Student nurse dismayed by bedside nursing attitude

cleback · Jul 3, 2017

The main disatisfier for me is feeling like the middle management of healthcare sometimes and having different "higher ups" with competing priorities telling you what to do. Have to keep the patient's 100% happy all the time, but why are you calling the on-call doc for a different pain management plan? A diet order? Pffttt all that can wait 12-15 hrs until the morning rounds. Practice at your highest level of education but clean rooms after discharges because we let go all of our housekeepers. It's no win sometimes. Honestly, if all I wanted to do was make a difference in someone's life, I could have volunteered at a nursing home and work a much less stressful 9-5.

Julius Seizure · Jul 3, 2017

I get that the work load is high and that can bring stress as well as all the intricate details about day to day nursing, but is that any reason to hate bedside nursing? I thought that is what the nursing profession was all about. Getting right in there, getting your hands dirty and providing the best patient care possible.

Most of us love the work, it's just that there's too damn much of it. Hardly any time to come up for air, let alone eat lunch or take a pee.
If all we had to do was look after a reasonable number of sick people, most of us would be deliriously happy. It's the layers and layers of other crap that weighs us down.

Yes. I think the majority of nurses do want to provide the best patient care possible, and to be hands-on and closely involved with that care. But man, it is a beat down when day after day, you are asked to do too much with too little. It is discouraging to WANT to provide the best care but you can't because you are only one person and you have 7 sick patients (and they all need more than their share of your time and attention). It is discouraging, and I'm sure that you can understand how that could make you feel about your job after a while.

The decision-makers can't decide whether RNs are educated professionals who perform critical functions, or just cogs in the wheel. They want us to be the former, while they retain the right to treat us like the latter.

This is a big problem as well. Nurses are often stuck somewhere between being treated like highly educated professionals and being treated like blue-collar workers. In a way, they get the short end of both sticks. Nurses are given so much responsibility...and often almost no authority or power to effect any change in their practice environment. It's a recipe for dissatisfaction.

K9lover, ASN, RN · Jul 3, 2017

Try doing it and yes, I hate bedside nursing and quit doing it. My only regret is not quitting bedside nursing 10 years ago.

K9lover, ASN, RN · Jul 3, 2017

Hello all, I am a student nurse currently in my first year. Before this I was a paramedic for a about a year and then decided to go the nursing route and get my feet wet by working as a CNA. I am the type of person who likes to research all aspects of what my next adventure will be. So as I am researching different aspects of nursing, I was a bit floored by the amount of people that hated bedside nursing, in particular on the Med/Surge floor. I get that the work load is high and that can bring stress as well as all the intricate details about day to day nursing, but is that any reason to hate bedside nursing? I thought that is what the nursing profession was all about. Getting right in there, getting your hands dirty and providing the best patient care possible. What exactly are some students thinking nursing entails when they get into school?!

If you really, really like stress floor nursing has it!

JKL33 · Jul 3, 2017

Nurses are given so much responsibility...and often almost no authority or power to effect any change in their practice environment. It's a recipe for dissatisfaction.

That pretty much sums it up as far as I'm concerned. Any of the other seemingly-patient-care-related items we could discuss (staffing, patient complaints, too many tasks and not enough time, etc., etc.) could all be handled were it not for this basic conflict.

AJJKRN · Jul 3, 2017

Im not stressed lol....ok i guess I could have worded what I truly meant better. As far as bedside nursing goes, what is it about it, that makes nurses dislike it the most? From what I gather it is the patient to RN ratio

You've got the scent...now google HCAHPS and Studer Group and Magnet requirements and...and...and...

meanmaryjean, DNP, RN · Jul 3, 2017

Im not stressed lol....ok i guess I could have worded what I truly meant better. As far as bedside nursing goes, what is it about it, that makes nurses dislike it the most? From what I gather it is the patient to RN ratio

It is VERY hard work. Mentally and physically. And it wears you down.

Wuzzie · Jul 3, 2017

The decision-makers can't decide whether RNs are educated professionals who perform critical functions, or just cogs in the wheel. They want us to be the former, while they retrain the right to treat us like the latter. .

This has to be the most accurate description of nursing that I have ever seen.

brandy1017, ASN, RN · Jul 3, 2017

Im not stressed lol....ok i guess I could have worded what I truly meant better. As far as bedside nursing goes, what is it about it, that makes nurses dislike it the most? From what I gather it is the patient to RN ratio

It starts with the ever rising patient ratio, then you have CNA's who don't always want to do their job, become offended if you try to delegate something when you are being pulled in two places at once, treat you with disrespect with the attitude that you are lazy and outright tell you why don't you do it yourself! When they can't do your job, then they complain to management and you are told to keep the peace and basically end up doing everything for yourself because you can't depend on your resources to help you! They always make sure to get their breaks, especially if they are smokers, and on a schedule no less, while you may not be able to get a lunch break thru the whole shift!

Also corporate healthcare is cutting staff and resources so nurses are overwhelmed with all that needs to be done now and no one to help them.

You really have no idea, but you can ask your nurses how they feel about their job and why. But keep any condescending judgements to yourself if their attitude is not Sally Sunshine! If you still decide to pursue nursing all your hands on experience will make the transition that much smoother. But don't judge us till you walk a mile in our shoes.

Once you're a nurse you can decide for yourself if you are the exception that just loves and thrives on the chaos that is bedside nursing. Many don't thrive on it, I've even witnessed a few nurses literally having nervous breakdowns and either quitting or being fired from their inability to cope with all that's expected of them. It is very sad, but frankly, it doesn't surprise me, if anything I'm surprised that more nurses aren't crashing and burning with the work environment that is out there! I was warned not to go into nursing by a friend that had been doing it for 5 years, but I went in anyway. Truthfully she was right and I probably should have listened to her. At least with allnurses you can't say you weren't warned about what to expect!

Occasionally I see a few nurses that really thrive and enjoy work and show no signs of being stressed, but they are the exception. And if you get a glimpse inside them you will find many are struggling and worn down by the working conditions but they tried hard to hide it. Also, there is a certain guilt involved to admit you don't like nursing because most went into it with the idea of wanting to help others and make a difference.

Lastly, many patients and families are wonderful, sweet and appreciative, but the few that aren't can really get to a person, especially with the many angry, confused, and at times violent patients. Even when I've had wonderful patients and it should have been a good night, other issues such as alarms and disrespectful coworkers can ruin that night and make me dread going back. I really wish all the CNA's and other staff could walk a mile in our shoes before they judge, disrespect and act like we are lazy if we ask them to help us. A CNA is meant to be a helper for the nurse and patient. Too many days it feels like I'm on my own!

new gal · Jul 3, 2017

Ok...those are exactly the honest opinions I wanted to hear. Seems you only really hear the truth when you push some buttons and ask. Thanks for bearing with me.

JKL33 · Jul 3, 2017

This has to be the most accurate description of nursing that I have ever seen.

Well, please indulge me as I correct my typo! I thought I typed retain, not "retrain"!

The decision-makers can't decide whether RNs are educated professionals who perform critical functions, or just cogs in the wheel. They want us to be the former, while they retain the right to treat us like the latter.

I feel better now.

Workitinurfava, BSN, RN · Jul 4, 2017

Nursing student currently in your first year, no disrespect but give it some time and you will see. It is all about the condition's of the job and as a student you most likely won't be able to see that.