Now I know why I "Got the Blues" and the "Thrill is Gone"

Fiona59 · Oct 18, 2009

well, that link only works if we have a password to login with...

thegreenmile · Oct 18, 2009

OOps! Membership is free if you create a login. It's a great site.

Sample excerpt:

"I guess I "got da blues". After 17 years of nursing, the thrill is gone. As I converse with so many RN's, I see it just might be an epidemic. I'm having a heck of a time finding too many veteran nurses who are still satisfied and gratified with this profession. I'm in an awful quandry. It's TIME to *hit or get off the pot! I'm exploring my options, which, that's one of the upside's of having this degree. I'm disappointed, frustrated, unfulfilled, bored and feel stuck. Now, 51 years old, I've done the assessment and the results are in........

#1) The years have taken a toll on my body and my zest for this career

#2) I made the mistake of "getting comfortable" and did not pursue a higher education, (I'm ADN prepared)

#3) I went into a specialty early in my career and thought it was a "good thing"..

#4) I became disallusioned and disappointed with management and felt powerless

#5) I sought my higher power, "the Union", and to no avail, not much has changed

#6) Face it, age is not on my side . . . .

How Can We Reduce the Dissatisfaction in Our Workplaces? . . . .

.. ..What needs to change in our workplaces? How can we make it better?"

eriksoln, BSN, RN · Oct 18, 2009

Funny. Most hospitals have taken on a "If you don't like how we do things, good luck finding work elsewhere" mentality. The problems mentioned in this forum are getting worse and worse, while facilities push the envelope daring its workforce to find something better.

tewdles, RN · Oct 18, 2009

Get out of the facility/hospital. Look to nursing in a clinic, in CHC, in hospice, in some other setting. You will have to make salary and benefit adjustments but those are small prices to pay for personal and professional satisfaction and mental health. There are places where you can and will make a difference as an old ADN. Good luck.

PostOpPrincess, BSN, RN · Oct 18, 2009

OOps! Membership is free if you create a login. It's a great site.
Sample excerpt:
" I guess I "got da blues". After 17 years of nursing, the thrill is gone. As I converse with so many RN's, I see it just might be an epidemic. I'm having a heck of a time finding too many veteran nurses who are still satisfied and gratified with this profession. I'm in an awful quandry. It's TIME to *hit or get off the pot! I'm exploring my options, which, that's one of the upside's of having this degree. I'm disappointed, frustrated, unfulfilled, bored and feel stuck. Now, 51 years old, I've done the assessment and the results are in........
#1) The years have taken a toll on my body and my zest for this career
#2) I made the mistake of "getting comfortable" and did not pursue a higher education, (I'm ADN prepared)
#3) I went into a specialty early in my career and thought it was a "good thing"..
#4) I became disallusioned and disappointed with management and felt powerless
#5) I sought my higher power, "the Union", and to no avail, not much has changed
#6) Face it, age is not on my side . . . .
. . . .How Can We Reduce the Dissatisfaction in Our Workplaces? . . . .
. . . .What needs to change in our workplaces? How can we make it better?

Yikes! I don't know....the thrill is not gone for me,yet...but it is getting BORING. I need to be in Advanced Practice--even my docs keep telling me this...I keep reminding them "I iz in skool!"......I've done many specialties and when I get bored with one....I move on. I've learned a lot, and seen alot. I reach out for the varied experiences.

As far as management, they work with me because I'm very honest with my expectations, and I do my work and they leave me alone.

The Union? I do not need a union.

I like where I work because we have a party at least once a month and the food is delish.

Yeah, believe it or not, that's important =) I work with fun, crazy, and down to earth people. When things go down, everyone jumps in, and when we do argue with each other (it is inevitable) we always make up.

I have two families. One at home, another at work =)

tewdles, RN · Oct 19, 2009

Jo...clearly you work with management which understands the value of "team" and they apparently work to build and maintain that team...(meals, party, etc...sense of "us"). This is soooo important and too many managers are completely ignorant of the value and process of team building. For starters...too many managers do not realize that trust is the foundation of that team. Too many young managers think that just one little "white lie" about this or that will achieve their immediate ends but fail to consider how that one little statement will affect the trust of the staff. It makes me sad and sometimes glad that I am at the end of my nursing career rather than at the beginning.