Why Nursing Sucks...

[pixiern15]

When I was 12, I decided I wanted to help people”, 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. The people who are buddies with the Charge get the better assignments. 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:

- Doctors are a******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.

- Veteran nurses are awful to new nurses (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.

- Nursing is mostly robotic- 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 rewarding moments are few and far between. (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, forget the term break”. 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!

[applewhitern, BSN, RN]

I had a prior business degree and worked in the business world. The main difference is that people brown-nosed the boss or owner instead of a charge nurse. Unless you own your company or work for yourself, you will have to put up with other people. There will always be the "chosen ones" who are friends with the charge nurse, the DON, etc., and unfortunately doctors will relieve their stress on you. I do hope things get better for you. That said, I have to say I don't understand WHY nursing schools don't prepare nurses better. A hospital should not have to orient a new nurse for 6 weeks or more, in my opinion, but gone are the days when the new grad could hit the floor running. My hospital spends a ton of money on new grads, just for them to leave within the first year. Back when I was in nursing school, we had to take a full load of patients during clinicals during our last semester. We also did a lengthy practicum, so we were prepared to start work. Good luck to you, dear.

[hppygr8ful, ASN, RN, EMT-I]

I hear you. My organization is pushing this movement of "customers" instead of "patients" and it's causing me to pull out my hair. Many patients already treat hospitals like hotels. If I'm "being graded on my ability to leave customers satisfied", I picked the wrong profession.

I love what I do, I just wish these Admins would walk a mile...

Every time this idea of customer satisfaction comes up I find myself totally mystified that a patient isn't justified in wanting to be satisfied with their care! Sure it's a tough job but like or not nursing and healthcare in general are service industries......... People pay exorbitant premiums and co-copays so nursing is a service they pay for. As for annoying family members sometimes they are the only ones looking out for a patient's welfare. Yesterday I visited my mom in a SNF and she was obtunded and dehydrated. Turned out they had been giving her Ativan around the clock with no psychotropic med consent from POA and they had no orders for keeping her hydrated or for I & O. I work for the same company in a different location so I know they were not following Facility P & P. I got a bedside sitter out of pocket to come in and stay with her to make sure she was getting fluids etc...... I was actually nice about it and if things continue I will most likely move her up to our facility ( I won't be able to care for her directly) but I will at least be able to make sure she is getting the care she needs.

Hppy

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

When I was 12, I decided I wanted to help people”, 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. The people who are buddies with the Charge get the better assignments. 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:

- Doctors are a******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.

- Veteran nurses are awful to new nurses (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.

- Nursing is mostly robotic- 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 rewarding moments are few and far between. (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, forget the term break”. 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!

I never had a calling; I went into nursing because it seemed like interesting and stable employment with a good salary and benefits and flexible scheduling. It has turned out to be exactly that. I've had a nice lifestyle, owned my own home, taken nice vacations and driven a reliable car. But the first year of nursing was miserable for me back in the 1970s, and it seems that it is still miserable 40 years later.

The people who are buddies with the charge nurse do get better assignments. It could be that the charge nurse doesn't even realize she's doing that. It could be that she sees potential in you and is challenging you with tougher assignments to help improve your time management, assessment or other nursing skills. Or it could be that she's just a poor charge nurse.

SOME doctors are donkeys. SOME nurses are. When you're new, you're going to get more drama from a physician who is tired, stressed, unsure what to do, doesn't know you and probably doesn't yet trust you. As you become more experienced, you will present the information in a more coherent and complete manner, and possibly even suggest solutions. As you become more confident and the physician gets to trust you more, you'll get less drama. I would encourage you to get to know the physicians with whom you work regularly. A few minutes spent asking about their family or chatting about the weather will pay huge dividends in more pleasant interactions when you call at midnight about an elevated temperature.

Veteran nurses are busy and stressed, just like you are. Veteran nurses are also possibly of a different generation that you, and they aren't your family. They don't love you and think you're wonderful just because you're family. When you waste their time with stupid questions, they will get annoyed. I have never, EVER encountered a new employee of any type who didn't ask a stupid or poorly timed question a time or two. I'm sure you're not the exception. Part of your task as a new employee is to fit in with the veteran employees at your job. Time spent chatting with the veteran nurses about their families, the weather or the great new breakfast sandwich the cafeteria put on the menu will greatly improve your interactions with them.

if you think nursing is mostly robotic, you're doing it wrong. You need to have your brain fully engaged at all times. WHY are you hanging this IV, at this time, on this patient. Is the IV patent? Why is the patient getting this medication? If your cleaning up poop, has the color, consistency or frequency changed? Is the skin intact? Critical thinking is necessary.

The first year of nursing sucks, but for most people, it only lasts a year. The only way to get through it is to go through it. Good luck!

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

Every time this idea of customer satisfaction comes up I find myself totally mystified that a patient isn't justified in wanting to be satisfied with their care! Sure it's a tough job but like or not nursing and healthcare in general are service industries......... People pay exorbitant premiums and co-copays so nursing is a service they pay for. As for annoying family members sometimes they are the only ones looking out for a patient's welfare. Yesterday I visited my mom in a SNF and she was obtunded and dehydrated. Turned out they had been giving her Ativan around the clock with no psychotropic med consent from POA and they had no orders for keeping her hydrated or for I & O. I work for the same company in a different location so I know they were not following Facility P & P. I got a bedside sitter out of pocket to come in and stay with her to make sure she was getting fluids etc...... I was actually nice about it and if things continue I will most likely move her up to our facility ( I won't be able to care for her directly) but I will at least be able to make sure she is getting the care she needs.

Hppy

Let me attempt to illuminate the issue.

Patients who are pre-op cannot eat or drink. Patients who are scheduled for surgery have been exposed to attempts to communicate this fact along with the very valid reasons for it. Patients who cannot eat or drink often find themselves hungry or thirsty and sometimes they are very stupid and demand that the nurse give them something to eat or drink. If the nurse tells them no, they are dissatisfied customers. If they get something and eat or drink it, their surgery is cancelled or postponed and they are dissatisfied customers. If they have the surgery anyway (because anesthesia wasn't aware of their non-NPO status before intubating) and have a bad outcome, they are dissatisfied customers.

A dissatisfied customer who was kept strictly NPO and had a successful surgery with a good outcome is still unhappy about being kept NPO. Their healthcare was good, safe health care and their outcome was good. But they're unhappy because they weren't given what they wanted when they wanted it. That is why "customer satisfaction" tied to reimbursement is ludicrous. That is also why good outcomes tied to reimbursement won't work. Someone whose outcome is poor because of their own actions is going to be a dissatisfied customer, and the fact that you snuck in a bucket of fried chicken and ate it between checks by the pre-op nurse does not mean that the health care provided was inadequate.

[bellabellabijou]

ok...you got sticker shock. It wasn't like Grey's Anatomy, was it. Well, your are a young fish in a great big pond. For many, it takes years to understand and to adjust to this culture. If it's not for you, I suggest you stop now and find something else. But I would hope you'd see it as a life challenge. You can be a force of change as you grow in experience and knowledge. Or you can just throw up your hands and go find another job you'll hate and say sucks.

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

if you think nursing is mostly robotic, you're doing it wrong.

I couldn't agree more. There may be some areas of nursing which are mostly "robotic," but that should not be the case in the OP's unit. Far from it, in fact.

[NurseDiane]

I That said, I have to say I don't understand WHY nursing schools don't prepare nurses better. A hospital should not have to orient a new nurse for 6 weeks or more, in my opinion, but gone are the days when the new grad could hit the floor running.

And that is one of the big problems. Nurses are not prepared to do their jobs after graduation, which causes much undue stress. Sure, everybody wants bachelor's prepared nurses, but instead of taking 2 years' worth of crap courses, the actual nursing courses should be increased, with longer clinicals. We don't need courses like I took in my bachelor's program----East Asian music, Greek mythology, Oceanography. I would gladly have done another clinical or some other class relevant to nursing. But, alas, such is life.

I also think a major problem is that patients that are too sick to be on med surg floors are on med surg floors. When I was a med surg nurse 25+ years ago, I didn't have patients on vents, patients on pressor drips, or even telemetry. That stuff stayed in the ICU's, where it belongs. I had patients that stayed for 3 days after an appendectomy, 6 days after a cholecystectomy, 2 weeks after a total hip. They got cared for. Now, patients on med surg floors are teetering on the edge of needing ICU, and a floor nurse CANNOT, and SHOULD NOT, be taking care of 10 of them at a time. Sometimes more.

[NurseDiane]

Every time this idea of customer satisfaction comes up I find myself totally mystified that a patient isn't justified in wanting to be satisfied with their care! Sure it's a tough job but like or not nursing and healthcare in general are service industries......... People pay exorbitant premiums and co-copays so nursing is a service they pay for.

Wait a minute----nursing is not a "service" that people pay for. A "service" that people pay for is landscaping, housecleaning, babysitting, getting a manicure, having a meal at a restaurant. If I am a "service", then why is it I cannot take tips from patients? All other "service" workers take tips for their "service".

I have never known anyone that is in the hospital because they checked in at the front desk and wanted to be there, like I did at my last vacation. They have to be there. Healthcare is not in the service industry. However, since Medicare/insurance companies have turned it into a profitable business based on customer satisfaction surveys, it is mistakenly being called one. I guess it isn't enough for a patient to be able to walk again after a total knee replacement, or play golf again after they have a massive anterior wall MI, or walk out of the hospital with a newborn baby in their arms. I guess now we have to serve hot coffee with the number of sugars the patient wants in the same amount of time they would at McDonalds. The difference is, at McDonald's, the people there don't have to give medications, change bedsheets, monitor I&O, watch EKG's strips or know when to call a code. Of course there is nothing wrong with patients being satisfied with their "care" However, "care" is not being provided by a house maid, or chef, or waitress. And nurses are not house maids, chefs or waitresses. They are there to help heal, which is a B-I-G difference than being in a "service industry". I'm not saying that nurses should walk around miserable and treat patients like crap. But, they aren't there to wait on patients hand & foot. If that's what patients want, then they can spend their money on a private duty nurse or aide----something that is not covered by their insurance.

[pixiern15]

ok...you got sticker shock. It wasn't like Grey's Anatomy, was it. Well, your are a young fish in a great big pond. For many, it takes years to understand and to adjust to this culture. If it's not for you, I suggest you stop now and find something else. But I would hope you'd see it as a life challenge. You can be a force of change as you grow in experience and knowledge. Or you can just throw up your hands and go find another job you'll hate and say sucks.

That's wonderful advice from a veteran nurse, thanks. Nothing about my perception of nursing was remotely linked to Grey's anatomy. I went into nursing because nurses helped my dying grandmother when I was 12, and I fell in love with their compassionate nature. Once again, I haven't said it's not for me- I genuinely love this field. I was ranting about the reality of it (which most novice nurses don't know prior to entering the work force).

When I progress in education and seniority, I intend to advocate for better staffing, a respectful multidisciplinary-team-dynamic, and actual breaks.

P.S- I'm no quitter. I will find my fit.

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

That's wonderful advice from a veteran nurse, thanks. Nothing about my perception of nursing was remotely linked to Grey's anatomy. I went into nursing because nurses helped my dying grandmother when I was 12, and I fell in love with their compassionate nature. Once again, I haven't said it's not for me- I genuinely love this field. I was ranting about the reality of it (which most novice nurses don't know prior to entering the work force).

When I progress in education and seniority, I intend to advocate for better staffing, a respectful multidisciplinary-team-dynamic, and actual breaks.

P.S- I'm no quitter. I will find my fit.

With all due respect, and I really mean that, by your own admission, you are very new to nursing. You can speak to your own very limited experience, so writing that "nursing" sucks seems a little premature to me. I don't doubt for a minute that your experience is not uncommon. One only has to read a few threads here to see that is true. However, your experience is not necessarily universal, so imo the title of your thread is not fair. Especially as you have only worked for so short a time period.

I wish you a better experience the next time around. There are nurses out there who are happy with their jobs, who work for principled and supportive unit managers, have coworkers who are mature and help each other out, etc. "Nursing" can mean many things other than hospital nursing. There are many paths, and there are a fair amount of us out there who actually like nursing. If I were in a unit such as you describe, I would also run for the hills, so I'm making no excuses for your place of employment.

Good luck in the future. I wish you the best.

[peacockblue]

I did nearly 20 years of bedside nursing. Learned tons and mostly enjoyed the challenge for the first few years. After a while, going to work made me cry. Went back to school and am now a School Nurse. It's a good gig. I complain but that's because it is still a job. Keep at it, you will learn a lot and find your place. Or not. And that's ok too. We all gotta find out fit in life.

[pixiern15]

I never had a calling; I went into nursing because it seemed like interesting and stable employment with a good salary and benefits and flexible scheduling. It has turned out to be exactly that. I've had a nice lifestyle, owned my own home, taken nice vacations and driven a reliable car. But the first year of nursing was miserable for me back in the 1970s, and it seems that it is still miserable 40 years later.

The people who are buddies with the charge nurse do get better assignments. It could be that the charge nurse doesn't even realize she's doing that. It could be that she sees potential in you and is challenging you with tougher assignments to help improve your time management, assessment or other nursing skills. Or it could be that she's just a poor charge nurse.

SOME doctors are donkeys. SOME nurses are. When you're new, you're going to get more drama from a physician who is tired, stressed, unsure what to do, doesn't know you and probably doesn't yet trust you. As you become more experienced, you will present the information in a more coherent and complete manner, and possibly even suggest solutions. As you become more confident and the physician gets to trust you more, you'll get less drama. I would encourage you to get to know the physicians with whom you work regularly. A few minutes spent asking about their family or chatting about the weather will pay huge dividends in more pleasant interactions when you call at midnight about an elevated temperature.

Veteran nurses are busy and stressed, just like you are. Veteran nurses are also possibly of a different generation that you, and they aren't your family. They don't love you and think you're wonderful just because you're family. When you waste their time with stupid questions, they will get annoyed. I have never, EVER encountered a new employee of any type who didn't ask a stupid or poorly timed question a time or two. I'm sure you're not the exception. Part of your task as a new employee is to fit in with the veteran employees at your job. Time spent chatting with the veteran nurses about their families, the weather or the great new breakfast sandwich the cafeteria put on the menu will greatly improve your interactions with them.

if you think nursing is mostly robotic, you're doing it wrong. You need to have your brain fully engaged at all times. WHY are you hanging this IV, at this time, on this patient. Is the IV patent? Why is the patient getting this medication? If your cleaning up poop, has the color, consistency or frequency changed? Is the skin intact? Critical thinking is necessary.

The first year of nursing sucks, but for most people, it only lasts a year. The only way to get through it is to go through it. Good luck!

Respectfully, your post is laced with assumptions that I a) don't try to foster relationships with those around me, b) that I "waste their time with stupid questions" (I wouldn't approach someone unless I can't find the answer on my own, I know how busy RNs are), and c) I don't engage in critical thinking.

If I felt my charge was challenging me, I'd respect her far more for it. There are RNs/MDs on my team I have a good relationship with because they treat me with respect (which, I don't think is a lot to ask for). My description of nursing being "robotic" stems from having to implement orders all day long versus spending actual time with my patients. I can hardly sit for a moment before moving on to the next task. I do think critically, I wouldn't have gotten as far as I have without that. Thanks, good luck to you also.