What do you hate the most (if anything at all) about your job?

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Hello everyone!

I have been considering a career in nursing for a very long time and now I finally got the courage to go back to school. I'm currently taking some credits at NYU and hoping to transfer into the nursing program next spring.

Nursing has always been a passion of mine I hoped to pursue one day. Since I was a teenager I did a lot of volunteering in my home country and loved every minute of it. It was tough at times working with disabled, critically ill and handicapped children and many times I found myself crying, but somehow I always found the courage to support them and do the best I could for them.

Then I got sidetracked by different career paths and now, at 37 with 2 young children and a very supportive husband, I found the courage to start over again. I know nursing school will be extremely challenging and intense, but I think I'm ready for it.

My question to you, wonderful nurses, is if there is any side of your profession you don't like or that is extremely challenging for you?

As a volunteer I got to experience the easy part of it and I know it doesn't even compare slightly to the responsibilities of an RN, but if you could shed I bit of light my way, I will greatly appreciate it. I want to be sure to make the right choice and I take extremely seriously the importance of this profession.

Thank you,

Kika

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Specializes in Plastics. General Surgery. ITU. Oncology.

Hi there. Good luck with your studies.

The one thing I find difficult is giving bad news to patients and their families. As I work in Oncology this happens often and is always hard to do I still struggle to find the right words as the awful reality sinks in for these poor folks.

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Specializes in onc, M/S, hospice, nursing informatics.

Just a couple things come to mind right now.

I hate giving blood (but no idea why).

I loathe dealing with the addicts.

I hate it when we are short staffed. That sucks.

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I am the only Lpn on my shift, and the RN's seem to think I am there maid. I don't understand why,because I train them when they are orientating. I guess they soon recognize that even though learning how to delegate is an Rn. responsibility, I am not their maids. I do demand my respect and I get it.

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Specializes in LTC, Med-Surg, GP Office.

"I hate it when we are short staffed"

That's the ONLY thing I hate about my job.

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I do not like uncertainty.

A perfect day can completely fall apart in an instant.

If I knew ahead of time how my day would go, work would be easier. I need to be prepared for anything in nursing.

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Specializes in Psych, Med/Surg, LTC.

short staffing. Nothing is all that bad if you are staffed properly. Emergencies, heck even routine things really bring out the worst in other nurses when there aren't enough to go around. Everyone starts finger pointing for what wasn't done, etc.

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Specializes in LTC, Surgical Dermatology.

I am a new RN and started working in a small nursing home in January. I HATE THE PAPERWORK! We are absolutely BOMBARDED with paperwork, 80% of which I don't even know how to fill out properly! I also hate the number of patients I have. I am new and very inexperienced, and I'm responsible for 25 people on day shift. If I work 11p-7a, I have to care for 46 people (ALONE, with 2 CNAs)! I often feel completely overwhelmed, have panic attacks, have to stay after my shift to finish paperwork, and leave completely exhausted and bawling my eyes out!

All the nurses I work with are TERRIFIC, AMAZING people who always give me pep talks and help in any way they can. That's what I love. I just hate being a novice. I feel like I don't really know what I'm doing and I have a hard time giving meds to 20 people in a timely manner. Everyone tells me that they went through the same thing and it gets better over time, so I'm trying to stick it out. I'm actually considering going to a therapist to try to do something about this immense anxiety I feel whenever I have to work. It actually makes me feel like I can't function.

I know I will love nursing once I actually feel comfortable and know what I'm doing...the question is, when??!?!?!?!

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I can't stand what has become of nursing management. From my perspective,and every single colleague-staff nurse I know,they have sort of stopped 'seeing' us. Even tho' they are nurses! (and for that matter,may even been precepted by nurses on the unit)

Where I work there are more of them then ever before,more then seems needed. Meanwhile,it is still us nurses on the unit actually getting the job done,with the managers at meetings for making new flow sheets or deciding on the next inservice.

Kid you not-- almost every time I need to go up to the nursing office,they're sitting around the table up there just chatting away.

I don't get it.

What I love the most is those moments between myself and my patient that actually go unseen by others,and I'm just being their nurse,and the moments when my patient is truly relieved of some kind of discomfort. That's what I love the most.

(altho',honestly,I'm very sad to say,I am so worn out by being a nurse.)

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Thanks to all of you for your honest replies. This is exactly what I was fearing! It seems that nowadays the profession of nursing is focusing more on the paperwork/charting side then the care of the patients.

One of my really good friend, an RN for over 10 years, told me that there is really no time in the hospital settings to actually care for the patients. It's a constant run and rush trying to finish everything in a timely manner. I think I still envision the sweet and caring nurse who comes over to the patient and spends at least 15-20 minutes each time with them! I guess I'm dreamin'!!

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Specializes in Peri-Op.

Not dreaming. When I work tho medical floors I have plenty of time to visit with the patients. Nurses just seem to like to hang out at the station and chart, I prefer to hang out with my patients.

I'm full time in surgery though so I enjoy pt care still.

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Specializes in Home Health Care.

I hate vomit and poop. Luckily as a case manager, I don't have to deal with it too often.

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