Nurse with Disdain

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Hi. I've got to vent here, since I have no "friends" that are nurses, and I want the input of some perhaps unbiased individuals.

I'm a mid-30s male career changer. I left a career I had for a decade (not sure why actually) and got a second bachelor's to be a nurse. My previous employment involved traits remarkably different than those that the profession of nursing wants to embody involving command, pointed direction, and disregard for feelings of others. Sure, I've cranked out many reports, position papers, and documents pertaining to administration so the paperwork end of nursing isn't the issue. I'm ok with that.

I actually deleted three paragraphs stating specifically what don't like, but I decided to filter it for all of you as after reading it most of you would probably be up in arms against me.

Without revealing any other information about myself I am actually in a practitioner program to become a NP. I thought perhaps I might find fulfillment there since patient interaction is short and to the point, and the purpose is to provide treatment which I thought I was going to do when I went for that second degree in nursing. I still may like it. I'm halfway there at this point so I'm going to press forward, and I understand that many of you might object to this.

I need to find other work for now though. I am absolutely on the edge, dread going to work, and even more so I hate actually doing the work. The neediness of patients infuriates me. I can't go back to where I was, and I hate myself for thinking I could feign an interest in this field.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.

Your post doesn't give much information as to the actual problem (those missing 3 paragraphs?)

Are you sayng that you have disdain for (code: dislike) all your patients? And that you need to find work that doesn't involve patients until you get to the glorified position of NP?

I hope that I've misunderstood your post. If not, then I fear that you've made entirely the wrong career choice. You seem to have a seriously skewed impression of the role of NP. The hallmark of a NP (at least in the role of PCP) is treating the whole person as opposed to treating the medical diagnoses that the MD does. This involves empathy, listening skills, and a willingness to think outside the current diagnosis. All in addition, of course, to the advanced medical knowledge that you would bring.

Please clarify if you can without revealing too much

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Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.

You might prefer a procedural unit or an outpatient setting. Or the ER ... if you can handle the craziness.

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Specializes in Emergency Room, Trauma ICU.

Some more details on what you don't like and why you got into nursing would really help. But depending on what floor you're on now a switch to ICU or ER may help.

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Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

The issue, now and when you become an NP is that if patients do not perceive you as warm and fuzzy at least a little they will give you bad reviews and that will cause you problems.

Have you thought about the military? It would not be a huge issue there I wouldn't think.

Can you be a little warm & fuzzy and work in urgent care or somewhere like that where you see them once and quickly?

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Or how about some kind of desk job with being an NP?

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Yeah, get your NP and then go work in a minit-clinic at MallWart. You won't have to go to the trouble of maintaining a whole set of messy interpersonal relationships as you would in an actual practice and most of the people you disdain will deserve it. :JK:

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I understand your feelings. First, I don't think there's anything necessarily "glorified" about the role of NP. It's just something with a different operational focus. Second, the NPs I've rotated with for school do the same things the physicians do - listen to the patient, diagnose, and prescribe a treatment regimen. Are they bad? Probably not because they stay booked up.

Right now I do have a dislike of patients. I hate inpatient. I really do. There's so much going on that I'm so entirely sick of seeing; incontinence both site and smell, having to yell to be heard, constant coughing and puking, and people wanting things totally irrelevant to their health when they use the "call button." That's the point of is. It's not inside me to want to do anything about any of this. I'm ok with explaining people's diseases and their treatment process. A lot of my coworkers shy away from that, and other than assessing them, which I don't mind doing, these are about the only elements of the job that don't make me go crazy having to do it. That's just how I feel.

Your post doesn't give much information as to the actual problem (those missing 3 paragraphs?)

Are you sayng that you have disdain for (code: dislike) all your patients? And that you need to find work that doesn't involve patients until you get to the glorified position of NP?

I hope that I've misunderstood your post. If not, then I fear that you've made entirely the wrong career choice. You seem to have a seriously skewed impression of the role of NP. The hallmark of a NP (at least in the role of PCP) is treating the whole person as opposed to treating the medical diagnoses that the MD does. This involves empathy, listening skills, and a willingness to think outside the current diagnosis. All in addition, of course, to the advanced medical knowledge that you would bring.

Please clarify if you can without revealing too much

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Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

NP should work. I do research and you would probably like that a lot too. None of the stuff you hate involved. Totally different focus.

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You might prefer a procedural unit or an outpatient setting. Or the ER ... if you can handle the craziness.

Initially I thought I would inherently gravitate if not be placed in this field. However, after being asked to "go after" ER openings I have chosen not to. Anonymity prevents me from explaining why.

I'll add though that I've worked some in the ER within my employing hospital, and to me it's not that crazy. What most of the coworkers consider chaotic or troublesome isn't exciting for me. Excitement for me involves another level incapable of being found in a hospital.

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You know the odd thing is that I'm actually personable. I'm just not patient. I can make patients fall out laughing and get them to talk about anything. I don't mind talking either, but when there's other stuff to do my lack of patience prevents it then I don't give them the time of day. The caveat here is when there are patients that become needy or repetitioius I start to feel angry. I value independence and when people can't be that, even by no fault of their own, I again lose my patience.

Military....can't talk about that area.

Urgent care....could probably do it. Never heard of such a place in real life though.

The issue, now and when you become an NP is that if patients do not perceive you as warm and fuzzy at least a little they will give you bad reviews and that will cause you problems.

Have you thought about the military? It would not be a huge issue there I wouldn't think.

Can you be a little warm & fuzzy and work in urgent care or somewhere like that where you see them once and quickly?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

There is an urgent care on every corner around here. When I graduated 20 years ago I was already done with the whole hospital environment so I can relate to what you feel.

Also, workmans comp case management maybe?

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