When I was 12, I decided I wanted to help peopleâ€, so I worked really hard to get into a nursing program. I, by no means, thought it would be easy, I just thought it'd be more rewarding.
I graduated last year, and started at a hospital. I trained for 6 weeks (as a new grad!) and was thrown into it. ThepeoplewhoarebuddieswiththeChargegetthebetterassignments. One day, I got 6 starting pts (everyone else got 4-5), 3 discharges, and 2 admits, while a nurse left and went to The Dollar Store. Yep, you read that right. When another RN, who was precepting, spoke up about my assignment, my charge came over and dryly said, If it gets too much, let me know,†and walked off. That's more or less what every day has been like.
Things you probably don't learn in school:
- Doctorsarea******s. You will get screamed at if you page about a slightly increased temp, and screamed at again if you don't page about the same temp later.
- Veterannursesareawfultonewnurses (but you will continue to bear the scowls and ask questions, because your patient's safety is more important than the rumor that you're an idiot). Oh yeah, nurses gossip a lot.
- Nursingis mostlyrobotic- hang IVs, medicate, document, rinse, repeat (unless you're in critical care/ED). If you get 5 mins to sit with a patient, the CNA will probably call you.
- Then, there are days where you see John Doe, who came in near-comatose, get up and walk, and it fills your heart with joy. But rewardingmomentsarefewandfarbetween. (You're mostly being screamed at because Dr. Awesome decided to taper their narcs, and neglected to tell them, or because dietary forgot their cookie).
- BTW, forgetthetermbreakâ€. You'll be lucky if you get a whole 30 mins for lunch.
I suppose it depends on where you work, what your team is like, and how resilient you are. I have cried a lot, put on my big-girl pants, and return every day. But if I were 12 again…
Now that I've blown off steam, I cannot commend RNs enough for what you do on a daily basis. You are all super-freaking-heroes in my eyes. And, no, I don't hate doctors, I dislike the rude, condescending ones, like the one who told me, I don't make mistakes!†and slammed the phone down when he ordered a med the patient was allergic to. WELCOME TO NURSING!
Specializes in med-surg, IMC, school nursing, NICU.
That sounds like a really rough job, especially for a new grad. Of course you'd think nursing sucks because this terrible unit is all you've ever known!!
Trust me, there ARE jobs out there where you feel like you're making a difference, jobs that would make your 12 year old self proud. It's all a matter of unit culture. When I moved, I left a floor where I would work 3 shifts in a row, plus an OT shift and not feel burnt out because the teamwork among my coworkers was THAT good. I couldn't believe how much I loved my unit and the people I worked with. support and teamwork were built into the culture of the unit; my manager expected that much of us and we delivered. It all stems from the atmosphere on the floor where you're working. It doesn't sound like you are working on a floor that values that sort of culture and for that, I am so sorry. They are out there, I promise.
Do yourself a favor and don't write off nursing as a whole until you find a job with a better atmosphere. You'd be amazed what a difference it makes when you are working with people who care about their jobs as much as you do. Good luck.
How else can we change the deplorable conditions for the hospital nurses?
Unless/until we can:
1. Get the general public to understand this is not a hotel, I am not your personal servant,
2. Get the govt and insurance companies to stop looking at patient satisfaction scores to determine reimbursement
We are stuck with what we have. I currently work on a floor where we have a 4:1 staffing model, which we achieve for the most part, but it doesn't change the fact that we often have jackwagons for patients.
1. Get the general public to understand this is not a hotel, I am not your personal servant,
Can we get administration to understand that too? I feel like the obsession with satisfaction scores is the biggest underlying issue. I get that hospitals want to have excellent ratings, but they can't burn out their nurses at the same time with high patient ratios (and still expect me to have hourly rounding live documented, medications on time, etc). It has to be a balance.
*no, not always. And do you speak up about these issues?
When another RN, who was precepting, spoke up about my assignment, my charge came over and dryly said, If it gets too much, let me know,†and walked off. That's more or less what every day has been like.
*well, did you tell her it was too much? Do you tell her this every day that it happens? Why do you let this continue? You're just as responsible for your own treatment here. Are you by any stretch of the imagination giving any hint of 'princess' attitude?
Things you probably don't learn in school:
- Doctorsarea******s.
*no, not quite all of them. But, have you bucked up and ordered them to speak to you in a professional manner when they do need to be reminded. You are a licensed professional also. Act like one, and this includes standing up when you need to instead of bending over, sniveling and then crying when situations like this occur.
- Veterannursesareawfultonewnurses
*no, not always. The young'ns can wear the judgy pants a little too tight, also. If you've got the 'pleasure' of working with a true pig, confront them and ask them why they are being such a pig. 10 out of 10 times the reason is gonna be because the unit is understaffed. But, this is not your fault, so if it's truly them just taking crap out on you, put a stop to it. Nobody should be anybody else's doormat...however in nursing you will learn that for the most part, nurses really do have the 'calling/doormat' complex. They do tend to beat on each other rather than work together and help each other. Just the way it is. It tends to be a fairly kicked-in profession in that respect.
- Nursingis mostlyrobotic-
*well, yeah, that's kinda why the patient is in the hospital. They need the iv hung, the meds, proper documentation...repetatively. Do you watch too much tv? Nursing can be boring, but boring is good.
If you get 5 mins to sit with a patient, the CNA will probably call you.
*so what if he/she does? Isn't that why you are here? To take care of patients. Not the cna's fault if they need the nurse, don't take understaffing issues out on the other staff. If it bugs you that much, start trying to advocate for more staffing (haha, good luck with that) so the cna can call another nurse. Always, always make sure you let families know when you are understaffed. Give them contact info for the 'pigs (I mean the 'powers') that be' so they can contact them.
- Then, there are days where you see John Doe, who came in near-comatose, get up and walk, and it fills your heart with joy. But rewardingmomentsarefewandfarbetween.
*agreed, and the main reason I left nursing to go back to manufacturing.
(You're mostly being screamed at
*that whole "getting screamed at" thing again...your own fault for allowing him/her to do that.
because Dr. Awesome decided to taper their narcs, and neglected to tell them, or because dietary forgot their cookie).
*give them/their family the doc's number, dietary's number, and wash your hands of it. Not your circus, not your monkeys.
I suppose it depends on where you work, what your team is like, and how resilient you are. I have cried a lot, put on my big-girl pants, and return every day. But if I were 12 again…
Now that I've blown off steam, I cannot commend RNs enough for what you do on a daily basis. You are all super-freaking-heroes in my eyes. And, no, I don't hate doctors, I dislike the rude, condescending ones, like the one who told me, I don't make mistakes!†and slammed the phone down when he ordered a med the patient was allergic to. WELCOME TO NURSING!
*I had a pig say that to me once. I gave him his new name, Dr. iddm (I don't make mistakes) and he found out about it and challenged me on it one day. He didn't get very far, and was very respectful after that. But, for some reason, the name stuck among nurses on the unit (heehee).
Specializes in Pharmaceutical Research, Operating Room.
I completely agree with those that have said it's not nursing that sucks, it's the working conditions. I am a "second career" nurse and left the bedside after a year and three months - there is no way in Hell I'd subject myself to that kind of toxic, soul-stealing work environment long term (shame, because I loved surgery). Got out and went into pharmaceuticals, and I LOVE my job now.
OP, stay with it for at least a year, if at all possible. You really will have more options to move away from the bedside after that.
Specializes in Pharmaceutical Research, Operating Room.
I work at home now doing computer stuff :) I LOVE IT!!! (It's not for everyone though, I am perfectly happy on my computer, reviewing charts, no phone calls, watching movies in the background, in PJs) :)
This sounds like the IDEAL situation!!! I can't wait to get a year in with my current company, then I'll have that work from home option. I fully intend to embrace my inner hermit and never, ever wear anything besides sweatpants again! Just kidding.......kind of........
Yes the doc can be *******s. But that doesn't mean u have to take it! I don't. Give it right back to them. Or just tell them how they r acting. Put them in their place. Being a new nurse is hard.
JerseyTomatoMDCrab, BSN
588 Posts
That sounds like a really rough job, especially for a new grad. Of course you'd think nursing sucks because this terrible unit is all you've ever known!!
Trust me, there ARE jobs out there where you feel like you're making a difference, jobs that would make your 12 year old self proud. It's all a matter of unit culture. When I moved, I left a floor where I would work 3 shifts in a row, plus an OT shift and not feel burnt out because the teamwork among my coworkers was THAT good. I couldn't believe how much I loved my unit and the people I worked with. support and teamwork were built into the culture of the unit; my manager expected that much of us and we delivered. It all stems from the atmosphere on the floor where you're working. It doesn't sound like you are working on a floor that values that sort of culture and for that, I am so sorry. They are out there, I promise.
Do yourself a favor and don't write off nursing as a whole until you find a job with a better atmosphere. You'd be amazed what a difference it makes when you are working with people who care about their jobs as much as you do. Good luck.