Albqrabbit

Dear Unhappy 101- Get out now while you can, because nursing only gets worse as you get older and further into it, and it becomes harder to get out as you become further and further demoralized, and possibly physically disabled, or contract a disease on the job, EG: Hep C, HIV, MRSA, etc. The expectations of hospitals and nursing administration are out of line with what is reasonable. As nurses in hospital settings we are set up to fail. All the responsibility and none of the authority, coupled with no way to change your environment and make it work for you. Half-assed medical equipment, inadequate supply of B/P cuff sizes, thermometers that take 4 precious minutes to get a reading, supplies stored in no apparent order all over the unit, linen carts not centralized, dirty utility that no one knows the code to get into. Paperwork designed by those who have no idea what it's really like to work on a short-staffed floor. Daily nursing assessment flowhseets at one hospital I worked at were 12 *** twelve *** pages per patient!!! You might have 5 patients on that floor!!! Come on folks! 12 pages NOT INCLUDING the VS, MAR, and I and O sheets.....Paperwork designed to 1- Reduced hospital liabilty in event of lawsuit, and 2- To make things more convenient for Docs.... MAR separate from Flowsheet separate from Vital Sign/ I and O sheet, all other necessary forms guarded by a surly health clerk. Admit/Discharge paperwork that takes a minimum of 20 minutes to fill in if the patients are not chatty, etc. Nurses are just supposed to suck it up and get it all done. Have the bladder capacity of a horse, never get to have a sip of coffee in the AM, punch that clock and get to GD work, slave. If you complain--- you will be out. For sure. I know this, never ignore your inner voice, if it says 'no job should feel like a prison sentence' then your inner voice is right-on.

DO NOT GO INTO NURSING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 15 years into it--- It was the worst mistake of my life! Everyday an understaffed back-stabbing pink-collar sweat shop from Hell. MD will pay, and your soul won't be squashed like a bug. Just go straight for the MD-- unless you want to disempower yourself..,,,, Yes you have had really bad breaks-- But the quicker easier 'Now' road to 'Nursing" is the Devil calling your name. Do not do it, skip the RN, Go on to MD, no matter what the bills are at the end, you will be able to pay them, and you get to DIRECT CARE. You have no idea what it is like to work w a fucktard MD who gets all the glory, and all the $$$$, and have to carry out just wrong orders. Just wrong! You will have POWER as an MD, as a RN, you will only have *****-power, a very poor substitute. Your little loved one is counting on you to step up and be the provider---do it, become a DOCTOR. Don't let your loved ones down by making 1/5 the income, and having to play power games w your low-life underachieving co-workers from Hell. Just suck it up and go on while you are still in 'school mode'. You will still ***** about being a DR, but you will be making $300,000/yrn doing it- versus a very hard-won $53,000/yr. Don't let your little sister down! Those who want to villify me for my anti-nursing position- go ahead---but believe me, I have 15 years of experience informing my views, and lots of RNs would agree with me, there are so many intractable problems in this line of work, and yes it is a job, not a career. I have learned much, but I also could have lived without it. GIRLY,,,,GET YOUR MD!