beewink

I say good for her for recognizing it now and going back to what she truly likes. Money isn't everything...

When I read posts like these I wonder why there is such a lack of teamwork in medicine. Mostly between doctors and nurses - there is such a power play on the part of the docs that gets in the way of what is best for patient care. I just don't get it. It is like pulling teeth sometimes to get appropriate orders. So frustrating.

This has to be a joke...

I had a preceptor like this too. In the OR for the ortho rotation. He wouldn't show me a thing - would only allow me to watch him work. He wouldn't answer my questions, and just flat out ignored me. I talked to the charge nurse and she said she knew but he was the best ortho person she had... The day came when she wanted me to go solo in ortho and I just looked at her like she was crazy. I'd rather be taught by someone who isn't as "good" but who is at least willing to show me the way...

No way.

Wait til you try to please your bosses, fellow employees, doctors, pharmacists, other ancillary staff, patients, their families, and of course administration. Then you'll see being a nurse isn't really any better...

Happens more often than you think. The real world of nursing is not the same as what is taught in school.

i feel much the same as you.... especially your point about little predictability.

Good shoes AND good socks. Seriously. Buy socks that wick away moisture - the type that runners wear. It makes a huge difference.

Reenski - I did do something else before nursing. While it didn't pay as well - I worked in a loan department at a bank - it was much more satisfying to me when I look back. I could go in and do my job and do it well. I had an hour for lunch, was treated with respect, and even on the bad days didn't dread going back the next day. I chose nursing for many of the same reasons you are thinking - but really - if I would have known then what I know now, I would not do it again. I was torn between Physical Therapy Asst. and Nursing. Nursing offers more variety and probably better pay, but when I see the PTA's at work they are happy. Plus they have better hours and are still helping people. That's what I would do - and may do now. Your idea of a lab tech sounds great too. I'm glad that you are really thinking about this - the negative posts are NOT just the result of a few bad days. They are also the result of a new reality in healthcare that I don't believe will change.

Now this is telling it like it is....All of you folks who are just entering nursing school should really pay attention to what this poster is saying. This is not a vent from a current situation - lots of people on here like to say that the negative posts are due to "bad days" and they just have to come on and vent. Here is a person who is retired and who has no real need to vent to get through a bad time or a bad day in nursing - they are already done.

I sure didn't think nursing would be easy or fun either. But I also didn't think it would be rare to get a break or a lunch in a 12 hour shift. Or have so many patients you can't provide safe care to many of them so that nursing becomes putting out fires instead of preventing them in the first place. But never tell your patients you have 'too many'. Instead say, 'What can I do for you today?' or 'I have time for you.' Healthcare in this country will continue its downward spiral if we continue to pay lip service and toe the company line. If we want to care for our patients we must refuse to bow down to customer service driven care and instead focus on quality patient care. I really believe it begins with us - and if we don't do this together, things will continue to get worse for all of us. (Including our patients). Sure it's easier not to butt heads with administration, but who has the ultimate power to make changes? Not us. So we need to make sure our voices are heard.

Amen to that.

Employers these days are not loyal to their employees. It's CYA all around. Always remember to do the right thing even when it means butting up against folks who want you to do wrong.

First of all, good for you for coming back on and replying.... Secondly, as to the above quote - the reality of nursing is a bad one these days. Sure there are still plenty of folks who love it, who have found there niche - but there seem to be many, many more who think otherwise. If I could do it all over again, I wouldn't. I would read posts such as these and use them to decide what I should do instead. There are other areas of healthcare that you could pursue if you feel helping people is a calling. But all the stress in nursing is not worth it to me. I am not afraid of hard work, by the way, but what is expected of us in nursing is impossible work.

Also, I have found that among some nurses who stay, they are trapped by the income and can't work for less.

I appreciate the idea of becoming a CNA first to dip your toes in. But, I did that, and for me it was a world of difference. The jump in responsibility from CNA to RN is huge. I would see if you could shadow an RN for a day - I know folks who have done this. Some decided they liked it, some ran for the door. As to your question, YES, many nurses quit or work part time as a way to deal with the stress. It's not for everyone, and it is smart to really find out before you invest the time and money required.

I'm glad that you had a much better day and that you were able to be so thorough with the bed bound patient. I can't help but think that obviously that won't be the norm and sadly, our influence on CNA's only goes so far. I have seen them complain to someone higher up who then agrees with them. Nursing homes are about making money - less staff + more residents = higher profits; they flat out don't care about quality care. I remember being like you - ready to take on the big, bad world of nursing. 14 years later and I'm jaded and apathetic...I just can't do it anymore. I hope you find it in you to keep your current attitude. Best of luck.

I agree with this big time.

I have worked OR, ICU, and med surg and have experienced a lot of what you are describing in each area. I do agree that nursing has a lot of variety and if you complete your BSN you will have more to choose from. However, if it was me and I was only 3 semesters in, I would apply my credits to another major. I've been a nurse for 14 years and I would not do it again if I could go back. There may be problems in other professions, but nothing like nursing.

Oh, how many times have I said this very thing.... Madness, indeed!

You are lucky - I just haven't found the time for that to be true. Sure, I'm there at the bedside, but giving meds is about all I have time for these days....

My husband is a blue collar worker who works in a large facility with hundreds of coworkers. He said the type of behavior I have described to him that exists in nursing would never be tolerated at his corporation. I've been a nurse for 14 years and have decided that while nursing may be considered a "profession", there are many who are unprofessional within its ranks. For me, being a nurse has proved to be a big disappointment.

No way. I would definitely not do it again. I feel like it is a daily lose-lose situation. Struggling to help your patients without the appropriate equipment or staff, management breathing down your neck to discharge faster so you can take the next new admit, worrying about customer satisfaction, dealing with nasty doctors and coworkers, sleep deprivation, no breaks/lunches, working holidays/weekends/nights, noncompliant patients, demanding family members, demanding ancillary departments, and on and on.... I envy those of you who have found jobs in this field that you like. I've been at it for years and haven't found my niche. Hindsight tells me I chose the wrong career.

I can't believe this is something we as nurses still have to contend with. I agree with other posters who say it is disrespectful and who can't believe JCAHO still allows this. There really is no reason computerized orders shouldn't be the standard - other than the push back from doctors. Patient safety? Meh...