Share why your current job sucks and what you hope will be different in nursing!

Published

So..why does your current job suck and what do you hope will be different about nursing?

I'll go first. I got a degree in Psychology, and worked in research for 2 years, went to law school for a year, and am now working as a social worker (basically) with kid's with mental health problems.

The research job? Ugh...try basically telemarketing trying to force people to complete lengthy (I'm talking 3 or 4 hours) interviews about their "mental health," and then having to take a hit on your hours if you can't get enough of them to agree to do an the interview. Did I mention the interview itself is confusing as hell and no one really knows how to use it? Oh yeah..and the research subject are getting paid better then you are.

Law school? Sounds good, but be prepared to argue all day, every day, work your a** off, and have no life outside of your career. Oh yeah, and unless you want to work for a law firm (and are able to get one of those coveted jobs, just so you can work 60 hour weeks) you'll be making around the $35,000 mark, and be in upwards of $80-100,000 in debt (yup, that is the average salary in the public interest sector).

My current job with the kids with mental health problems? Again, hours are all dependent on people wanting you to come over to work with their kids (oh..and being there when they say they will). You have to come up with full time hours, but families only want you there a couple hours at a time, generally. Either that, or they want you to babysit their bratty, nightmarish kids. You can take the kids out, but not to your home. And remember, you have no money to spend on the kids (and the families are poor), and you don't get money for gas. Oh yeah, and the families will regularly curse you out, and you're supossed to "just understand" that they have problems. Did I mention the mountains of paperwork to justify the time you are spending with these kids as being "therepeutic?" I could go on and on....

Jesus...nursing is appealing to me because I fell like I'll finally have some predictable hours. Moreover, I feel like helping people in the medical arena is much more black and white then the fuzzy area that is mental health. I also feel like nursing allows for a much more balanced lifestyle, given the numerous options for employment, and work that doesn't follow you home. However, my previous three experiences since graduating from undergrad have me concerned that maybe it's just me:idea:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I wouldn't say that my job exactly sucks. It just that: it doesn't pay well, no job satisfaction, no challenge,etc. I want a job where I can use what God gave me (in the brains department) and feel satisfied with what I have done with my time. The sciences are my passion and I HAVE to be around people. I enjoy putting my time and energy into helping people in any way. Nursing is challenging and it encompasses everything that will hold my intersts and pursuits. Basically, a monkey can do my current job, and I want so much more than that out of my career (and life).

On the other hand, my current job has zero stress - which makes it ideal to pursue college at the same time.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

my current job sucks b/c

1. no variety

2. no raises

3. low pay

4. feeling not appreciated

5. i never get the feeling that I made a difference

I hope nursing will be different in that

1. I will make a difference in someone's life

2. I won't get bored

3. There is always be something new to learn

4. I won't have to worry about my pay not increasing with the cost of living.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I am not currently working, thank goodness, but what happend with me was...I had a job in the insurance industry:zzzzz, I sat in an office all alone, it was thankless, unrewarding, unfullfilling, boring, frustrating...and we had a young clerk working for us and she quit because she was accepted into the nursing program...that got the wheels in my head spinning. A month later I registered at the local college, and two years later here I am about to begin the program in January!

I have always been interested in nursing/medical, I was a phlebotomist and a CNA right after high school. I loved all of the interaction with people, constantly learning new things, and the self satisfaction of helping people...

In insurance, I literally didn't have a story to tell about my day. If my husband asked what I did during the day...I would tell him"nothing really"...but with the medical field I remember frequently going home and having at least one interesting thing to say!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I worked in a potato chip factory before going into nursing school. Who'd wanna do that the rest of their life? Not me! It wasn't bad and I am glad I got the experience of working in a factory to appreciate hard work. Everyone there is proud of me for continuing on with my education. They even held a party for me when I left last summer with a cake that said "Good luck Alicia as you leap into your future". They put frogs on it since they knew I liked them. Lots of people came up and wished me the best of luck. I was a seasonal there and came back for the past 3 years... I plan on going back again this summer because I need the money and I miss the people. But when I started a few people were ingorant and said once you start you'll never leave due to the money issue of how $10-12/hr is good for this area.

I did enjoy the factory, but the work was mundane. The job's good enough just for summers other than that no.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

For me, it's the sedentary lifestyle I want to get away from. I work as a recruiter and sit on my toosh all day.

Pay is great and I even get to work from home twice a week. But, I don't like being behind a desk.

I want to be around people and constantly learning.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hello everyone!

Well to begin I wouldn't say my last job sucked because I loved what I did as a Marine. I'am proud to say that I served with America's finest men and women, theres nothing more rewarding than knowing that I could count on the men and women I served with. Be it as it may, things went sour, well with the quagmire that is Iraq and having done two deployments to that destroyed country and witnessing little "reconstructive" progress I decided it was time to move on with my life,so after 4 years and 1 month of service I threw down the towel and moved on. I dont blame the Marine Corps, I blame the corporate political gambit that has taken control over our armed forces for my departure.

So here I'am now, 5 months out of the military, and I thankfully made the decision to go into nursing. I was enrolled in Visual Comm.,but I just could'nt see the importance of it or the satisfaction of it. Unfortunately my father went into diabetic shock one Sunday afternoon and from there on is when I actually witnessed a job that I could see myself perform in.I saw how well the nurses performed on saving my father's life and giving him the proper care and observation at the hospital,the head nurse even went out of his way to call me every few hours to keep updated on my dad's condition; I couldnt thank him enough for the great job he did. After several days, it was really revolving through my head that I could do this,that I could really find satisfaction and personal gratitude in this field. Its mainly about all the intrinsic factors that appeal to me.Here I'am now a pre-nursing student and excited about successfully finding something I can pursue.It must be a blessing because unfortunately alot of veterans dont find a calling or a successful transition. Sadly they succumb alcohol and drugs.

Well I pray that with proper guidance and motivation I make it through this. I hope everyone else here makes it through too.

Jason(USMC OIF VET)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in progressive care telemetry.

I'm currently a stay at home mom but my so-called "career" has been in customer service primarily. Low pay, high stress, no gratification and few brain cells engaged. I know nursing is a high stress job and it also pays about twice what I was making. I'm not in it for the money though that and a flexible schedule are on my list of why I think nursing will be a great fit for me. I also love science, love taking care of people, problem solving and potentially making a difference in someone's life. Making sure a package got delivered just didn't do it for me, ya know? (I worked for FedEx most recently)

Karen

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC, Psych.

I was a cemetery administrator for 15 years. Enough said.

I'd like to work with the living now, please.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I worked in Investment Management for 3years. Now I'm a sales manager and help customers design their kitchen and bathrooms. I will leave my current job once school starts in January.

Neither one of my jobs "sucked". However, I just feel this urge to do something more. The medical field has always interest me and I love working with people. I love that there is room to excel in your career and the ability to make a change within the field when you feel a level of "burn out". I think I will feel "real" satisfaction in helping people whether or not it is verbally expressed. These are the things I didn't/don't have with my previous/current careers. However, I will miss the people I work with and the stress free enviornment of my current job.....I just need more out of life right now.

Oh, BTW.....Where do you live? My brother grad. law school 3yrs. ago and is making well over $200,000 per year..... He's is taking a pay cut b/c of a job over he can't refuse due to the experience he will gain, but still the money is very good..... Also, half the time I speak with him he's shopping or going to the movies when the rest of us are working. Always envied him for getting his education out of the way....he's got it easier than the rest of us...

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in psych, ltc, case management.

I totally relate to everyone on this thread.

Here's my story- I went to school for a BFA in fine art,mostly because I've always been attracted to art making and didn't know what else to do, or think about how I would make a living when I graduated. For the last two and a half years I have switched back and forth between teaching art to special ed students and brainless jobs in the fashion and accessories industry. I liked teaching for the most part, but I felt frustrated with my limited ability to actually make a difference in my student's lives. I also did not like that there was no real growth or movement in teaching- it is very stable, very predictable, and very boring for me at the end of the day.

The office jobs- well that is where I am now. I left teachig to return to a position as a sales assistant for a companyt hat makes cosmetic bags. I thought maybe I had not given the coprorate world a fair shot the last time, and that maybe there was still something in it for me. Within a month I knew I was wrong.

I've been spending the last few months doing serious career research and exploring, and one thing or another has led me to the possibility of nursing. It's great for all the reasons every has said- stability but alwasy changing, learning, growing. Good pay, flexible hours, the ability to have REAL true job satisfaction from helping another. Mainly I just hope that this is it, the thing I've been looking for to make my working life more enjoyable. we spend too much time at our job to hate it, and I want to feel good and make others feel good.

Now I just have to get into nursing school!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I worked in Investment Management for 3years. Now I'm a sales manager and help customers design their kitchen and bathrooms. I will leave my current job once school starts in January.

Neither one of my jobs "sucked". However, I just feel this urge to do something more. The medical field has always interest me and I love working with people. I love that there is room to excel in your career and the ability to make a change within the field when you feel a level of "burn out". I think I will feel "real" satisfaction in helping people whether or not it is verbally expressed. These are the things I didn't/don't have with my previous/current careers. However, I will miss the people I work with and the stress free enviornment of my current job.....I just need more out of life right now.

Oh, BTW.....Where do you live? My brother grad. law school 3yrs. ago and is making well over $200,000 per year..... He's is taking a pay cut b/c of a job over he can't refuse due to the experience he will gain, but still the money is very good..... Also, half the time I speak with him he's shopping or going to the movies when the rest of us are working. Always envied him for getting his education out of the way....he's got it easier than the rest of us...

I'm in NC. That's great...I'm happy for your brother...however, that's not at all what I discovered when doing research/talking to people regarding the field. Most high paying jobs require endless working hours (not to mention working for a large corporation, doing things you may not feel too good about). The other side of the coin (and there really only seems to be two sides, more or less) is not being able to find a job, or not being able to find a job that pays decently. I know a lawyer who works as a lawyer by day and still has to wait tables at night. He recently looked into becoming a public defender, and the starting salary was $30,000. But, your brother may have a gift for persuasion, and thus is able to acquire the sought-after high-paid positions. However, I was in the top 5% of a top 50 school and couldn't find an paid internship for the summer...so you tell me.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion