Who hates nursing, honestly????

Valerie Salva, BSN, RN · May 12, 2009

You know I am saddened by the increasing number of seasoned nurses stating they hate nursing. I mean new grads and reality shock makes them hate it for a short time but when a seasoned nurse states that... there is something definately wrong. Burn out happens in all professions but hatred of the profession suggests a major problem within the profession itself. The "experts" had better start looking into this NOW before there is no profession worth saving. For the record no I do not hate nursing however I do not like the direction it is heading.
TuTonka

:yeah: :yeah: :yeah: :yeah:

Purple_Scrubs, BSN, RN · May 12, 2009

Many excellent, caring nurses love the ideal- what nursing is supposed to be, but hate the reality of it. That does not make them bad people or mean that they should be judged by a brand new nurse as needing to "leave the profession."

Yes, yes yes! If all the nurses who hate the current state of nursing left the profession, guess what? The profession would be lacking many many good nurses and patients would surely suffer. And probably those nurses who currently say they love nursing would grow to hate it because the staffing ratios would be even worse, and some of the greatest mentors would be gone!

TuTonka · May 12, 2009

I would like to see a thread on what keeps you in nursing....emotionally, spiritually,financially and/or anything positive that keeps you in a profession that is constantly evovling and changing at a rapid rate.

TuTonka

Toquay · May 12, 2009

I think the saddest thing about nursing is the high turn over and burn out. Most get to this point because we are in a profession that we have no control or voice. We turn on each other instead of being supportive. I truely believe that most enter this profession with the best of intentions and honestly feel they have a calling for it. The rewards of nursing are there but you may be the only one to recognize them. The little things like the poster who comforted her patient through a dressing change is a great example but I highly doubt her instituion recognizes this wonderful example of nursing. Well perhaps if they can find a way to bill the patient for it they may. The longer you are in nursing the more you see that the basics of just taking care of your patient are valued way less than maintaining the paper trail and making the bottom line bigger through less staff and tight time contraints on every aspect of the job.

The philosophy of "Theres the door" instead of actually working as a team to fix the problems will keep turn over rates high. I would venture to say that many of the best nurses are the ones that leave because they strive to be valued for their efforts and hard work. Most deadweight or going through the motions nurses don't leave. Why leave if you are getting away with doing the minimum. The entire system has been perpetuating this cycle for years and nurses have become complacent and expendable. I hope that one day nursing will change but I doubt I will see it in my nursing lifetime.

Toq

kcochrane · May 12, 2009

There is nothing wrong with it. There are so many different options for nursing, that is always worthwhile to see if something might be a better fit. Honestly it is something that I would say to anyone - not just a nurse that is unhappy with where they are. There are too many options in life to spend 40+ hours miserable. I had a CNA that was just unhappy all the time.

I probably should have finished that last sentence/thought. The CNA that was unhappy, showed it and make everyone else's life miserable because. So I said something and encouraged her to find something else - she is in that process and much happier. Not only do I encourage people, I will bend over backwards to help - if they want it.

And yes I've seen nurses that are miserable and show it in patient care. When I as a volunteer EMT for 15 years and continue to wish to be a nurse, nothing made me madder than nurses/health care workers that did not show one ounce of compassion. But I do know there are many that are unhappy, but continue to give great care and be great team players.

I'm not beyong realizing at some point I might get burnt out. At that point I will move on to something else.

JB2007, ASN, RN · May 12, 2009

Do I hate being a nurse? Not usually, I love taking care of people that can not care for themselves. Nothing makes my day better than when I see a person that was at the nursing home for rehab. get to walk out the door. I feel a special kind of peace when I help a resident achieve a dignified, peaceful, and hopefully pain free death.

Do I hate my job? Somedays I would have to say YES. I am tired of the way the powers that be play mind games with you and makes a lot of busy work. I am tired of having so much work that I am not able to give my dieing resident the kind of attention that they need or as the case is right now several dieing residents. This is the kind of thing that makes me cry and makes me want to never go back to work the next day. Most of all I am so tired of being physically, spirtually, and mentally so exhausted that I no long feel like I can stand myself anymore. Yes, this job can and will make you feel like this if you let it.

I would have to say that I enjoy being a nurse and there is no other job that I would rather be doing at this time. However, I can say that on many levels I absolutly hate my job.

Susan9608 · May 13, 2009

There are so many similar discussion threads where some nurses do come across as awfully judgmental about their fellow nurses, especially all the professed concern about nurses in it for the "wrong" reasons because they don't have "the calling" - spare me that concern in the guise of judgment!

I love this statement! Not everyone feels like nursing is a calling. I certainly don't. It's just a job, something I can do and do well enough. If there was something else that I was qualified to do, which also provided me with the same $$/benefits/flexible schedule, I'd probably go do that. :)

SoundofMusic · May 13, 2009

I guess I could say I hate "the job," but love and am proud of those great nursing "moments."

-- Hugs from family members who just seem to worship you as The Nurse who provided excellent care to their beloved family member.

-- Fun days w/ co-workers, or feeling as if you lightened their load, or helping a new nurse cope at the beginning.

-- Four days off per week.

-- The moment when you begin to know exactly what orders the doc will write, as if you could write them yourself if you needed to.

-- The moment you are no longer afraid of doctors -- or the first time you feel they talk to you as a team member.

-- The times you advance in the profession -- to charge, to a manager, or whatever. Whatever your level may be.

Yet the "job" which entails such a ridiculous level of paperwork and charting and takes you away from all of the above -- the silly requirements, boxes to check, numbers to call, policies to follow.

-- Seeing horrid human suffering along with horrid human behavior. Just the overwhelming needs of humans begin to take their toll. I swear on my day off, all I want to do is to be alone, in nature -- no needs to meet.

gt4everpn, BSN, RN · May 13, 2009

it's something people hate to admit, but it's good to be honest, although patients stress me out, staff members stress me out, nm stress me out, administrations stresses me out, i still enjoy nursing because its what i wanted to and what other choice do i have, every profession has its gripes. i can't see myself doing anything else besides nursing really. but i do hate what nursing has become, nurses are sometimes put with their backs against the walls and sometimes families and even other staff members can't understand that.

gt4everpn, BSN, RN · May 13, 2009

so true, i think once you've been a nurse for a number of years you just want to write the orders yourself and have the docs just sign off on it. when you and the docs , and the other rns and nm have good rapport going it's a really great thing. makes work much lighter.

i guess i could say i hate "the job," but love and am proud of those great nursing "moments."
-- the moment when you begin to know exactly what orders the doc will write, as if you could write them yourself if you needed to.
-- the moment you are no longer afraid of doctors -- or the first time you feel they talk to you as a team member.
-- the times you advance in the profession -- to charge, to a manager, or whatever. whatever your level may be.

SweetLemon · May 13, 2009

I don't hate nursing, I just hate the administration that makes my job as a nurse completely impossible. As far as the work involved and the patients I deal with I still love being a nurse (then again have only been a nurse for a year or so).

SaraO'Hara · May 13, 2009

I don't hate nursing, I just hate the administration that makes my job as a nurse completely impossible. As far as the work involved and the patients I deal with I still love being a nurse (then again have only been a nurse for a year or so).

Quoted for truth. :yeahthat: