't deserve. i worked a 9-5 job for years and personally i hated it. i like nursing a lot better because i can do my errands during the week when most people are at work and so forth. i don't miss out on too much. but like every job there are pros and cons and anyone going into nursing should know that it is not all peaches and cream. but hey, someone's gotta do it. any time i have had to receive medical care i have always prayed for a decent happy nurse because i know that alot of nurses are unhappy. fortunately i haven't had too many bad experiences and i try to be the nurse to my patients that i would want for my family. let's face it, without nurses and nurse support staff, there is no healthcare.

BrandyBSN · Mar 14, 2004

Congrats Cherry! I hope to be joining you soon in the "normal" schedule of life. I just starting working on the hospital computer system full time in February, getting ready for computerized charting. Its a temp job right now, pay is the same, I still have to work every 3rd weekend, but if the position becomes permanent, I wont have to do that any more. I love working in ER, I love the skills, and the pace, but with terrible staffing, poor morale, and co-workers that call in VERY frequently leaving us high and dry, I can't wait to start something new. I'm being very careful not to burn any bridges though... I might want to re-travel them someday, and definately want to get an invitation back at a later time.

Congrats!

BrandyBSN

NativeTexan · Mar 14, 2004

Cherry,

You go girl!!

Used and abused · Mar 18, 2004

Cherry RN.... I have been there. When staffing is cut short so the administrators can have a raise (whom you never see out on the floor, they shut themselves up in a room with a closed door) the nurses feel it and ultimately the patient. Managers have no right to be yelling at the staff (I am one) There are other processes for shortcomings. One important one is to talk directly to them to hear the other side of the story. I do believe your story should be printed and add to it what your thoughts are of why the system is failing there. I suggest bringing it to the att. of the medical board of the hospital. Public should know too, perhaps you can change something, as this is what is obviously needed.

Hello everyone.
Well, I got myself a new job.
NO more bedside nursing for me. NO more hospitals. NO more 12 1/2 hour shifts that turn into 14. NO more days of no lunch and no breaks. NO more standing on my feet all day! NO more DOCTORS! NO more lazy manipulative RN's and CNA's! NO more loud obnoxious berating nurse manager and her minions! NO more responsibility for everyone else's job plus mine! NO 5am phone calls at home on my day off to come to work! NO more asinine rules, regulations; NO more redundant, repetitive, paperwork, policies, procedures, etc! NO more feeling guilty for calling in sick! NO more FAMILIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NO more being treated like a slave, waitress, doormat, housekeeper, maid, dietary worker, tv repairwoman, telephone repairwoman, pharmacist, psychologist, social worker, secretary, and policewoman. NO more ugly scrubs and ugly shoes. NO more blood, vomit, urine, stool, secretions! NO more heavy lifting! NO more sweating! NO more exposure to diseases! NO more being in charge because no one else wants to do it so I get stuck with it bull*&%$! NO more working with a full census and not enough nurses!!! NO MORE working weekends, holidays etc. No more being stuck on the unit and unable to leave without someone covering for me!
Finally, I will have a Mon-Fri, 9-5 job. Off every weekend and holiday. I'll be home at a decent hour! I'll have time after work to meet friends for dinner, go out with my husband, go shopping, go for a walk! I'll be able to leave my work at work where it belongs! I can go shopping now for nice clothes, nice shoes. I can wear my nails long and wear pretty jewelry! I will smell nice at all times!!! I'll be respected as a professional with knowledge! I'll work in a pretty office! I'll have LUNCH EVERY SINGLE DAY! I will be able to put my work down and leave the office any time I want!!!!!!!!!!! I'll be able to register for a class in literature and know that I will have EVERY TUESDAY NIGHT OFF TO TAKE IT! My weeks will have a natural rhythm to it. I will be able to attend parties, BBQ's, christenings, showers, weddings, etc. on the weekends and holidays! I will be paid better than I am as a bedside nurse, and be eligible for quarterly bonuses! There are raises for MERIT not just raises at a small percentage!
I can't wait to just be a normal person again.
I will miss my lovely patients though. I will miss some of my friends at work.
That's it. Thanks for listening.
Cherry