What does an RN REALLY do?

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Hi all--

I'm a Nursing Student in my 1st semester of Nursing School. I have my CNA & work in a LTC facility, but mainly pass meds (they have CNAs do it there-bc we only have 1 RN to 150 residents). Anyways, I have always dreamed of being an OB RN or Peds RN, but since starting school I've realized I HATE bedside nursing. I've had people say RNs don't do the dirty work anymore & some say they do.

I'm not looking for criticism here--I've already learned about myself that bedside nursing (at least for adults!) is not for me. I'm just curious how much bedside nursing RN's in hospitals ACTUALLY do in REAL LIFE.

Any input is helpful :) Thanks!

Specializes in PICU, ICU, Hospice, Mgmt, DON.
It always amazes me how many people I see start a career and have no idea what is involved. Most nurses are bed side nurses. If you look up the definition of nursing or look up the history. You will see what nurses have done and are doing to this day. If you don't like it find something else. I've been a nurse for 33 years. Seems the influx of new nurses that come in the the ICU an ED can't wait to leave is increasing . It's like they are astonished at the responsibility, the hours, the work load and the general life of a nurse. What the heck are they learning is school. Seems evidence based nursing need to teach a little about real life.

I agree, What the heck do they think a nurse does??? Why are they going into this profession if they have no idea?

This really baffels my mind.:confused:

Is it the fault of the media? Televison? I have not a clue..but every person who wants to become a nurse should be made to spend a day shadowing a "real nurse" in a med/surge unit who is working in the trenches...on a 12 hour NIGHT shift with 8-10 patients who are all post ops! and total care...or at least watch a documentary....nursing is not a "glam" job...and not for the faint of heart..it's down and dirty...and back breaking...and mind bending! and can be horrible and WONDERFUL at the same time....but usually not boring.

But why do these people even want to become a nurse??

I don't get it.

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To clear up confusion...we are trained to pass meds at my facility. I don't feel one hundred percent comfortable with it..really don't think the training is up to par & we don't learn enough about the meds we are passing, BUT it's my job, I've trained so I'm okay to do it, and it pays the bills right now.

To those with helpful advice, thank you. I am considering sticking it out through this year, UNLESS I really don't feel it's for me after this semester, and getting my LPN to possibly work in a dr office (they hire LPNs at my drs and others around me), while I find out something more suitable. I am not naive, I understand RNs do their fair share of the dirty work, I was just trying to confirm the conflicting messages I've gotten about nursing (some say they don't do any of that, but I see differently).

I'm sure you are all wonderful RNs and I applaud you for the wonderful work you do. I do not believe a nurse should simply feel like she is "going through the motions", which is how I feel. I AM mature enough to admit this to myself & find another path that I can find my niche in & love helping people--possibly radiology tech or even pharmacy. However, maybe I'm jumping the gun & will find my love for nursing as this semester progresses.

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I do not believe a nurse should simply feel like she is "going through the motions", which is how I feel. I AM mature enough to admit this to myself & find another path that I can find my niche in & love helping people--possibly radiology tech or even pharmacy. However, maybe I'm jumping the gun & will find my love for nursing as this semester progresses.

The atmosphere cultivated by your nursing professors and the facilities that you are visiting can color your viewpoint greatly.

Some professors and facilities welcome student learning with open arms. Here, come see this, do this, try this, chin up, you'll do better next time, great job! I love these profs and facilities.

On the other hand, there are some who treat you as if you owe them for breathing the same air. Some facilities treat their students like unpaid workers who should be so glad you got to touch their linens, bedpans and toilets. Also, there are some nursing professors who do not do more than keep students in line and don't bother to satisfy students' curiosity and cultivate an empowered critically-thinking mind.

I did go through a semester where we were only allowed to do bed baths, changing diapers, changing linens etc. in a very run down nursing home. However, my nursing professor explained pathophysiology stuff to us along the way, entertained our questions, had us do mock documentation and care plans and basically started us thinking like nurses.

Yes, it is possible that nursing may not be a good fit for you but consider the possibility that it is your school's culture that is warping your view of nursing for the worse.

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Specializes in Acute Care Cardiac, Education, Prof Practice.

In reference to the experience point: Nursing school clinicals ARE experience. I listed it on my resume and detailed the types of patient care I had experience with.

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I agree, What the heck do they think a nurse does??? Why are they going into this profession if they have no idea?

This really baffels my mind.:confused:

Is it the fault of the media? Televison? I have not a clue..but every person who wants to become a nurse should be made to spend a day shadowing a "real nurse" in a med/surge unit who is working in the trenches...on a 12 hour NIGHT shift with 8-10 patients who are all post ops! and total care...or at least watch a documentary....nursing is not a "glam" job...and not for the faint of heart..it's down and dirty...and back breaking...and mind bending! and can be horrible and WONDERFUL at the same time....but usually not boring.

But why do these people even want to become a nurse??

I don't get it.

My dad told me to become a nurse for the money and job stability. I was 17 and had NO IDEA what I was getting myself into. NONE. I laugh at what my dad said but I am grateful because I never would have considered nursing if it was not for him. An accident, but a happy accident.

I know I am not the only one. Families in my culture (I was born in the Philippines) often pressure the kids to seek jobs out for money, prestige and immigration potential. I never heard anyone say do what you love, do it well, follow your dreams etc. Sad but that's the reality I grew up with.

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Specializes in Med Surg.
, answering the pharmacy or labs call ( they can never call or page the dr themselves and must use you as a middleman-sarcasm but true).
This is so true. We get critical labs, not a big deal to call the doc, but the pharmacists, that's a whole 'nother story. There's one guy in particular at my place that calls to read off the pt med list. Basically that's it. He's not entirely sure about the meds ordered but doesn't really want to know what I think. It's more like "Did you read the doc's mind?" What really gets me is that he'll call at 1905, when I've just taken report and haven't actually had a chance to see or really think about the pt and want to READ me the med list. It's incredibly odd. I've been tempted to give him the night pager number and tell him maybe he should talk to the hospitalist on call--it's not in my scope to completely alter med orders.
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I work in a peds ER and the fevers, vomiting once, and asthma WAY outnumber the sadder, heavier stuff. And I work at a level-1 trauma center in a poor, urban area. That's still there, and I won't lie, some of it is really, really sad, but there's a lot about working in peds that is truly fun. Like they laugh at your corniest, dumbest jokes. And they can and do recover from some really horrible stuff.

It's definitely not all sunshine and rainbows and stickers, but it's not all one big testament to why living at any cost is not always good or kind.

ER vs floor- big difference :)

The ones who got to the floor (or admitted from the office) were generally a mess, or required doing lousy things to them...jme :) We had the helipad outside the back door... got kids from the region bypassing the ED in some cases. They went to PICU, then us.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, DSU, Ortho, Onc, Psych.
It always amazes me how many people I see start a career and have no idea what is involved. Most nurses are bed side nurses. If you look up the definition of nursing or look up the history. You will see what nurses have done and are doing to this day. If you don't like it find something else. I've been a nurse for 33 years. Seems the influx of new nurses that come in the the ICU an ED can't wait to leave is increasing . It's like they are astonished at the responsibility, the hours, the work load and the general life of a nurse. What the heck are they learning is school. Seems evidence based nursing need to teach a little about real life.

time4me, I've been saing this for a long time now. I don't know if it's because new RNs aren't doing any research into nursing, or the TV shows that glamorise everything, or the schools are not teaching people what nursing is REALLY like.

When I said b4 you are chained to the bed, it might not be an actual 'bed' - I was writing figuratively. You will always have to have contact with patients. That was like the question we got on here - I want to do nursing but don't want to ever touch patients. What goes thru some of these students/peoples heads I wonder? I often wonder too if some of these questions are for real, or are they just bored maybe?

Unreal.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, DSU, Ortho, Onc, Psych.
Hmmm......I got a job 6 months ago as a May 2011 new grad with ZERO experience. Applied to well over 20 tech positions, never even got an interview. I got a new grad ICU position in a hospital I had never stepped foot into for clinical, capstone, or work before in my life. Hard work, good grades, BSN, and a good personality/rapport during my interview combined with previous management experience (nursing is 2nd career) earned me the privilege of this job offer. So nope, you do not need experience. Would I recommend it given the current job climate? Absolutely. But I cannot dash the dreams of a new grad simply because they lack experience. 100% truth and fact. No lies here. And, if I am reading this right in your reference to "Oz", well....I can 100% guarantee you a job can be had with no previous experience. At least 25% of my graduating class got a new grad job with no previous healthcare experience. :)

To the OP....if you do not like bedside nursing, get out now. I have only been an RN on a hospital unit for 4 months. Yesterday alone, I cleaned up no less than 8 bowel movements. Complete linen changes. Suctioned vomit out of an intubated patients mouth. Held a kleenex while a patient spit sputum into it. Dumped urine down my arm when the bedpan slipped on the 1 occasion my patient actually asked for a bedpan! :yeah: I have had ascites draining on my scrubs while doing chest compressions. And yes, we have 2 techs/cna's on each shift. They are busy with other stuff (EKG's, finger sticks, etc) and are not simply at our disposal 24/7. In my opinion, the initials after your name do not dictate your duties. RN does not exempt you from doing the work of a tech, spouse, therapist, housekeeping, chef, and whipping post. Thankfully, I realized all of this and still signed up for the task. To me, a patient telling me thank you is all that I need to make all the gross stuff worth it. I am darn proud of everything I do as an RN. :redbeathe:nurse:

I don't know where u or the OP live - but that is why I stated: 'In Oz' (in Australia) u won't get a position without what is called a GNP (Graduate Nurse Program). I didn't say: 'In your country, you will not get experience because that is what I think or blah blah blah'

That is why I stated 'In Oz....'

Wish people would read everything sometimes. It gets wearying some days.

And the fact that the OP hasn't even stepped into a hospital (if I remember correctly), will not stand her in good stead. She will have a huge culture shock when going there - it will be very hard for her. That is why she needs to get an orientation/GNP (I don't know what u call GNPs over where u r).

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Specializes in Cardiac, PCU, Surg/Onc, LTC, Peds.

What does an RN do?

Keep the doctor from killing the patient.

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I don't mind the body fluids or the bedside nursing much; you get used to it. With experience, it becomes second nature. What does bother me is the constant complaining from patients. Since hospitals are paid according to patient satisfaction scores, you will find you spend more time pampering them and their family members with constant ice, snacks, blankets, pillows, etc., than you do actual nursing duties. Just today I was tending to my new admit, with advanced dementia who was projective vomiting green fluid. While I was with this patient, another patient was completely P.O.'d because she rang her bell for something frivolous and I didn't come running. She went to administration and accused me of being rude to her. So I get yanked into adm. office and talked to. This is what real nursing is all about~ you will be expected to be in every room every minute, all the while you are dealing with labs, doctors, codes, etc. You will rarely eat or pee. If anything goes wrong, it will be the nurse's fault, period. Unless you live in a state that restricts the number of patients you have, you will probably have 7-8 patients. Body fluids and/or poop will be the least of your concerns. Catering to administration, doctors, drug seekers, attention seekers, etc., will be more important than saving anyone's life. There once was a time when I was respected as an RN, but that was years ago. Bedside nursing is an extremely depressing job with few rewards. Sorry if I sound so down, but you asked for opinions. I personally am trying to get out of nursing altogether, and I would not recommend it to anyone anymore.

YES! You are a bad nurse(sarcasm) because you weren't attentive to that patient. it doesn't matter that you were sutcioning someone else's trach who was sating in the 80s. or the pt without a trach unable to cough up secretions! that is actually the number one thing i hate about nursing also. the vomit and poop is NOTHING .

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Specializes in LTC, Palliative.
i just sit at the nursing station all day reading magazine and eating snacks, i ignore my call lights and makes the aids do EVERY thing ..lol

That's not funny. I know an RN that actually does that. She's a charge nurse and I have a lot of shifts with her! She works in LTC and when shes not giving pills, she's sitting at the desk working on cross stitching. She refuses to insert a catheter or touch anyone with an IV. SERIOUSLY!!! :down:

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