Nursing Student that hates her job... help!

NaomieRN · Jul 26, 2007

I'm a nursing student who graduates this December, since April I have been working on a med-surg floor at one of my local hospitals as a NCP (similar to a CNA). I get to do pretty much everything that the nurses do except for assessments and meds. It's a 36 bed unit and I have 12 pts to myself. The problem is, I hate it. I really, really hate it. I don't actually mind the work, ADL's etc..it's not that, but I feel as if I run around all day like a chicken with my head cut off. It's exhausting and I am literally shaking by the time I get home. I'm no good for 2 days after wards. I hope once I graduate that it will get easier and I will have my own NCP to help me. My pt load should go down to 6 at that time also.
Someone please tell me that it's normal for me to feel this way. Is it going to become easier, at least physically once I become a nurse or should I consider taking an office job and get out of the hospital all together. For those nurses that were assistants before becoming a nurse, could you please tell me about your experiences. Thanks!

You not alone, I was doing the same thing for about 6 months, I just quit. I did not like it at all. I had about 7 patients in the day shift and 10 in the evening. I basically was doing Cna work and never really had the chance to do any critical thinking. I used a cell phone and would run like a chicken all day. Working hard was not the main reason that I left, the fact, that I fell used by nurses was what forced me to quit. I did not have a problem with the patients, they were the only reason, I hung in there for 6 months. I was basically the nurses slave. One thing I have learned, when I become a registered nurse, I will treat the CNAs with respect because they are not slaves, but part of the team.

svroman · Jul 26, 2007

I went through the same exact thing before I graduated in May 07. I was an aid in the ICU for the last 6 months of the nursing program. I did not mind the ADL's either. I liked helping the patients. It was the back breaking physical work and running around like a chicken with my head cut off all day. (We agree on that!) Most of the time I felt like all I did was run around from room to room helping all the nurses lift, turn, clean up and move patients all day. I was worried that I was going into the wrong field. All the nurses ever told me was that it was worse as an RN so I better get used to it. Luckily, I didn't let them discourage me. I also hated how some of the nurses just expected you to do all of the baths and clean up work. I really appreciated the nurses that valued my help. I could never understand why some of them did not want to attempt to do their own baths. I find this an excellent time to really get to know your patient mentally and physically. I understand that there are a lot of days when you are just chasing your tail all day and the extra help is needed from the aids.

Since I have graduated I love nursing. Of course my back still hurts most days but at least I am usually only moving my own patients instead of the whole unit! I feel like most of the nurses view me in a different light now. It seems like they have some respect for me now. I don't feel like I am going to work to be somebody's slave. I like the challenges that have come along with the RN position much better than when I was an aid. I wouldn't give up the experiences that I gained during my time working as an aid. I had a foot in the door when I graduated so I ended up getting the nursing position I really wanted. I also was not afraid to do the daily patient cares and deal with the level of patient care needed in the icu unit. I would recommend to anyone going into the nursing field to be an aid in a hospital setting before graduation if possibl. Especially if you are planning on working in the hospital setting. It is worth it in the end.

Don't give up!! Don't be discouraged!!

BigMack · Jul 27, 2007

"when I become a registered nurse, I will treat the CNAs with respect because they are not slaves, but part of the team." :up:

I vow to do the same.

pagandeva2000, LPN · Jul 27, 2007

I can understand how you are overwhelmed and emphasize. I just want to add that being a nurse will be just as if not even more overwhelming. It may be less patients, but more responsibility and many things coming at you at once. I am not minimizing what your current title is, so, please do not be offended. But, just imagine medicating, treating and charting on that amount of patients, and then dealing with families, rude physicians and administrators with insane policies compounded with what you already do.

Actually, this can be a learning experience for you. You will learn to appreciate the CNAs that work under you and you will also have a heads up on time management and organization because the most unexpected situations arise being a nurse and you will have to use nursing judgement.

There are the nurses that really do not appreciate what the aides do, that will also be noticed, unfortunately. Keep your head up, and if you do decide to leave the position, it can still be taken as a learning experience to carry with you.

Princess74 · Jul 27, 2007

Well I sure am glad to know that I'm not the only one who feels this way. It's a difficult job, and I do hope that I can hang in there. I sure will be glad when I graduate.

Babarnurse · Jul 27, 2007

You not alone, I was doing the same thing for about 6 months, I just quit. I did not like it at all. I had about 7 patients in the day shift and 10 in the evening. I basically was doing Cna work and never really had the chance to do any critical thinking. I used a cell phone and would run like a chicken all day. Working hard was not the main reason that I left, the fact, that I fell used by nurses was what forced me to quit. I did not have a problem with the patients, they were the only reason, I hung in there for 6 months. I was basically the nurses slave. One thing I have learned, when I become a registered nurse, I will treat the CNAs with respect because they are not slaves, but part of the team.

Can you clarify as to why you felt like a slave when you were a CNA. Why did you feel used by the nurses?

blueheaven · Jul 27, 2007

CNA work????? Welcome to the real world boys and girls! Many of you are going to be in areas that you won't have someone else to do the "aide" work. If giving effective bedside nursing care bothers some of you...get out while you can.

I also worked as an aide/LPN when I was in nursing school. I did all the care on my assigned pts, I was allowed to chart on them, only thing I couldn't do was pass meds. (All this under an RN) Many times I got taken advantage of, but wrote it off to experience in learning to prioritize, and how I would treat those who did not have RN after their name but still worked with me when I finally passed boards.

There have been more than a few times where I have said, "give me a good aide, or a good LPN before you send Miss SoandSo, RN to work with me. These people have been my eyes and ears when I couldn't be everywhere at once. Hope you will rethink the "aides" work thing.

Still doing the TOTAL CARE thing and will continue to do it until the batteries run out on my hoverround!!

RN4life#1, RN · Jul 27, 2007

I agree with the whole slave thing. I work as a PCT (like a CNA) in a er and the nurses are soooo lazy. We always have holds that will not take vital signs on their pts they only are assigned four pts and we have twelve or more. They will not help clean the room once the pt is gone and when we have down time they are on the computer while we are cleaning and stocking everything, while they check e-mails and such:trout:

Princess74 · Jul 27, 2007

Don't get me wrong. The nurses on my floor are great. They help when they can and everyone really does work together as a team. They are glad to have us there and they make sure that we know that. The problem is the work load, its just to much to have 12 patients. Ususally 5 or 6 are total care and I always have atleast 2 on contact for either c-diff or MRSA. My point is I just hope its not as rough once I go from 12 patients down to 6. I know there is a lot more paper work/charting for the nurses, but honestly I do half of that already.

CaLLaCoDe, BSN, RN · Jul 27, 2007

Once you graduate, try nights my friend, try nights! But beware! Head decapitations of various species have been known to happen other than just a common chicken, even on nights. But the pace allows for some contemplation.

locolorenzo22, BSN, RN · Jul 27, 2007

Don't get me wrong. The nurses on my floor are great. They help when they can and everyone really does work together as a team. They are glad to have us there and they make sure that we know that. The problem is the work load, its just to much to have 12 patients. Ususally 5 or 6 are total care and I always have atleast 2 on contact for either c-diff or MRSA. My point is I just hope its not as rough once I go from 12 patients down to 6. I know there is a lot more paper work/charting for the nurses, but honestly I do half of that already.

Ok, as a CNA/Rn student, let me throw this through you........You have 6 patients, but orders to check on all of them, assessments to do, doctors calling/yelling at you to get such and such because they want to do this procedure pronto, you're trying to get to the cafeteria by 7 because they close then, even though you aren't done with report until 5:30/6.....You have a patient in irretractible pain, you have family yelling at you because patient wants to be discharged and go home, you have IVs to run, you have a post op patient to get assessed....there's more to the job then you realize.....

I'll be the first to admit, some nights I'm crazy.....I have 9-10 patients plus admit coming to middle of my section, families to deal with until 8:30/9......, dinners to feed or setup, people to change, confused patients to talk down, VS to do.....but the nurses are usually running around at the same time.....However, if I'm in the middle of something and they ask me for something pressing...i'll tell them to get someone else to do it, do it themselves, or I'll get to it in around x mins.....

I vow here and now NOT to do a tech's work for them, but help out if I need to....I will surrender my license the day I need a CNA to put someone on a bedpan when I'm right there......I will NOT do your VS, but I trust you to come tell me when they look funny.....

Get your head in the game....we don't get paid what we're worth, but when patients tell me "You're the nicest CNA here....." That pays me a lot more than a check....

Don't ever be above bedside nursing because that was the core of Nightengale's practice......learn and live.