reconsidering a nursing career

shoegalRN, RN · Nov 12, 2009

I know what you mean. I left the corporate world for the same reasons you listed, and found it even worst in nursing and I just graduated in May 2009.

One thing I am learning is that nursing is driven by emotions, and alot of things happen and is said because of emotions. Example: "She said this to me 2 months ago and it hurt my feelings" Now since there are hurt feelings, the revenge start, write ups occur by the nurse with the hurt feelings against the nurse who said something that made her cry 2 months ago, then it escalate all the way to the nursing director, and now the nurse have to worry about her job and possibly be reported to the SBON for something so trival, all because someone is holding a grudge.

I've never worked in a field where you are gossiped about and judged about your job or the work you do, and then it can all be taken away in a flash if you step on the wrong toes and "hurt someone's feelings".

Rant over!

OutlawNurse86, BSN, RN · Nov 12, 2009

Any career field you pick is going to be filled with ******** and moaning. It's just part of it. Probably more so with nursing due to the constant high stress levels. There will ALWAYS be something: Nightshift vs dayshift, idiotic bosses, idiotic patients (no offense intended to the general public who may read this), policy and procedure BS, gossip (especially in a female dominated field [i'll probably get a slough of nice comments for that one hehe])blah blah blah blah frickity blah.

The thing is you have to find the good. Nursing is a high stress field, filled with good caring people, and some genuine morons. It's still a very rewarding profession. When you get to follow a patient from admission to discharge, assisting not only them, but their family, it's worth it.

People sometimes feel a need to vent, that's my amateur theory as to why there are so many negative posts on here. We're sympathetic to one another.

If you're already in nursing school, STICK WITH IT! It will be totally worth it in the end when you get that license. There are so many opportunties that you don't have to stay in one area forever. Mobility and some degree of autonomy (depending on your license and where you practice) is what makes this a good profession. Like I said at the beginning: There is going to be complaining anywhere you go, with any job. I know, I am the Master of Gripe.

daisymae0 · Nov 12, 2009

I know every job has it's problems and issues, but it seems like everyone goes to work walking on eggshells. I thought that there was some degree of professionalism in nursing. There has to be enough pressure to just going to work and care for people in the most awful time in their lives without having to worry if you say something wrong or don't impress the right person you can lose your job.

Natkat, BSN, MSN, RN · Nov 12, 2009

I haven't found a field yet that isn't filled with all of the above. You do what you always do - take the good and leave the rest. I am an acute dialysis nurse and one of the benefits to this position is I basically work alone. No coworkers mean no gossip, no backstabbing, no politics. I just do my job and go home. If that's your worst concern, you might want to consider going into dialysis. It's not for everyone, but not having a coworkers is a huge benefit.

Debra ACRN · Nov 12, 2009

I don't post very often but I feel compelled to answer your question. Nursing is a more then a job, for me, it's my passion and my calling. I find that when you are doing what you love and working as hard as you can, you can enjoy the blessings of good work.

If you can't take the occasional moron, I advise you to get out now. If you think that's hard, try telling a patient that they are too sick to fix. Hold them in your arms as they sob. Walk in to take care of a new quad that will never walk again, help him deal with that little bit of reality and just be with him as he cries, yells, denies. Be in the room where the emotions are so intense you can physically feel them. That is hard, dealing with little petty people issues is like batting away a fly. In proper perspective these problems usually are beyond your control and therefore are only as much of a destraction as you choose to make it.

I run an outpatient AIDS clinic. I have had the priviledge of helping start the clinic 20 years ago and I have taken care of some patients for all 20 years. I live in the midst of a lot of chaos and try every day to fix what I can and pray for what I can't. I have a nurse run clinic and my nurses are the best in the world. They are smart and compassionate and caring. We work hard, good, satisfying, hard work. It is the only work I know, and I feel completely blessed to be where I am challenged daily.

Keep your eyes on what is important and you will be fine. I would encourage you to search your heart for the answer you are looking for. If you join us nurses, bring your A game and the most passion you can muster. If you only get a tenth of what I get every day I guarentee you will never be sorry for choosing the hardest job in the world.

Debra

Mulan · Nov 12, 2009

If you have something else that you can go into

and make a living at, I'd do it.

andpeggy · Nov 12, 2009

DaisyMae, I've re-considered nursing as well, for similar reasons as you stated. (I also came from a corporate background--a very large corporation full of very young, super-ambitious people.) In fact, I came very close to swearing off nursing this week, and going back to the corporate world. What I realized is that the actual work of nursing means more to me than the actual work of of my old corporate life. Because of that, I can put up with all the bad stuff. People suck no matter where you go, or what you do, but if the work means something to you, then it's worth it. (At least, it is in my book.) Ultimately, nursing is way more valuable to me than finding ways to cut margin so that we can make plan. More interesting, too!

Caveat: I'm not a nurse yet, just a nursing student and a resident assistant at an assisted living facility. These are just my thoughts, and the thoughts that keep me going when things get tough.

Also, as one poster mentioned, people like to complain and moan and vent. They just do. I do, too! This is a safe space for people to do that, hence the abundance of honest and maybe negative posts.

:)

dcgrrl, ASN, RN · Nov 12, 2009

Daisymae0-

Thanks for starting this post. If you want to be a nurse... be a nurse and don't let that potential aspect of the job be the deciding factor as to whether you become one. As the previous poster stated, you don't have to be committed to a clinical setting, you can work in dialysis. You can also consider other fields where you may have a a little more autonomy and less dealings with staff such as home health, school nursing, or community health - -so many options!

My main issue is not dealing with the gossiping and sniping but being able to "soften" my tongue and choosing my battles wisely when dealing with those select individuals who feel as though they can say mean, hurtful, or nasty things to you because you are a new nurse. I know the "nurses eat their young" mentality is still shared by quite a few.

I work in an office now where if you don't CYA or speak up for yourself, you'll get walked over. I'm never disrespectful but blunt and to the point with folks. My RN friends that know me say that my communcation style may not sit too well with some RNs.

We'll see what happens - - - but I'm still working towards being a nurse.

jjjoy, LPN · Nov 12, 2009

Outside of issues with management & colleagues, do you know how you feel about juggling several ever-changing issues/tasks versus being able to focus on one issue/task at a time before moving onto the next? Do you know how you feel about working with interruptions, distractions, people coming and going versus working in a fairly quiet, controlled environment? Do you know how you feel about interrupting others to ask questions, ask for assistance, etc? Do you know how you feel about handing off your responsibilities to another when necessary (eg delegation or shift hand-off) as opposed to taking care of everything from start to finish? Do you know how you feel about problem-solving when you don't have time to do extensive research and can't put it aside until tomorrow? Do you know how you feel about having to determine & accept 'good enough' when time and resources are limited?

If you want to be a nurse, then you'll find a way to deal with the workplace issues. There are a good and bad workplaces in all fields; if you like the field, you'll be more motivated to keep seeking out something better or to deal with a bad situation in order to move forward. If you're mainly trying to get away from a bad workplace, then it'd probably be more efficient to simply look for a better employer. If you are more generally looking for work that feels more meaningful or that involves direct assistance to people in need, nursing may or may be an answer for you. Best wishes in your pursuits!

trimm · Nov 13, 2009

The best experiences I have had as a nurse have been on the night shift. That in itself should be telling. I am a male and I am not immune from the rath of my co workers who are mostly female. I find that they either love me or hate me. I don't know why, I just try to do my job.

When I went into nursing, I thought I would be around compassionate women who were caring and nice and smelled like pretty flowers. Funny how that smell covers up a world of spite and anger.

In nursing, you have to perform 100%. I am not saying that in any other job you don't have to do a good job, but a carpenter can put his nails where he/she wants them. In nursing, there is no fudge room. It is the right pt, right dose, right route etc. and you have to sign that it was perfect. And that is in a world where you may have to run down the hall just to keep up with all the lights and falls and family.

Maintaining that kind of perfection is impossible and leads to people covering mistakes and living in fear of ever screwing up. Then you have your co workers who will turn you in, in a heartbeat.

Nursing is stressful and the expectations are unrealistic. Any nurse that says he/she has never had a problem is very sedated or lying. I don't know how some nurses work in a facility for 20 years or more. If I could probe their brain and figure out how they do it, I could bottle and sell it.

For the rest of us, there is high turn over due to burn out and stress.

I am not perfect, and I don't want to be perfect. I also don't want to kill a patient, but laws and regulations make a profession that should be the best there is one of the most stressful there is.

The only worse job would be doctor. They have no lives what so ever. Why anybody would put themselves through that is beyond me. And to think they must make mistakes all the time and are scared to admit it. Heck, I have called doctors and clarified orders that were wrong. What happens to them? They give a new order and it all goes away. If I pass a medication that was incorrectly prescribed by that same doctor and it is caught, it is my ass that is on the line.

How is that fair?

I went to school originally to be a graphic designer, if I could make a living doing that, I would change careers in a second. My sister in law has worked over nights for 20 years just to stay away from the BS. I did it for 8 and I am considering doing it again. To bad I need to hide from people just to earn a living.

Long story short. Nursing is a great career if you can do it on a deserted island.

Jules A, MSN · Nov 13, 2009

I haven't found an unusual amount of any of the junk you are asking about at either of my jobs. There are a few people that will try to make others look bad, same as anywhere. I watch myself around them but don't lose sleep. There are others that are wonderful and willingly help whenever needed. Mostly I like it because the pay is decent, the opportunities nearly unlimited both in schedule and speciality choices and helping my patients makes me feel like I am contributing to the world in a positive way. If you tend to get along with most people and have had decent work relationships in the past you should do fine. Be particular about the team you join, as in any field.