nursing its what you make it

Nurses General Nursing

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  1. Can Nursing help to change the world veiw?

    • 23
      yes
    • 22
      no

45 members have participated

:confused: OK the world of nursing is in a bad way, we are over worked and under paid and the respect of patients just isnt what it used to be. I can understand that all of this is the down side, but I like to think about my forebears - Australian War nurses that got shot at, captured, and had to manage on far less pay than we do today. Yet they still managed to inspire nurses like myself to join the proffession. I wonder sometimes if it is not so much the job that has changed but the nurses. That's not to say that workloads should not be humane, nor renumeration reasonable, but please try and remember if we want a strong and enthusiastic workforce, if we want to recruit and retain into our profession then we have to stay positve. Every day I am exsposed to people who are new nurses and I can choose to give them the impression that I hate my job or I can try and help them to understand why I am still here after 14 years! Frankly I don't think I would be happy doing anything else.

A quick word on the state of the world out there, what is happening to nurses is a symtom of the change in the way society work. All the "helping" professions are finding that recruitment is getting harder. I believe thats because society sends the message that helping people is no longer a noble use of time. We all focus on the almighty dollar as our way of measuring our value. Surly nursing should be using its considerable political clout (in an aging world) to try and reinstate some of the values that our profeesion is founded on- Honour, honesty, integrity, and altruism.

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Not "NO", but "Hell NO"!!!! I have been an RN for 23 years in OK, and my position has moved from bad to worse. I started out 25 years ago as a NA, and I loved the patients, but not the job. So, I went to nursing school, and have worked mostly ER, Psych, ICU.... I live in a rural area, and my last employer of 4 years (on an adult beh med unit), decided (because of my Native American heritage and spirituality) that I was a "Witch".. well, they own every thing within a 50 radius (Sisters of Mercy... AND they called the "Nuns" in to investigate me)..., and now I cant get a job around here, except for a very small rural hospital, thankfully NOT owned by the Nuns... where we even empty our own trash at the end of the shift... so, I have invested 23 years in a career, have much experitise, and am now doing total patient care on 6-7 patients a night, (which includes EVERYTHING, from emptying their trash, to giving meds, IV's, potty chairs, water pitchers, back-rubs, snacks, respiratory treatments, family concerns, foleys, vital signs, I&O's, noting Dr orders, doing chart checks, pulling meds from the pharmacy, daily wts...OR doing the ER where we have to fill out all the paper work by hand, even the lab and xray slips, AND do our own EKG's, respiratory treatments, pulling medical records, etc on 15-20 patients a night.. does it get scary? YES! Does it get out of control? Yes! Am I constantly afraid of losing my license? Yes! Which, working as a single mom of 2 is my only support for my family... I have been asked twice, during my career to "bill for" (commit health care fraud) services NOT rendered to patients... the first time I walked away from a job I LOVED to avoid the conflict, and the second time I "reported them" (which, along with being a "witch", assisted me in getting FIRED for the first time in my life)... So, do I recommend "nursing" as a career???? ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!! WE HAVE NO RESPECT. NO JOB SECURITY, ARE CONSTANTLY SUBJECTED TO RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION (because so many hospitals are owed/operated by different religious groups), WORK LONG HOURS, ARE CONSTANTLY SUBJECTED TO ABUSE BY PATIENTS AND FAMILIES (many times I have left my psych job not knowing if my name was "Kim" or "*****"), GET EXPOSED TO ALL KINDS OF NASTY BLOOD BORN ILLNESSES (I am now recieving blood testing on a regular basis for the next year, due to a blood exposure from an "unknown source" in the ER, even though I wear my gloves religiously).. I am told NOT to have unprotected sex with my new husband, etc, etc due to this blood exposure... SO, do I recommend "nursing"... NOT "NO, BUT HELL NO"... AND, after much family research I had several "nurses, doctors, and midwives" in my family tree... a fact I USED to be proud of..... I will get out of this profession the first chance i get, and I am jealous of ALL of you who have already made it "out"... kim

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I concur with you 110%. Listen, you getting fired was unfair and biased I should say the least. If you will, let me tell you of an incident that happened to me. By the way, nursing is not was it was 100 yrs ago! I was overwhelmed with a new epic program, my first time using it after being trained for 8 hours. I worked an 8 hour shift with 2 admissions. The other RN's had 3 or 4 patients. I had 5 patients. Do the math and figure out how my night was a nightmare. A patient wanted a doctor's phone number, I gave it not thinking I gave her the wrong number and it was the doc's personal number. We have a doctor's directory for the floor. Well, I got chewed up and this particular doc stated I did this twice. I didn't want to argue, I had no time I was busy up the ying yang. I don't recall ever, if it happened once I would surely remember him yelling at me. Well long story short, the hospital put me on a do not sent list. I work for an agency you see and now they won't pay me for the darn hard work I put up with the whole night. The patient felt bad, I told her to even wait for the morning to call the doc but she didn't. Anyways, policy states only Do not send can be used for medication errors and patient safety issues but this damn hospital is corrupted and what ever the doc says "rules"!! NOt having a nursing union to back me up is such a loss. Rethinking back, I should have called the damn on call doctor for the patient. But on a busy freaking night where it was first day computerized charting for me anything can go wrong and sure it totally went wrong for me. Well these nurses that I worked with only gave me negative remarks, no positive ones or even some show of support. I bet I was the hot topic in the morning... that doc made sure I never came back to that hospital... It's an honest mistake........ any suggestions.. I want this nightmare to begone from my thoughts, i even turned an assignment down because of this issue. I want another career and I should have majored in computer science instead!!! LOL

so future nursing students: good luck to you! dont' make a stupid mistake i did... you can get so busy that your mind plays tricks on you!

sign: sunnyflowers

Not "NO", but "Hell NO"!!!! I have been an RN for 23 years in OK, and my position has moved from bad to worse. I started out 25 years ago as a NA, and I loved the patients, but not the job. So, I went to nursing school, and have worked mostly ER, Psych, ICU.... I live in a rural area, and my last employer of 4 years (on an adult beh med unit), decided (because of my Native American heritage and spirituality) that I was a "Witch".. well, they own every thing within a 50 radius (Sisters of Mercy... AND they called the "Nuns" in to investigate me)..., and now I cant get a job around here, except for a very small rural hospital, thankfully NOT owned by the Nuns... where we even empty our own trash at the end of the shift... so, I have invested 23 years in a career, have much experitise, and am now doing total patient care on 6-7 patients a night, (which includes EVERYTHING, from emptying their trash, to giving meds, IV's, potty chairs, water pitchers, back-rubs, snacks, respiratory treatments, family concerns, foleys, vital signs, I&O's, noting Dr orders, doing chart checks, pulling meds from the pharmacy, daily wts...OR doing the ER where we have to fill out all the paper work by hand, even the lab and xray slips, AND do our own EKG's, respiratory treatments, pulling medical records, etc on 15-20 patients a night.. does it get scary? YES! Does it get out of control? Yes! Am I constantly afraid of losing my license? Yes! Which, working as a single mom of 2 is my only support for my family... I have been asked twice, during my career to "bill for" (commit health care fraud) services NOT rendered to patients... the first time I walked away from a job I LOVED to avoid the conflict, and the second time I "reported them" (which, along with being a "witch", assisted me in getting FIRED for the first time in my life)... So, do I recommend "nursing" as a career???? ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!! WE HAVE NO RESPECT. NO JOB SECURITY, ARE CONSTANTLY SUBJECTED TO RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION (because so many hospitals are owed/operated by different religious groups), WORK LONG HOURS, ARE CONSTANTLY SUBJECTED TO ABUSE BY PATIENTS AND FAMILIES (many times I have left my psych job not knowing if my name was "Kim" or "*****"), GET EXPOSED TO ALL KINDS OF NASTY BLOOD BORN ILLNESSES (I am now recieving blood testing on a regular basis for the next year, due to a blood exposure from an "unknown source" in the ER, even though I wear my gloves religiously).. I am told NOT to have unprotected sex with my new husband, etc, etc due to this blood exposure... SO, do I recommend "nursing"... NOT "NO, BUT HELL NO"... AND, after much family research I had several "nurses, doctors, and midwives" in my family tree... a fact I USED to be proud of..... I will get out of this profession the first chance i get, and I am jealous of ALL of you who have already made it "out"... kim
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I concur with you 110%. Listen, you getting fired was unfair and biased I should say the least. If you will, let me tell you of an incident that happened to me. By the way, nursing is not was it was 100 yrs ago! I was overwhelmed with a new epic program, my first time using it after being trained for 8 hours. I worked an 8 hour shift with 2 admissions. The other RN's had 3 or 4 patients. I had 5 patients. Do the math and figure out how my night was a nightmare. A patient wanted a doctor's phone number, I gave it not thinking I gave her the wrong number and it was the doc's personal number. We have a doctor's directory for the floor. Well, I got chewed up and this particular doc stated I did this twice. I didn't want to argue, I had no time I was busy up the ying yang. I don't recall ever, if it happened once I would surely remember him yelling at me. Well long story short, the hospital put me on a do not sent list. I work for an agency you see and now they won't pay me for the darn hard work I put up with the whole night. The patient felt bad, I told her to even wait for the morning to call the doc but she didn't. Anyways, policy states only Do not send can be used for medication errors and patient safety issues but this damn hospital is corrupted and what ever the doc says "rules"!! NOt having a nursing union to back me up is such a loss. Rethinking back, I should have called the damn on call doctor for the patient. But on a busy freaking night where it was first day computerized charting for me anything can go wrong and sure it totally went wrong for me. Well these nurses that I worked with only gave me negative remarks, no positive ones or even some show of support. I bet I was the hot topic in the morning... that doc made sure I never came back to that hospital... It's an honest mistake........ any suggestions.. I want this nightmare to begone from my thoughts, i even turned an assignment down because of this issue. I want another career and I should have majored in computer science instead!!! LOL

so future nursing students: good luck to you! dont' make a stupid mistake i did... you can get so busy that your mind plays tricks on you!

sign: sunnyflowers

In regards to recommending nursing as a career. I agree with HELL NO! I bumped into a new grad starting on my ICU floor, and I wanted to scream to her "RUN, RUN, and DON'T LOOK BACK!! It is shear hell on my floor, and we are over worked and underpaid. I worked too hard for my license, and for what? No appreciation what so ever. I always remember what my nurse manager says after every meeting: "And remember everyone, it's your license on the line".:nono:

sign: hpy2bme

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In regards to recommending nursing as a career. I agree with HELL NO! I bumped into a new grad starting on my ICU floor, and I wanted to scream to her "RUN, RUN, and DON'T LOOK BACK!! It is shear hell on my floor, and we are over worked and underpaid. I worked too hard for my license, and for what? No appreciation what so ever. I always remember what my nurse manager says after every meeting: "And remember everyone, it's your license on the line".:nono:

sign: hpy2bme

Whoa, I'm still a newbie and I already feel like telling nursing students to run, don't walk, away while they still can! I was super jealous of the people in my class who changed their major (why didn't I do that???)

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In regards to recommending nursing as a career. I agree with HELL NO! I bumped into a new grad starting on my ICU floor, and I wanted to scream to her "RUN, RUN, and DON'T LOOK BACK!! It is shear hell on my floor, and we are over worked and underpaid. I worked too hard for my license, and for what? No appreciation what so ever. I always remember what my nurse manager says after every meeting: "And remember everyone, it's your license on the line".:nono:

sign: hpy2bme

Yes we are under appreciated because in other patient's view we aren't doing our jobs "on time" like passing medications on time, giving pain medications,et.. mainly getting what they want or plan just being prompt when they ask for something. We are short staffed and underpaid most of the time. Here in Texas the pay is so low. California paid me almost 50/hr. I need outta here. Remember your license is at stake everytime you work. And here in texas, they can fire you for anything under the freaking sun!

:angryfire

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Now grant you, I'm a new grad, but i've been in healthcare for over 13 yrs. I've seen all ends of the spectrum. Here's my view... Nursing is like motherhood. It's unending, unappreciated,(except for one day a year, suposedly :)) and could never pay you a dollar amount accurate for all we do. But yet, who can give it up?

The reason we all do it.. is for that lone moment a pt looks up at us with gratitude, when a family member sees you at a store and can't stop ranting about how wonderful you are, an "angel"... I hope we've all had those moments amidst the absolute insanity of the world in which we all work.

So is it worth it?? I don't know. I guess it's worth it if just every once in a while you get to see the end result.

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Specializes in Trauma ICU,ER,ACLS/BLS instructor.

I think many go into nusing for the wrong reasons, and that is why they get to the burnout stage. We are lucky in that we have so many different ways to practice our profession. From bedside to research. If u feel the need to get out,try something new. Even a new facility can breathe new life into ur job. I love what I do and always have. I find that when I am getting overwhelmed and emotionally exhausted, it is time for a change. In 28 years , I have only made a few draumatic changes, but those have fueled new learning and hence a new love for what I do. I am at that hallmark once again,not do to burnout,but severe injury. Yet I am searching for my new nitche in the nursing world,to accomidate my new limitations yet still give me the pt/family contact I so love.

Christine

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Thank you, you are so right. And yes, I have had a few patients and family members tell me they were so glad I was their nurse and wished I could take care of their family member all of the time.

Now grant you, I'm a new grad, but i've been in healthcare for over 13 yrs. I've seen all ends of the spectrum. Here's my view... Nursing is like motherhood. It's unending, unappreciated,(except for one day a year, suposedly) and could never pay you a dollar amount accurate for all we do. But yet, who can give it up?

The reason we all do it.. is for that lone moment a pt looks up at us with gratitude, when a family member sees you at a store and can't stop ranting about how wonderful you are, an "angel"... I hope we've all had those moments amidst the absolute insanity of the world in which we all work.

So is it worth it?? I don't know. I guess it's worth it if just every once in a while you get to see the end result.

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Specializes in OB, M/S, HH, Medical Imaging RN.

IMO Being a nurse is a totally different issue than can nursing change the world.

Nursing IMO cannot change the world, doctors can't, clergymen can't... only people can... no matter their occupation.

So IMO..."NO" nursing cannot change the world.

Being a nurse can change a patients life. I've been a nurse for 32 years and I've had good days and bad days, hell I've had good years and bad years. No job is perfect you won't find one.

I'm proud to be a nurse. I know I have changed patients lives. I have saved lives which certainly changes their life. I have held the hands of dying patients and helped ease patients out of this life into another.

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The words that you've mentioned are very encouraging. It just reminded me why I wanted to be a nurse, nursing has always been my ambition since young. Nurses in the past wore only white uniform and caps though the design and colour have changed a great deal these days but that had always given me an inpression that nurses are pure, helpful and they are doing a wonderful job. I've quit nursing before but decided to come back cos I know this is what I've wanted to do as a lifelong carreer eventually.

I do agree on the downside of nursing such as understaffing, poor prospect, low salary and most important of all underappreciated by patients and even fellow colleagues. I do feel deflated at some point of time. However nursing trend has also changed a great deal. What hits us most was during the SARS period when it hits the asia region, the public's perception towards nursing has changed a great deal especially when a couple of nurses were infected and even a few died as a result of caring for these patients. That was a very bad time for us nurses subsequently the public treat us quite different compared to the past, we receive more respect and recognition.

Nursing is not a bed of roses, to be a nurse is hard and it's even harder to be a good nurse. One must really be prepared for all the hardship, challenge and demand before deciding to be a nurse. I'll not stop my kids from going into nursing but certainly will prepare them well prior so that they'll not regret later but 1 thing for sure I've never regretted being a nurse and still proud of the title.

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Specializes in Jack of all trades, and still learning.
OK the world of nursing is in a bad way, we are over worked and under paid and the respect of patients just isnt what it used to be. I can understand that all of this is the down side, but I like to think about my forebears - Australian War nurses that got shot at, captured, and had to manage on far less pay than we do today. Yet they still managed to inspire nurses like myself to join the proffession. I wonder sometimes if it is not so much the job that has changed but the nurses.

  • the job has changed. No need to list how.
  • Society has changed. There is more physical and verbal aggression from the patients.
  • nurses now have to support families. In those days nurses either lived in or gave up nursing when they were married - thus many are mothers/fathers, manage homes, worry about mortgages/rent/bills, and have families

I think many go into nursing for the wrong reasons, and that is why they get to the burnout stage. We are lucky in that we have so many different ways to practice our profession. From bedside to research.

We may have many paths to go from bedside to research, but how many upper echelon positions are available? Most nurses are on the floor.

IMO Being a nurse is a totally different issue than can nursing change the world.

Nursing IMO cannot change the world, doctors can't, clergymen can't... only people can... no matter their occupation.

So IMO..."NO" nursing cannot change the world.

Being a nurse can change a patients life. I've been a nurse for 32 years and I've had good days and bad days, hell I've had good years and bad years. No job is perfect you won't find one.

I'm proud to be a nurse. I know I have changed patients lives. I have saved lives which certainly changes their life. I have held the hands of dying patients and helped ease patients out of this life into another.

Touché

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