No I wouldn't recommend nursing

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It surprises me how many students are going into nursing. I had my BSN since 1992 and have worked in the hospitals since then. Nursing is back-breaking labor with the reoccurring role of cleaning poop. There is no way my back can last another 20 years until retirement. Pick something else to go into.

Manuel

What I said was that you can't just talk and not act and expect anything to improve.

Staying in a job you hate, complaining, but doing nothing else promotes stasis, mediocrity, and misery for your coworkers.

True - I agree with you on those points. But I do think dissatisfaction is a first step towards change for the good. On the other hand, dealing with disagreeable people all day I'm sure gets old. "Stringer" makes some good points above as well.

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Sorry everyone for the rant - but I really do get tired of the negative folks!

All it takes is that one bad apple to spoil the atmosphere of the whole unit. Don't you agree?

To some extent, you're right. People should try and be pleasant and professional when at work, even if they do hate it. It's part of personal integrity.

But venting on a forum is totally different. That's what I was trying to say. Sometimes we need a place to really be honest and say what's on our minds.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.
To some extent, you're right. People should try and be pleasant and professional when at work, even if they do hate it. It's part of personal integrity.

But venting on a forum is totally different. That's what I was trying to say. Sometimes we need a place to really be honest and say what's on our minds.

Completely agree here. We all need to vent, and there's a way to do it. Here at Allnurses we should feel free just to vent away, because there are some days that I seriously hate my job. Usually it's that I dislike a certain situation, not my job or nursing, so I'm going to vent. I don't need to hear "get out of nursing if you hate it that bad."

However, there is a way to be a squeaky wheel and institute change. Saying something like "I'm extremely busy and can't handle the patient load, so I need to refuse this admission, if you'd like I'll talk to whomever in administration about my refusal." Or something professional. It's not easy.

What I dislike are the employees, and I work with a couple, that gripe loudly and bitterly and disrupt the morale of the entire unit with their frequent complaining and passive aggressive behavior. "I'm not busting my ass around here today, those patients can just wait and I hope they complain, maybe then they'll do something about staffing." Or telling a patient "you're not my only patient...", "Damn, Mr. Smith is on the call light again, the acuity in my assignment today sucks, you charge nurses..........." etc. etc. etc.

I think there are valid points on both sides.

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What gets me down at a job more than anything are co-workers who openly put down their fellow-employees to other co-workers.

I have been working with an RN whom I thought was a pretty good nurse, and I respected her- until recently.

She was holding court at the nurses' station, surrounded by LPNs and CNAs. She was making fun of and putting down several other staff whom we all work with frequently, but were off that day. She was just hateful and viscious.

She's done the same thing several times. Whomever is not there, she talks about, and whomever is present is her friend. She talks horribly about the pts, too.

She's only been a nurse for two years, she can't be that burnt-out yet.

Its made me lose all respect and trust for her, and it really brings me down to work with her. I've tried to counteract her by saying positive things about the people she puts down but her negative comments seem to permiate everything.

When I see her name on the schedule with me, my heart sinks.

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What gets me down at a job more than anything are co-workers who openly put down their fellow-employees to other co-workers.

I have been working with an RN whom I thought was a pretty good nurse, and I respected her- until recently.

She was holding court at the nurses' station, surrounded by LPNs and CNAs. She was making fun of and putting down several other staff whom we all work with frequently, but were off that day. She was just hateful and viscious.

She's done the same thing several times. Whomever is not there, she talks about, and whomever is present is her friend. She talks horribly about the pts, too.

She's only been a nurse for two years, she can't be that burnt-out yet.

Its made me lose all respect and trust for her, and it really brings me down to work with her. I've tried to counteract her by saying positive things about the people she puts down but her negative comments seem to permiate everything.

When I see her name on the schedule with me, my heart sinks.

I would cringe as well if I saw such a person on the schedule with me!

I think it's that kind of biddy-ish, two-faced behavior that threatens to give nursing a low-class image. When people behave that way, it's just, well, not classy or worthy of respect. Not to mention it's downright immature.

I can't imagine going to work every day with the kind of atmosphere that type of behavior would instill, no matter how much I wanted to help patients.

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I would cringe as well if I saw such a person on the schedule with me!

I think it's that kind of biddy-ish, two-faced behavior that threatens to give nursing a low-class image. When people behave that way, it's just, well, not classy or worthy of respect. Not to mention it's downright immature.

I can't imagine going to work every day with the kind of atmosphere that type of behavior would instill, no matter how much I wanted to help patients.

She especially has an impact on the younger staff members-

This nurse is very stylish and elegant in her physical appearance, and she wears a size 2. Also, her husband works for the local "big deal" employer. For these reasons, the younger staff really look up to her.

I wish she had chosen to use her influence in a positive way.

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Specializes in ICU, School Nurse, Med/Surg, Psych.

I think a lot of nurses are in positions that don't suit them. As an RN you can work for an insurance company (no poop there), malpractice lawyer, in a clinic or md office, all units of the hospital, nursing home, medical equipment sales, informatics (read computers), education (I loved teaching a CNA course with my ADN degree), travel and so many more. Nursing is about doing for the client what they are unable to do for themselves which may include wiping their bottom but what shoudl also include teaching them and helping them to learn to take care of themselves. The great thing about nursing is that if you dislike your job- there is another one available right now. Do yourself and your clients a favor and change. (Generation X changes jobs every 2 years, when was the last time you did?)

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Specializes in mostly in the basement.
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She was holding court at the nurses' station, surrounded by LPNs and CNAs. She was making fun of and putting down several other staff whom we all work with frequently, but were off that day. She was just hateful and viscious.

She's done the same thing several times. Whomever is not there, she talks about, and whomever is present is her friend. She talks horribly about the pts, too.

When I see her name on the schedule with me, my heart sinks.

This must be more common than I thought! Ugh...

At my last job I worked nights and there were at least two of these gals. The way we did our own schedules there were sometimes I would work six nights in a row and with that I could watch the focus of said women shift amongst whomever wasn't phsically there that particular night. It was sad.

I was once chided for "not being social" w/ these particular ladies. Well, duh, it's not as if I didn't know exactly who was gonna get ripped on night number 7! Too funny....and one of a number of reasons I am no longer employed at said job :)

On another topic, I wonder if those that are down on the "complainers" and "venters" here at this forum think that this is the ONLY place that those folks deal with their frustrations?

I'd imagine I might be considered as one of the "negative" crowd on here (I prefer "realist", thank you very much) but you can be darned sure my activism and desire for professional change go much further than the confines of an internet forum.

But, at times, I am grateful to AllNurses, as occasionally I feel a kindred spirit w/those like minded souls who can understand the bigger issues at play in our workplace, desire a change and can discuss the possibilities that do still exist to further this profession. With vigorous discourse especially!

If those discussions take place within vents, so be it. Just like in certain patient inteactions I love how on here when you can almost see someone get that "Oh, now I get it" tone to their posts.

There is most definitely power in numbers and selfishly I enjoy watching each and everyone possible join in the sometimes divisive discussions necessary to work toward the goal of moving nursing proactively forward..............

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why everybody thinks only about poop and body fluids? only the nasty part? is there anything you really like in nursing? not everybody is meant to be a nurse. nurses must be humble and tough for their patients. they have to be the legs, brains and hands for the sick people. are u ready to do that?

here is some funny stuff.

you know you are a nurse when......... now smile....

1) the front of your scrubs reads 'nurses... here to save your ass, not kiss it!'

2) you occasionally park in the space with the 'physicians only' sign... and knock it over.

3) you believe some patients are alive only because it's illegal to kill them.

4) you recognize that you can't cure stupid.

5) you own at least three pens with the names of prescription medications on them.

6) you believe there's a special place in hell for the inventor of the call light.

7) you believe that saying 'it can't get any worse' causes it to get worse just to show you it can.

8) you wash your hands before you go to the bathroom.

9) you believe that any job where you can drive to work in your pajamas is a cool one.

10) you consider a tongue depressor an eating utensil.

11) eat ing microwave popcorn out of a clean bedpan is perfectly natural.

12) you've been exposed to so many x-rays that you consider it a form of birth control.

13) you've ever heard a patient with a nose ring, a brow ring, and twelve earrings say 'i'm afraid of shots.'

14) you've ever placed a bet on someone's blood alcohol level.

15) you've told a confused patient that your name is that of a coworker and to call if they need help.

16) your bladder can expand to the size of a winnebago's water tank.

17) you have seen more memberes than any prostitute could dream of.

18) you believe that not all patients are annoying... some are unconscious.

19) y our family and friends refuse to watch medical sitcoms with you because you spend the whole time correcting everyone and pointing out upside down

x-rays.

20) you don't get excited about blood, unless it's your own.

21) you've sworn to have 'do not resuscitate' tattooed on your chest. soon.

22) discussing dismemberment over a gourmet meal is perfectly normal to you.

23) your idea of fine dining is anywhere you can sit down to eat.

24) your idea of a good time is a cardiac arrest at shift change.

25) you believe in the aerial spraying of prozac.

26) you believe that 'shallow gene pool' should be a recognized diagnosis.

27) you believe that the government should require permits to reproduce.

28) you believe that unspeakable evils will befall anyone who utters the phrase 'wow, it's really quiet, isn't it?

29) you have ever wanted to write a book entitled 'suicide: getting it right the first time.'

30) you h ave ever had a patient look you straight in the eye and say 'i have no idea how that got stuck in there.'

31) you've had to leave a patient's room before you begin to laugh uncontrollably.

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I believe nursing is a noble career and it does not fit everyone. I also believe if you truely want to be a nurse, you MUST be ready to SERVE and if that is asking for too much then nursing might not be your turff.

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