This post is dedicated to all those non-nurse's, pre-nurse's, still-in-school-but-not-yet-clinical-time nursing students, inappropriate families, non-compliant patients, and the public at large.
To all it may concern:
Do NOT tell a nurse that his/her job is easy. It is brutal physical, mental, and emotionally EXHAUSTING work. I have heard you saying that you could do it - just passing pills and then sitting down reading a magazine.
Let me tell you this.
My job is more complex than any job you have or ever will have. I am responsible for people's lives. I am on the top of my game at all times.
Your job is sitting at a desk for 8 hours with a 1 hour lunch break. I have you beat. I have a 12 hour shift with 30 minutes for lunch (if I am lucky).
Why if I am lucky? Let me tell you why - its because I have 6 highly complex cardiac (that means heart) patients that are on the verge of having a major hear attack at any given moment while I am on duty.
No, the doctor is not there telling me what to do. Most of the time, its the NURSES who provide the care and tell the doctors what to do. Nurse's are the one's who see the patient deteroiate and inplement lifesaving interventions before the doctor arrives.
To those angry, ****** off visitors:
Get your hands off your hips. Uncross your arms from your chest. Do not raise your voice to me. Do not give me angry dirty looks from the doorway.
If I have never met you before, why do you assume I know who your infirm relative is? And since I don't know, why do you get a nasty attitude with me?
There is a right way and a wrong way to ask for something. Use manners. "May I and Please" go a long way.
Keep in mind that any threat you make towards me will result in the security department escorting you out, the police will be involved and you will not be able to set foot near me ever again.
Make sure that you clean up after your visit with whomever.
To the world as a whole:
Leave me alone when I am off duty. I do not care in the least about your eczema or your runny nose. I am not going to give you any medical advise other than common sense (tissues, handwashing, make an appointment with your MD). NO, I can't and won't "score" you free narcotics from my work. No, nurse's are not sleeping around with the doctors or having sex on duty. No, male nurses are not all gay. No, we are not angels of mercy. No, nurses are not idiots or handmaidens.
Yes, nursing it a versatile profession - its not limited to hospitals. Yes, nursing is "rewarding" (but most nurses this day and age do not go into it due to altruism alone its split 50/50 with income durablity and altruism).
In summary - there is more to nursing and nurse than you will ever know.
Those who are nurses or know anything about the profession of nursing will understand some of this.
Crispy Critter- if a reply contains a suggestion that the author of the vent find another line of work, whether the tone is indignant or concerned, it's 90% predictive of one or all of the categories the OP included in his salutation.
I don't know if you are referring to the comment I made about the OP finding something that invigorates him. I didn't mean to imply/say that the OP should find a new career. I just meant that I hoped he found something about his current work situation that invigorated him and eased his frustrations.
it's obvious the op was stressed and has had either a shift from hell, or a series of shifts from hell.
most of us were witnessing a nurse experiencing a near melt-down.
our image does little to lend credibility that we indeed, frequently avert crises, and are competent, cultivated professionals who are truly, overworked and disrespected.
while we all recognize a dr's value, there are times it is absolutely infuriating that the dr. is recognized as the hero.
maybe if so many didn't treat us like their personal toilets, it wouldn't affect us as much.
and finally, if the op felt the need to augment his self-worth, a gracious listener/reader would have acknowledged this and let him vent away.
(i think now would be an appropriate time to sign off.)
leslie
Wow, even though you basically called me ungracious, you said it it in such an articulate way that I don't really mind.
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
i'm in nursing!!!! gees, can't a person share a thought without people assuming they somehow have ulterior motives? just because i'm not walking around saying that nurses are the sole saviors of the world i am immediately a medical student? do i have as much experience as you? no, but that doesn't mean i can't have an opinion based on what i experience, see, hear, and read. will i change my opinion later in my career? absolutely. it's quite possible after racking up the experiences of 10 years in nursing i might have a shift in thought, but that's a good thing. if i stayed exactly the same that would mean i had no growth. i look forward to learning from you guys because you have a lot of experience and wisdom to share, but seriously, a lot of you guys immediately attack the younger people. instead of assuming i am not a nurse, why don't you point out somethings that you learned over time. did you guys go into nursing absolutely knowing everything you know now? weren't you green about some things? didn't certain insights only develop after a few years?
i made an assumption based on the fact that your post was glorifying physicians and pretty much derogatory about nurses. forgive me if i'm wrong.
i have no idea how old you are -- i rarely even look. and no, i didn't go into nursing knowing absolutely everything. one of the insights one develops over the years is a healthy respect for how little we actually know. anyone who assumes they know everything -- and i'm not pointing any fingers here, just making a general comment -- obviously does not. those who are humble and open to learning are the folks who come across as the smartest, and they're the ones everyone loves to help. folks who come across as if they think they know everything are very, very hard to teach.
those who get it, get it. i have every confidence that you'll get it as your career progresses.
I'm in nursing!!!! Gees, can't a person share a thought without people assuming they somehow have ulterior motives? Just because I'm not walking around saying that nurses are the sole saviors of the world I am immediately a medical student? Do I have as much experience as you? No, but that doesn't mean I can't have an opinion based on what I experience, see, hear, and read. Will I change my opinion later in my career? Absolutely. It's quite possible after racking up the experiences of 10 years in nursing I might have a shift in thought, but that's a good thing. If I stayed exactly the same that would mean I had no growth. I look forward to learning from you guys because you have a lot of experience and wisdom to share, but seriously, a lot of you guys immediately attack the younger people. Instead of assuming I am not a nurse, why don't you point out somethings that you learned over time. Did you guys go into nursing absolutely knowing everything you know now? Weren't you green about some things? Didn't certain insights only develop after a few years?
Good on you morphed! Some people on here seem to have a real thing, and get really annoyed, about new nurses or non nurses posting opinions. I don't know if there is a rule for non nurses posting (I havent' seen one anyway). I don't care if someone is or isn't a nurse/med student or whatever - everyone's opinion is interesting to me. I like reading the differing points of view and (most times) valuable and constructive advice people have to give. It makes me think about different situations in different ways, as everyone is in a different stage of their nursing/medical career.
That's what makes life interesting with people sharing different life experiences and/or views.
I don't care if there are rules for new/non nurses, I will always post my opinions as well. Keep em coming!
The POINT of this thread is that it's a VENT from the OP.. Morphed obviously DIDN'T get that and felt the need for a handslap which is what his first post on this thread was...a handslap.
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
I don't know if you are referring to the comment I made about the OP finding something that invigorates him. I didn't mean to imply/say that the OP should find a new career. I just meant that I hoped he found something about his current work situation that invigorated him and eased his frustrations.
I might have assumed you were suggesting that based on his seeming "frustrated, burned out and jaded" to you. One or two of the three might be a treatable condition without changing jobs, but all three at once is likely not. I think he was frustrated, because his job involves taking care of six complex unstable patients, doing admissions that do indeed require the initiation of a whole slew of orders before the doctor arrives, and that oftentimes nurses in specialized units like cardiology are contending with new rotations of residents that may or may not give a rat's behind about cardiac care. He wasn't saying his job is more important, but that it's common in units like his that experienced nurses do have to "tell the doc what to do". But it wasn't specifically directed at you, no. There were already too many that were.
I can really feel your frustration and exhaustion from it all. Especially the part from the families. Send it to your newspaper. Other nurses reading it won't change anything. The more nurses tell it like it is to the public (media), maybe the public will finally understand what their actions are doing. They don't accomplish getting "better" care for their loved on by acting like total _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _; they actually create a barrier. Sorry, but if a family is being mean - I try to avoid that room as much as possible. I still give my care, and feel for the patient, but if someone is out to "get the nurse," - the less time I interact with them, the better.
Personally I get it :) however, I feel you come across rude and angry. I hope that you are just venting here and this is not your work attitude. If it is, I don't want you anywhere near my family.
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
Personally I get it :) however, I feel you come across rude and angry. I hope that you are just venting here and this is not your work attitude. If it is, I don't want you anywhere near my family.
This is a forum where nurses are venting. This doesn't mean that the OP or anyone else is abusing the patients. We are not robots that function without feelings or reactions to negative and abrasive treatment. When we are trying our very best against sometimes impossible odds, being abused by families, being approached during time off or even being physically attacked at times can make you say MANY things inside of your head. When we post here, we do it because we reach out to people that can comprehend our feelings, because due to constraints we cannot really be honest with the abusers-who may be the patient or their families with unreasonable demands. And, when we report it to the administrators who are supposed to be supporting us, many turn their backs in the interest of customer service with a smile. Even if they throw urine in our faces (this has actually happened a few days ago in med-surg).
Far safer to admit in a safe atmosphere how angry we are than to really take it out on a patient.
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
I can really feel your frustration and exhaustion from it all. Especially the part from the families. Send it to your newspaper. Other nurses reading it won't change anything. The more nurses tell it like it is to the public (media), maybe the public will finally understand what their actions are doing. They don't accomplish getting "better" care for their loved on by acting like total _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _; they actually create a barrier. Sorry, but if a family is being mean - I try to avoid that room as much as possible. I still give my care, and feel for the patient, but if someone is out to "get the nurse," - the less time I interact with them, the better.
So true, so true. Many times, those sorts of families and patients get put off until last because nurses have to brace themselves for the horrible treatment they may sometimes receive. I remember once, while still working in the medical clinic, a patient passed out in the waiting area. All of the nurses ran towards that patient with various things...B/P machine, crash cart, oxygen...not knowing exactly what happened yet, and one person stood directly in my way, grabs me and tells me that I had better take care of her mother with the sore throat NOW. To be honest, I wanted to choke her with my stethoscope. If it had been HER mother on that floor, she would have wanted that same response. I suspect that this woman certainly created a barrier with the physicians and nurses that responded to the one that was unconscious on the floor.
And, sometimes, it can make the nurse rendering care very nervous which can lead to mistakes because she is either intimidated or trying to rush out of there. I have noted many times that even when those squeaky wheels do receive quicker service, it is not always better service, it is rushed service.
Specializes in LTC, CPR instructor, First aid instructor..
This post is dedicated to all those non-nurse's, pre-nurse's, still-in-school-but-not-yet-clinical-time nursing students, inappropriate families, non-compliant patients, and the public at large.
To all it may concern:
Do NOT tell a nurse that his/her job is easy. It is brutal physical, mental, and emotionally EXHAUSTING work. I have heard you saying that you could do it - just passing pills and then sitting down reading a magazine.
Let me tell you this.
My job is more complex than any job you have or ever will have. I am responsible for people's lives. I am on the top of my game at all times.
Your job is sitting at a desk for 8 hours with a 1 hour lunch break. I have you beat. I have a 12 hour shift with 30 minutes for lunch (if I am lucky).
Why if I am lucky? Let me tell you why - its because I have 6 highly complex cardiac (that means heart) patients that are on the verge of having a major hear attack at any given moment while I am on duty.
No, the doctor is not there telling me what to do. Most of the time, its the NURSES who provide the care and tell the doctors what to do. Nurse's are the one's who see the patient deteroiate and inplement lifesaving interventions before the doctor arrives.
To those angry, ****** off visitors:
Get your hands off your hips. Uncross your arms from your chest. Do not raise your voice to me. Do not give me angry dirty looks from the doorway.
If I have never met you before, why do you assume I know who your infirm relative is? And since I don't know, why do you get a nasty attitude with me?
There is a right way and a wrong way to ask for something. Use manners. "May I and Please" go a long way.
Keep in mind that any threat you make towards me will result in the security department escorting you out, the police will be involved and you will not be able to set foot near me ever again.
Make sure that you clean up after your visit with whomever.
To the world as a whole:
Leave me alone when I am off duty. I do not care in the least about your eczema or your runny nose. I am not going to give you any medical advise other than common sense (tissues, handwashing, make an appointment with your MD). NO, I can't and won't "score" you free narcotics from my work. No, nurse's are not sleeping around with the doctors or having sex on duty. No, male nurses are not all gay. No, we are not angels of mercy. No, nurses are not idiots or handmaidens.
Yes, nursing it a versatile profession - its not limited to hospitals. Yes, nursing is "rewarding" (but most nurses this day and age do not go into it due to altruism alone its split 50/50 with income durablity and altruism).
In summary - there is more to nursing and nurse than you will ever know.
Those who are nurses or know anything about the profession of nursing will understand some of this.
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
personally i get it :) however, i feel you come across rude and angry. i hope that you are just venting here and this is not your work attitude. if it is, i don't want you anywhere near my family.
this is a safe and appropriate place for nurses to vent. it is impolite to tell nurses who are venting in a vent thread that they come across as rude and angry, that you hope this is not their work attitude, or that you don't want them anywhere near your family. if this has to be explained to you, you don't get it.
)
morphed
230 Posts
I don't know if you are referring to the comment I made about the OP finding something that invigorates him. I didn't mean to imply/say that the OP should find a new career. I just meant that I hoped he found something about his current work situation that invigorated him and eased his frustrations.