What HARD truth have you learned once you became a nurse and/or CNA?

DesiDani · Dec 12, 2017

Some nurses go into psych or prison nursing so they can get away with abuse.
Not most. But some.

Wow?! Really? That's sad

serenity now · Dec 13, 2017

I've learned that I can work my buns off for 12 hrs and take care of 400 things, but someone, somewhere, at the end of my shift, will find the one thing I didn't get to and it will obliterate whatever good feeling I had about the day.

TruvyNurse · Dec 13, 2017

1) life isn't fair

2) some nurses are just MEAN

3) don't trust anyone

4) once you smell pseudomonas...you never forget it.

Accolay · Dec 13, 2017

1. Always live your life exactly opposite your patients'.

2. I thought I knew what bad smells were prior to my nursing career.

alleeRN · Dec 14, 2017

I have been both. As a CNA that many people do not care about their hygiene. As a nurse, I should've chosen another career. Nursing is so hard, so so so HARD! Patients yell at you, get mad at you when they want their meds and its not due. That you took "too long" to get to their call light. As a nurse I have learned people are mean and abuse the privilege of being in a hospital, they think they are entitled to everything. We are humans not machines!!

Accolay · Dec 14, 2017

The saddest thing is when someone dies and they have nobody, not even someone to get their stuff.

Urnursesomeday · Dec 14, 2017

Realization:

1. I feel bad for people who are dependent on their caregivers. When they get upset or feel humiliated because they can't do anything but rely on others from bathing to eating, it breaks my heart-I wish I could make them young again.

2. I feel bad when I see families who are grieving for their loved ones.

3. Someday, somebody will bring my desserts and drinks in my bedroom because I can't even lift my own bottom.

elephantlover, BSN, RN · Dec 15, 2017

Some hard truths:

Western medicine has its shortcomings.

People have to be sent home or back to situations that are not healthy for them.

Healthcare is wildly expensive.

Not all people that work in health care are kind. Many are, but not all.

Burn out is a reality.

I do not get to spend as much time with each patient as I would like due to the large work load.

Overall, I still believe people are good. We work with patients who are in pain. Patients who are afraid. Patients and family members who are vulnerable. It is humbling. Reacting with anger can be a very human response. I am not unlike some of the people I care for. I think this has helped me in my personal relationships. Sometimes humans just respond in human ways.

Orion81RN · Dec 16, 2017

HARD truth....took me a while to get to this one as I've been pondering my answer. I guess it would have to be how incredibly self centered and uncompassionate people can be. I recall a hospice patient in SNF actively dying. I had to spend a LOT of time in her room giving her PRN meds, positioning her pillows per family request, just basically being there as family was not handling it well and just felt better with a nurse in the room.

During this time another pt was waiting for me for about 45 minutes for a dressing change. I walked into his room ready to do the dressing and apologized for the delay. Well, apparently a CNA told him I was with a dying pt, bc as I was trying to apologize, he interrupted me snarling he didn't care where I was, that for all I knew he could be dying too and I wouldn't have known. He actually used the words, how is that my problem KNOWING someone was literally dying.

I thought in a snarky tone, "Did you have to wait almost an hour for me? Then that's how its your problem."

Someone was dying and his thought was, how is that my problem. I just can't get over that as I, having been the pt, in ICU no less, have had to wait a good 2 hours for pain medication. I didn't say a peep. I thanked my lucky stars I wasn't the pt that the nurse spent those 2 hours with. And that was way before I ever became a nurse to understand.

On the flip side, I have also seen the best of humanity. The most kind, compassionate, patient, understanding family and patients. They are the only reason I can stay in this field.

newohiorn, BSN, RN, EMT-P · Dec 16, 2017

1. A good CNA is a lifesaver for the nurse and sometimes the patient.

2. Say thank you to the co-workers who are helping you and/or just doing their job well--lab, phlebotomy, dietary, techs, transport, MRI. All of them. All of these people can and do make your day better when they do things well. The ones who suck are dragging us all down so let the good ones know that you notice.

3. Pick your battles with staff/mgmt. Stand up for yourself but if you ***** and moan all the time no one will want to work with you or help you.

4. Patients and families say thank you a lot less than I thought they would when I started this job--a decade ago.

5. The general population has NO IDEA what a nurse's day really looks like. I wish we could do a real documentary and show them the often absurd things we do every day. The bizarre intimacy we have with other people's bodies would shock them.

6. I thought this job would be fulfilling. It is not...at least not for me.

7. No matter how hard I worked at least 75% of the time I went home feeling like I did a ****** job.

8. Ditto what others have said--you are nothing but a warm body to the machine that is the hospital. They do not care about you or the patients.

9. It is shocking how long incompetent staff can keep right on doing what they're doing. I assume the staff before and after them are doing the heavy lifting to keep disaster from striking.

10. I had NO CLUE how much responsibility nurses carried until I did the job. Heavy burden.

PocketSize, BSN, RN · Dec 16, 2017

-Many people think you'll end up rich once you become a nurse. That is a lie

-I appreciate how well my parents raised me. SO MANY people lack class, respect, education.

-I don't get paid nearly enough for all the sh*t I have to endure some days.

-Interesting to witness how some people channel their frustrations and inner issues.

-I can't think of another job where you have to endure verbal and sometimes physical assault, while not being able to "protect yourself"

-Nursing is thankless most days, but every now and then you meet a thankful sick person that makes you glad of what you do.

-I'm thankful for the wealth of knowledge I've acquired and how I'm able to use it to care for my family, pets and self in times of illness.

Rn bsn msn · Dec 17, 2017

If a patient looks you in the eye and tells you they are going to die - take that seriously.
Even if there seems to be no reason for reason. I've diverted a helicopter a handful of times direct to a cath lab on "I'm going to die" declaration because, no you will not die if I can help it. Perhaps the EKG wasn't diagnostic, but the declaration was prognostic.
Since death tends to be very still, you get a small window of time to move very fast. Don't miss it.
My "Spidey Senses" have saved MY LIFE many times over. They have also save the lives of my PATIENTS. Only when I've talked myself out of heeding them have I found myself in the deep doodie. Avoid the doodie. Nothing good happens in the doodie.
:angel:

Just because all of this is completely true and accurate