Why is nursing such a horrible job?

RNnbakes · Dec 30, 2009

You deal with too many people and situations in 12hrs!!!! eg RN, LPN, MD, NP, PA, CNA, RT, OT, PT, dietary etc but not forgetting that specially certified and nationally accredited PITA patient you are guaranted to get each shift.

RNnbakes · Dec 30, 2009

Still love nursing though!

Midwest4me · Dec 30, 2009

Too many demands in too short time. Persistent short-staffing. Frequent mandatory overtime shifts due to sick calls. No breaks. No lunches. Negative, non-supportive management.

JC_Smith2009 · Dec 30, 2009

There is a possibility that nurses are less respected but hold an extremely important value to the industry. There is also a shortage of staffing.

EwwThat'sNasty · Dec 30, 2009

It's become a terrible job for some. Excluding ED; ER; ICU; CRNA, NP's; it's simply an extension of our economic and moral climate. Nurses currently are a dime a dozen. Most of us are "meat." Extreme pressure on "increase profit," exists, and we are the small fish. Work us to death with reversing rotations, keep us in horrid places with one-sided contracts, and import foreign (often good) RN's who "take what they get." This will only change some years out when a true shortage exists. In the meantime, burn-outs disappear, there are plenty new grads to fill the empty spaces.

llg, PhD, RN · Dec 30, 2009

Nurses. We are our own worst enemy -- too short-sighted and too quick to "play the victim" rather than work diligently to solve the problems.

GeminiRN2007 · Dec 30, 2009

I ask myself this question almost everyday lol! Nursing is a people job...you deal with people and their problems, both mental and physical for 12 long hours. Its exhausting!

SunDazed, BSN, RN · Dec 30, 2009

Where I work? Older nurses seem bitter. Little empathy for other nurses. Everyone has "been there done that" but show no interest in changing to make it better for all. No where near the shared governance ideas talked about during senior semesters of BSN. Don't expect this everywhere... counting down the years and months before I can quit and move-on to a more progressive setting. :uhoh3:

mudd68 · Dec 30, 2009

It is b/c of administration and managers who develop quality improvement projects like 'improving teamwork on the unit'.

When asked recently what my thoughts were on how to "improve teamwork on the unit", my response was to 'ensure the unit has enough team members to complete the work!'

They can continue to develop a million ideas but without the manpower to implement them, they are just that, bright ideas!

ArwenEvenstar · Dec 30, 2009

It has become a horrible job over time....hospital pts are much sicker than yrs ago, and modern emphasis on "customer service" like the hospital is a hotel. Sicker patients who are also demanding (along with their families!)...that sums it up for me!!

CaLLaCoDe, BSN, RN · Dec 31, 2009

Dare I say documentation is the area of my undoing. Wish I had a paid hired hand to take notes during my day so I could just do my Job.

I know, I know you'll say: "Well, callacold you simply don't get it!!! We document to save our skins when we get in front of a judge and plead our case, if you did not record it, it did not happen!" I say, most of this documentation is checking off boxes, pulling up this window and completing the next nurse joint commission required task == worthless time consuming venture. I only love charting when I have the time to and that is rare indeed. Arrg!

God help me, I think I went past the 50 word limit!

PS I do love this work, especially when you have those moments of patient gratitude or MD RN teamwork acknowledged by MD or family members wishing you'd come back tomorrow (the day you have off)...all good in my book.