Nursing is pathetic...

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JonRN

157 Posts

Hi glad2behere.....thanks for your constant reminder of how easy nurses have it, I guess I need a little more reminding. I was also interested in your plan of action during VN, about what I expected.

Your friend and VN Vet,

Jon

NancyRN

222 Posts

glad2behere: your post made me cry. My dad was a long distance truck driver in the 60's and 70's before the Interstates had been built through the mountains. He had a run from Cincinnati to Atlanta three times a week through the Smokies. As a child, I never gave it much thought. Reading your post made me realize just what he sacrificed for me.

I miss my Dad every day of my life. I owe him everything.

Amen to researchrabbit! There's nothing wrong with trying something new.

"Do something. If it doesn't work, do something else. No idea is too crazy."

~ Jim Hightower

If people don't like what they do, then try another job, career, etc.

I'm planning a career change myself in the next year or two (going back to school this fall! Yahoo!). Life is too short to spend it unhappy. :roll

daltaco1

12 Posts

ForMoe wrote {An RN spends a minimum of two years training and an LPN a minimum of one. Some states have Certified Nursing Assistance and they do not know the first thing about infection control or anatomy/physiology. Why then are they doing dressing changes and placing Foleys?}

Ok, now it is time for me to speak up!!! First of, CNAs,PCTs, whatever you want to call them DO have training and clinicals to do BEFORE they are allowed to work in that position. WE have to go before State Boards too. They do not know the first thing about infection control or anatomy???? Thats a joke!! They have to study anatomy/physiology too. Maybe not to the degree that you do but they do! And I bet you bottom dollar that it was that CNA you are degrading that reminded you to put on your mask because this person has resp.MRSA! Sure they do not have alot of your knowledge base that you have but they work hard for 6- 8 bucks a hour! I am sure they would like to see you wipe butts all day long, bathe pts, wipe tears, hold pts hands and feed them, and then have some inconsiderate RN tell you that you are stupid! Nurses with opinions like yours help continue fueling the resentments that many CNAs feel about RNs!!

I for one, worked for 10 years as a CNA and then 2 years as a PCT (yes this meant going back to school so I could do dressing changes and foleys and other treatments AND deeper learning of A&P) so that I could get a good feel for nursing. Long time to work to get a feel for it I know but worth it. Now I am going to school to become a LPN and I would recommend nursing to anyone who is interested in coming into this field and I agree become a CNA and see if this is right for you before you spend mega bucks for schooling. The pay and hours may be terrible but the rewards of doing a good job and knowing you made a difference are worth it!!!!!

Glad2behere

209 Posts

Thank you Jon, Thank you Nancy, I'm thrilled I touched you both.

Jon, I'd like to hear about some of your VN experiences if they are not to painful...I can still remember how scared I was, and hoping not to be called. I had 2 cousins a little older than I was by 5 years that both went, one went crazy (post traumatic stress syndrome), and the other can hold a conversation and is fun to be around, but lost all emotional depth. Both of these cousins strongly advised to do anything I could to keep from going, even if it meant Canada. The one with PTSD is dead now, OD'd, but he used to say "I've got a front row seat to the gates of hell".

Nancy, your dad had it really tough, that is a bad route. I offer a tribute to him and honor him. I wonder how many times his mirrors were knocked off his truck and vice versa crossing that bridge in Cairo Ill. He'll be amazed.

Glad2behere

daltaco1

12 Posts

Nursedude,

Please be the forerunner here and tell us what day you think we should all call in sick?? Even tho I am a CNA/PCT LPN student I would be willing to "strike" if you will for better pay not only for all the hard working nurses out there but for us CNAs too.

l.rae

772 Posts

Gladtobehere...just wondering how a truck driver, car salesman or mechanic has it harder than a nurse?..l have been assaulted verbally and physically, deal with idiots on a daily basis, initiate treatment to emergently ill pt.'s before the MD can make it to the room....l have been stuck with a dirty needle...l have had numerous hospital aquired infections cause some moron never learned to use a tissue...my life, my license, my livelyhood, and all of my assets l share with my hubby..(home, savings etc) are on the line every time l show up for work.....l babysit residents with MD behind there name...(no sonny, you can't give insulin p.o.)...not to mention we do this with precious few resources...ever shrinking and thereby increasing the pt risk and mine....let's not even discuss the lack of security measures..one of our docs had to actually beat a pt off of him w/ a hole punch one nite... I was given a token of appreciation for working at my hospital the other day...an icecream bar...yeah, that pretty much says it all....and l am making plans to boogie soon as circumstances permit......l know every job has its stresses...and there are avenues in nursing that are not so treacherous...HOWEVER... it is further than my imagination can streatch to figure out how a car salesman or a mechanic job is easier than nursing.....the only occupations that compare are police officers and firemen/medics.....this is coming from the perspective of an ER nurse.....so my opinion is that nursing is as treachourous as the long haul.........LR

Starkid2616

23 Posts

:eek: wow Glad2behere

That is quite a story, never realized what

these folks go through. But, there is always other options as you found out.

HOWEVER, I still do believe nursing is very hard work both physically and mentally. My most recent job was in the ER and boy i tell you that was real tough. I saw things and went through situations that no one would believe. Some days i wish i was wearing a suit of armor. Anyway, I am not nursing now and truly do not miss it. I really got burned out from 3 yrs. in the ER. Well,

bless you with your dedicatin to our field.

Starkid2616

23 Posts

:D Dear Kona2,

You are so right and i could not have not put it better if said myself. I was unhappy nursing to and needed a change. If you are considering changing career's pls. contact me privately as i may be able to offer you some help and i'm sure you will be interested. [email protected] so we can chat.

Do not want to violate any rules of this board.:roll

Glad2behere

209 Posts

LR,

Sounds like you do have it bad, but compound all what you said by the fact that YOU DO GET PAID for services rendered.

The professions I mentioned may not necessarily be that lucky.

OK, drive from Dallas to Boston one way one way there 36hours, if conditions are good. Stop at every port of entry in each state and cross the scales. Cross 5 states ok and the 6th says you are overweight 500lbs, can't open the trailer cause it is sealed, so jack around in the parking lot for a day idling the truck, burning fuel to bring the weight down, try again, this time you're only 200 over so they let you off paying only a $500 fine, (dollar per lb), and if you don't hold your lip just right they also want to see load papers, all the truck papers, do a DOT check on the truck, and if they don't really like you they come in pairs and one plants dope on the truck while you are watching the other, but they are gonna find something wrong once the mindset is there and once you've been singled out, so more money. A normal car can do 70 in a 60 but a truckdriver is feather in the cap at 61 for a state trooper. You check your tires, load, truck, lights, every time you stop, and find low air pressure in one tire, maybe it's only 95lbs and should be 110, so you air it up and BBBBOOOOOMMMM, THE INNER TIRE blows out right there, you are very lucky because it is the inner tire not the outer or you would have at the very least bothe eardrums ruptured, go into the restaurant to get a cup of 40wt coffee to gather yourself, and when you come out the fuel gauge says empty! You just fueled right here 20 min ago! Some other truck pulled up beside you while you were enjoying that cup of coffee and sucked all the fuel out of yours into his with a portable pump, and paid the attendant at the fuel desk $10 for writing up a receipt and cashing his own fuel check. Never mind that most people have no clue how to drive, and think you can stop 80,000lbs on a dime (impossible), especially down a grade, that's where they really want to teach those mean truckdrivers a lesson by pulling over in front of him in a Honda Civic coming down the mountain. OK, so finally the lights of Boston appear and you're a day late and it's say 4:30 pm, back up to the dock, and the company dock is run by unloaders who have a gang mentality (very common), "Oh man you are a day late and it"s time to go home, we will unload you tomorrow, unless of course, you wanna pay $350 now" either way you lose the $350. And this comes out of your pocket! Unload. Get on the mobile and find a load back, back to anywhere, doesn't matter...and everyone wants to offer you a load that just barely makes expenses. I forgot that the tire you blew out cost $350 as well. So, In Boston, on aload that paid $2500, and one going back that pays $1200. Fuel $400, State permits $350, Fines $500, Unload fee $350, 1 tire $350, and minimal sleep and lonliness, I forgot about truck stop showers, they're an adventure in themselves, but lookout! You are $900 bucks ahead! Might lose some of it on the return load though, and it's a big help toward feeding the family and making those $2500 truck pmts and $1250 insurance payments...and just think, if and when you get home, you can work on the truck so the next trip goes as easy as this one did!

I forgot to mention that edema in the legs is a big problem too, so when you do get home it's imperative to sleep with the legs elevated....this happens on the 25yo too.

I've seen carsales people literally starve to death....no place is more political than a dealership....newbies can never understand that if they want their deals to get done (as meaning financed), they have to pay undertable money (dukes) to the Finance manager, and sometimes to keep the numbers up (when I was a salesmanager), I'd have to duke him as well, and once that is started there is no way to stop it...your department is always controlled by someone else, and teamwork is an alien idea..it's everyone for themselves. I have missed bonuses at the end of the month because the Finance department got their numbers on the 28th, and my department is say 5 deals away....finance kills every one of them because they don't like this sales lady or guy or whatever because that salesperson had even bothered to question a deal that had happened on the 10th! And it makes Finance look like superstars and their are some really evil people there.

No nursing isn't ideal, and we are all overworked and taxed emotionally...but the grass isn't greener and may be a parched brown elsewhere.

I like nursing because I can lose my attachment to it when I drive out of the parking lot, and I can pretty well believe I am going to be compensated for time just spent, and that is a LOT! At leasr I do not have to work on a damn truck in my driveway when I get there...for free.

Starkid2616

23 Posts

:imbar Glad2behere Hi in that respect, nursing is definitely easier. I guess there is some sort of B.S. that we all have to put up with, and the lesser of the 2 evils is always better. Don't get me wrong nursing is a great profession and i woould never give up my license, however I'm learning to work smarter than harder in my old age. hehe. What state are you in? Here in Florida most of our patients are elderly and have a 4+ acuity and are mostly bedbound. Then our great nurse ratio always kicks in and no PCA"s to help. So, I think that is what is one of the hardest part for me.

l.rae

772 Posts

Hello Glad...kinda makes ya wanna curl up and cry.....l love to quote Erma Bombeck..''the grass is always greener over the septic tank.''...and as l have said on other threads...seems like they are all septic tanks......but we still can't let the suits off the hook...yes it's bad for us....but just think about our patients...ug!............LR

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