mrcnstnc

It happens in Non-for Profit facilities too. Admin never cares or can care if we accept extra shifts, stay beyond our scheduled shift, they know full well we are dedicated to our patients, and manage to take full advantage of that, Kudo's to you for saying no. It took me years to say no....even when a supervisor told me after 7 straight days and 12-16 hour shifts she thought I sounded "******" no kidding, I said if you don't like my attitude then don't call me on my day off!!(she worked 2 days a week) For some ridiculous inate reason alot of us thought the place would fall down if we aren't there to cover, trust me it won't!! Hire extra Nurses? God forbid!! I think it's high time the bean counters and the coorporate execs stay out of Nursing, you're never gonna find a nurse sitting on her a-- in an office getting paid what they do to crunch numbers!! Resentful much? yes probably There'd be plenty of money to staff adequately if there were less paper pushers and bean counters making twice as much as nurses trying to "save" exspenses. I can guarentee unless one of them becomes the patient and wants the undivided attention of a nurse nothing is going to change. So keep working your schedules and keep saying no!!

Not sure if you're a nurse or a patient with a grudge and a need to vent because your pain isn't adequately controlled. Nurses sometimes need to vent talk to each other because yep your right we don't have a clue if you are a drug addict or someone who has legitimate pain. I here alot of martyrdom in your little speach. We are not uncaring the problem with most of us is we care too much and deciding if what we carry out as orders is part of the problem or part of the solution. We are just as "entitled" as anyone to give an opinion, as we are human not saints, tho you're right it's usually not documented much less asked for. I personally resent patients who feel so sorry for themselves because the ones they assume are supposed to have all the answers don't, I'm old school and my philosophy has and continues to be is do unto others as I would have done unto me. It is however appropriate for any medical professional to assess their patients needs and discuss it with the MD. Sorry you don't feel comfortable because of someone elses "attitude". I have a ton of experience with people who are legitimate card carrying addicts blame is their number one defense for crappy behavior, but we do put up with it. So if your pain isn't controlled talk to your provider. No one is preventing you nor would they from getting the help you need. Don't assume all ER staff is copping an attitude toward you just because they discuss a difficult situation. ( another symtom of addictive behavior by the way) I don't know you you don't know me in a perfect world everyone would get their needs and wants met with a constant smile on their face, but it's not a perfect world.......

So sorry to hear this from a new grads! Thought it was only old me! When I graduated 25 years ago I had job offers coming out of my ears it was hard to choose, I chose a med/surg unit in a local 75 bed hospital and gained a tremendous amount of experience, before they could lay me off due to low census, I signed on with a traveling agency, and gained a ton more experience. Then spent almost ten years in dialysis. and have worked in a variety of home care settings, occ health and clinics. Sounds impressive right? Nope, not what they want, I'm certain many of you have read my posts before and the rant goes on. What do they want??? and the frustration of some computer generated no thank you letter doesn't help at all. I've always considered myself diverse and willing to challenge myself with any new position. Seven years ago I came across a Nurse manager with no standard of practice, no ethics and quite frankly no morals, I challenged her authority based on my experience, the safety of my patient and the protection of my license. Since that time I have not been able to secure an actual "nursing" position. I worked in alternative clinic for five years and gained what I considered a trending spiral of experience, but the owner got into some IRS trouble and put me out of a job. I can't leave large spaces of time off my resume and quite honestly I'm a nurse it's what I do and I think I do it well. I do volunteer and don't worry about my credentials as far as that goes the good samaritan act is pretty protective in volunteer environments. My frustration lies in the HR process, waaaa we have a nursing shortage but we don't want new grads and we don't want nurses with experience What Do they want?? Can't jump thru their hoops if they don't tell us what they are. I love this site and appreciate all the comments but we're nurses, need to find some HR peeps to give us a heads up! Or someone willing to tell those of us that are unemployed what to do to get past the BS and go to work. How do we get hired???

Been there done that...... sounds all too familiar!! Who knows what the facilities want, the profession wants?? For most of us becoming a Nurse was more than a "job", it satisfied some inate need, want, or desire, to help others, to leave something of a caring example in a cold world.Hopspitals and such remind me of an over tired two 2 year old that cannot be satisfied no matter what is given. And we take it personally, why wouldn't we? We chose a loving caring profession to get our degree in to make a difference. Otherwise we could would and now question whether or not we should have become the coorporate whore mongers with buisness degrees. Unfortunately the mongers are now running the "non for profit" facilities because everyone wants to make money!( and non for profit means they get a fat tax break) keeping the profit. People that are nurses will likely call them on it then aggravate them like poking the bear!!What's going to change it? Maybe when one of the mongers becomes ill enough to need a caring and compassionate nurse to care for them and there won't be one, just a robot in the buisness to make money. God how I wanted to sound more encouraging but I'm not, digruntled myself, with over 25 years in the profession, diverse, skilled and experienced. Unemployed for almost 7 years in conventional medicine. I've adapted ,used my skills in other areas of life such as alternative medicine, however the greed is just as prevelant there. If I could afford to go back to school what would I choose? God knows..... I believe nurses are principled, men and women with integrity and hearts too big for this world!! I'm thankful we can come here vent, support each other, lift each other up and say it's so not you it's them. Being a nurse doesn't define the awesome person you are!! Maybe it's just time to divorce ourselves from what no longer serves us and what we can no longer serve. Good luck, and don't give them the satisfaction of becoming despondant, try to get creative with what you already know!! Nurses are the most diverse culture on the planet we just need to use it to the advantage of a Greater population. Learn what you can from your volunteer experiences be sure you put it on your resume and who knows..... you might have your own clinic one day look back and laugh because you still have a soul!!!

Sadly I don't know if there is a "perfect" solution for the frequent flyers, the non compliant, the "drug" seekers. Pain is subjctive, and everyone's tolerance is different. And of course is it the old adage of which came first the chicken or the egg? Do medical professionals start the problem by over prescribing pain medication for conditions that may be treatable with ibuprofen or tylenol? Then scream bloody murder when they have an "addict" on their hands.Or is the person someone with an "addictive" tendancy in the first place, who really knows While these "types" of patients are at best frustrating and time consuming they are still our patients and while I agree ancillary staff such as social workers etc are benificial, who's to say they will comply with that, when they are in pain all they want is something to relieve it. We're human, we're nurses, and the tendancey to "judge" is compelling at times, we have a job to do, and if the Doc orders it give it. I battled this many times in my career, I've even worked with doctors and nurses who are addicted themselves. We can't change another we can only ask for the peace and serenity to accept the things we cannot change. There are support groups for people who deal with "addicts" maybe that would help to facilitate a better attitude on all our parts.

It's breaking my heart to hear so many wonderful nurses struggling in our profession. I lost a position at a VA clinic 7 years ago, used my skills and abilities to work for a Naturopath for almost 5 years and found out the hard way she was involved in an IRS situation that when found out, cost me my job. I have been out of the "conventional" medicine field for quite some time, not even certain I believe in it as I once did. I have over 20 years experience in varied settings from Med/sug to dialysis to clinic nursing. I consider myself diverse, confident in my knowledge and skills yet can't even get an interview. My license is current, I've never been investigated for any wrong doing in my profession. I have interviewed for "lesser" positions such as phlebotomy and been told the same things as ;You are an RN therefore you must work as an RN so what does HR want??? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I do alot of volunteer work but it doesn't pay the bills.

Hard to reply but I'll try, judgement comes in all shapes and colors as does patients(obviously) Personally I think you may have engaged her way too much by even asking why she left another facility. We're all nurses here so the main reason was probably no matter what color the doctors skin was or his accent he/ she probably told her her condition/behavior was unacceptable, wouldn't fill her narc RX. I have had many professional patients thruout my career,I've also witnessed MD's who lay it on the line for patients, just know as nurses we may not be afforded the same luxury of speaking our mind as an MD is. I'm for the look myself trust me my eyes speak volumes about what my head says. Patients like this one are experts at manipulation and are a giant thorn in a nuses side. The underlying disease is mental more than physical. A good doc would not only speak his/her mind but make a mental health referal. If you are confident in your assessment involve the MD in a care confrence and make the suggestion. If not chalk it up to it takes all kinds and come to the forums where we all have our nightmare clients nobody will hold it against you for saying what we all think of these types of patients. she'll continue to make her rounds until someone confronts her and even then who knows......