Nurses getting screwed over....

[PopeJane3rd]

I'm considering nursing and/or surgical tech. myself. However, there is a pattern with me and the low paying jobs I have been having in life in general. Being my personality is quiet and nice I get screwed over alot. I find myself always being made to do assignments no one else wants to do and it is frustrating. I know this can happen anywhere you work, but as a nurse do you find that you get stuck with crappy assignments in the hospital (where I would like to eventually work at) like doing odd jobs no other nurse wants to do or some bad assignments other perhaps lazy nurses leave for you to finish up?

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Nursing, like life in general, is one of those professions that you will get as much crap as you are willing to take. If you never complain or speak up for yourself they will never know that you're unhappy and they will presume you're o.k.

You need to be your own advocate because you will definitely be getting the assignments that the more outspoken ones don't want to do.

It's frustrating at a charge nurse to have one of those "quiet types that never complain" suddenly lay out months of frustration on you "you ALWAYS dump on me, whine whine complain complain".

If you don't have the skills to communicate in an assertive and effective manner, then you should learn them before you consider nursing. Nursing is not a good profession for "nice girls". :)

[Cherybaby]

Nursing is not a good profession for "nice girls". :)

Hey now! I'm a nice girl!

[NursewithHeart]

PopeJane3rd-

While you an your satisfaction at work in very important, and Tweety gave good advice, think about this...

As a nurse YOU are the patients advocate. If you can't speak up for yourself, are you going to be able to speak up for that patient in their time of need maybe when they can't advocate for themselves? As nurses, we are responsible to advocate for our patients. I have had to question physicians, call ethics consults, and go to my manager and other upper management to get what is right for my patient before.

So when you think about it this way...can you handle this part of nursing?

[Scrubby]

I agree with the above responses. Nurses CANNOT afford to just sit quietly and say nothing. You don't have to be a loudmouth and yell constantly and be aggresive to everyone, in fact this is just as bad as nurses who say nothing and put up with everything. But a nurse MUST be able to assert themeselves to be a patient advocate.

[JB2007, ASN, RN]

I agree with the other posters, you must learn to communicate your needs and the needs of your patient in a polite, but firm manner. There are many times that upper management or the doctor will ask you to do things that will put your lincense on the line.