melme

So I have been a nurse for a year and a half. I started out working nights at a hospital but after about 6 months, my body couldn't handle night shift anymore. I went to work in a community setting with kids and at first I loved it - especially working 8 hr shifts, no Sundays and no holidays! I felt like it was a dream come true. And it was, at first. After about 9 months I started to get burnt out and I also started to see what a not so great (read: shady) place this was. I was exhausted and going to bed at 730 every single night. On the weekends I would run like crazy, cleaning and running errands, trying to spend time with my family since I was so exhausted during the week. And because I didn't spend time resting on the weekends, I was just as tired come Monday morning. So on that note, I switched to 12 hour shifts. I like the 12's but even on my days off when I'm tired, I can't just seem to relax. I feel guilty for sitting and watching TV or reading. Shouldn't I be going to the gym, giving the dog more attention, hanging out with my friends, cleaning?! Surely, there's something that needs my attention right now - no time for relaxing! You get my point. Anyone else struggle with feeling guilty for just doing nothing?

Well thank you for your response! Don't worry, I made sense of what you were saying. That because I have been there and done that I do not just look at these people as "addicts," I can see the person they are behind the addiction. I guess the thing I am most worried about, like you said, it keeping a personal life separate.

I have always been interested in addictions nursing. Psych and community clinicals were my favorite in nursing school. I even had professors comment and say they could tell this was my "area." But that being said, over the past few years I have dealt with a lot of addiction problems first hand in my extended family and with my friends. To the point where it started affected me too (emotionally anyways). So I decided maybe for transference sake that maybe I shouldn't do this for a living! When I graduated I took a med-surge job even though I didn't like med-surge in school. Well guess what, I still don't like it. It is just not where I am supposed to be or what I am supposed to do. Lately I have been looking for other jobs and I'm still really interested in addictions nursing and we have a lot of places around here that need nurses in that area. I applied for a job but I'm wondering if it was a mistake. Can anyone else relate to this...working in addictions nursing while also dealing with it on a personal level? Is it possible? Is it unhealthy?

As a registered nurse would you ever take a job as an LPN? I'm not asking IF you can take a job as an LPN (legally and all that), I'm just asking if there are any RNs out there that would. I'm an RN and I have a potential job offer at a surgery clinic and I'm really excited about it. I've heard great things about working there. They pay 18 an hour. That is only 3 dollars less an hour than I make in a hospital on day shift. I'm lucky enough that I'm not hard up for money. And to be honest, I would take the 3 bucks less an hour to have a job that I ACTUALLY LIKE, in an environment I like, and hours that work for me. So...would you take an LPN job? Or is that just kinda crazy? AND. Would you put it on your resume you are willing to take LPN salary?

I'm coming up on 5 months in medsurge, not 2 months. I grew tired of it after about 2 months.

Yes, I have my foot in the door there. I am a substitute health aid on my days off (anywhere from elementary to high school) and I keep in contact with the head nurse over all the schools in our county.

Hi! I don't post here very often (mainly just lurk!) but as of May 2014, I am a proud owner of my BSN. I went into nursing because I have a passion working with people with special needs and kids in general. I spend a lot of time volunteering at camps, ect and I love it. If I could just do that forever than I would - you don't even have to pay me! THAT is how much I love it. I really dislike medsurge. In fact, I never liked any of my rotations in the hospital. I was recommended for a medsurge postion by one of my professors at the end of that summer. I scheduled an interview before she even really looked at my application. They made the job sound really appealing so I thought, what the hay, I'll give it a shot. I was even excited about working nights. Really, I was. But that wore off after about 2 months. And the truth is, I really dislike it. It's not that it's too hard, it's not that it is too stressful, I just don't like it. I hate pushing meds all night long. Every once in awhile, a patient will start having a conversation with me and what do you know, the call lights start going off because someone, somewhere needs something. So I usually leave the patient I am talking to high and dry. Or if I do finish the conversation, I **** about 5 people off. The patient, the secretary, the aids, the other nurses. I dread morning because I know the snappy people in lab are going to call and tell me my patient has a critical lab value. And the doctor that I wake up (because it is mandatory) will just shrug me off so they can go back to sleep. One night I found myself sitting in the bathroom with the lights off. I had to say a prayer, take a few deep breaths and force myself to go back out there because to be honest, I could give two craps if certain patients get there pain meds. Not when they ask me every dang hour. And giving heparin and protonix to every single person at 6am, no thanks, I'm over it. I know it's important, but really, I have to force myself to put on a happy face as I go into those rooms. And I always hope they aren't too chatty first thing in the morning because really I just want to do my 6am med pass, finish my charting, and leave. Quick. IT IS NOT FOR ME. I decided that since I dislike my job so much, well I need to find a new one! So I went around to literally 20 different places: allergy clinics, surgical centers, doctor's offices, and I have been scowering jobs online like my life depended on it. Out of all the places I went, I got 3 somewhat promising replies (but again, nothing is ever certain). I'm really hoping one of the allergy clinics will call me back because honestly, it does sound interesting! I've done a little research on what it is they actually DO because I don't want to get stuck at another job I don't like. Part of me knows I should do the "right" thing and keep this job. I am making good money, I'm learning new things, these people went through the time to train, not to mention that they are counting on me. (Especially when 30 people have quit in 12 months and the rest are slowly dropping off too). But part of me thinks, you know what, I worked my butt off for 5 years to get this degree if I am not happy - WHY AM I STAYING? So I am asking you all, people who have quit possibly been in nursing longer than I have been alive, when do you know? How do you decide - do what I should? Or do what I want? I know ultimately it's my decision but well, I'm up for opinions!

Hi! I'm pretty new to this board and new to nursing I suppose! I found out what I wanted to do in nursing school: I love school nursing, I love pysch, and I especially love working in the community with people that have disabilities. When I graduated, of course being a new nurse with no technical RN experience was a struggle and I started to get discouraged. A professor recommended me for a med-surge position on a women's floor in a hospital. I knew from nursing school that I did not like med-surge. But that being said I took the job because I know you "need" hospital experience. And I will say after 3 months I have learned a lot. But the absolute truth is, I don't like it. I'm growing to hate it actually. I feel like all I do is run from room to room changing IV fluids (for the love of God, make the beeping stop!), delivering pain medication (heaven for bid I am not there on THE DOT), and making sure I chart every little thing so that at least my own butt is protected. I spend no time with my patients. I don't have any kind of relationship with them. My co-workers are...different. And by different I mean rude. And half way thru the night I find myself thinking that I just, ya know, don't really care all that much. And yes, I do work night shift BUT I was on days for about 2 months before nights and let me tell you, it was worse. Even older and experienced nurses were running around in circles trying to catch up. It's not just me! Now I see why they have had 30 people quit in a 12 month period. I have already started applying for other jobs; jobs in pediatrician's offices, surgical centers, rehab facilities, ect. I know everyone says you HAVE TO HAVE med-surge but honestly - do you really?! If you know where your heart lies (and you know where it clearly doesn't!) do you or should you really put yourself through that just because you're "supposed" to?!

I'm a year and half from graduating with my BSN, yes I'm very excited! I have never really had any problems with my spastic diplegia, it's very mild. I know my limits and I ask for help when I need it. I also know that it takes me awhile to get a rhythm down, there are some things I have to pay more attention to and work harder at. I had a clinical instructor who was not very understanding and was just plain rude to me. I think if she had it her way I would not be going into nursing - in fact she told me I should go into teaching. No thank you. So after I had a confrontation with her, it has made me very self conscious and the other day doing a practice skill I froze up and my instructors want me to perform the skill again. They aren't failing me or anything, they just know they I might need some extra practice and time to find my own way. I know it's no big deal but I'm freaking out: what if I can't do it? I honestly don't know what I'd do without nursing. I certainly don't want to be a waitress forever! I'm thinking peds or OR but does anyone have any advice? Or anyone know any nurses with CP?

I struggled with medsurge as well, most do because it's hard! Here's the tips my instructor gave me that worked. Read. It's hard material but you have to actually read it and understand it. If it takes you 2 hours to read 10 pages or a week to read a whole chapter then so be it. Don't put off reading until just before the test because you will never finish it all. Highlight anything that is important in your book, anything you talked about in class, warnings, ect BUT do not highlight too much. Answer questions. I bet there is a CD, work book, website or even phone app that goes along with your book. A lot of times they even match up with the exact chapters. Do a lot of questions. Before the test, let's say the weekend before, only review the things you do not know. When answering questions, either before the test or on the actual test, cover up the answers and just read the question. What is it asking you? Then read each answer individually. Read one and cover up the rest. Decide if you are going to keep the answer or send it away. If you think it might be the right answer then keep it. Once you decide to 'send away' an answer do not go back to it. Keep this in mind: if you can only do ONE THING for a patient before you walk away, what are you going to do? You might know the info it's just the questions that are also tricky.