Ok, I know that on my unit many of us newbies are getting mad about the work conditions, the pay, and the zero respect. I know ZERO new nurses that plan on staying in an RN position for more than 5 years. We all plan on going on for NP, CRNA, education, something!!! I work on a fairly GOOD unit too. I mean I cant complain about other nurses, management is great, and we are known to be one of the best units to float to. However, I cant make ends meet! I REFUSE to work extra shifts and not have a life. It seems the only option is to get a higher degree to make any 'real' money. I am worried about our generation of nurses. Who's going to be the RN if were all burnt out and refusing crappy pay for so much responsibility? Our hospital tried to form a union a few years ago and the idea was completely shot down by higher ups. I think something needs to happen nationally for real change to be done. I mean I am a PROFESSIONAL and I think I deserve to be treated like one, even at 22 years of age! Therefore my only option (as many of my peers) is to go on to grad degrees. Anyone else feeling this way after really seeing what nursing is all about? Anyone know of anything going on to really make change to this problem?
This issue hits home for me because money issues destroyed my marriage.... I was the primary provider for someone who just kept wanting things that he could not afford and wanted them NOW.
Ways to maximize income as an RN:
1. Work part time at one place - enough to keep benefits and then pick up extra through agency. This helped me with my income tremendously.
2. Cut back on expenses - This may sound dumb, but it is true. If you are struggling to get by in these bad economic times, do you really still need the cable and Starbucks every day?
It is hard, and I started traveling to get away from some of the issues with politics.
ok, that was completely pointless, i asked if anyone had any GOOD comments about the problem, i wasnt asking for advice on whether or not to work OT or anything like that, if you want to comment on another thread of mine, then do it. It's not just me, and from the sounds of things on this board, its more often than not happening in hospitals, not just here. Improper orientations, bad pay, insane patient loads, all are leading to regular RNs leaving, young and old. And all this 'forever RN' crap, seriously, give me a break. I know you'll always be an RN and you completely knew what I meant, you just wanted to make a snide remark. Now, anyone have anything feel this way or do you see RN as a 'stepping stone' to NP or something else. If you do or dont, why or why not? I worry about being a patient when I am 70 and having nothing but newbies because conditions are too harsh for anyone but the new grads and others have went on to bigger and better things.
I guess everyone has a different perspective on nursing. I actually worked in the lab as a Med Tech for 12 years before going into nursing. If you want a career with little respect, low pay, few rewards, then consider the lab. On a positive note, it was interesting at times and somewhat "easier" than nursing because I didn't have to deal with people as much. Dealing with people can be challenging, yet rewarding of course....
Anyway, I am 36, have 2 children and a husband, and am content in nursing for now. It is hard work I will agree. It is so rewarding though. It is great to see people get better, get thanked for providing cares. I really feel I am making a difference in a lot of lives. It is such an important job. As far as the pay, it is not great, but as someone stated earlier, one can always pick up extra shifts. There always seems to be overtime. Who knows, maybe the pay will change in the future? Health care in general is bound to change eventually.
I don't know that I will go on to more school. I can always learn more on my own as a nurse. I don't necessarily need another degree. That doesn't mean necessarily that I won't go back to school, it is a possibility. If someone wants to pay for it, I'm all for it. My husband and I have a combined $90 K in student loan debt, so I'm not jumping on that wagon just yet. So, I may or may not be the nurse taking care of all of you when you are in your 70's in the hospital. Who knows!
[it seems your implying that nursing isn't a profession to begin with]
There seems to be a lot of talk about nurses being a 'profession', yet we are unpaid, often have an unreasonable workload and frequently treated like we are stupid and uneducated by management, other nurses, doctors etc. Are we just fooling ourselves here? Or is this just the idea of nursing as a profession being an empty promise to keep us all happy and compliant.
I'm certainly considering other career options. While I love what i do, I really don't know how long i can deal with all the crap thrown my way on a daily basis and the horizontal violence that is rampant in nursing. I have thought about doing nursing research so i can be involved with trying to implement some sort of change in the workplace.
And I certainly understand how annoying it is to be forced to work overtime night after night, being pressured (usually with emotional blackmail) to work additional shifts. I know management and my supervisors probably think i'm not a team player and have a bad attitude because most of the time the answer is NO. Most of the time they don't even ask you to stay back late, it's just expected so i have to ring them and inform them about an hour before i'm off to get someone to relieve, i am not working back late. The reality is i'm sick and tired of being taken for granted because when i first started i was happy to help out, but i've had too many years of being treated like crap, no thankyou for helping out etc. Also I understand the OP's statement 'I have a life'. I do as well!
Before i became an RN i used to be very physically fit, rode my bike for 15k everyday and had so much more energy and was generally much happier. Now, i'm constantly fatigued and if i go to the gym or work out then i'm too exhausted the next day and have to face being told off because i'm slow, didn't do that right etc.
Sorry this has become huge vent for me here but just want the OP to know that i understand :)
[it seems your implying that nursing isn't a profession to begin with]
There seems to be a lot of talk about nurses being a 'profession', yet we are unpaid, often have an unreasonable workload and frequently treated like we are stupid and uneducated by management, other nurses, doctors etc. Are we just fooling ourselves here? Or is this just the idea of nursing as a profession being an empty promise to keep us all happy and compliant.
I'm certainly considering other career options. While I love what i do, I really don't know how long i can deal with all the crap thrown my way on a daily basis and the horizontal violence that is rampant in nursing. I have thought about doing nursing research so i can be involved with trying to implement some sort of change in the workplace.
And I certainly understand how annoying it is to be forced to work overtime night after night, being pressured (usually with emotional blackmail) to work additional shifts. I know management and my supervisors probably think i'm not a team player and have a bad attitude because most of the time the answer is NO. Most of the time they don't even ask you to stay back late, it's just expected so i have to ring them and inform them about an hour before i'm off to get someone to relieve, i am not working back late. The reality is i'm sick and tired of being taken for granted because when i first started i was happy to help out, but i've had too many years of being treated like crap, no thankyou for helping out etc. Also I understand the OP's statement 'I have a life'. I do as well!
Before i became an RN i used to be very physically fit, rode my bike for 15k everyday and had so much more energy and was generally much happier. Now, i'm constantly fatigued and if i go to the gym or work out then i'm too exhausted the next day and have to face being told off because i'm slow, didn't do that right etc.
Sorry this has become huge vent for me here but just want the OP to know that i understand :)
I was just wondering if you'd considered looking for an RN position elsewhere? Do you work 12-hour shifts? I work the same 3 days every week and I feel I have lots more time and energy for my kids and other fun things in life.
I can understand that you feel tired all the time (nursing is exhausting), but have you thought about seeing a doctor about your constant fatigue? I'm not implying that you are depressed, but there a lot of great meds out there that might help, as you know I'm sure. I was on one (Zoloft) for 2 years when I was going through a rough patch and it seemed to help. It really sounds like you could be enjoying life so much more! I hope that maybe you can make a change so you can do the things that made you happy before. :wink2:
I was just wondering if you'd considered looking for an RN position elsewhere? Do you work 12-hour shifts? I work the same 3 days every week and I feel I have lots more time and energy for my kids and other fun things in life.
I was thinking the same thing! Maybe some people are so unhappy in nursing not because of nursing itself but because of the environment. Obviously, it's difficult to separate the two, but -- if enough nurses leave their poor environments in droves -- someone's bound to catch on!
[i was just wondering if you'd considered looking for an RN position elsewhere? Do you work 12-hour shifts? I work the same 3 days every week and I feel I have lots more time and energy for my kids and other fun things in life.]
I have no other interest in other nursing areas but theatre. The reason i work where i do is because i work mon-fri and no nights or call. It's hard to find a position anywhere else where there isn't shift work. And in Australia we have the rotating shifts as well, my fatigue was much worse when i worked shift work because i had to medicate myself to sleep and i couldn't handle working nights.
My long term plan is to become a nurse educator in the operating room and to participate in research. Until then i guess i just have to suck it up and keep working as i am.
As for my fatigue, well i have been seeing a doc about this for a while. They believe it is stress related and recently i have had to cut my hours. Hopefully this helps and i can start exercising again. :)
I am not an RN yet but I can completely understand the idea of not stagnating. As an LPN we often feel like we are underpaid, under appreciated, and under-utilized. Is this the reality for some? Absolutely. For all? Not at all. It's very personal, and it could also be the luck of the draw. Interviewing at the right place at the right time could mean the difference between getting in at the hospital in that one coveted LPN ER position or getting routed to the LTC unit. It is probably the same for RNs.
Now, I don't completely agree with the family remark. I have a family. A heck of a family. I have a husband who is 'household lazy', four bio children under 7 and 2 foster children under 6. It is a crazy life. I went for my LPN with three children under 3 and I am pursuing my RN with all these children at home. I did have to postpone my entrance into the PA program for Fall, simply because I need to be available to my foster children (they may be foster-adopt, but could go back to reunification in January). That was a personal choice so I could be the best mom to my children as possible.
So, once I am an RN I do not plan to stay a staff nurse forever. I do think, however, that the decision to continue my education has a lot to do with me being a person that values education rather than me being someone generally dissatisfied with my place in life or my career. We can always find reasons to be dissatisfied in a position. Likewise, we can always find ways to make the best of the situation and be generally content.
Diary/Dairy, RN
1,785 Posts
This issue hits home for me because money issues destroyed my marriage.... I was the primary provider for someone who just kept wanting things that he could not afford and wanted them NOW.
Ways to maximize income as an RN:
1. Work part time at one place - enough to keep benefits and then pick up extra through agency. This helped me with my income tremendously.
2. Cut back on expenses - This may sound dumb, but it is true. If you are struggling to get by in these bad economic times, do you really still need the cable and Starbucks every day?
It is hard, and I started traveling to get away from some of the issues with politics.
Best of luck to you all.