mntcra

I am tired of the Big Wigs trying to tell us how to do our jobs. They either don't know, don't show or even care what goes on the floor/front lines of nursing care. They are money motivated and treat nurses like dime a dozen. The aquity and ratio's are higher and salaries could be improved due to the responsibilities we have. Everything is transparent now with technology and it takes more steps to get things done and of course more paperwork, double charting and mistreatment by family memebers and doctors. Nurses wear many hats and god forbid you can't be a PT, OT, case worker and Chaplain at the same time. No, times have changed and I am glad to be out of direct care, I have been an RN for 12 years and it seems more difficult now than when I started. The liabilities are also a concern as everyone is watching what mistakes will happen next and if someone is unlucky to make one. I see all the money going to new professional buildings built for the doctors as they cut back on nurse benefits/education. If you work for a magnet hospital, the extra work required for committees, volunteering and making posters will be an added burden, also call for Safe Harbor on a busy day with poor staffing and see what happens--there will be a peer review in a New York minute. If you have a license, you have a choice- you may lose your job for your prudent choices but you can keep your license intact. I burned out from all the above. I believe you must get out of the environment if it is toxic but the beauty of nursing is that there are so many options/choices you can do with it. I believe the future will get better but it will take some time and transition. Right now we are in a sticky situation and the morale is down for some. I have no regrets being an RN, but you must find your niche and keep educating yourself and not be afraid of education or learning new things because a part of burnout is being stuck in something too long and it makes you not want to learn anymore.

I got a DUI/open container in Oklahoma City, Ok in 2001. I got a lawyer for court and law purposes. As for my job, I did not tell anyone. When I applied for my TX RN license, I reported my DUI. I got a lawyer and wrote a paper/sent in more information. I got my RN TX license for nursing and had it ever since w/o problems on all my renewals. If you are on probation, (usually two years), it will be next to impossible to find another job or volunteer work, until you are off probation. Also, you may have to be off probation to get a new license/or maybe not, I am not sure--but you better check. I do not know the laws in your state, but getting a lawyer would be best, whatever you do, don't leave your job until your probation ends and you get your certified copy of your Judgement and Sentence and dismissal of all your counts from the courts-this will be the last thing to do when your probation ends.

When I got my BS, I applied to get into an internship and was not accepted. I had a good GPA but it is competitive back in 1994. I applied in 1996 with MS in Dietetics but I was not accepted yet again. That was when I applied for nursing school and got in.

I agree it will be repetitive and I do not know what my future would be in this type of work, I am as lost as anyone else. The training will be longer but SD will be five weks, I am excited about it because I havea friend who lives ther and I could visit her.

I have not started in this new endeavor yet, but I know I will spend five weeks in San diego for training and then come back to Dallas, Tx to work. The primary function of this position is to provide phone based coaching, education and support to members using Healthyroads Programs. It provides supportive accountability to members in relation to their health related goals and developing a plan with them to reach these goals. It has nothing to do with offering treatments or planning for surgery, it is a holistic approach to a healthy lifestyle that members choose to stay healthy and active. We give them a plan for medical risk issues, developing a plan for nutrition, exercise, health education and counseling. My backgroung is a BSN in nursing and a MS in dietetics, I also do triathlons and keep active in training and such. This type of job would be sedentary and I know that I will speak from experience, not reading from any propaganda/cheat sheets when I engage with the clients. This job would not be for everyone, as it could be boring/no challenge, but for me it would be a change from bedside and if I ever wanted to go back or go into something else then at least I have that chance.

I have not started in this new endeavor yet, but I know I will spend five weeks in San diego for training and then come back to Dallas, Tx to work. The primary function of this position is to provide phone based coaching, education and support to members using Healthyroads Programs. It provides supportive accountability to members in relation to their health related goals and developing a plan with them to reach these goals. It has nothing to do with offering treatments or planning for surgery, it is a holistic approach to a healthy lifestyle that members choose to stay healthy and active. We give them a plan for medical risk issues, developing a plan for nutrition, exercise, health education and counseling. My backgroung is a BSN in nursing and a MS in dietetics, I also do triathlons and keep active in training and such. This type of job would be sedentary and I know that I will speak from experience, not reading from any propaganda/cheat sheets when I engage with the clients. This job would not be for everyone, as it could be boring/no challenge, but for me it would be a change from bedside and if I ever wanted to go back or go into something else then at least I have that chance.

This is what I believe makes nursing unfair. The new nurses have the right to get the best orientation and learn in a positive environment. It is very unfortunate that this is not so in some circumstances. Some of the veteran nurses- just some--think it is a hindrance and time consuming to take in a new nurse and train them. It puts them in a bind with more stress to get work done in a timely manner and clockout on time. The preceptors are usually responsible for this but they may have been pressured to do this--or not-- and would rather pass it on to someone else. Like I said, it places more work on the veteran to have to deal with this and not get paid extra for it and also to be pressured to do this when they may not have a choice. It does not justify this behavior, but it is one of my gripes because the system we use is flawed and there has got to be a better way to make everyone happy-unfortunately, I have no answer.

I just got a job offer to be an RN Health Coach and was curious to know if anyone has done this before and if they liked it. It mostly consists of phone calls to members with various needs with a more holistic approach. It is considered a 'cushion job' but it is okay with me since I get my adrenaline rush doing triathlons and could do without crazy stress at work. I have done bedside care for over twelve years and need to think about the future for my mental and physical health and get a job away from that so I can work without the drama and trauma.

Thanks for all the nice comments, it means a lot to feel like I am not losing my mind. I have a couple of interviews but we will see. To answer this last question about becoming a Dietician-You must be accepted into an internship and then take the RD exam. I did not get accepted into the internship post BS and even MS- my grades were good, but the competition is high with fewer internships available--this was in Oklahoma in the mid 90's. I am sure it has picked up since then, but I am more fond of nursing now. I would like to use my nutrition background with my nursing experience at this time in my life though. thanks

I have been an RN for 12 yrs and fed up with the profession right now. I have done mostly Telemetry and GI/Pulmonary lab in the hospital setting and getting really tired of it. I would love to do anything that is not bedside care at this time. I have applied for Case management, bariatric coordinator and diabetic educator but have had no luck. I have a BSN and a MS in nutrition but still no luck in finding the right kind of job. I believe after awhile, you get tired of how the hospitals treat nurses and the added responsibility they lay on you. Even working in Magnet hospitals are not any better, they want you to get involved in shared govenance and career fairs or make posters, and they continue to ignore patient/staff ratio's--instead of 5 to 1 they still consider 6 to 1--it is an act of disrespect and they do not care who knows it. I think nursing has gotten harder over the years and I am sick of it. I am willing to get away from bedside at all cost-the pastures may not be any greener but at least I am making a choice and trying to preserve what I can out of this profession. There are many things a nurse could do in this profession, but you have to find your niche and have thick skin sometimes, it is not going to be easy anywhere you go, but you do have choices.

I left nursing August 14th, 2011. I was working in a Dallas hospital doing Med-Surg and after five months, I turned in my two weeks resignation. I have been an RN for 12 yrs and have had enough of the beurocracy and all the bs that goes with it and decided it was time to leave. I am not working at this point but am looking for work along the lines of case management, diabetic educator or bariatric coordinator. I have an MS in nutrition and would love to use my BSN and nutrition background to do teaching, but the economy is tough right now and I am unemployed. To be honest I am glad to leave the bedside then have the headache of dealing with those who do not understand our profession and make impossible demands that may harm patients.