Why are some nurses so miserable?

missnurse01, MSN, RN · Apr 23, 2013

goodness there are so many reasons for this I couldn't list them all.

Some came in fresh and happy like a puppy,only to be kicked down over and over again throughout the years by staff, mds, management, pts etc...so now there is nothing left. It's like a cop with a bad attitude, when you are constantly surrounded by people not doing the right thing, you tend to expect everyone to not be doing the right thing.

Some came to nursing for really wrong reasons. I am amazed how often that i find this to be true. Many people feel a 'need' to care for others b/c they weren't cared for growing up, or had abusive relationships as an adult, or become totally controlling at work, b/c their outside lives are so f'd up.

many many reasons

MatrixRn · Apr 23, 2013

In every profession there is that group that is just not happy and try to make the rest of the group miserable as well. For some reason, there are many in the nursing profession who jump on the band wagon or fall into the classification of unhappy.

One of the contributors that I see is the mismatch between nursing being a 'caring' profession and a 'business.' Many nurses go into the profession wanting to take care of people, make them better and help people. However, once on the floor reality hits like a brick...there are quotas, staffing ratios, acuity levels etc.

Nursing would be better served if they taught a class in the nursing rotation that dealt with reimbursement or payment structure.

For my team I taught them what the important metrics are to receive payment for services. They were also taught items that create a loss. This was a real eye opener for many, but we did see behavior change. I had the nurses tell me they were happy to know how they could contribute to their future.

Payment for services = nurses getting paid, raises at the end of the year and bonuses.

jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B · Apr 23, 2013

Because instead of focusing on individual care, we are focusing care based on reimbursements. On press gainey scores. Staffing plans that do not bode well with taking time to care for a patient like we would like to. Chop, Chop get the patient out, to only have them return 2 days later. Which then could mean no reimbursement. Or the 6 weeks later and the patient is still here, and it somehow is due to nursing.

A number of bedside nurses want to be in the business of caring, and not the caring of business.

The "new way of doing things" is a study in opposites, as culturally in a number of facilities, we reallly DON'T care whether you can take care of yourself at home, need moral support to do so, that you are frightened, alone.....until the survey results come in--then comes all the "caring".

One can not be the direct result of the other. That is where the disconnect comes in, and nurses are more like a three ring circus, complete with jugglers, balancing acts, ring leaders, and yes the occasional clown.

tangel · Apr 23, 2013

Shilla,

I would really like to hear what and how you taught your team. Could we connect via email? My email address is: [email protected]

anotherone, BSN, RN · Apr 23, 2013

plenty of people who have all sorts of jobs are miserable.

Aurora77 · Apr 23, 2013

I have been a RN for some time and it always amazes me how some nurses can be so unprofessional caddy and miserable. One would think that members of profession who care for others physically, emotionally and spiritually; would behave in a way that is kind and supportive. I think that nurses who a miserable should not work in this field any longer. Why are some nurses not happy?[/quote']
Why is anyone unhappy? Why hold nurses to a different standard than the rest of the population?

MatrixRn · Apr 24, 2013

There is a lot of great information out there, but I began at the beginning and started teaching my group what their real pay looks like. Your facility will have its own numbers, but in general you should be able to get the hospital budget and look at percent of earnings that go to salaries. Then start filling in the blanks. These snippets are enlightening.

"Although nurse wages and payroll accounted for 76-78 percent of total costs, other costs came from non-productivity costs (11-12 percent), insurance (8-9 percent),recruitment (1-2 percent), and other (1 percent), according to the study.

The actual cost per hour for a full-time, direct care hospital registered nurse is, on average, 176 percent of his or her base hourly wage. The cost is $98,000 per year ($45 per hour). Of that, base wages accounted for $55,739 per year ($25.84 an hour)."

Read more: Hospital labor study reveals hidden costs of nurses - FierceHealthcare Hospital labor study reveals hidden costs of nurses - FierceHealthcare

Then the below snippet.

Article 2:

While higher nurse staffing levels are often associated with improved patient outcomes, that is not the case at "safety net" hospitals that provide care to low-income, uninsured and vulnerable populations. Despite having similar staffing levels, safety net hospitals experienced worse patient outcomes than other hospitals, according to a study published in the April 2011 issue of Medical Care.

For non-safety net hospitals, more nurses were associated with fewer deaths due to congestive health failure; fewer incidents in which nurses did not note or initiate treatment in life-threatening situations (failure to rescue); lower rates of infections, including infections after operations; and shorter hospital stays. Hospitals with safety-net status saw higher rates of congestive heart failure mortality, bed sores and failure-to-rescue deaths.

Read more: More nurses don't improve patient outcomes at safety net hospitals - FierceHealthcare More nurses don't improve patient outcomes at safety net hospitals - FierceHealthcare

Another good article to share is from the American Hospital Association that says 60% of all hospitals lose money on patient care.

kacikaci · Apr 24, 2013

I have been a RN for some time and it always amazes me how some nurses can be so unprofessional, caddy and miserable. One would think that members of profession who care for others physically, emotionally and spiritually; would behave in a way that is kind and supportive. I think that nurses who a miserable should not work in this field any longer. Why are some nurses not happy?

It seems like this is common for those in the "helping" professions (social workers, teachers, police officers, etc). There are a million reasons but overall we are overworked and underpaid and treated like crap by the people we "serve."

MrFixin · Apr 24, 2013

How About :

Unappreciated, never thanked, yelled at by everyone, worried, stressed out, over worked, long hours, etc etc etc

The list can go on and on. Multiply the list for married, and then again for each child. Multiply by 10 if there is a newborn.

I do know some that are miserable and it is just because they hate their job. Some should look into a different aspect of nursing.

I appreciate everyone I work with, except the real annoying, hateful, beeatches. When I work with them it is a long long long day or night. They never talk except to complain or talk about others in a bad way.

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Apr 24, 2013

I think that nurses who a miserable should not work in this field any longer. Why are some nurses not happy?

Replace the word "nurse" with doctor, lawyer, engineer, thruway tollbooth operator, data entry clerk, cashier, waitress.

And if you can answer your own question honestly, you've got a whole LOTTA people who will be wanting to know what the next step in their lives is.

carsm3 · Apr 24, 2013

Gosh this thread read my mind! Some of the nurses on my floor are just plain depressing or nasty. I can't stand the way they interact with patients let alone coworkers. I have adopted the policy to go into work with a smile on my face, not only for my patients but for myself as well. No one should have to look like :sour: all day/night long. Not good for the soul! Nothing like going through 3 7p-7a 12's completely miserable. Lot's of us crack jokes all night and have fun like a bunch of highschool girls though. To each his/her own! :)