Nursing is pathetic...

SSUleader · Mar 15, 2000

DYKE NURSE,

Even though I haven't been in the nursing work force quite yet, as I am a nursing student soon to be graduating in May, but I do know what it feels like to be manipulated and taken advantage of. I was a waitress for 10 years, and let me tell you that you are mistreated by customers all the time. Some managers that I have come across are not so nice either. At times I did feel abused and mistreated, and I played the victim and whined all the time about how horrible my job was. Poor me, right? WRONG!

I CHOSE to play the victim. I ALLOWED people to mistreat me by showing up to work every day. Why? Because it worked for me. It worked for me because I would come home with a phat wad of cash every night. That was my payoff. The job of a waitress is a love-hate kind of relationship, as is possibly your job, too. You continued to be a nurse because it works for you in some way, otherwise you wouldn't have been a nurse for 18 years. Or maybe it is that you don't have an incentive to change, and would rather COMPLAIN! Seriously, I don't want to sound so harsh. I am just trying to make you understand that no one else is responsible for your experiences except you!

So my advice to you is to STOP PLAYING THE VICTIM, and change what you don't like. Don't complain about it! It will get you nowhere! I learned that.

Get the book- Life Strategies by Dr. Phil McGraw. Your perceptions on life in general will change. Trust me.

In regards to your comment about nursing being no more that a JOB- I do not agree at all! You obviously are not passionate about nursing, or maybe that spark dwindled. Do something you are passionate about. Life is too short to be miserable.

Take care,

Burpee from Sunny California

nursedude · Mar 19, 2000

Well,

It has been quite a while since I've visted the good ole nurse bulletin boards. I am not at all suprised to see that there are still so many disillusioned folks out there...

Also, I see that the "general" responses have been the same. Nothing like speaking your mind and being met with open minds in return(NOT). C'mon...I made my post a long time ago "nursing is pathetic" and it seems that I must have struck a deep nerve or something because it is still getting so many replies. And those that reply and don't see where I am coming from...Just give yourself a little more time. I bet that the majority of you all eventually convert to my point of view...

Oh, and in defense of my "nursing" skills or my abilities as a nurse I must say that I am CONFIDENT in my skills as a nurse. I have almost 10 years of experience in "nursing"- Med/surg, cardiac, ER, utilization review and case management. I have worked in large uburban teaching hospitals and small suburban hospitals. I have worked for CIGNA insurance and Blue Cross/Shield. I now work full time for a company that makes a software package that processes medical(and dental, disability, comp, etc) insurance claims. I also have my own business- I started and am a co-owner of a company that helps patients fight their HMO and in some cases their hospital. I AM NOT some slimy disgruntled (postal) nurse out in the back of the building smoking marlboro's and thinking of ways to get my nurse manager...

I also work PRN in a small ER near my home(VERY prn).

I would also like to mention that since I "left" clinical nursing again that I still strongly feel that "nursing is pathetic"...Just as much as when I first said it. And, by the way, when I posted that the first time I was already "out" of clinical nursing.

Mijourney · Mar 20, 2000

Hi nursedude,

glad to see that you are still monitoring your posts. I am also glad to see that you seem to enjoy what you are doing currently. It's always more meaningful to be part of the solution and not the problem. Your topic was weighty, and as new members come to this bb, you may find more posts to your topic.

Finally, I agree with SSULeader's post. Become positive and proactive and seek change for the better. At least if you do leave your current working environment, you won't risk leaving with your bridges burnt. You never know what may come around.

askater · Mar 20, 2000

Hello--

I HAVE AN OPINION AND FROM THE RESPONSES ONE OR TWO WON'T AGREE!!! But everyone has there opinions.

O.K. NURSEDUDE...from the responses I've read. You're only giving your opinion. And I truly feel everyones situation is individual. And one area of the U.S.A. situation isn't the same as another area of U.S.A.

mmm...is nursing pathetic...I don't think I'd use that word. But will agree there's many issues in nursing and the hospital setting. I'm currently in a position I LOVE. But it was a L*O*N*G road...to get where I am. And I worked through SHORT staffing, extensive to extreme cost cutting and lack of administration help. Fortunately I found a position that I enjoy and feel I'm giving the care the patient deserves.

I'm horrified of the situations I've been in and the lack of staffing. And I've learned a lot about hospitals. And I'm very concerned of patient safety...and nursing safety. That's the situation where I live.

NURSEDUDE I'll respond to your first three responses:

1) I AGREE...my male friends that had NO education or very, very minimal education are making A LOT more money than me. $5-8 or more dollars an hour. And YES that's dishearting ALL the hard work IN SCHOOL AND ON THE JOB we deserve more pay. But I'm happy to say....my pay has increased...not due to the time I've spent at the hospital. But the whole hospital received a significant increase in pay. We have a VERY poor retirement plan at my hospital. But my dh has a GREAT one. So that will help out tremendously.

2) I know a couple nurses that started their own nursing agencies. So I don't have much response to this.

3) Looking down on nurses. mmm...I've had staff look down at me. But I think these individuals looked down at most people. So I didn't find it disheartening. All hospital and employees must respect each other.

Everyone's situation and concerns are different. And I love hearing concerns at different areas of the state.

I feel we must listen to EVERYONE and ALL THE CONCERNS! Nursing has it's limitations and there's area of much NEEDED improvement! And the only way we'll see improvement is if we speak out )

Angela

monica f · Mar 21, 2000

Can somoene please post the URL for the 20/20 BB? I am having some trouble locating it from the 20/20 site. Thank you!

LFMRN · Mar 22, 2000

IF YOU THINK NURSING IS PATHETIC--I WOULD NOT WANT YOU TAKING CARE OF ME!!!!!!!!! I HAVE BEEN IN THE NSG. PROFESSION FOR OVER 30 YRS AND YES--I WOULD RECOMMEND NURSING AS A PROFESSION. THE PROBLEM I SEE IS NEW GRADS GOING INTO SPECIALITY AREAS- EX: CRITICAL CARE AREAS- RIGHT OUT OF SCHOOL.I BELIEVE THESE NURSES ARE DOING A DISSERVICE TO THEMSELVES AS ONE NEEDS FLOOR EXPERIENCE BEFORE GOING TO SPECIALITY AREAS SUCH AS CRITICAL CARE.NURSING SCHOOL DOES NOT TEACH ORGANIZATION AND PRIORITIZING--BEING A FLOOR NURSE DOES!!!!!!!!!!! ONE LEARNS ALOT BEING A FLOOR NURSE AND YOU ARE EXPOSED TO ALOT OF DIFFERENT DIAGNOSIS,ETC. I WOULD NOT GIVE ANTHING FOR WHAT BEING A FLOOR NURSE TAUGHT ME BEFORE I WENT INTO THE CRITICAL CARE AREA OF NURSING.

Sad in Arizona · Mar 22, 2000

Nursing has the potential to be a great career and I have definitely had a few days that I have walked away feeling really good about the work that I have done. However, our hospital is going though a transition for the worse. A patient load of 12 on med/surg is not unheard of with one aide to assist you and no charge nurse. In addition, an LPN who has the same sized patient load as you needs you to give all her IV meds, start her IV's, do her admissions etc. My problem is that it is simply not safe !!!! It is impossible to even give all you medications even close to when they are supposed to be given let alone do treatments or teach. The other day I had a patient who was crying, I was unable to sit and talk with her and there was no one else available to do so. I can back and checked on her every few minutes, but this was simply not adequate. Everyone made it through the shift alive but I certainly did not provide quality care. My supervisor says that I need to be more positive and think about all the things that I accomplished. She says I should feel good about it because of that. I don't. I don't think that hospitals should be able to have unsafe staffing ratios and from what I have read here and elsewhere, it is pretty much the same all over. Until nursing returns back to the patient first, I have to agree with Nursedude.

mavis · Mar 23, 2000

I agree in part that nursing has become a THANKLESS PROFESSION. But to say that nusing is PATHETIC, is a strong term. I think it is definitely what you put into it. Unfourtunately we sometimes want to do more and are stopped, be it by administration or policies. I also believe that in some cases nurses are under paid but if you want the money you go somewhere else, I worked in a unit for 5 yrs as a tech and got my RN, that unit paid me 17 dollars an hour(as an RN), now I am in a unit with much better staffing, better PT care, and feel safe in the enviroment, my pay doubled. It is true that other profession's make more and DO LESS but it is was hopefully your choice to choose this SOMETIMES THANKLESS profession. I don't think anyone held a gun to your head when you took the state boards....OUR DID THEY??

NURSEDUDE- I AM SORRY THAT OUR PEERS HAVE COME DOWN ON YOU BUT, THE TERM PATHETIC IS A VERYY STRONG TERM AND PEOPLE GET DEFENSIVE, PSCH 101 FIGHT OR FLIGHT. GLAD TO HEAR YOU ARE DOING WELL.

SSUleader · Mar 23, 2000

Nursedude,

Wow, you sparked quite a response! I am one of four nursing students in this group that we call "SSU leader". We are trying to complete an assignment where we lead a discussion. You seem to be a popular guy, so this may be a good lead.

You say that nursing is pathetic. Just curious, is nursing pathetic or are nurses causing it to be pathetic? I believe that we all contribute to nursings short comings, one of those is we play a victim role. What I mean is that instead of trying to change things, we'd rather ***** about them. (I'm not speaking of anyone in particular, just as a group of professionals, we seem to do this.) I was happy to read your response about what you did to change your course and I'd love to hear more about what you are doing now, specifically on why it makes you happier.

I am sad that you find nursing to be pathetic. Personally, I am so EXCITED to be a nurse! I'm sure that when you were in my shoes, you were excited too, so you probably know where I'm coming from. I'm doing my senior preceptorship in the ER, and I really can't express in words how much I love it. I really feel like I'm in my element. I feel like I've chosen a career that fits me well. Where I live (North of San Francisco, CA) pay is quite good. The range is approximately $22-$28/hour, with benefits. Money isn't a huge issue, but I'll admit it's important. I think that the pay is good (here) but I agree that we are underpaid. Really though, can you put a price on what we do? We nourish bodies and souls. Our work is priceless.

You probably already know this, but I just heard it and I think it's pretty cool. Nurses are the most trusted people in the world. I think that's something we should be proud of.

One more question for Nurse dude and anyone who would like to enrich my education (and help me get this assignment done!!!):

What do you feel are some of the most important issues in nursing, and what can nurses do to change them?

Thanks for your time! It's greatly appreciated!

Amanda, almost a nurse

megNurse · Mar 23, 2000

I just recently graduated in May and am just starting my first job as a Registered Nurse. I never once during school questioned my decision to go into nursing. I'm not working in the specialty i want to but have my foot in the door and am enjoying every moment of it.

As for nursedude- no one ever questioned your ability to be a nurse. I think most people could do the actions that we do as nurses. Most of the procedures that we do could be learned by most. I'm not saying anyone can do what we do, but most could perform the actions, not necessarily critically act on all we see and do. I think many were questioning your ability to be compassionate and caring for your patients. If you don't love ( or at least like alot) what you are doing i think it would be hard to be compassionate and truly be a good nurse. All your anger about your chosen profession can come across in your care and believe me your patients can tell. I wouldn't want an unhappy nurse taking care of me.

SSUleader · Mar 25, 2000

Nursedude,

Thanks so much for your response. Just one clarification: when I said, "really how could you put a price on what we do?", I didn't in any way mean it as a statement that undervalues nursing. Quite the opposite really. I just don't know how to put a dollar sign on saving a life, or helping someone after a stroke. That's all I meant.

I am still very interested in hearing other peoples opinions on what you see as some of the most important issues in nursing. Please let me know!!

Thanks, Amanda

prnrnhiusa · Mar 25, 2000

Hi nurses: I was fascinated by all the messages and I felt really sad for all those who are disgruntled, burnt out. I live in a city outside of Toronto,Canada and been here

for 7 years due to my husband's job transfer. I'm an RN with more than 20 years experience,worked in the US(WestCoast)

since graduation in ICU,Tele and E.R. Here, I tried very hard to find A nursing job,but had the most difficult time. I finally worked casual thru an agency, then I went to work in a community setting as a visiting nurse,also as a casual employee.Last January, the agency that I worked for lost its govt. contract and we all got laid off in our office. Ontario hospitals talk a lot about nursing shortages, but there really isn't much of a job out there. My work hrs. were varied and pay was CDN$18/visit. If one is the sole breadwinner, she/he won't be able to pay the bills. At present, most of the RNS go to the US to work. If somebody has to ask me " would I recommend nursing as a career here in Ontario?" I definitely will say NO. My other co-nurses with no stable jobs will attest to this. I love nursing and that's NO KIDDING! If we move back to the US(hopefully, someday soon), I will probably go back to nursing. But since I don't have much of a choice at this time (and I've grown to love Canada despite it all),I started to go back to school and went many steps higher. I am going to med school and so is my other dear co-nurse friend who just passed her MCAT and got accepted also in med. school.She was also a victim of this nursing circus here. So to make the story short, if one is totally burnt out and it has come to a point of no return, try get into another career. There's no point staying in nursing if one is not happy.