"I don't want to do bed side nursing"...SAY WHAT!

Nurses General Nursing

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had a couple different nursing students say: "well, i'm going to school so i don't have to do bed side nursing". one even told me she want to work in plastic surg. office, not at the bed side. o.k. , i'm an "old nurse...47 yrs old", but when i went to nursing school in the 80's , we knew we knew we would most likley have to work our way into other areas of nursing after some experience in an acute care facility or some other such place. i hate to sound like i want to eat my young but, a part of me wants to see these new nurses go through the ranks like many of us did. not because i want to see them go through he double thooth picks, but because i feel , taking care of pateints, hands on , learning orginizational skills, pt. asses. , are the best way to learn nursing skills. as a critical care nurse of 27 years, i continue to be amazed at how much i can find out about a pt. during a bath and bed change. we have beds that turn, vents that suction, monitors that alert a critical care team half way across the city, bells, beeps and whistles,,,,what ever happened to good old hands on. i think it is funny that a nursing student thinks if she goes to a plastic surg. office she will only see tummy tucks, face lifts and boob jobs. she's forgetting the big ugly draining wounds , burns, and amputations etc..these office settings see. would love to be a fly on the wall when she takes care of her first pt. with these things and says......"oh my gosh, a plastic surg. takes care of these people too...!" guess i'll go into dermatology.... ha , if you've been around the block you know what awaits her there too. hee heee....but i swear i don't like to eat my young !:lol2: :rotfl: :clown: :lol2: :lol2: :uhoh3:

Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

I have to also say that times have changed and that we are now directed to go where we like moreso than going through the ranks as so many have done in the past. In my case, my job paid my way through school...I was on a paid leave of absence until I got my license as a practical nurse. I expected to be sent to med-surg to 'pay my dues', however, as soon as I got my license, I was told by the DON that I would be returning back to the clinic I worked as an aide to be a nurse, but had to work six weeks in med-surg. After being up there for those 6 weeks, I found that I was grateful that I am now back in the clinic. My experience on med-surg showed me disorganization and were really not welcoming to new grad nurses, even though they knew me. I didn't have it as bad as new hires, but, I was nervous each time I worked the floor. From what I saw there, and hear and read on many threads here and elsewhere, I found that bedside nursing per se is not for me, except for private duty. I have a case that I do on weekends, and I am able to provide total care to the patient. I don't have to rush, take short cuts or deal with catty co-workers. No, bedside nursing is not for me. Even as an LPN I have choices, and for me, the main job will be the clinic and side jobs will be home care.

I have to also say that times have changed and that we are now directed to go where we like moreso than going through the ranks as so many have done in the past. In my case, my job paid my way through school...I was on a paid leave of absence until I got my license as a practical nurse. I expected to be sent to med-surg to 'pay my dues', however, as soon as I got my license, I was told by the DON that I would be returning back to the clinic I worked as an aide to be a nurse, but had to work six weeks in med-surg. After being up there for those 6 weeks, I found that I was grateful that I am now back in the clinic. My experience on med-surg showed me disorganization and were really not welcoming to new grad nurses, even though they knew me. I didn't have it as bad as new hires, but, I was nervous each time I worked the floor. From what I saw there, and hear and read on many threads here and elsewhere, I found that bedside nursing per se is not for me, except for private duty. I have a case that I do on weekends, and I am able to provide total care to the patient. I don't have to rush, take short cuts or deal with catty co-workers. No, bedside nursing is not for me. Even as an LPN I have choices, and for me, the main job will be the clinic and side jobs will be home care.

sounds like it was the facility rather than the nursing. Too bad you had such a horrable expericence. There really are nurses out there who treat new nurses well. I do feel however, that as time passes and you do more things in nursing you will look back at that experience as valuable (maybe painful , but valuable non the less). I remember my first experience as a floor nurse in Fayetville North Carolina in a civilian hospital. It was a nightmare. Too many pt's , too little staff, red ants in pt's beds, staff members that didn't like me because I was from a northern state as well as a military wife. But, I learned so much there . Hang in there, sounds like your a nurse that wants to do what is good for you soul. I know you'll find that spot!:saint:

I think it is silly for everyone to have to start on a med surg floor. It is great for some people and a nightmare for others. Personally, it's not for me. Now, this isn't saying I am above it or that I would be neglectful to patients. But I sure wouldn't enjoy it as much as working in another department. There are tons of different things you can do besides "bedside nursing" which I consider to be inpatient care waiting to come or go to surgery.

Home Health sounds interesting, Cancer centers. Even OR sounds hundreds of times better to me. I just think people shouldn't get so riled up that others don't want to do exactly what they have done.

Specializes in Cardiac/Neuro.

I am a second semester nursing student, and a fellow student in my class one day actually said "Do we really have to do all the care when we graduate? Isn't that what the aide is for?" As a former aide/tech/unit secretary, I was stunned.

And, she is still in the program, I guess I know what type of nurse she will be.

Specializes in Telemetry and Med Surg overflow.

Well, I've heard a lot of this stuff from new grads, and others, and in my opinion if you don't want to do bedside nursing then you really aren't a nurse. That's what nursing is all about. They should call it something else when this isn't involved.

I've seen quite a few come into the hospital with the sole goal of making money to get through anesthesia or NP school so they can get away from all that nasty patient care. Not that those roles aren't demanding and necessary, it's just that the motivation often seems to be an aversion to actually dealing with patients. Some of the folks in question seem disdainful of "floor nursing" like the so-called RN in the original post by the NA.

And hey, wiping someone's butt who can't do it for themselves can be an avenue of personal and spiritual growth. Talk about letting go of ego!

I'll end my diatribe by seconding the person who said she would prefer leaving the patient care to those who care about patients.

***Disclaimer*** The above may not be the opinion of everyone and should be taken as an expression of opinion and not a laying of claim to ultimate truth. Thank you, and have a pleasant tomorrow!

Specializes in Telemetry and Med Surg overflow.

I would consider home health care to fall under bedside nursing. You are taking care of patients, and you have the additional hardship of not having anyone around to ask questions or get help from.

The best part of working on my unit is my relationship with my collegues, both RN's, aides, and some of the docs and NP's.

I realize that my opinions may seem hardcore to some, but I blame it on many years of military experience that gave me the attitude that you don't quit just because something is difficult, you dig in and find the strength to overcome it. That and maybe the fact that I'm too ignorant to realize that no sane persone would stay on a telemetry floor for more than a couple of years. Yeah.. that's probably the biggest factor.

Specializes in med/surg.

I like my time spent washing my patients etc (it's normal for RN's here to do everything because we don't have "techs" to do it for us). You can really get to know things about them that may be very important, you also get the chance to assess their skin etc properly. I think that nurses should start by the bedside - as you put it - because that's where you learn the things you really need to know.

Oh & a word on plastics (as that comment was contained in the OP's posts - & others too) - if that nurse (or others here) think it's easy then you're totally kidding yourself. We have a lot of cosmetic surgery at our hospital & I hate caring for them - they are THE WOST patients in the whole place - call bell jockeys, moan for England & are the biggest whimps alive - scream just when you take out their cannula's - no siree - give me an 88 year od with TIA's any time over them!!!

Of course that doesn't mean I'm not as sweet as pie to them while I'm in their room but man if only they knew what I was thinking - I mean they chose to have the op - very few have their surgery for genuine reasons & those that do are not the gripers anyhow, ever! They all have histories of depression or panic disorders etc & you often wonder why on earth they're there because just having surgery will never fix the problems in their minds.

No - cosmetics is not fun at all - you can keep it!!

LOL - now you'll see the only job available to me when I come over to the USA will be .........in a cosmetic surgery clininc - AAAUUURGHHH!:lol2:

I totally agree with your definition of bed side nursing. What I disagree with is when some one else implied that we should all start out on the med/surg floor doing bed side nursing and then work our way up. The point I was trying to make is that I am not interested in spending much time doing bed side nursing in MED/SURG. It's impossible to believe or think that every one should or will start out with the same interest. It is an individuals right to explore what interests them.

Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
I would consider home health care to fall under bedside nursing. You are taking care of patients, and you have the additional hardship of not having anyone around to ask questions or get help from.

The best part of working on my unit is my relationship with my collegues, both RN's, aides, and some of the docs and NP's.

I realize that my opinions may seem hardcore to some, but I blame it on many years of military experience that gave me the attitude that you don't quit just because something is difficult, you dig in and find the strength to overcome it. That and maybe the fact that I'm too ignorant to realize that no sane persone would stay on a telemetry floor for more than a couple of years. Yeah.. that's probably the biggest factor.

I stand corrected, (thanks)... homecare should be considered as bedside nursing. I think I should reword it to say that I am not interested in floor nursing, or med/surg.

I was planning on working at the bedside when I graduate but ... the reality of what nursing is really like has changed my mind.

With few exceptions, bedside nursing is pure hell. The nurses are mean, the patients are mean and management is always rewarding you with cuts in benefits like retirement.

I'm an older student who doesn't have yet another year to waste with no retirement benefits and, on top of that, having to take abuse from nurses and patients a like.

So, that's why I'm out of the bedside. If that doesn't make me a nurse, I really don't care. I'm not going to be a martyr for this profession or any other. Been there, done that ... I'm not going to do that again.

:typing

Specializes in Government.
management is always rewarding you with cuts in benefits like retirement.

This probably deserves its own thread. I, too, was a career changer,older nurse as a new grad. Hospital retirement plans tend to be dreadful. I'd read the fine print and find that my hospital intended to put as low as 1/2% aside for my pension, if I got vested. I knew many nurses who ended up with pitiful pensions after a lifetime with one hospital. It is one of ther main reasons why I left hospital work for a government job....pension.

It is a very different issue at 40 than it is at 20.

I knew many nurses who ended up with pitiful pensions after a lifetime with one hospital. It is one of ther main reasons why I left hospital work for a government job....pension.

It is a very different issue at 40 than it is at 20.

Yep ... government pension is what I'm going for, definitely. Virtually all of the hospitals have cut pension benefits in my area. I am NOT going to be a pauper with no pension in my '60s.

No profession is worth that ... period.

:typing

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