This article disturbs me

TexasPoodleMix · Jul 27, 2004

well there are alot more just like that.

http://www.aboutmyjob.com/main.php3?action=displayarticle&artid=255

IS IT REALLY THAT BAD ????????????????????

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Jul 28, 2004

Thing is, there's plenty of areas without nursing shortages, but there's plenty that have nursing shortages, not to mention bad places to work. What you posted is just one person's experience only, and it wouldn't be enough to quit, because this wouldn't confirm to me that i'm in the wrong field.

And for every bad experiece, there's a good one, and that goes with any career/job/profession.

SmilingBluEyes · Jul 28, 2004

QUOTE: "is it really that bad?"

Not for ME, it is not.

I am sure you will get a variety of opinions weighed in here, but in the end, only you can decide. Best wishes. Don't let naysayers stop you from realizing a dream. That is my best advice.

Sheri257 · Jul 28, 2004

If you look up other positions on that same website, you'll see other people who are bitter about their jobs as well ... teachers, lawyers, etc. A lot of unhappy people post on that site, not just nurses.

I too am a nursing student, but have no delusions about the jobs out there. I'm either going to work for a union shop or a hospital that's got a pretty good management rep with nurse to patient ratios that are even lower than what's required by law.

This person may say there's not many nursing jobs. But in my area, they're even running ads on TV looking for nurses.

:coollook:

hypnotic_nurse · Jul 28, 2004

You know, maybe the problem is the PERSON, not the job...from the tone of the writing, maybe it's her attitude, not her skills, that keeps her unemployed.

I know if the job I have today goes away (and it might, it's research and grant supported), I can find a job within a week, if not sooner. Of course, your area may be different...but I doubt it. :)

kyboyrn · Jul 28, 2004

Hey guys. After reading this, I have to wonder where this person went to nursing school? I had a lot of friends drop out along the way in just the first year because they saw the kind of work they were getting into and they didn't like it. I know that clinical experiences aren't like being on the job market, but if you really just hated it that bad, wounldn't you figure that out while you were in school doing clinical rotations? I respect anyone that gets out when they see they don't like it, because we don't need nurses like that in our profession, but after performing clinicals for a year, I realize there are things that aren't great, and some things are hard, but I realize that it is worth it. Maybe she got her degree from some unreputable website and somehow managed to only put in a few hours of clinical time (sadly, I've heard that it happens). If one were to go to a good nursing school they would get to see at least somewhat what a career in nursing is like, and you could tell if you just hated it. As far as the nursing home comment; that alone shows that this person shouldn't be a nurse. To say you wouldn't send your dog there is wrong. The residents there are people, and some are A&O. If you hate nursing homes that bad, you probably shouldn't work in a hospital, because you'll be working with elderly clients and some of the work may be similar in some situations. Sure, everyone has this big idealized idea of what it is like to be a nurse, but the truth is it is hard, and it does take a psychological toll at times, and you do some lifting at times, but you have to remember why you want to be a nurse. I love it so far, even though at the end of some days I hate it. You have to look at the big picture, not what happened in one day. Jobs are plentiful overall, and it is a rewarding profession. Still, if you expect to put in as little physical labor as an elementary teacher, and be less stressed than a date entry clerk, then you've come to the wrong place. If you want to help others and are willing to sacrifice a little, try nursing. For some no, but for the ones that have a passion for caring, it can be great. By the way, I am a man, so there are some knocks against me already, but it's not that bad, just different. That's beside the point, but remember that nursing isn't all bad, but if you want the easy life, do something else. If you're willing to see nasty things, and smell bad smells, and sweat a little for the sake of others, then go for it.

:)

TexasPoodleMix · Jul 28, 2004

Thank you so much for responding. I was afraid no one would ! :) I feel better now, I just like to get all perspectives. Like I said, I felt like most of it was just old fashioned 'griping' but what concerned me was the part about not having a job. That stresses me out. When I finish nursing school I"ll be 30... it'll be TIME to get a FT job ! :uhoh21:

jnette, ASN, EMT-I · Jul 28, 2004

You know, maybe the problem is the PERSON, not the job...from the tone of the writing, maybe it's her attitude, not her skills, that keeps her unemployed.
I know if the job I have today goes away (and it might, it's research and grant supported), I can find a job within a week, if not sooner. Of course, your area may be different...but I doubt it. :)

Couldn't have said it better... I agree wholeheartedly, especially with the first part.

Yes, there are some bad experiences out there, but there are also as many lovely ones.

SEEK......................... and ye shall find.

CHATSDALE · Jul 28, 2004

This person should never have gone to nursing school...I went back to school after being RIFed and was unable to find another job in secretarial field...but I knew what I was getting in to....sometimes serentipity leads you into the strangest places but I work in LTC and I hope I never have to be in one but I give these people the best care I can and I see them as people who need attention...the attitude shown in this post was unsupportable...

BabyBlueRN · Jul 28, 2004

:rolleyes: Dear Holly,

They say either you love it or you hate it, I guess it is true...Why did you go to nursing school to begin with? I wonder if you had any experience in the medical field beforehand???

I, personally, became a nurse because I could not imagine doing anything else. As much as some days I say I'd rather be the girl at the perfume counter giving samples, I wouldn't give my career up for the world.

Maybe you need to find something that makes you feel the same way. Not that I would discourage anyone from becoming a nurse, but the last thing we need is someone bitter, there is enough of that already. Make your decisions based on what makes you happy. And happy is a relative term..... it means different things to different people.

Good luck with whatever you do in life, but I can tell you that nursing has more to offer in the long run you just have to pay your dues like everyone who came before you.

Perhaps this should be moved to the nursing career advice section, but I was browsing and found this written by an ex nurse. I take most of it as bitterness and griping, but the part about NO JOBS without a year of experience bothers me beyond words considering I am going for my adn in f05. Thoughts, please!?????
---------------
on www.aboutmyjob.com
Luckily, I've put this career mistake/ nightmare behind me.
My career mistake was choosing to become a nurse. I was lied to from the beginning. I was falsely made to believe that there was a plethora of jobs waiting for me after graduating nursing school. On the contrary, every job I found wanted nurses with at least a year of experience.
A year after graduating, I found one agency that sent me out to work in various nursing homes. That was a nightmare in itself!! I wouldn't send my dog to a nursing home let alone a human being! I quit that job fast enough but I left very frustrated and angry.
A year after that, I managed to land a hospital job on a fluke. There are no words to express how absolutely horrible and unbearable I found that job to be. I hated it beyond the meaning of the word.
The worst part of it all was that they were in the middle of downsizing and the nurses were being given the additional work of taking over the duties of others. Many times I would find myself so busy that I would leave work two sometimes three hours after my shift ended, doing what else but paperwork. This was overtime I was never paid for.
I wouldn't recommend nursing to anyone. It's a thankless job with long hours, is seriously short-staffed, and the workload is astronomical. Many nurses who worked at that hospital often complained of back pain, various health problems, and psychological stress. I didn't want to end up like them so I got out quick.
Needless to say, my mother wasn't overly happy about that. She can no longer brag to her friends and relatives about my being in the medical professsion. You couldn't pay me to go back to that occupation. It was so hard to find work and what I found left me feeling so unhappy. Whenever I would finish my shift for the day, I would just sit at home and cry for hours. I got so depressed. Whenever I knew I had to go to work, I felt so miserable. Whenever I arrived at work, I felt like this lead weight was sitting on my back, I found it hard to breathe, and I had to fight to keep down the panic. When I took that job I was only in my twenties. After only a few weeks into that job, I started feeling like an old woman. I started having back pains and feeling just so unwell practically everyday. I was so aghausted all of the time. I've never in my life had a job that left me feeling so awful and I hope I never will again. I repeat, I wouldn't recommend the nursing field for anyone. I made a bad career choice, I just hope that anyone reading this won't make the same mistake I did.

TexasPoodleMix · Jul 28, 2004

Dear Holly,
They say either you love it or you hate it, I guess it is true...Why did you go to nursing school to begin with? I wonder if you had any experience in the medical field beforehand???
I, personally, became a nurse because I could not imagine doing anything else. As much as some days I say I'd rather be the girl at the perfume counter giving samples, I wouldn't give my career up for the world.
Maybe you need to find something that makes you feel the same way. Not that I would discourage anyone from becoming a nurse, but the last thing we need is someone bitter, there is enough of that already. Make your decisions based on what makes you happy. And happy is a relative term..... it means different things to different people.
Good luck with whatever you do in life, but I can tell you that nursing has more to offer in the long run you just have to pay your dues like everyone who came before you.

I didn't write that article ! :) I ran across it while browsing for nursing sites. I agree with everything you said though.

I am planning on starting the ADN program in 05 !