What are the major issues you have struggled with as a nurse?

N.U.R.S.E. · May 20, 2011

Too many pts and not enough help and flexibility that only go one way the big boss withe the 7 figure bonus no more money for staff healthcare benefits or retirement money no support from other nurses disorganized work place too many useless senseless rules double charting info and unrealistic expectations of family patients and a boss that does not stick up for the staff workload too heavy want you to punch on time when they gave you 10 hours of work work environment that is not condusive to learning or supportive of each others role or title companies that don't take staffing request for days off working short bcz upper management wanted it to be short purposely not scheduling enough help companies cutting back on benefits time management

drmorton2b · May 20, 2011

1. Being belittled because I'm an LPN

2. People not understanding that there is no such thing as a true part-time LPN-RN program in my area.

3. People thinking that ALL nurses work in the Hospital (no offense met towards Hospital Nurses).

4. Psych is my career choice it just clicks with me... its a small aspect of nursing and is unique...

5. Other nurses saying I will lose my skills if I don't get a job at a nursing home or sub acute.. Folks the job market is dry... I thank god everyday I have my FT job where I am at now and I can;'t just hit the breaks on this job to work maybe one or 2 days per deim a month at a nursing home in LTC. Meanwhile they have worked at a Doctors Office or non inpatient setting since graduating.

6. I am kind of disappointed that nursing is in a rut Job Market wise right now.. I do believe it will bounce back. Keep in mind that this economy has never been this bad and it will bounce back.. Yet somehow people have survived... I'm not saying people have it easy.

7. Younger/New nurses taking over who (I'm under 30 myself) have no idea what nursing is and what a MD Order is...and the importance of them.

8. Finally a positive thing.. my preceptor who is also an LPN (the last of the LPNs who worked in the Hospital) gave me the best advice ever. That person said.. the job Market is dry... go back to school focus on getting your RN. There are no skills to be learned in a market like this and time is a huge premium for me since I work 11-7. I truly believe if I had to I can project my self into an LTC setting if I had too. But my job or facility isn't going anywhere..

The question is what to do with the ADN RN when I get it around 2014....But at least RN will be next to my name and by my taking A&P 1 in the fall it opens that door up... I can't be anything without the RN. Its sad but true..

Finally.. how the government screws hospitals and nursing homes out of paying on time and for the actual costs of services.... This problem is a huge problem that all you single payer people should think of... Imagine tomorrow if your facility was Medicaid/Medicare only.....

chicookie, BSN, RN · May 20, 2011

Being too "young" to be a nurse.

I'm going to completely honest with this one: racism. Not from staff from patients. For me it was super hard not hurting that one patient that told me instead of a nurse I should be with my people cleaning the floors.

Being thrown under the bus. All the time.

No one understanding that after helping people all the time, sometimes I just need a break from people.

Managers not understanding that we are not robots and that we have lives and emotions just like everyone else.

Purple_Scrubs, BSN, RN · May 20, 2011

Finding that elusive work/life balance

glutton4punishment · May 20, 2011

1. what I call "The google Doctor"...ppl think they are a nurse and/or a doctor now just because they google one aspect of a disease process. I am appalled at the way I am treated by some family members. I am consistently micro-managed, and I abhor being micro managed.

2. Being so busy that in the past week I have made 2 med errors, have been fearing for my license, cried at work (embarassing) and have reconsidered being a nurse

3. Getting reamed by a doctor, and subsequently by management for errors made by the previous shift

4. doctors that overcompensate for their small memberes by being A HOLES and acting like 2 year olds, literally

.....thanks, i feel better

caliotter3 · May 20, 2011

Being unemployed more than being employed, when everyone "knows" that nursing is such a stable career. You know, jobs hanging from the trees, like over ripe fruit, just waiting to be plucked. Encountering the person who thinks that I have money to burn just because I was offered two 8 hour shifts in almost five months.

MommyandRN · May 20, 2011

#1 short staffing

#2 hospitals that are trying to save $ by cutting costs to nurses and therefore, even shorter staffing

#3 rude family members