JSSR108

The myth (and it is a myth) that Nursing is this fantastic, noble, creative, caring, and expanding field has sort of run its course with me. I worked nine years as a medical assistant for an Internist. I interacted with many nurses who would encourage me and the other staff to go on and become nurses. I went on and did just that: BSN. "Become a nurse; it will open up so many doors for you". I did three years MedSurg. I was good to go; needed to look for something new. I am now in CVU and stuck. This was one of the worst decisions I have made, and I am responsible for that - no one else. I have applied for my PHN, have it, and...nothing. Nursing school would have you believe that if you can think of any random thing, there is a corresponding nursing field attached to it. If there is a lemonade stand, why, there's lemonade stand nursing. If there are PlayStations, why, there is PlayStation nursing. In reality there is debt and more debt. You can either go into debt and be stuck in the minefield that is the Moloch known as the hospital system. Or, you can go into more debt and get a higher degree specializing in...not much better paying jobs. I went into the medical field with the absolutely stupid belief that I could help people in their time of need and maybe ease their suffering - even if just for a little bit until they got better and went on their way. I have learned over time that that is absolutely naive and belongs nowhere in the medical field. The medical field, and specifically nursing, is hierarchies, bullying, cliques, debt, charting over patient care, doctors who just cannot be bothered, violent patients and their equally violent and demeaning family members, being bit, kicked, punched, dead-ends, and ending back where you started. At this point I work to pay debt, and I go to work trying not to do anything to lose my license. What open doors are those? What good is nursing? I would love to find a nursing field that is fulfilling. And before anyone steps in with the wisdom of Barney that there are good days and bad days, ups and downs, jobs with stressful days and days better, I am not stupid. What would be nice would be to find some form - any form at this point - of nursing that is fulfilling like other nurses I have encountered. To boot, if there is such a thing as social consciousness, then there is the social cognitive dissonance of the ever-chanted "nursing shortages" coupled with packed nursing schools and the reminder that every nurse is expendable, replaceable. You can't have a shortage and a surplus at the same time. Remaining in bedside nursing is seeing a car-exhaust filled garage as a breathing treatment. But if you go into something like home health, it just seems to be bedside on the go. Any and all serious and meaningful advice nurses here can give would be greatly appreciated. As a side note, I want to do something in the Foster System (partly why I went for my PHN license). Right now, all jobs are either LVN or MSN - both opposites of where I am at now. So, that seems to leave me stuck in the God forsaken badlands of bedside.

Nursing, unfortunately, is toxic. Nurses are toxic toward each other. Who knew there were so many Ratcheds in Nightangales' clothing. I started nursing late in life. I gained three years experience as a MedSurg RN, nights. Won't mention the hospital, but the management was beyond horrible. Searching several units on each floor for basics when you get an admission (IV poles and pumps, VS machines, feeding pumps, computers crashing 3, 4, 5 in a row, etc.). Management and doctors thought nurses were front door rugs to wipe their shoes on, and it was completely acceptable for patients and their family to berate you and verbally abuse you - management just wanted you to smile and say, OK. Pay was horrible. There were many bad nurses there, but those that were good were great. If you asked questions, they answered. Older, seasoned nurses were willing to hear you out on your rationale for patient care and correct what needed to be corrected, and so on. At the bottom of everything, most of the nursing staff there were friendly and helpful to each other. It was common practice there to be floated to nearly every unit every week. That being the case, I made great professional relationships with several staff. Unfortunately, the hospital and management were enough for me. After having had enough, I was encouraged by another nurse who is well seasoned and very kind and helpful to apply to the other hospital she works at. So I did. Keep in mind, this is a new hospital, new EHR, different unit (higher acuity than MedSurg), different equipment altogether, and they started orienting me on days with the goal of finishing orientation onto nights (that seems standard for orienting). This is a job with way better pay, and, externally, better equipped. That being said, the staff are very cliquish. Everyone other than themselves are dumb, stupid, and idiotic, per them. I'm not even sure the janitor pushes the broom correctly, if I follow their assessment of things. If I ask a question about how to use their equipment, they answer not the equipment question but what it's used for ("IVs help get what's in the bag to the patient...", etc.). I never asked how to use their other equipment because I don't want to look stupid, so I teach myself. A core part of MedSurg nursing is time management, but they explain to me that I need to learn time management. This comes from trying to keep up with learning how to navigate the new EHR system and do my job. There's a lot of talking down and demanding tone. One preceptor, because I had missed finding a section in the new EHR (mind you, not an order not a med, just a section separate from regular charting), spent about twenty minutes explaining to me why we as nurses chart. Every assessment I perform is questioned and contradicted, and that's not being hyperbolic. Another preceptor asked me if I wanted to give report to the next shift, had me give the report only to contradict and question me throughout giving it. My preceptor also stated she had "hand picked" the next nurse because "she's really good". I have caught on two separate occasions other nurses trash talking me. One nurse asked which hospital I had come from, then, after my having responded, told me, "This hospital isn't that hospital" and walked away. My direct manager asks me how things are going, but I don't complain because I'm the new one out and don't want to cause waves. Also, I've come to learn he's part of the clique. Nice. Transitioning to this new job was a big deal to me. It was scary starting new at a new unit, at a new place, with new everything. I'm giving this job a little more time, and if things don't get better I'm out. From the nurses I knew from my last place and the other nurses I know from other hospitals, I have and still hear the same things: * Why are we always short staffed? * Why does someone always need to stay late? * Why is the turnover rate so high? Nurses (and all medical staff for that matter), if you treat others horribly, bully, and follow cliquish behavior, why would you even dare ask these questions? Units are built on trust and respect. As a good nurse once said, "If you don't repect your colleagues, you can't trust them; and if you don't trust your colleagues, you can't respect them".

*** UPDATE: 9/4/23: Thank you to everyone here who has commented. Your help has been of great value. I have successfully submitted for endorsement and have received it. I have already been submitting and interviewing for jobs. On that front, in all my interviews I state that I am currently living in California, and will need to relocate to Alaska. Although this is acknowledged by the interviewers, I am followed up with - post-interview - can I start within the following week. Well, the obvious answer would be 'no', as was initially stated in the initial interview. The apparent assumption, although I am making a move from one state to another, is I would need to find housing (which you can't get without proof of employment), I would need to set up a new bank account, set up bills and utilities, move all of my stuff, and do all this without employment in the new state. It is more than likely my naivete, but this seems weird, odd. Many jobs, disclosed in the interview process, state they pay for relocation costs - only after the move. This would put me back at square one. If I had employment set up, with something in writing, I could bite the bullet and make the move to another state. At least then I would know a time frame from where I would start employment there after having to leave employment here. Without all of that I would be in limbo. I was under the impression there is a nursing shortage nationally, and especially in certain states. Alaska cannot fill its nursing shortage from within its own state population. Am I wrong or out of line for thinking they would seek from outside their state for additional nurses? I must be missing something. Any advice or comment is welcomed. I thank you in advance...

Hello. I am new here - first time post. I am trying to endorse my existing RN license from California to Alaska. * State Board of Nursing (SBN) mentions fingerprinting card. I do not know how they verify it is truly me and not someone else submitting fingerprints. I wanted to know how this verification process works. I have done some research on the card itself, and apparently it has multiple problems: takes longer to verify, costs more, higher likelihood of being done incorrectly and therefore rejected. * In California we only use LiveScan. I found LiveScan centers in Alaska, but sadly none of them can answer a single question regarding the SBN when I call to speak with a person. If anyone has endorsed from another state to Alaska, and has used LiveScan, please, please reply with how and what you did regarding that. I have tried emailing the SBN wherein they respond with - they will not respond! (LOL). If I call, I'm just on hold. I know each state has their own way of doing things, so I am only asking for how to endorse to Alaska and not any other state. Anyone who knows anything I would greatly welcome and appreciate your input/advice. Thank you in advance...