Nurses Who Don't Want to be Nurses

Nurses Relations

Published

What do you think of nurses who don't want to be nurses? Those who go to school for nursing just for the "nice checks" thinking that it's "easy money" or even those who are just going for nursing because they don't know what else to go for. Have you ever confronted anyone in that category?

Specializes in Transitional Nursing.
Ha! Okay I have an actual example you guys :) I'm doing CNA clinicals at a nursing home that I also plan on working at. They are very short staffed and a couple of people were complaining, this CNA who has been working here for 13 years said "if you don't want to work here then quit." And she ranted about them complaining. So I'm not crazy! It happens.

I know you're young, and your outlook is kind of refreshing, but I'll give you some food for thought.

That CNA has probably seen 150 or more CNAs come and go in her 13 years. She likely gets to work every day at 7am and gets two days off a week. She probably has a husband and children to take care of, as well as all the people she cares for during they day.

After 13 years, she probably makes around 15/hr, and that's if she's lucky. It's not enough to take family vacations, it's not enough to put her kids through college and it's not enough to retire early.

She probably has a bad back, knees and hips from lifting her patients all day every day for 13 years, and she likely is working short today, as that's usually how it goes.

That means she probably has to haggle for help to transfer the heavy patients, or do it herself. It means that she won't get time to eat lunch, although she's required to take a meal break. It means her patients and their family members are going to give her a really hard time when she can't get to them within 60 seconds of them calling. She will have to smile and apologize to them, because she can't tell them that she has 14 patients all to herself. She can't tell them that her favorite patient is actively dying, and it's making her sad.

She knows Mr. Jones is due for his shower, and shes not sure how she's going to squeeze it in today, but if she doesn't, she will be written up.

She'll also be written up if she clocks out late because there wasn't enough time to do anything.

So, that may be why she told you to just quit if you don't like it.

The best thing you can do is see for yourself how you like it, and go from there. Just know that however you picture it to be like, it's much different.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

In the end what matters most is how hard someone works for what they want and that they carry out their task efficiently and with care regardless of the reasoning behind it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU Stepdown.
I know you're young, and your outlook is kind of refreshing, but I'll give you some food for thought.

That CNA has probably seen 150 or more CNAs come and go in her 13 years. She likely gets to work every day at 7am and gets two days off a week. She probably has a husband and children to take care of, as well as all the people she cares for during they day.

After 13 years, she probably makes around 15/hr, and that's if she's lucky. It's not enough to take family vacations, it's not enough to put her kids through college and it's not enough to retire early.

She probably has a bad back, knees and hips from lifting her patients all day every day for 13 years, and she likely is working short today, as that's usually how it goes.

That means she probably has to haggle for help to transfer the heavy patients, or do it herself. It means that she won't get time to eat lunch, although she's required to take a meal break. It means her patients and their family members are going to give her a really hard time when she can't get to them within 60 seconds of them calling. She will have to smile and apologize to them, because she can't tell them that she has 14 patients all to herself. She can't tell them that her favorite patient is actively dying, and it's making her sad.

She knows Mr. Jones is due for his shower, and shes not sure how she's going to squeeze it in today, but if she doesn't, she will be written up.

She'll also be written up if she clocks out late because there wasn't enough time to do anything.

So, that may be why she told you to just quit if you don't like it.

The best thing you can do is see for yourself how you like it, and go from there. Just know that however you picture it to be like, it's much different.

This is a good hypothetical situation that probably happens way too often but she's not married and doesn't have kids and she takes lunch breaks every shift, oh and her living situation isn't killing her pockets plus she makes more than that, so I'm not entirely sure that situation applies to her but I completely understand what you're saying!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in hospice.
She likely gets to work every day at 7am and gets two days off a week.

This is why I don't think I could ever bring myself to work somewhere that runs 8 hour shifts. Doing this job five days a week is just about guaranteed to burn you out and destroy your body.

If my family were going to be homeless or starve, I'd work 8s. Otherwise, I love my 12s and a three day work week, or 4 if I choose to pick up. Which I rarely do.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Transitional Nursing.
This is why I don't think I could ever bring myself to work somewhere that runs 8 hour shifts. Doing this job five days a week is just about guaranteed to burn you out and destroy your body.

If my family were going to be homeless or starve, I'd work 8s. Otherwise, I love my 12s and a three day work week, or 4 if I choose to pick up. Which I rarely do.

There are pro's and con's to both. (for days, anyways) With 8's you're out by 3pm and have a reasonable amount of time left in the day/night. You usually get a permanent section, because you're there all the time, so you really get to know your patients and nurses who work that hall. On the other hand, to get two days off in a row, you have to work 5 in a row, which isn't easy to do and of course you have less days off.

With 12's (as you know), you can manipulate you're schedule to get long stretches off, but if you work your 3 in a row, you're toast on the 4th day, and it's not really a day off. You don't get continuity, and are pretty much in bed by the time you get home. Getting the same people up, bathed, dressed, toileted, fed, etc. and also getting them un-dressed and back to bed all while being on your feet the entire 12.5 hours can be extremely exhausting. I found my body hurt worse when I left my 12s than when I worked 8's. I worked rehab though, but I imagine it's pretty much the same on med-surg or ortho, minus the wearing of clothes.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Transitional Nursing.
This is a good hypothetical situation that probably happens way too often but she's not married and doesn't have kids and she takes lunch breaks every shift, oh and her living situation isn't killing her pockets plus she makes more than that, so I'm not entirely sure that situation applies to her but I completely understand what you're saying!

She didn't have the right to say that to you, don't get me wrong. What I'm trying to point out, is you just never know what's going on in someones life. That IS a typical scenario for a lot of career CNAs, though.

Hardest working, under-appreciated, kick ass group of people I've ever encountered.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

These are the two main reasons why became a RN. I don't think this makes me less of a nurse. I'm still great at my job! I didn't have a calling to do anything else so why not make good money and help people:)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Public Health.

Idealism is great but it is only welcome in an ideal world. It's like when your parents told you, you'll understand when you're older.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
This is a good hypothetical situation that probably happens way too often but she's not married and doesn't have kids and she takes lunch breaks every shift, oh and her living situation isn't killing her pockets plus she makes more than that, so I'm not entirely sure that situation applies to her but I completely understand what you're saying!

Evidently you DON'T understand what she was saying. You just don't get it. That's OK, you're young and one day you WILL get it. The message is, you never know what's going on in someone else's life.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in geriatrics.
This is a good hypothetical situation that probably happens way too often but she's not married and doesn't have kids and she takes lunch breaks every shift, oh and her living situation isn't killing her pockets plus she makes more than that, so I'm not entirely sure that situation applies to her but I completely understand what you're saying!

Why do you feel the need to be so interested in another co-worker's life? What you know about people you work with is only a snapshot of their true self. Focus on the type of nurse you aspire to be and leave it at that.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

What can be more noble than putting food on the table via hard work and not being a burden on society? Considering what nursing these days is more about saving the corporate hind side and less about patients, nurses are also entitled to be in this business for selfish reasons. As someone said earlier, more of us with excellent political abilities and social mobility skills are more likely to survive in this profession now, than for compassion and idealism.This is just another cog in the corporate wheel.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

A lot of nurses who came into nursing thinking they would do something noble, don't want to be nurses any more because of the corporate environment

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment