I am sure that I am opening a pandoras box here but I will probably not be visiting this website much longer.
I have been a daily reader for several years and I have laughed, cried and been educated by what I have read on this forum.
It seems that for a several months now, the majority of opinions on issues and problems in nursing are being addressed by:
1. Nursing students...
2. Pre-nursing students...
3. I want to be a pre-nursing student...
4. I thought about becoming a nurse once...
5. My mother, sister, cousin, neighbor is a nurse...
6. I talked to a nurse in the hospital once...
7. I watch Mercy on TV...
8. I read a book about a nurse...
9. I met a nurse in the grocery store line
10. I once saw a photo of Florence Nightingale...
Well, you get the picture.
I have absolutely nothing against students (obviously we all started out that way) and they at least have a handle on some of this, but until you have worked in the TRENCHES, you CANNOT even IMAGINE what nursing is like as a profession!!!! The exteme highs and the extreme lows! The Humor and the Horror!
I do not have an issue with non nurses reading all of the posts however, I draw the line at expressing opinions as if you had a clue.
So to all of the layperson nurse " wanna bees" PLEASE do not post your advice and snide comments, especially in the vent threads. I have read "Oh, wow, I sure hope I don't think or act like that when I become a nurse".... or "oh wow, that nurse actually laughed at/told off /or disliked her patient-how awful !" ....so many times I now just skip these responses.
The vent threads are for experienced professionals who have "Been there and done that" to relate and to commiserate!!!
There is a forum for students, maybe there should be a forum for non medical/nursing persons.
After all, the official website states:
"A Nursing Community for Nurses" and 400,008 nurses talking about nursing...
In closing, Where oh where are all of you seasoned nurses? Are we just outnumbered? or is it because we are too exhausted from actually Working as a Nurse to post???????
My two cents, and yes, I have almost 20 years of experience. And Yes, I guess this is a VENT.
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
A frequent comment I've seen in addition to those that have as their central point that having an opinion (which is everyone) is sufficient enough reason to share it are those, that I guess are well meaning, but:
"I just thought everyone might appreciate a different perspective from the patient's point of view" or "the family member's experience of nurses" or"the student's point of view" or the . . .ok, guess what? We get sick, too!! We have aging parents, too! We were students, too! We were even beautiful and everybody was jealous of us, too!
So many of the people providing their perspective in order to round out the "nurse" mindset with their personal anecdotes are themselves assuming that we are cardboard cutouts that either can't imagine what they are talking about or have never experienced it ourselves. Can you see how that might just be a little bit insulting?
As far as this being a "public" board. . . that's true, but is that where discretion stops? "Public" doesn't mean 'anything goes". There is also a public (at least partially, they do have "cop only" sections) Law Enforcement forum: Police Forums & Law Enforcement Forums @ Officer.com - Powered by vBulletin at the top of the list is a banner, "this is a place primarily for law enforcement professionals- bashing them has no place here". Can you start a thread "the Problem With Police Officers"? Sure. Should you?? I wouldn't. I wouldn't write a long, detailed history of my cousin's rap sheet thinking it was so uniquely worthy a story as to take someone's valuable time up with it, or jump into the middle of a thread about a search procedure to complain about the unsanitary men's room at the County Jail. Not the right time, not the right place. Discretion.
As a Dave's insanity sauce nurse..... I have been posting here and there, I don't have much energy for that wanna be nurse stuff... When I wanted to be a nurse I just did it and was WAYYYY too busy studying than to be here telling future mentors how I knew better.
So I'm wise enough to not waste my time on their nonsense.
Frankly, I lurk much more over at studentdoctor.net than over here. The level of conversation seems to be more intelligent, and people asking for someone to do their homework, or asking questions that could be easily googled, are shut down.
I get worried about the nurses or students who can't do med math (yikes! and you want to treat PEOPLE?), or don't want to look at poop, etc.
I also like the PA forums. I learn a lot there. (Check out their thread, "I am the objection of my pimp's affection". YOu will be blown away by their knowledge.)
I don't necessarily learn much that adds to my practice here. SO, I suppose it would be nice if the experienced nurses could have their own forum discussing more scholarly things that contribute to our practice.
I know, I sound like a snot. Oh well, wouldn't be the first time.
When I found this site about 5 years ago, I was seriously considering nursing as a second career (after being a stay-at-home mom for a while). I read and read the posts, they were so interesting and informative to me. I truly think ALLNURSES helped me make the decision to "go for it".
Then I struggled with my pre-reqs.. and hung out in the "PreNursing" forum for about a year and a half. It was incredibly helpful and supportive.
Once I moved on to nursing school, I spent about 2 years in the Student Discussion forum and Nursing Student Assistance forum. Again, I learned so much from other students about areas I struggled with, and Daytonite's posts were always read with great attention to detail!
Nearing Graduation, I spend countless hours in the Local forum ... I actually found my current job by reading posts by a more experienced nurse who recently began working at the hospital. I found out when job fairs were held, who was hiring, etc. I also decided on my RN to BSN program by reading posts from students in different programs.
Thankfully, I spent a very brief time in the NCLEX forum and went on to First Year in Nursing. Now I mostly spend time in the General Forum, occasionaly in the Specialty forum and local forums.
What I am trying to say is that this is a wonderful place to "grow up" - and if you post your questions/comments in the appropriate forum, you are generally met with a great deal of respect and support. I have noticed, too, that many posts wind up in the General Nursing Discussion forum... perhaps more moderators are needed to move posts into the appropriate forums?
I do hope that the experienced nurses do not get so frustrated to stop posting. I have learned so much from you and am so greatful for the support and time you spend giving us your knowledge and opinions.
Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
They frequently come for:
- Medical advice
- how to advise their DHs on choosing careers.
- to tell us how mean the nurses were at Daddy's NH, Mom's hospice, and whether they have any right to sue.
- etc.
Or they are thinking about becoming a nurse and trying to get a realistic idea of what nursing is all about. I know it sure helped me a lot in knowing what I was in for before I was a nursing student and there is a whole section for students doing Pre Reqs that aren't yet nursing students.
We're not going to solve all the problems of the board, but maybe we can add a "Buzz off!" feature beside the kudos. Not to be used if you disagree, but when you think the poster has no idea what they are talking about and should just go away.
At Studentdoctor.net, the mods tend to move posts which pertain to another forum. It seems that a lot of the "General" posts should be moved to Student forums. The general forum has become a big snooze.
Specializes in Medsurg/ICU, Mental Health, Home Health.
I must admit that I'm, well, lightly seasoned (maybe just a few sprinkles of crushed red pepper flakes), but I agree completely with this sentiment.
I like to choose "Last 24 Hours" to find interesting posts, and I grow tired of seeing the same thing. (Remember that Welch's White Grape Juice commercial, circa 1995? 'The same thing...the same thing...the same thing...your tongue gets kinda bored!')
While I'm not denying a poster's right to create threads, for the record...
I don't want to even THINK about NCLEX, as I've been finished with it for years; no, not that many years, but enough. And guess what? I don't even remember how many questions I had! But I passed!
I'm not going to tell you one way or another if you should be a nurse. How the hell should I know?
I don't know how much people are paid aside from myself...and I'm not telling you how much I make!
I wasn't the best nursing student, but I managed to finish my homework ON MY OWN. I think you can do that, too.
If I want to complain about my coworkers, let me complain about my stinking coworkers! I feel as if this is my sanctuary where I CAN do that. I'm not doing it at work, that's for sure! And sometimes I get sick of saving fellow nurses' butts. So don't tell me I'm out to get others.
In that same vein, do NOT deny anyone the right to vent.
And...do NOT deny anyone the right to respectfully disagree.
Hmm, now I feel better...
Oh yeah, and lately I've been reading really old threads. I've been searching for interesting keywords and reading threads started when I was in high school. I've learned a lot!
My two cents, and yes, I have almost 20 years of experience. And Yes, I guess this is a VENT.
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SWS RN, ASN, RN
362 Posts
Nope, not your posts at all!!!!:)