What do you think about negative comments from exp nurses about nursing?

essarge · Aug 15, 2003

I find more negativity coming from CNA's than I do from the nurses that I work with. They are the one's that complain that the work is too hard, there are too many patients etc etc etc. I am a CNA/student nurse extern and, while I do get tired, I really enjoy my job and the interaction I get with patients and nurses.

Nurses complain every now and again but, like another poster said, I've never heard one of them state that they wish they'd never become a nurse!!

Talino · Aug 15, 2003

Kudos to you all, Future Nurses!

I wish I can start a thread to recruit "Happy Nurses" without being bombarded by the unhappy and disgruntled ones.

Simply remember, you are what you make yourself to be! Don't find blame on imperfections!

Good luck!

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Aug 15, 2003

I've been through burn-out twice in my career, and what I've learned from that is YOU MUST TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF FIRST. You simply can't give to others what you don't have. For me, this means working 24-32 hours a week instead of 40 (or in the case of my management jobs, more like 60), getting enough rest, NOT bringing work issues home with me, and letting bad days roll off my back. Not easy for a Type A personality, but let me tell you, it's done wonders for my blood pressure and my overall outlook on life.

Here's an example. My nurse-manager is one of those people who never praises, only criticizes, and I got ripped a new one yesterday for taking too much time doing admissions. I don't appreciate being micromanaged, but that's pretty much universal--not just in nursing--and refusing to take it personally allows me to continue to enjoy doing what I do best, which is taking care of people. And I know patients love me for taking the time to do a thorough assessment and trying to figure out the best way to help them.....and isn't that what most of us go into nursing for??

For the sake of our profession, I hope all of us---nurses and students alike---can learn to care for ourselves and refuse to give in to the negativity. Burnout causes too many good nurses to leave the field, or worse, become bitter and alienated. Our patients deserve better. So do we.

babs_rn · Aug 15, 2003

Originally posted by agent
I'm also in business now and believe me its not that great sweating layoffs.

As a VERY experienced RN, I was dealing with layoffs myself in 1995-1997....it was absolutely unheard of until then. No hospitals in my area were hiring, they were laying off and not replacing those who quit. Even without layoffs, there's loss of income on low census days....there's no job security anywhere.

justjenn · Aug 15, 2003

The negative comments of other nurses used to push me to side of the boat. I used to sail, so I know how turn the boat about and head downwind. Make sense?

justjenn

babs_rn · Aug 15, 2003

Originally posted by Scruffy
I run into students coming out of that long dark "tunnel" who are burned out and pissed off in school, and i run into nurses at work who also seem to be a little torn and frayed and i am amazed about the horror stories that they tell me, but i am even more impressed by what they don't tell me. I have never had one of them say, " I wish i wasn't a nurse."

I wish I wasn't a nurse. Then my kids would live with ME instead of their DAD.

LauraLou · Aug 16, 2003

Originally posted by Rapheal
Laralou this is great advice!

Thank you Rapheal!

PlanetCaroline · Aug 16, 2003

For me, the horror stories are comforting. I don't trust anybody who says they love their job & there are no problems. Ppl who say that probably been on the job less than 6 months. Every occupation (even the glamorous ones) have their pitfalls.

I know my weaknesses & had to pick a profession that is suited to my labile personlity. I was in nonprofit & couldn't handle the stress of having to find money for organizations with questionable missions.

I picked nursing because I am fascinated by medicine, wanted a job that was physical (but not hard manual labor), & had opportunities for movement. Truth is I am restless & need to jump around. In some professions that restlessness is a fault...in nursing it means I might make a good agency or travel nurse.

Also, while I am an idealist, I don't have romantic notions about helping people or that nursing is noble. As a professor pointed out once, undertakers are in a helping profession too. LOL. Keeps me humble.

One other thing...you know what profession I think is the hardest? Service industry jobs. Customers are abusive to sales clerks, caterers, waiters, hotel staffs, etc. over the DUMBEST littlest shit. I can't handle people getting hysterical over their food being lukewarm. I would rather a patient's family get hysterical over a benign thing (they do it because they have little control over a frightening situation), than handle a yelling customer who found a loose thread on a jacket.

Just writing this reminds me that I am going to smile more at the people who work at convenience stores.

---

Caroline

Dublin37 · Aug 16, 2003

Yeah Agent, sometimes it gets me down. And it's good in the sense that it grounds me, so I stop romanticizing (sp?) it, and see it for the tough job that it is. But I used to teach Jr. High, and there were the complainers there too. I used to tell them, they needed to get out and find what they love. Well I think it's the same in nursing. Some folks just ought not to be there, or they need to change specialties or something. But so many people just stay because it's what they know, and they feel superior when ripping on it. I try to stay away from them and ask

questions to those who love there job.

MtnMan · Aug 17, 2003

I work with a severely Negative Nancy and she drives me nuts!! I keep telling her if she is that bothered by her job that she should quit. I also told her that if she thinks waiting tables is any more fun she is dead wrong. There are several kinds of crap out there, at least in the ER I know which end it's bound to come from.

sbic56, BSN, RN · Aug 17, 2003

Lots of people will tell you not to go into nursing. It's analagous to how your mom may not want you to go out with the biker guy as a teen. You do it anyway and later on maybe you will realize she was right or just maybe you'll be able to endure the wild ride this lifestyle delivers.

There are about as many non-practicing nurses as there are currently licensed...or at least more burn outs than in most other professions. When people tell you not to go into nursing they truly do speak from experience and mean well, but the answer only lies in what is best for each individual. So what if you eventually don't like it? It certainly isn't going to harm your development as a human being and in this economy at least you will be one that is gainfully employed!

renerian, BSN, RN · Aug 17, 2003

Nursing is the hardest job you will ever do and sometimes we get very very tired. Sometimes we have no social life, work odd hours, weekends holidays. Hard to do.

A saw a post about not worrying about lay offs?? Sorry it happens to nurses. I have been laid off 6 times in 10 years.

renerian