Why do you LOVE your job?

imanedrn · Apr 1, 2008

Hey guys! I just want to say a big thank you to all our nurses out there. We appreciate everything you do. I have worked in the ER for 4 years as a LPN so I understand the hardship and stress that is on alot of our nurses. I have just been promoted to Recruitment & Retention the past few months and putting plans in action to help our employees have fun and increase moral. SO Here is my question to you:
What is it at your job that makes you happy, is there a particular program in place that has a great success rate with the overall attitude? Or is there something you can recommend to me that you know would be a great idea?
I would appreciate any and all input. Thank you
~~To be successful, the first thing you must do is to love your work~~:heartbeat

I'm a new grad, so I have more complaints than compliments at this point. I think what would have helped me most was a preceptor who tailored her teaching style to my needs -- instead of doing what she thought was best. She taught me in a style that seemed more suited to experienced nurses. (I found out she orients them far more than new grads.) She did a lot of my work for me, not telling me how / why / when / etc to do certain things. Now that I'm on my own, I've had to learn much of this stuff in a trial-by-fire manner -- as if much of my preceptorship was wasted.

So... as for new grads, I think a skilled preceptor is important, and their teaching style should be tailored to the new grad (not to the teacher).

Hope that helps at least some new grads!

GrumpyRN63, ADN, RN · Apr 1, 2008

I think if hospitals really cared about retention they would ensure adequate staffing, period. I think nurses feel they are paid adequately, but not at the expense of pt safety and putting their licenses on the line. Seeing no light at the end of the tunnel is demoralizing. I was never impressed by the CEO of the hospital wheeling around a cart of cookies and eggnog during the holidays, :uhoh3: or a mediocre or crappy nurses' week gift, or how we need to change our attitude, be happy!!!

... I think the nurses would like respect, to have support. I think if the hospitals spent less energy on perks and spa treatments/plasma tv's/ room service and had enough nurses and ancillary staff to care for the patients, get tests done, get CARE, they would save a lot more money,(hey, they may even get excellent ratings on their press gainey!!!) instead of continuing to expect nurses to work under impossible and demoralizing conditions they wouldn't have to recruit and retain much at all. Instead, nurses leave, they spend enormous amounts hiring,training again, and again and again. Not that smart, its really not rocket science. JMO

AliRae · Apr 1, 2008

I love my job because I work on a ship docked in the port in Liberia. And when I have downtime on the wards, I play UNO and legos and make balloon animals with the kids. And my commute is literally 30 seconds down the hall to the hospital from my cabin.

And on my off days, I get to hang out in West Africa.

But I don't think these are things that can really be implemented in typical US hospitals.... :lol2:

nurseinlimbo · Apr 1, 2008

1/ Don't make staff shortages my problem.

2/ Don't ask me to work double shifts, or unexpected OT at the drop of a hat, and expect that I will say yes. I need notice just like anyone else if I won't be home when I had planned.

3/ If OT is worked, OT is paid

4/ When it is unavoidable, make sure OT is kept to a minimum, we risk our licence every time we work tired, short shifted, or extended shifts.

5/ When I ask for a day off for a specific reason, and it's important to me, make an effort to give me what I need.

6/ Realize that not every staff nurse wants Full time hours, some of us are happy with less.

7/ Don't expect that I will happily work every weekend (or holiday).

8/ When I tell you I am burnt out, don't pat me on the head and give me a day off, actually listen.

9/ When I come to you with a doctor's note that says I have had surgery, a soft tissue injury, or a broken bone, don't harass me to come back to work before my body is ready, I will appreciate the healing time.

10/ Pay for mandatory inservices, and provide a number of hours paid for training of my choice.

11/ Organize staff functions, like potluck lunch, or BBQs, or Xmas parties, and don't expect me to pay to attend.

12/ Encourage staff unity by providing items such as T-shirts or hoodies, with the unit name on it.

13/ Give incentives to those who don't use sick time, such as a paid day off every quarter, or a gift certificate for massage. Rather than punishing those who abuse it.

14/ When I ask for vacation, don't ask me to work that one shift that you can't cover right in the middle of it, I won't be there.

15/ Be understanding if I have a family emergency, funeral or sick child to attend to, my life does not revolve around work.

nurseinlimbo · Apr 1, 2008

16/ Do something about horizontal violence

st4wb3rr33sh0rtc4k3 · Apr 1, 2008

I just love helping people.

wonderbee, BSN, RN · Apr 2, 2008

I'll get back to you on that :stone

anonymurse · Apr 2, 2008

Well, it's the way a bunch of factors come together:

- I like people, and I've never had a chance to work with people so "up close and personal" before

- This job has significance: what I do matters to my patients and co-workers

- This job is fascinating: I love the problems, and I get lots to solve, and lots of folks to help solve them

- This job is doable: frequently I can see the results of my work within minutes

- This job has breadth: it demands the employment of all the knowledge and every skill and trait at my disposal

...and I could go on and on...

BlueRidgeHomeRN · Apr 2, 2008

lets see---

* i work with a small company that really, actually cares about employees

* i get treated like an intelligent, professional, adult

*we work hard, but we get to have a real life, with all its complications!

:redbeathe:redbeathe:redbeathe

estherojin · Apr 2, 2008

What is it at your job that makes you happy

-Comraderie- I don't see it as much on my current job in the ICU, but when I worked in the Cath and EP labs, I relished the teamwork approach to patient care- MDs, RNs, and techs all focused on one patient at a time. There is comraderie in the ICU, but to a lesser degree- it's mostly just among the nurses.

is there a particular program in place that has a great success rate with the overall attitude?

-no, i wish there was. there was a large group of new grads (10-12) as well as some seasoned nurses that were hired when our unit expanded from 13-23. the education department on our floor was unable to meet the demands all of the new grads and i think after the one year mark, we were able to retain only 2 of the new grads that were hired. after this "failure" the leadership team on our unit decided to orient at most 2-3 new grads at a time to allow for more comprehensive orientation program. i feel for the new grads that left because i think most of them had great potential if only they had been oriented properly and it saddens me that most of them left feeling defeated. the newly adapted appoach of hiring and orienting smaller groups (2 new grads and 2 seasoned nurses) at a time has been successsful so far, we'll see after a year how it goes.

LeesieBug · Apr 2, 2008

Ditto the camaraderie and teamwork! I LOVE my co-workers! Even when we are having a ridiculous,crazy day, they provide me the support and laughter I need to get through it and say, "Eh, I guess that wasn't SOOO bad:lol2:"

I also truly, greatly appreciate positive feedback from management! I am lucky to be in a unit where they let you know when you are doing a GOOD job, not just when you screw up. There have been times I felt I couldn't take my job anymore, and suddenly management is there with an "Atta' girl!" and my outlook changes completely.

One thing I didn't get which I think is very important is a CONSISTENT preceptor....as in the SAME person for the entire orientation period. Makes it EXTREMELY stressful to be shifting around, having someone orienting you that has no idea where you are or what you are capable of. It's like taking a giant step back every time they switch it up.

I hear horror stories about not getting breaks, not being able to eat or drink anywhere but the break room......our unit is not like that and I can say I would DEFINITLEY not have stayed if that were the case.