Nurses leaving in droves...

Trauma-tizedRN · Nov 1, 2004

It is frustrating that with the wealth of knowledge we have, and the superhuman ability to multitask, the unbelievable seventh sense you develop about people, the communication skills, the brut physical load, the highly professional circle you work among.....THAT it isn't transferrable outside the field of healthcare. Seasoned nurses develop extraordinary multifaceted talents that ANY industry should want to scoop up, and pay us well for. We can do any job put before us. Do you agree that there aren't too many industries that have the sort of talent and ability like our own? I feel like 5 workers all rolled up in one package! Surely that dynamo could be used ANYWHERE!

sabradie · Nov 1, 2004

But there are some fantastic nurses who enter management and have the sense to get the H*** out before the brainwashing occurs......because they know they won't last long doing things the RIGHT way.

SSSOOOOOOO TRUUUUUUUUUEEEE!!!!!

zenman · Nov 1, 2004

I ditto that. Can't afford to lose experienced nurses like yourself. Where will you go from here? Completely away from healthcare?

Best job I ever had was teaching Zen Shiatsu. Plan to start a school here asap and give nursing up. So I'll still be in healthcare...just a more rewarding area!! I'll also be starting courses for people who are already nurses.

mattsmom81 · Nov 2, 2004

Good for you Randy...sounds interesting and I wish you well. :)

dazzle256 · Nov 2, 2004

I love nursing..I HATE the politics that goes along with it in the hospital setting..
Exactly what I told someone today when they asked me if I liked being a nurse.

ADS RN · Nov 2, 2004

Anyone been exposed to the "Fresh Baked Bread" therapy?
One assignment I took as an ICU traveler (the one where I worked everywhere in the hospital BUT ICU....another story...) had an ortho unit manager that read somewhere about this great therapy and instituted it. You would get your assignment and if it said BM after your name....you were also the breadmaker for the day. Yup, breadmachine on the unit. The aroma of fresh baking bread was supposed to give the patients a sense of well being and returned appetites hence quicker healing. If your name had an S after it, you guessed it...you were the server for the day. Bread and jam. Cute, huh. Ran my butt off on that unit. NPO patients went crazy wanting some, and the rest pestered you for more all day. Clever, huh. How the NURSES were assigned to this and accepted it, i'll never know.

My dtr works on a pallitive care unit and they do the bread therapy. Says it's great.

ceecel.dee, MSN, RN · Nov 2, 2004

Yes, I schlepped on the floor of a small community hospital for 8 years, then "advanced" to unsatisfying position of middle-management. I am now out of acute care and cannot see myself going back. I simply cannot stand the hospital environment or the people who work in it! I am reevaluating my whole career plan and feel temporary in a non-acute setting, but really think that I just need to adjust to the new pace: enough staff, no fires to put out, no doc's personalities to take into account...etc. I'm at a real cross-roads.

Trauma-tizedRN · Nov 2, 2004

My dtr works on a pallitive care unit and they do the bread therapy. Says it's great.

Palliative care is different tho....and yes, I think they should get whatever they want. It's a different setting altogether.

Nemhain · Nov 2, 2004

It has always been my opinion that every single nurse should start their career with a Plan B for "after the hospital". I spent about 12 years in the hospital environment and it was clear to me after about 6 months I couldn't do that kind of work through to retirement.
I'm also amongst the lucky to have a nursing job I love. But I worked like crazy to find it and it took 10 years to land it. THIS job I can take through to retirement. But hospital? No way I'd have made it.

Yes, having a plan "B" is definitely a good idea. Actually I had a plan "B" and "C" in place before I started nursing school. plan B...I was a massage therapist for six years before starting nursing school and I decided to keep my license current just incase I want to go back to it someday. plan C...i can also go back to the horticultural industry. I did landscaping and greenhouse work. I love working with plants;it's so relaxing. When a plant gets sick I don't have any paper work to fill out. The only bloodshed i experienced is when i'd prick my finger on a rose's thorn. Oh, the bonus...plants don't poop, pee or have difficult families. :)

stbernardclub · Nov 2, 2004

Your post almost made me fall out of my chair, thanks for the laughs. That unit manager with the bread machine idea needs to come up with some better ways to help the staff and patients.If I was one of those npo people with the fresh bread baking, i would be looking to put that machine over her head! Yes, all hospital nursing sucks......

Anyone been exposed to the "Fresh Baked Bread" therapy?
One assignment I took as an ICU traveler (the one where I worked everywhere in the hospital BUT ICU....another story...) had an ortho unit manager that read somewhere about this great therapy and instituted it. You would get your assignment and if it said BM after your name....you were also the breadmaker for the day. Yup, breadmachine on the unit. The aroma of fresh baking bread was supposed to give the patients a sense of well being and returned appetites hence quicker healing. If your name had an S after it, you guessed it...you were the server for the day. Bread and jam. Cute, huh. Ran my butt off on that unit. NPO patients went crazy wanting some, and the rest pestered you for more all day. Clever, huh. How the NURSES were assigned to this and accepted it, i'll never know.

stbernardclub · Nov 2, 2004

I can see why there is a nursing shortage for sure. You go into this field to take care of the sick, and end up sick of your field! Why, because it does not matter what floor you work on or type of nursing, you soon find out your job is all about numbers..thats right...NUMBERS.... and your job is now to make those numbers work for everyone but yourself...You people who want to be nurses, think long and hard about it. This is not just a group of cry babies here, these are real stories of career choices that we made and were pretty much lied to. What they need to teach you in nursing school are how to read between the lines at job interviews , and get every damn thing in writing!

NurseFirst · Nov 2, 2004

I can see why there is a nursing shortage for sure. You go into this field to take care of the sick, and end up sick of your field! Why, because it does not matter what floor you work on or type of nursing, you soon find out your job is all about numbers..thats right...NUMBERS.... and your job is now to make those numbers work for everyone but yourself...You people who want to be nurses, think long and hard about it. This is not just a group of cry babies here, these are real stories of career choices that we made and were pretty much lied to. What they need to teach you in nursing school are how to read between the lines at job interviews , and get every damn thing in writing!

It's bad for other healthcare professionals, too. Docs, in particular, are getting hit hard, between malpractice insurance, managed care and the student loans they have to pay back. And they spend at least 7 years AFTER college preparing to practice...