ZootRN

My point was if doctors are considered good enough to practice without grades as a final proof of their abilities, why is it so important for nurses? I graduated with high honors myself, and I have a lot of respect for all my educated and hard working colleagues out there. But why grades are so important as to generate pages of discussion?

Umm, hope I don't insult anyone, but medical school does not have grades at all, as far as I know. They operate on pass/fail basis. Why nurses have to compete with each other? Grades do matter in school. Once you passed NCLEX, they don't. Just my 2c.

I don't know would it help or not, because "waitressing" part of nursing basically drove me away from bedside. Give me ventilated and sedated patient, unstable and on drips, and I'll be happy. As soon as they are able to push their call button (see "not able to open splenda packet" thread), I don't want them anymore.

I remember that story, it was all over magazines when it all happened. Baby died of SIDS, was found in his crib without pulse and not breathing. Apparently, nurse just "saw" doctor doing it from another room, and court did not believe her. This pediatrician was a prominent doctor indeed, and town was in uproar, defending him from allegations. I guess, we will never know the truth.

Once a nurse is always a nurse, and what you do IS nursing. Don't feel guilty not providing direct care, nursing is not all about bedside. Many people at bedside would consider yourself very lucky.

LOL Mine are MA, for Master of Arts. People would give no respect to it either, thinking I am medical assistant of some kind.

8K on your paystub? what are you, making $100 an hour?:)

When I was in school, my statistics instructor and my comp I instructor, and many others were called "Dr's" because that what they were, holding doctorate degrees. If I will ever get my doctorate, I'll call myself a doctor, as any other person with similar degree would do. All that pretense that nursing is something that medicine is not, fades out at advanced levels anyway. ARNP's do diagnose diseases, they have prescription privileges. If they require supervision of MD's its not because they are not capable of doing something; that's because AMA is fighting to keep doctors in scarce supply and in control, to make sure their salaries remain hyperinflated. I don't know why ANA does nothing for us. I guess they have more important things to do, like protect public from us:twocents:

PACU in outpt surgery. That's what I do. Days only, no weekends, no calls, and pay is great, better then when I was a critical care nurse at bedside.

I hope I won't break the spell, but my job is the best. I work in outpatient surgery recovery room. Patients are generally healthy. I have no families to deal with, and basically no doctors (unless I need them to be there). I have one patient at the time, and usually have 4-6 patients a day. Between cases I read my books and do my schoolwork. This is the best job I've had so far, and the most paying too.

Future employers should not be too worried about your personal beliefs. If you are competent nurse and treat your patients with respect then you should be given the same opportunity as any other nurse. I took care of many patients whose life choices were very far from my mine, but it did not disqualify me from performing my job well. Good luck.

I remember having an elderly male pt who was furious that female nurse (me) will be inserting his Foley catheter. He said he wants a male nurse. Well, nurses, males included, do not grow on trees, there was no male nurse on duty and administration will not pull male nurse out of nowhere. So pt left AMA. Hospital's accommodations can go only that far. If request is beyond what they may provide, then pt is free to leave.

In order for you to improve, they have to provide constructive criticism with specific examples. I tend to agree that such vague statements are nothing but picking on you. I was told once by manager that I am not liked by the "group" (read - the clique), they can't really say what it is they don't particularly like, just "something is wrong". Needless to say, I was out of there after only few months - came to manager on my day off and said I can't continue on in the atmosphere of hostility and being ignored by everybody, and that was it. Nursing really was an eye opener for me as to how mean and petty people can be. Good luck.

Apply for the position, go for interview with another unit manager and if you will get a job offer, then notify your current manager, because if you won't be offered a new position, staying in your current position may become awkward. Good luck!

okay, this is becoming redundant. the same things are being said over and over. after this statement, i'm finished with this thread. i've got the answers that i needed from this board, and that's not to become a nurse. i'm free and i have enough common sense not to go into a profession that's a hostile environment. every where nurses turn, they aren't appreciated . there is disrespect from the administration, doctors, family members, and patients. in the hiearchy of the hospital, janitors might receive more respect and appreciation. yes, there is a hierarchy system in the hospital and from the average person's point of view, nurses are not at the top. so i can see why there is a lot of resentment going on because nurses have sacrificed a lot to not receive any appreciation. anyway, i wish everyone well in their endeavors and i'm finished with this thread. :) did you not say it was a calling for you to become a nurse no matter how bad the job itself was? and now, after reading this thread, decided it was not much of a calling, not worthy pursuing and you must've misheard the god?

This is so funny you mentioned it, I used to work with guys and was sick of it because they were always promoted ahead of me and I was looked down upon, and I was so looking forward to female-dominated nursing thinking that finally I'll be with friends and will find a support. Ha-ha:)

This is beyond clueless, this is just plain stupid.

This is totally crazy, I would never work in place like that. Instead of hiring more people and keeping them happy so they would stay, they abuse and mistreat whoever left. Short staffing is NOT an emergency, this is mismanagement. Emergency is when airplane crushed and all hospitals around are full of wounded people in need of urgent medical care.

I am totally agree, this is how I started out my nursing career, with the whole unit running to manager to update her on what I did or did not do. I was telling myself I have to be stronger and prove myself to them, and then they will "let me in"...what a naive fool I was, ended up leaving anyway, but suffered a major blow to my confidence. Now I know to run as fast as you can, this situation will only get worse. Sorry.

Thanks for the link! So, what are they for, to wear you plate, knife, fork and smoking pipe around with you?

I'm embarrassed to ask and please forgive my ignorance, but what are tunneled earrings?

Wherever you decide to move, just avoid Florida. Housing is very expensive, there are no unions, and we have the oldest and sickest patients from all over the US.

Actually that's why I left critical care and bedside nursing in general. You save people's life, and next minute they spit in your face because you were not fast enough with their water pitcher. You would think people walking out on their own out of ICU would be grateful for everything that was done for them - but no, nothing is ever enough. Publics attitude toward nurses is unbelievable. You forget that nobody paid ME your 50 grand. Some kind of useless suit will get a hefty bonus out of it while I'm wiping your stinky butt, getting paid in middle 20s and working until I drop because there is no time to eat or drink for 12 hours in a raw, waiting on "customers". Sorry, I had to vent.

There are so many things that are wrong in nursing nowadays. In my opinion, it all comes back to poor staffing. When I'm stretched over 3 patients in a busy ICU, there is simply no time to do all fluffed-up stuff, like having a friendly conversation with family members or whatever else. I remember so many times I literally had to run out of patient's room because something else was happening that needed my immediate attention. It does not matter who pays how much, it's just a nurses' job became impossible under current conditions. I'm sorry for your experience, motorcycle mama. People in the hospital should feel they are well cared for. However, nurses did their job pretty well, since your husband is improving, right?

I couldn't help but complement on creativity and brightness of that post. What a great idea to create a web site and attach flattering professional picture of yourself. Bravo.