New nurses thinking of leaving nursing

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Hello,

I am sure that all of us remember our nursing school days, and how hard it was to finish. I just finished last December of 2008. I worked so hard and I thought now I was going to have a big pay off. I was WRONG! Apparently that is why nursing school is like being in the military. My unit is full of backstabbing, backbiting and judgemental people. The hospital right now is cutting staff due low census and expecting more. We have to rotate all around the hospital even to units that I not comfortable with practicing on. I no longer have had a choice. It has been made clear to me several times that there are plenty of new grads that are graduating that will take my job. What has happened in the last 2 years in treatment of nurses. Was it always this bad! I thought it was supposed to be better? Should I stick it out in nursing is it going to get better when the economy rebounds? I try to compare it to my friends experiences that are equally overwhelmed at their jobs, but to be frank, I am responsible for people's lives and am able to be held liable. This makes that stress worse. All of the more experienced nurses out there. is this going to get better? Should we all start unions. (I actually mentioned the word "union" at my job and one of the older nurses told me never to say it again b/c I could get fired) We can get written up for opposing anything, or saying anything negative. Just Scary!

Before you "leave" the nursing field, think long and hard before you do. I left nursing,and have regretted doing so ever since. Trust me the grass isnt greener on the other side. I miss nursing, so to those who feel overwhelmed, it will pass, just think about how hard you worked to get your license. Once you let your license lapse, do you really want to retake the nclex??

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Hospitals no longer have to worry about staff satisfaction and nurse retention. There are 2 new grads waiting to take my job if I decide enough is enough. Staffing is being slashed to save money. It's absurd to me when a number is placed on a pts acuity without factoring in intangibles like family or mental status. A calculator is used to decide how many nurses are needed to care for x amount of pts. I have become a nurse I don't like, impatient with sick old people who want a chat when taking their pills. I am no better than my manager who only sees me as a number on a calculator. I am not valued for my empathy, warmth, compassion. I'm valued for how fast I can assess and pass meds. I

Yes, and this will continue until we RN's put a stop to it. What I don't understand is how the Grocery unions, truck drivers unions always make a big fuzz about contracts, wages, working conditions, etc. but in our profession it seems to be very difficult. Why because we allow it to be this way. Just my opinion:twocents:

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Specializes in geriatrics/long term care.

Your fellow nurses, (those backstabbing, judgemental, and backbiting people) are probably just as frustrated as you are. They just know the job better and have been hoping things would change longer than you have. They are also human beings...and flawed as are we all, so judge them gently.

If you are not content with what you are doing, you are in the wrong place. You graduated in 2008. That means you have at least 1+ years of med surg experience. Have you tried a specialty hospital(Psych, Cancer, Rehab)? They tend to be smaller and less political. What about hospice or home health? Would you enjoy going out into the community instead of working in a clinical setting? There is school nursing. You could be the school nurse at a local school district... or a prison nurse(i know, sounds like scraping the bottom of the barrel but i hear the work is steady and predictable and the benefits are excellent). You could work in the community at a clinic or work for a company in their wellness program. What about long term care? Have you ever considered caring for the baby boomers as they age?

Your opportunities are endless. Why would you quit nursing? I have been in nursing since 19(i was a cna) and only spent one year in the hospital. When i got bored or was unhappy, i went back to school....Or quit my job and found another one. Or both.

The trick is to find your niche and make nursing work for you. PLEASE dont give up. The fact that you graduated shows that you have a strong desire to succeed in this profession. NEVER give up... reach for the stars.

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Specializes in LTC Rehab Med/Surg.
I am going to play devils advocate here.

I have been in many facilities as a volunteer. At every place I have been the nurses have complaints such as these.

That does not stop them from chatting it up and surfing the net at the station......

It does not stop them from taking way more breaks (read smoke breaks) then the breaks that policy entitles them to per shift.

I think management needs to be more reasonable and I think that employees need to stop feeling like they are so entitled........and meet in the middle....

What you described does occur. But not very often. The vast majority of the time nurses are overworked and expected to complete work that is impossible to complete in the allotted time.

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I think what people have to remember before they go and quit nursing is that the hospital is not the only place that you can work. Work in a clinic or maybe even go get your NP and do something with that. Nursing is flexible, that's the best part of it.

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Hey everyone. Thanks for the words of encouragement. I actually am currently working to get in a union hospital, I have also looked into other areas of nursing outside the hospital. I was just wondering if I should give up? But all of you are giving me a little hope. To the volunteer that stated that too many nurses are taking smoke breaks, and surfing the net. I don't know what facility you were in or where but let me tell you I am insulted. I take what I do seriously. I work from the time I get on the floor till I leave. Sometimes without using the bathroom one time or eating. In fact some one us was hospitalized for dehydration. This is most nights. I am sending a message out on this nurses day to that person that you should take another look, because most of us work pretty dang hard.

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I agree that the backbiting probably always existed. But I have found it exists in all the different jobs I have been in.

I think it has always been a job where there is too much to do in too little time. A job where you feel you never get enough time with your patient.

The other issues I think are facility related with some economy issues added in. I have seen a big difference in where I work now and where I came from. The hospital I work at now has really made steps to make a good environment to work in. I think they've found that if the staff is happy, their patients will be more likely to be happy. Maybe this will catch on in other facilities?? We can only hope.

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I believe a lot of issues are arising because people who shouldn't be managing are becoming managers.

It almost seems like they are playing dumb when it comes to staffing issues and safe patient care. Whenever I hear a term "customer satification" during staff meetings, it makes me wonder since when did hospitals become "hotels?" Since when did patients become "customers?" We got new flat screen TVs in each of patient's rooms and yet we can't hire more nurses, techs, and other support staff because of low budget? Give me a break! I am so sick of hearing "we need to improve our customer satisfaction rate"! Our focus should be providing safe and effective nursing care to our patients, not fluffing their pillows!!!!

Sorry, I just had to vent. :mad:

Don't give up on nursing though. Think about what you can do as a nurse in different clinical settings.

Or... you can go back to school to study nursing administration and become a true leader that we all want! :yeah:

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Specializes in ICU, ER, EP,.
i believe a lot of issues are arising because people who shouldn't be managing are becoming managers.

it almost seems like they are playing dumb when it comes to staffing issues and safe patient care. whenever i hear a term "customer satification" during staff meetings, it makes me wonder since when did hospitals become "hotels?" since when did patients become "customers?" we got new flat screen tvs in each of patient's rooms and yet we can't hire more nurses, techs, and other support staff because of low budget? give me a break! i am so sick of hearing "we need to improve our customer satisfaction rate"! our focus should be providing safe and effective nursing care to our patients, not fluffing their pillows!!!!

sorry, i just had to vent. :mad:

don't give up on nursing though. think about what you can do as a nurse in different clinical settings.

or... you can go back to school to study nursing administration and become a true leader that we all want! :yeah:

woot, woot, yeah!! you've said it all!

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Specializes in OB, Peds, Med Surg and Geriatric Nsg.

When I was in nursing school, my clinical instructors would shower us plenty of information on how nursing in the US is. It's like every nurse from the Philippines would like to experience. When I moved here last year, I was so excited on sitting for the NCLEX and pass it and start my career as a USRN. Boy it was hard and so was the job hunting. Within my 6weeks starting as a nurse in LTC, I remember all the stories that my instructors told us. His words at all didn't do justice. I hadn't complained about work nor cried over it. I see a lot of uncontented nurses everyday. So much paperwork and documentation to be done. What happened? The admin keeps on reiterating to boost the customer service rate so that they could earn more money without thinking the workload that their nurses have. What about the job satisfcation? It seemed like it abruptly vanished because of how the economy is. Because they think that we need our jobs rather than us being satisfied with it? How can you establish trust and rapport with your patient and family when you can only stay for a quick minute or two to shove down pills in their mouths? I'm starting to lose hope with the nursing field. It has changed so much that I don't even know if this is for me. If ANA would do a poll on how many nurses that are satisfied in their jobs, I guess there would be 1 in a 100.

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Specializes in Cardiac.
Hospitals no longer have to worry about staff satisfaction and nurse retention. There are 2 new grads waiting to take my job if I decide enough is enough. Staffing is being slashed to save money. It's absurd to me when a number is placed on a pts acuity without factoring in intangibles like family or mental status. A calculator is used to decide how many nurses are needed to care for x amount of pts. I have become a nurse I don't like, impatient with sick old people who want a chat when taking their pills. I am no better than my manager who only sees me as a number on a calculator. I am not valued for my empathy, warmth, compassion. I'm valued for how fast I can assess and pass meds. I

Very,VERY, well said :yeah:. This is exactly the problem with hospital nursing today! I am feeling all of this as well :mad:.

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My way of fighting back has been to advance my education. I know this may not be a possibility for everyone, but for me, in a year or two I will leave hospital nursing for a NP degree.

I just cannot maintain my sanity, or the integrity of my soul if I would have go go on in nursing. At least so far not on the unit I started on. From what I read, it's similar everywhere.

I'm afraid, unless we change the climate in this country, that nursing does not have the greatest future. That is my own feeling -- I see them going to mostly techs w/ a few nurses and more advanced practice nurses filling in for docs. It's the only way they can provide care within the budget they're setting out.

Sadly, things could trend this way -- unless we as Americans root for better economic policies in this country. Our jobs are tied into Medicare, Medicaid, and the health insurance companies -- none of these entitites are in good shape -- just read the newspapers.

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