Stress

Yes simply venting and I get paid the same they do. I would not want to be in charge of a classroom no way no how. I have subbed as a teacher so I have an inkling what that's like. Stress is stress but I just feel like if it's that bad then find something else. My daughter is a special ed teacher so I know what they face but it's not life and death to the extent nurses deal with in the hospital on a daily basis. However, at our school it's not even the teachers that complain the most, it's the secretary (and aides). Now they do get low pay. I'm just so tired of all the negative attitudes and I don't want or need to hear about how hard or crappy they all feel their job is. Just because I'm the nurse does not mean I want to hear your problems every single day all day long and I'm stuck in the main office so every teacher, aide, etc that comes through feels the need to update me on their mental health status. I don't want to come across as not caring but it's wearing down on me. I get the need to vent but after a while it's complaining and frankly some of them need to move on.

I get the aggravation factor. I know that teaching (and any job, really) is stressful in its own way. When I feel like complaints are unwarranted, I try to respectfully leave the conversation- of course, this is sometimes more easily said than done.

Everyone manages their stress in different ways, too. Some thrive in stressful situations while others wallow in it. I used to be a school teacher and the stress I had then versus now is different, but it's still stress. Dealing with sick students, diabetics, etc...that's a very real up front and personal stress for us SNs, but having a class of 30 students and dealing with that dynamic, plus parents who constantly question your ability to do your job, complain about the curriculum, etc....that's not fun either.

I think part of the reason people in different positions complain about the stress of their job is that it's the easiest segue into conversation. They may not know you well enough to talk about more personal subjects, but stress at the job is something that everyone feels. If they vent to you, feel free to vent right back if you need to, but don't take it personally.

I love it when I walk by the conference room, where admins are having lunch, and they loudly complain about how busy they are and yada yada yada... Oh really?! Well at least you are getting a moment to sit down and have a bite to eat. I'll be lucky to pop a piece of gum in my mouth today.