No need to be upset at the truth! Change careers

Nurses Relations

Published

One thing that has baffled me on this website is individuals always are up in arms when the truth is, if you have no passion for the profession you need to make life decisions for yourself. Most individuals come on allnurses.com to complain about the nursing profession, long hours, nursing staff, arrogant doctors. The truth is, this is not Mcdonalds where you work the job because it's a requirement for survival. You entered into college and chose a profession that makes you miserable, spent countless hours studying a subject that you have no interest in, and entered the work field to make others who are passionate about their careers miserable. Yet, many complain that the healthcare field has taken a turn for the worse. Has it ever occurred to those same individuals, if there was no passion for the career to begin with there would be none after starting your first, second, third, or even tenth position?

Maybe it's my family values that taught me, if I don't love what I do there is no way I will ever be successful in life. Success is not defined by the basic salary, but level of contentment with my life all together.

So I say, if you hate nursing make life decisions so the rest of us can enjoy our jobs.

I am not offended, nor did I mean to offend. I was just stating my reply.

No worries. :hug:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Neuro ICU/Trauma/Emergency.

Wow, I've read through the comments and they are as predictable as I expected. I see 95% of the responses are so delusional in their purpose within nursing, it's ridiculous.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I am at home on my laptop now.

I still cannot formulate a polite response to several of the posters on here.

I see a lot of arrogance and narrow-mindedness.

I see posts that were written for no better reason than for a select few to toot their own horns.

Old Nurse Mary told me long long ago, "Learn to pat yourself on the back, because no one else will."

I do declare, some have learned this lesson all too well.

As I told a smart aleck CNA (who just started nursing school) last week, "You just wait... your time's a-comin'!"

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
I hope to be a great Nurse one day as well..I have it in me..drive ...But I am a MA and my teacher who taught me was a RN,and NP. She also has cancer and still works..teaches classes....and doesn't complain nearly as much as I have heard of some people on here and she's on Double Chemo...she also was a Flight Nurse...this woman is my idol and a perfect example of a nurse who loved what she does...for 40 years..

Nobody is saying HEY quit your nursing job because you dont love it! lol just saying give something else a try when you can so you won't be so unhappy...because it's not good for the patients...

I've noticed in many of your posts you link unhappy nurses with patient care and competence. Or "hateful care" as you put it. I believe that link to be very unusual. Most nurses actually eat themselves up inside, they don't take it out on their patients. This is probably why championing nurses who display saint-like qualities is met with so much resistance here. Not that being a saint is bad, but having martyrdom associated with qualities that make a good nurse along with clinical competencies.

What your former instructor did as a response to her cancer is admirable, but it shouldn't be used as a club or even a measuring stick against nurses who have any type of difficulties in their lives. That borders on cruel to me. As I said, I honestly can't think of one nurse who provided hateful care because of whatever challenges they have in their lives. They aren't Susie Sunshine in many cases but to that I say so what? Maybe they are incompetent. Maybe they aren't. Some people like a serious nurse and want to gag around the perky type.

Doing what you love and getting paid for it is obviously the brass ring everyone hopes for. There are lots of reasons that doesn't happen, though.

I'm sorry I misunderstood your post regarding people who post on the forum and how they behave at the workplace.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Most nurses actually eat themselves up inside, they don't take it out on their patients.

You hit the nail on the head.

You have summed the whole convoluted mess up in one sentence.

I do believe this is the bottom line.

Kudos!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Neuro ICU/Trauma/Emergency.

I would like to place this thought into prospective, as this conversation is interestingly diverse.

Would you rather be served by an individual who loved what he/she was doing or by an individual who simply was working to make a paycheck?

It's not an opinion but rather fact, when a person is passionate about his/her job he/she is far more successful. For me, it wasn't about working until retiring age, but working until I felt like retiring. I am not interested in making a quick dollar, because money wasn't the issue.

My passion is clear in the quality of my work( don't take offense unless it applies to you). Passionate nurses are innovative in the level of care and contribute to the team beyond text book knowledge.

THIS IS MY OPINION!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Neuro ICU/Trauma/Emergency.
I am at home on my laptop now.

I still cannot formulate a polite response to several of the posters on here.

I see a lot of arrogance and narrow-mindedness.

I see posts that were written for no better reason than for a select few to toot their own horns.

Old Nurse Mary told me long long ago, "Learn to pat yourself on the back, because no one else will."

I do declare, some have learned this lesson all too well.

As I told a smart aleck CNA (who just started nursing school) last week, "You just wait... your time's a-comin'!"

I don't see how this conversation or topic can garner any negative response. The individuals who feel attacked are exactly who I was discussing my OP. Your truth is your truth, so state your piece/peace.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Oncology.
I would like to place this thought into prospective, as this conversation is interestingly diverse.

Would you rather be served by an individual who loved what he/she was doing or by an individual who simply was working to make a paycheck?

It's not an opinion but rather fact, when a person is passionate about his/her job he/she is far more successful. For me, it wasn't about working until retiring age, but working until I felt like retiring. I am not interested in making a quick dollar, because money wasn't the issue.

My passion is clear in the quality of my work( don't take offense unless it applies to you). Passionate nurses are innovative in the level of care and contribute to the team beyond text book knowledge.

THIS IS MY OPINION!

Honestly, this may be true, however, if working conditions were decent it would be different. I love my patients and I don't treat them poorly because I am stressed and overworked. The people at McDonald's don't all love their jobs but the burgers taste the same either way.. I know that passion and happiness with your position can make you a better nurse, but sometimes the passion has to come from within even though you are so miserable at your job. I wish it weren't so. Most nurses who are burnt out don't actually hate their jobs except for the staffing and work conditions.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU, PACU.

Why can't I be someone who just pretended to be the most passionate nurse at work (who gives excellent patient care and have the skills to boot) because it'll give me a paycheck and yet, still hate it at the end of the day?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Neuro ICU/Trauma/Emergency.
Honestly, this may be true, however, if working conditions were decent it would be different. I love my patients and I don't treat them poorly because I am stressed and overworked. The people at McDonald's don't all love their jobs but the burgers taste the same either way.. I know that passion and happiness with your position can make you a better nurse, but sometimes the passion has to come from within even though you are so miserable at your job. I wish it weren't so. Most nurses who are burnt out don't actually hate their jobs except for the staffing and work conditions.

I don't want it to be misconstrued that I was aiming my OP to those individuals who work under terrible management or unreasonable staffing. I too have had both of those occur in my career. I was speaking in regards to those who simply say, "I am here to earn a paycheck" or those students who are in school that say "I am here because joe, danny, paula etc. are nurses and said they made XYZ last year".

Don't think that I am super-nurse ,and can't sympathize with terrible working conditions.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Would you rather be served by an individual who loved what he/she was doing or by an individual who simply was working to make a paycheck?

I flat out do not care about someone's motivation as long as the work is good. None of my business what their motivation is.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Neuro ICU/Trauma/Emergency.
Why can't I be someone who just pretended to be the most passionate nurse at work (who gives excellent patient care and have the skills to boot) because it'll give me a paycheck and yet, still hate it at the end of the day?

If that's the life you have chosen for yourself, Kudos to you! The basis is, most doctors aren't arrogant because the nurse is a terrible nurse. Most doctors are arrogant because nurses who have just done the basics to secure employment are far too many.

I remember when I would train physicians in Health Information Management the chief complaint was, why are nurses included in the healthcare team when he/she has no knowledge outside of basic nursing school textbook knowledge and 15 years of experience?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment