I graduated from nursing school 13 years ago and now I'm wondering, sheesh, can anyone can get into nursing? Can anyone get a license to work? Is the NCLEX failing anyone?
Pretty good pay attracts many and schools seem to be passing anyone through to fill the job openings. It is not an academic group so far in my experience which I think is so weird because I think medical issues are very complicated and difficult-- pathophysiology and understanding multiple organ system function/failure-- heavy stuff.
I am sadly disappointed by the caliber of some of the nurses. I've been working over 10 years in the hospital setting and I still feel I don't understand so much and someone with 1 year experience acts like they know it all. So what is in their head? I think taking care of sick people is a huge responsibility. So much to be on top off. Just being aware of what changes to be concerned about-- you know, when someone is going bad. Much responsibility. This is a serious business, nursing and most go to work to socialize. It makes me so angry.
Second issue, but not less important is that the majority don't want to take care of patients- they whine and complain -- so much negativity. Yes, if it wasn't for the money, they'd be out of there. They don't appreciate having a job and not being unemployed-- come on, have they looked at the unemployment rate? Too many have gone into nursing for the pay. The "caring" factor is down at the bottom of their list or just gone. I feel sorry for the patients. I have very hard shifts- up to 10 med/surg patients sometimes and it is so stressful. But really you gotta try to treat the patients like you'd want your family to be treated. Bring back the :heartbeat to nursing!
Well, think about it. Nursing is not just a job. You can't pay someone to genuinely care and love their patients. It has to come from your heart.
I don't know what nursing school those people went to, but the one I'm currently attending is HARD! People drop out every single semester.
Yes, some people have that attitude, "I didn't go to school to give bed baths and bedpans!" I work as a tech and sometimes, I'm at the mercy of some of these nurses who thinks they are above diaper changing.
I don't know where they get such attitudes and at the end of the day, they get the big bonuses.
Please dont lump all of the "new nurses" in that category. I am a new nurse and I didnt know how to start an IV when I began nor was I comfortable mixing up IV meds. But boy could I write a wicked APA formated paper!!
Fact is good or bad, nursing school is not what it used to be. Clinical time is tough to come by--think of all the nursing schools out there, think of all the students, there are only so many hospital floors where clinicals can take place. So that means nurses today need a good preceptor. Yet hospitals today need a nurse to hit the ground running, they look at staffing and in many hospitals if you have those magic initials RN behind your name then you can fill a hole in the schedules. It doesnt say RN (who has yet to start an IV) it just says RN.
New nurses need encouragement, they need to be told "Hey suzy-you ever see an thorecentisis? Dr Bhaja is getting ready to do one in 485, go watch" They need to be told "Suzy-you ever zero an Art line-here come with me"
I love to hear the stories of the more senior nurses who actually lived at their nursing schools which were in the hospital. I couldnt imagine. They came out of nursing school being house supervisors. Nursing school is not like that now, that is not our fault, just the way society it. The schools make money by having more students, they get in as many students as they can and then we have to battle with other schools for clinical floor time, that is a scarcity.
I just graduated from an ADN program and do not feel confident with the skills of nursing. I did not give IV meds until my third semester because my first med-surge rotation was at a LTC facility. The days I was there as a student no one had an IV. I do not feel comfortable hanging a piggyback and have yet to put in a foley. The instructors were more focused on clinical paperwork objectives rather the hands on skills. I can write careplans, process recordings, and papers with the best of them.
I keep telling myself when I get a job I will get comfortable with these skills. I do not feel prepared to be on the floor.
I worked as an aide while in school and enjoyed it for the most part. As an aide my patients felt cared :redbeathefor and I hope I will be able to make time to show I care about my patients as an RN.
IHATEMEDSURG, I agree with everything you said...even with passing NCLEX, some people just should NOT be nurses, and you bet, there is a lot of negativity out there....but I'm curious, with your username being what it is, aren't you kind of like the pot calling the kettle black??
Wrong. There's no true nursing shortage, because 500,000 actively licensed nurses in the US are doing things other than working in the profession. There's only a shortage of nurses who would willingly work at the bedside to get abused from all angles, disrespected by many people, and poorly paid by employers.
The problem with fast tracking, isn't that potential Nurses have not been able to do everything. Preceptoring new nurses is vitaly important.
what I have seen is the lack of critical thinking skills in several new nurses coming out of these programs.
It realy does a diservice to all new Nurses,and future patients when a school is not making the extra effort to get clinical time into their curriculum for their students.
All that wonderful care plan writeing, will be condensed into check off sheets, or coputerized nursing documentation.
While it is important to learn theory, it is also very important to learn critical thinking as it applies to patient care issues.
In addition to being involved in situations were you use those skills.
We always try to find learning opportunities for our new Nurses.
We also tell them to ask for help, It however, in the real world, is also important for the New Nurse to speak up and say. I never had the opportunity to do x,y,z, will you let me know when a situation arises with those things, so I can shadow you,and learn.
Ask questions, Ask Questions, Ask Questions.
If your in a good facility, you will be given good direction, but remember, there are some things that You do need to know how to do, and those are the things that us Old Nurses get frustrated at, when a new nurse comes to the floor to work, and no one bothered to teach them while they were in school.
starting IV's is not one of those things, in general you learn that on your job, and go thru a work related skill with protochol, to do so.
I work in a teaching Hospital. So we TEACH. However, there is an expectation of base line learning that one needs to have before they come to us.
I am a nurse instructor and thinking about retiring soon. I became a nurse to care for my pts. The money was NEVER there. In fact, the only reason local nurse pay is getting better now is because there are so few nurses willing to do the job. And it is true, in the past two years, the NCLEX board exams have been made more difficult. Nursing schools rec'd a memo of explanation. As I understand it, more and more serious med and tx errors are being made at the bedside. To address this expensive liability concern, the exam is being written so only the students strongest in theory with the widest knowledge base will pass. And, hopefully, these students will demonstrate better and safer nursing practice in the workplace. Of course, the nurse shortage is in a vicious circle. No end in sight. The nurse faculty shortage is even more frightening. Our local LPN program closed after more than 20 years. Couldn't keep enough faculty at what they would pay. I made $19.25/hr after 11 years, no benefits. Hours and hours of unpaid prep time. Because that's what teachers are expected to do. The trade off for the M-F hours? When I was at the bedside, our workload never stopped growing. Budget cut housekeeping, nurses can mop floors. Cut respiratory staff, nurses can give nebs. Cut phlebotomy teams, the nurses can draw those labs. Oh, did anyone look at the 10 pt. assignment sheets because the schedule was posted with two nurses absent? OOPS, a vacation approved 8 months ago, and a maternity leave? How can that be schedulings fault???? Our local community ADN programs have a 3 year waiting list for their nursing programs. And the biggest, with over 40,000 students, is only accepting 88 fall nursing students. I think we've reached critical mass. Is anybody listening?
Specializes in Med/Surg since ‘96; PACU since ‘16.
IHATEMEDSURG, I agree with everything you said...even with passing NCLEX, some people just should NOT be nurses, and you bet, there is a lot of negativity out there....but I'm curious, with your username being what it is, aren't you kind of like the pot calling the kettle black??
Sparkette, it is a negative user name isn't it? I found and joined allnurses after a particularly hellish shift. I don't hate nursing but I hate the way I have to work. I hate that I don't have time to be with my patients because I have so much charting and check-offing to do. I hate when I can't give report because the next shift doesn't want to be there. I hate that we staff a 30-bed unit with only 3 nurses because NOONE wants to come in extra. My last shift I had 9 patients. It was really hard. That's why I hate Med/Surg. Yeah I wish I could change my name now. It does add to the negativity but it was the way I felt. It is sadness too. I'm sad about med/surg and nursing.
Sparkette, it is a negative user name isn't it? I found and joined allnurses after a particularly hellish shift. I don't hate nursing but I hate the way I have to work. I hate that I don't have time to be with my patients because I have so much charting and check-offing to do. I hate when I can't give report because the next shift doesn't want to be there. I hate that we staff a 30-bed unit with only 3 nurses because NOONE wants to come in extra. My last shift I had 9 patients. It was really hard. That's why I hate Med/Surg. Yeah I wish I could change my name now. It does add to the negativity but it was the way I felt. It is sadness too. I'm sad about med/surg and nursing.
I dont think that you should change your name. Med surg DOES suck! And it's well known. I have heard nurses in other departments call this floor "The hospital dumping ground". And it takes a lot of skill to work there. Med surg gets no respect. Changing your name wont change the floor. More burnout happens here than anywhere else!
Specializes in peds critical care, peds GI, peds ED.
My Stars! This is the most depressing thread I have read in a very long time!
All of you echo the same sentiments of frustration, sadness and disappointment in your chosen profession. Maybe it is time to step back for just a minute and realize we are not a bunch of idiots with no control over our profession. Let me ask, are we raising our voices loud enough? Instead of complaining amongst ourselves and flogging ourselves with self-pity, could this energy not be better placed? How do we use our collective power as one of the most needed and desired professions in the world to create change? Nothing ever changes until a group of people get angry and empowered enough to make their voices heard.
How long will the future of nursing be held hostage by people who would not know a bedpan from a cake pan? Are we ready to be the leaders we should be in health care?
Frankly, I get a little annoyed by people who talk about the "calling" of being a nurse. I love my job (NP), but I wouldn't do it for free, so the money is part of it. What's wrong with expecting a fair rate of pay for your work?!?
NewTexasRN
331 Posts
Well, think about it. Nursing is not just a job. You can't pay someone to genuinely care and love their patients. It has to come from your heart.
I don't know what nursing school those people went to, but the one I'm currently attending is HARD! People drop out every single semester.
Yes, some people have that attitude, "I didn't go to school to give bed baths and bedpans!" I work as a tech and sometimes, I'm at the mercy of some of these nurses who thinks they are above diaper changing.
I don't know where they get such attitudes and at the end of the day, they get the big bonuses.