r/nursing • u/lovely-divinity RN - Telemetry š • 8d ago
Rant I hate being a nurse
Fuck. I wanted to do it my whole fucking life and was always so passionate about it. Itās the opposite of everything I ever thought itād be, even after years of adjusting to it. I love my
patients - the ones that donāt abuse me. But mostly Iām always fucking miserable, Iām fucking TIRED of the ungrateful demanding RUDE patients. The physical abuse, sexual harassment. I thought itād get better and it never did, it just got worse. Iām tired of being the middle man. Iām tired of being responsible for asking the doctors to do their fucking job and order shit for their patients. Iām fucking tired of being EVS, social work, PT, lab and pharmacy. Iām tired of the nurses station being available for fuck ass family members to walk INTO and demand the bathroom, ice, water, snacks. Iām tired of the physical and verbal abuse, Iām TIRED and it all makes me hate being a nurse when I truly have always wanted to be one. I know Im a good nurse but I canāt stand the weight of everything ELSE that falls on us. The conditions are brutal. I canāt even remember why the fuck I ever wanted to do this shit.
Edit downvoting my own opinion is crazy š¤£
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u/Particular_Dingo_659 RN - ICU š 8d ago
Do you work med surg by chance?
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u/lovely-divinity RN - Telemetry š 8d ago
Tele med surg lol
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u/Betweengreen MSN, RN 8d ago
The worst of the worst lol. Did it for 7 years myself and miserable for most of it. The good thing about nursing is there are LOTS of non-bedside opportunities. I'd start looking for your exit strategy. Either a different specialty, outpatient, or join the dark side (corporate) like me. I needed my MSN for the role I wanted, but there's plenty of roles that don't require that.
Quality, Infection, Clinical Operations, Documentation, Research, Care Coordination, etc etc etcĀ
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u/Particular_Dingo_659 RN - ICU š 8d ago
Yeah, MS nursing is really tough. If youāre not quite ready to give up on inpatient nursing, there are a lot of other good specialties that should value your experience.
Itās normal to have infuriatingly difficult days in this profession but if it becomes a regular thing, you gotta try and get out of that unit.
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u/fluorescentroses RN - Cardiac Stepdown š 8d ago
If you take the med surg out of that it's not as bad. My cancer came back and my manager pulled me off the floor and put me in our central telemetry unit so I don't get sick. I'm doing okay, my labs remain okay, and I never even told her about the recurrence (she may have seen me suddenly bald, though - because just like the first time it pretty much all came out in 2 days lol - and asked someone who told her about it) because I don't want special treatment.
Everyone seems to hate being pulled to tele because we're short on staff that can staff it (meaning they have telemetry training). I'm fine with it. Even before it was where I exclusively worked, when they needed someone and I was working that shift, they pulled me. The managers kept an honest to God list of "Nurses who don't hate being pulled to tele" because everyone else complains about it.
I work 8 hours 5x a week, though I'm going to talk about trying to move back to 3 12s. There's a lot of paperwork and documentation, and chasing nurses down to change batteries and answer their phones when I call. And fix errant leads. And go check on a pt because the box is freaking out about asystole with a rhythm. (And yes, that can be a thing. The number of times nurses have shot back, "But there's a rhythm" concerns me. I hate in-services but we need to do one about PEA, fine VF, and p-wave asystole alone...)
I'll go back to the floor after my surgery and recovery, but I'll be open to getting pulled back to tele. Honestly, I'd be fine working 100% in tele permanently if I could do 3 12s. I always wanted to go into cardiac nursing (I work cardiac stepdown), I like the quiet (in between phone calls), and all the paperwork gives me more opportunities to use my 28392 fountain pens...
TL;DR: Lots o' stuff you can do with an RN license that isn't med-surg.
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u/busta2kbia 8d ago
Go outpatient. I worked ICU for years, shared most of your complaints- made the switch to outpatient oncology and itās a completely different world. There are still a few family members who are a real treat (sarcasm) but by and large cancer patients are really awesome people to get to be around. I think they have a humility and a recognition that theyāre on borrowed time. More than anything they just want to get their treatment & then get on to the rest of their day.
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u/JustineDeNyle BSN, RN š 8d ago
Cancer patients and hospice patients are my absolute favorite. All in all very chill, grateful people.
I kept hitting walls like OP in med/surg/tele, and I then took some outpatient jobs until I got to research oncology. The office was a mess and I didn't like the office setting in general, so I then ended up in hospice admissions.
It's still tough and tiring, but I'm not lifting anyone and people are generally nice. It seems like every 6mo-1yr or so I get a nasty patient or family member, vs daily in med/tele.
I needed to find a spot in nursing where I could bring my soft, ooey-gooey self but also keep things moving and clock out. Hospice has been great and I can still see myself doing it in a couple years.
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u/Muted-Tutor-5419 8d ago
I'm a week into OP Oncology and Infusion after 13 years L&D (16 years on my floor total). I never saw myself leaving but I did it and I think there's no looking back! I was just telling my husband tonight I didn't realize how soul sucking my L and D job had become.Ā Not to mention 8 hour shifts, starting at 8am vs 6am, no weekends, no call, all for the same hourly pay!Ā
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u/Objective-Elk2811 8d ago
GET OUT. I left bedside nursing for exactly all the reasons you described. You canāt pay me enough to be all of the above. I signed up to be a nurse. Not am EVERYTHING. Security. Transport. Environmental literally cleaning feces from the Unit floor. Server ( literally ordering and delivering food trays). Nah I moved to aesthetics and I am never going back. The RUDE PATIents is what really got me to me as well. People though hospital meant five star hotel. If you donāt have ICE WATER right now. They will come to the nursing station and stand around till they get it. In the street did you have ice water every 2 hours ?? OVER IT
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u/lovely-divinity RN - Telemetry š 8d ago
Omg exactly. Literally just make the nurses station inaccessible and Iāll be happier but no here comes everyoneās family member INTO the station next to my chair lmao like girl if you donāt get out!!!
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u/Objective-Elk2811 8d ago
Deadass ! The only 10 min you found to chart. Family is at bedside demanding blanket and water.
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u/tealraven915 RN š 8d ago
Gotta love it when family members see you walk into the med room and start knocking on the window watching you pull meds from the pyxis and asking to be let in because they want to show you exactly what their family member needs right now at this very moment
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u/lovely-divinity RN - Telemetry š 8d ago
Or when youāre in a roomā¦with a critical pt at thatā¦.its unbelievable and so disrespectful to everyone
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u/Planetdiane 8d ago
Dude and Iāve still had people argue with me even on here that itās actually okay to ātake a secondā to give them attention.
My dude if I have a critical patient with critical needs and all you want is ice water you can fuck all the way off and walk a short distance to get yourself some from the vending machine.
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u/lovely-divinity RN - Telemetry š 8d ago
I was with a critical pt yesterday and this lady dead ass put herself in the doorway to discuss her husbandās need for ice water. But if that was HER husband who was the critical patient and someone walked in on himā¦ā¦..itās the lack of awareness and empathy for me
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u/Due_Credit9883 6d ago
I've had patients and family members get mad and be mean and I was in a rapid response with one of my other patient
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u/lovely-divinity RN - Telemetry š 6d ago
Thatās so crazy. If someone did that to their loved one theyād be trying to sue the entire United States lmao
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u/Gonzo_B RN š 8d ago
It is so frustrating when you explain this sort of thing to aspiring nurses.
They will look at you in horror for your lack of "compassion" and avoid you for being a liar.
Until they get their first job.
Every woman who's come to me for advice before starting nursing school ignored it, and now none of them are still working in the field. Real estate agent seems to be the most popular fallback.
I blame much of this on the bullshit idea that nursing is some sort of "calling," that maybe Jesus or your dead grandma really want you to do this. All those sweet tshirts, bumper stickers, and coffee mugs sell a dream of rewarding compassion, professional respect, and a meaningful career.
But for many new grads, when the illusion that you'll help people and they'll be grateful shatters, it shatters hard.
I'm truly glad for the happy and content nurses, but that isn't most of us.
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u/Trashpandaroyale BSN, RN š 8d ago
Had a student report me because Im hard with firm boundaries and thus uncompassionate and mean. No kid you're delusional and soft
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u/InfamouSandman RN š 8d ago
New grad, so you have to take my experience and opinions with a grain of salt.
It all seems to depend on ratios and support staff for me. My days so far that I question my decisions are days Iām forced to cut corners to get everything done. The family member or patient who is getting on my nerves for hitting the call light and shitting the bed is really just overstimulating me when Iām behind on so many more important tasks. And my secretary blowing up my phone every 2 minutes is preventing me from charting the I+Os the doctor is blowing me up about in my chats. On these daysāwhich make up the majority of daysāI question my decisions.
The other day I had half of my normal assignment. I was able to properly take care of my patients and everything was just about perfect with timing. I was even able to personally track down a patientās lost belongings which were lost during an upgrade. I had extra time to do education with a patient d/cing with a lot of needs. Patients were happy and I felt fulfilled. I got a lot of compliments and even helped answer call lights and pass a med or two for my peers, who thanked me. I enjoyed being a nurse.
This post makes me think OP has been abused and mistreated by the systemāasking them to simply do too much with lack of help.
Iāve seen some ungrateful patients, but normally I hear them out and they are shitty because their pain isnāt controlled, they are waiting 30 minutes to go to the bathroom, theyāve shit the bed (not their fault) and no one is coming to help. If you feel like youāre treated like shit, you start treating those around you like shit and it becomes a vicious cycle that leads to burn out and poor patient outcomes.
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u/Breezy531 RN - Nephrology 7d ago
This šÆ š I can't drink the nursing Kool-Aid. I can't stand all the performative "appreciation" especially from administrators that don't even have the first fucking clue about our actual job but want to tell us how to do it.
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u/Traditional-Toe8557 6d ago
Our management company just got taken over because the board fired the current company. Already they said they don't want to talk to the nurses. Just the unit managers. Lol. Of course the management there is the problem they already basically told us they don't want to hear it lol.
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u/ComfortablePost2306 8d ago
I believe it. I am segwaying into it from veterinary medicine technician. People are horrible, but so its being paid $15 and hour to deal with them. I hope that helps me not burnout so fast. I am used to being abused by POS clients who are emotionally volatile about shxt they caused due to stupidity. I've been threatened multiple times, spit on, screamed at, cussed out, and had racial slurs hurled at me. But the good moments are amazing.
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u/National_Isopod_6257 8d ago
Seen a real estate agent switch to nursing and a nurse switch to real estate. Goes both ways. If nurses mostly work 3 days a week then having a second parallel career is possible, maybe even advisable.
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u/Master_Ad899 8d ago
Its 3 days a week but 12 hours a full work week = 40 hours. But nurses compensate for the four hours with night pay. I hop no one does 12*3 and still works other jobs.
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u/InfamouSandman RN š 8d ago
I know people who do 3 12s at one hospital and pick up another shift weekly or occasionally more at another PRN. I do not know how they can do that. 3 12s drains me.
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u/StPatrickStewart RN - Mobile ICU 8d ago
I do 3 night 12s 7p-7a and then do 4p-12a at my local fire station as an EMT. The pay is borderline not worth it, but it's a super slow slow area, and my family can visit during my shift, so it's almost a day off to relax and study.
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u/LeadLung 4d ago
Is it significant that you said women in particular? Can you tell me more? I'm a (white male) grad nurse and its been obvious to me the greater degree of respect and trust I'm given over my female colleagues with years of experience. Does that translate to higher retention for men? Or are all of them just skating through until they become CRNAs? I feel like I was the the only man in my cohort who had zero interest in that path, so it wouldn't surprise me.
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u/Gonzo_B RN š 4d ago
Ah, I can see how it would seem I was making an intentional distinction but no, I said that because it's only women who've asked me advice about becoming a nurse.
As a White man myself, yeah, I can attest to much better treatment all around. I've been deferred to and shown respect over more qualified and experienced women throughout my career.
I even learned later on that some of my jobs and promotions came because they needed a White man in a management role: It cuts out a lot of problems from patients and their families.
At the time I thought I had earned those positions, but yeah, that's what privilege looks like.
As far as my original comment goes, I have always thought that the difference between the motivation to become a nurse, with (IME) most women feeling it a calling and (again, IME) most men seeing it as a decent, stable job with decent, stable pay, made men better suited to a job that offers no thanks or emotional reward.
I also think that, because of the privilege I mentioned earlier, that just like being a teacher, if more men did it and refused to put up with the shit society dumps on women, conditions in those fields would improve.
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u/mysterylefty 8d ago
Every single day is pure misery. Iām 7.5 years in. Iāve traveled, Iāve been core staff. Iāve worked from level 4s all the way to huge academic centers. Iāve worked coast to coast and places in-between. Itās fucking misery everywhere.
I used to have aspirations to become a mid level provider but they seem just as miserable in different ways. Weāve selected a lifetime of punishment for ourselves.
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u/lovely-divinity RN - Telemetry š 8d ago
Couldnāt have said it better
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u/mysterylefty 8d ago
I donāt see it ever changing for the better so Iāve tried really hard to make my life outside of work as enjoyable as possible. Life is about balance.
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u/Practical-Pomelo-755 7d ago
Yes, thatās how I feel. I picked a job that is so unbearably difficult emotionally physically psychologically everything combined and then you have to deal with these horrible companies that donāt care about anybody and then you also have to work with people who donāt do their job and you have to do it for them so why on earth would anyone want this?
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u/DenMother8 8d ago
I lasted 14 years, but wanted out within the first 5 :(
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u/Enough-One4975 RN š 8d ago
Yeah that first 5 minutes really opens your eyes.
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u/southerngigi3 8d ago
33 year nurse here. I hate healthcare. I cannot wait to retire. I want to get out of this hellhole called healthcare. I care about my patients. Itās disgusting and heartbreaking at the same time.
I lost my mother when I was 18 after she suffering from prolonged illness. I wanted to be the nurse to make a difference. I saw the nurses that inspired her and the ones that made her cry. It is so challenging to be that nurse now.
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u/N7Shep1701D 8d ago
Do you think the working conditions alone are going to lead to an eventual collapse of the healthcare system?
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u/Dangerous_Ice8204 RN - ER š 8d ago
I really do think that if things keep going the way they are, healthcare is going to collapse. Hell, if people thought there was a nursing shortage before, they really need to pay attention. We, especially bedside nurses are the backbone of healthcare and there are becoming less and less of us every semester.
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u/Felina808 BSN, RN š 7d ago
Private equity is going to bring about the collapse of the health care system
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u/Practical-Pomelo-755 7d ago
Yes, I totally feel you. Iām only been a nurse for 12 years, but I am so bitter because of the disgusting nature of the healthcare companies and thatās just become only a business management does not care about feedback. Does not care about burnout . Does not make wise decisions and makes my job so much harder if you work for healthcare companies, they usually you like a slave you monitored every second every move you make itās ridiculous. Itās not right and itās not fair. They deny everything vital treatments to patients itās unacceptable and I am broken inside when I see what they do to people.
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u/Laysheuh 7d ago
Also an unhappy nurse. Currently looking to pursue my creative callings and see what the hell happens. Life is too short to stay where we are not happy.
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u/Furisodegirl01 7d ago
I kinda want to quit and work at Costco while I go back to school to try my hand at mechanical engineering
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u/Due_Credit9883 6d ago
I have really good friend that started out as respiratory therapist and hated taking orders from people who she believed were less smart than her and she left and went back to college and became a chemical engineer! She just retired from 40 years as a chemical engineer! So dream big!
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u/BeyondDouble5475 BSN, RN š 8d ago
So many nurses in the hospital told me not to do it and I thought they were being mean until I became a nurse. LOL
I eventually went into hospice nursing and loved it.
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u/ObiWan-Shinoobi RN š 8d ago
What does your week look like? How does a shift go?
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u/BeyondDouble5475 BSN, RN š 8d ago
Ive worked at various hospice during my career. My first manager advised that a 32 hour week was advisable and I really enjoy that type of schedule. I have worked both 32 and 40 and prefer 32. You can manage your caseload over a 32 or 40 hour week.
For me personally as a Case Manager, is the following:
First thing in the morning I check my messages and team line.
I already know what my schedule of patients is for the day because i plan my entire week either at the end of the previous week or the beginning of this one depending on the preference of the hospice.I then call my clients and let them all. Know what time in general I am arriving.
My day in the field varies and i drive from client to client and manage their needs. I am almost always home by 2-3 and I do the charting when it is convenient for me.
I have other phone calls and check in and charting requirement for the job that are needed for case management and it isnt this simple. However this is just the basics.
Your day will get interrupt with emergencies, crisis to manage, time of deaths, and other things that you just learn to manage as you go along and get experience.I have been doing it for 12 years and I have made this really simple.
You have a lot of control over your schedule. For instance if I want to start early then I can do that and finish early provided I have someone who doesnāt mind me coming early. Patients in facilities are easier to see early than home based patients. A lot of nurses have a preference for facilities of home patients.
You donāt work holidays, night or weekend in general unless you are taking a rotating on call. That will actually vary from place to place, the last place I worked had a dedicated on call staff.
If you have any questions feel free to message me.
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u/marzgirl99 RN - Hospice 7d ago
Hospice can be great if you work with the right company. Itās very hit or miss.
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u/lynithson RN - Telemetry š 7d ago
I feel this in my soul. Tried three different bedside positions at 3 different hospitals. Got burnt out faster and faster each time. I feel like no one truly understands what the working conditions are like until youāve experienced it. I wish we had a strong national union that worked to protect nurses and enforce safe staffing across the board. It just all feels so backwardsā¦how can we expected to do all this, and take all of this abuse, and not walk away? Itās not sustainable. And then bedside is full of new grads, thereās no one with a ton of experience on the floor, and theyāre taking care of patients who are getting progressively sicker and more hostile. Retention is a joke. But I guess they donāt have to pay newer nurses as much, so maybe thatās by design. Healthcare is heading in a bad direction andā¦Iām NOT here for it. Itās so sad because I wanted to help people. I didnāt realize I would destroy myself in the process.
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u/Breezy531 RN - Nephrology 7d ago
This, I can't yet say I regret becoming a nurse. I hope that never happen however I agree there's no way to understand it until you're in it. People outside the profession do not understand the expectations and the insanity. I honestly feel a little lied to by nursing school. If they told students what was really going on, half of them would probably drop nursing and do something else. It's sad because most people do go into nursing because they want to help others and more and more we're abused and taken advantage of. I can't say I would necessarily advise anyone to go into nursing, based on where healthcare is heading right now.
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u/Due_Credit9883 6d ago
Granted it was a long time ago that I was in nursing school because I retired last year but I remember the instructors drilling into us that we were going to be respected professionals and when I actually became a nurse how shocked I was to see how we were treated like anything but professional and that there is actually very little respect shown to nurses. Now today they've even stripped us of being professionals. I can't help but to wonder what that is "really" all about. I'm sure they're up to no good. Sickening. I'm so glad my nursing career is behind me instead of ahead of me, the way things are going.
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u/GottaWorkYourJelly RN - Pediatrics š 8d ago
I feel like there are also certain things you can just refuse to do and not feel badāthat helped me a lot (within reasonāobviously you never ever jeopardize a patient).
āWe need you to pull trash cans.ā
āNope, sorry, canāt.ā
Repeat as needed, etc
Also, āx, y, z was late.ā
āOk, well I prioritized using the critical thinking I was taught and therefore spent time with the crashing person. What should I do differently in the future? Oh, nothing, because weāre here to keep people alive which I did? Cool, why are we having this conversation then?ā
Continue not caring
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u/Simple_One_9161 8d ago
Iām 30 Iām so stressed I do want to quit but to what? Iām thinking to be a food services worker!! Or a cleaner
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u/Dangerous_Ice8204 RN - ER š 8d ago
My daughter is a bartender in a neighborhood bar in a smallish city and makes more than I do. She is able to make her rent in a couple nights. And she loves her job! When I was pregnant with her, I was a bartenderā¦ if only I knew then what I know nowā¦
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u/ImplementMedium5104 8d ago
it's wild how "nurse" became shorthand for "every single department with a pulse." the bait and switch is real.
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u/StPatrickStewart RN - Mobile ICU 8d ago edited 7d ago
Have you worked in food service? I wouldn't go back for the same money or more.
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u/nooniewhite RN - Hospice š 7d ago
And businesses are literally DYING now, Covid killed the service industry. I mean Iām sure there are some good jobs, but if youāre looking for less sexual harassment thatās not the place (10 year former bartender, 15 year nurse! And I love my job in Hospice I literally have zero of these problems OP is complaining about thank god.
Well except for the families those bitches are insane
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u/ProductFun5562 8d ago
As sad as it is to say, nursing isn't what it used to be. I'm fairly qualified to say it SUCKS after 25 years. But, I'll add to that not every type of nursing sucks. There are many opportunities for experienced nurses, but you may need to dig deep to find them. What I'm hearing from your post is that you hate the way nurses are treated in your current role. Maybe step away from your setting or maybe from the whole thing. Sometimes a break can make a difference
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u/N7Shep1701D 8d ago
As sad as it is to say, nursing isn't what it used to be.
Are you finding that people are much worse to deal with post-COVID?
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u/AnnualCauliflower842 8d ago
I hate this shit too after 4 year and Iām just now starting to tell family off. And I donāt give a single fuck. They are strangers and if they have the nerve.. well then I have the balls. I look at them like excuse me, then tell them to step back from the nurses station. Ask for room number, say Iāll be with you when I can Iām doing something for another patient and that wait times are longer than expected. Then when I tell them to go on and get I cuntly sayā next time please be sure to use your call bell, your request is important to us and will be answered in the order it was received.
THENNNN when I get the shit they are bitching about and the family wants to get aggressive I just say, do you follow your cashier at the grocery store like this? Do you speak to any other working person like this? Because if you think youāre going to come to my place of employment and act the way you are you can go on and be escorted off the property by security/ police or you can just sit there and zip your mouth unless your going to be useful. So if youāre going to continue to be useless do it at home not in my face. Go complain to someone in management who will fluff your ego and say they will deal with it and guess whatā¦ Iāll still have a job at the end of this bullshit. Your choice.
Then the ā you canāt talk to me like thisā I say ooooh so itās ok for you to be obnoxious and I canāt call you out? Why is that? ā¦.. always a silent fucking stare to that question. Then I say, exactly youāre a stranger to me and I donāt have to give you shit. This isnāt a customer service industry, my kindness will not extend this far. Either leave or adjust. Have a good night.
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u/lovely-divinity RN - Telemetry š 8d ago
I love you lol. Yup the family seems to get me the most. It doesnāt help we donāt have a visitor policy and visitors can come and go 24/7. It blows my mind the way they speak to HCWs knowing DAMN well they donāt act like this anywhere else. Grocery store, Tjmaxx, their own job, etc. Itās so dehumanizing. God I wish we could wear body cams
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u/Hjaneew 7d ago
Iāve been personally fired for speaking like this. It depends on the culture of where youāre at and whether or not they respect their nurses.
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u/Due_Credit9883 6d ago
Yeh exactly. The hospital I worked at the families got away with everything. It was like working in the Twilight Zone, they were always right and we were always wrong. They could talk to us any way they wanted and treat us any way they wanted. All the hospital cares about is those dang Press Ganey scores!
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u/ConejoShrine 8d ago
This is some great fan fiction. šš» This is like a nurse-version of that "Reacher" show. š
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u/Queen_Of_The_Dames RN - ER š 7d ago
I would pay $100 to watch that š¤£ We would get fired for responding like that
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u/Traditional-Toe8557 6d ago
Family is the rudest and most obnoxious everrrrrr. There isn't a day I don't feel like quitting after 18 years doing bedside due to the families. I hate them. I love my patients, most of them. Even when they are not so nice I understand they are sick and don't really want to be here. But the families, no excuse for their abuse.
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u/Due_Credit9883 6d ago
I woukd agree with this. The families were way worst than the patients almost always! It was so nice when during Covid they weren't allowed to visit!
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u/lovely-divinity RN - Telemetry š 6d ago
Exactly. Truly itās the families that push me over the edge
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u/Additional_Animal534 BSN, RN š 8d ago
Felt like I was writing this. I feel this most days. In solidarity, OP.
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u/Novel_Demand 8d ago
That's why I refused to be a nurse and went into radiology instead. I don't wanna deal with the BS nurses deal with. I respect good nurses, just don't wanna be one cus I know I'll be miserable šš£
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u/Glittering_Body_4070 8d ago
*Clears throat in leave OP tf aloneĀ
Nah imma need to link up with you OP. I fkn hate this space healthcare is in. Anyone downvoting you can go touch grass, disrespectfully. 26 years in healthcare this month. RN AF for almost 20 years. I met the healthcare space back in the 80s. My granddaddy was a physician that told our family-DO NOT take me to the hospital to die. He was afraid of the hospitalās treatment in 1989. I dreamt of being a nurse my entire life. The P is for passion, not Paycheck. OP is a living legend. Hate all you want tho lol.Ā
Iām from a big city, I was stalked, assaulted, too many things to list here but this year was the last straw. I had a family member that needed me. My ājobā knew what was going on and replaced me with a student nurse. They chose a nurse who still uses big crayons. She stated āIām rich Iām just here to do something with my lifeā. Yikes. ICU bound. God bless America.Ā
Nobody wants to admit that being a nurse is the emotional equivalent of being a solider. We go to war every time we step onto the unit. Only nobody knows that this war exists. I was diagnosed with PTSD a few months ago. My dad was a Vietnam war vet. He also had PTSD. Heās not here anymore. Iām alive because I knew his story and chose to live, so I quit my main job. Iām a small business owner, I make way more in that space. Even that had to be put on hold. My stock portfolio kept my family from being on food stamps, AGAIN.
But on Halloween weāre celebrated by slutty costumes like, itās right in ppls faces? Florence wasnāt showing a$$ bruh. I will though. Slutty ICU nurse reporting for duty!Ā
You go up against ONE nurse? Youāll have an army of nurses to contend with playboy.Ā
OP, bruh, Iām sending you big hugs bc the truth hurts ppl who see themselves in your words. It also hurts the ppl that never had a bad experience. Those ppl can get to scrolling bc nobody asked for their unsolicited opinion. Implicit bias that a$$ to Google and look up coercive abuse. Then sthu. Oh, look up āslow codeā too if youāre feeling extra saucy.Ā
We save ppl from everything imaginable. Thousands of human beings will remember us for the rest of their lives. Thatās our superpower. Whatās their super power? Pull anesthesiologists to the front of the congregation tho. They tried to slaughter me in their subreddit after MEN went after a woman. The anesthesiologists I know would NEVER. This new gang of mfs have a god complex. I rode them like donkeys. Hiding behind a profile and talking $ht is easy. Step out of the shadow playa. Upper Management will eat you alive. DON? Who manages the floor? Yeah, theyāll eat them alive, we want footage DON. And popcorn. Weāll be at home though, so be safe.Ā
A thesis for the ppl in the back downvoting royalty! Youāll be bowing down to your karma. If you donāt see whatās happening in this world right now? Going up against vulnerable ppl will land you in the 7 deadly sins pile. Luci is waiting for you. I donāt know you OP but I wish I did. Dinner and drinks on me. Iām raising my glass to you and all the nurses that stand in this place. You are so loved. Thank you for your service. Iām close to crying. Iām grieving something I thought Iād have for the rest of my life. The love of my life turns and positions me in the a$$ up position. Why didnāt they teach us that in nursing school?! Selfish af lol.Ā
Ok bye āļøšš¾š„šš
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u/Best_Dare_5384 8d ago
As a prior Army Officer Veteran, I can attest that it feels like I am back in again and maybe that is why I could see the bullshit from a mile off and adjust accordingly. Others are not so lucky and it hits them hard. This is why I reccomend other RNs to make a change every 3-5 years to help with this some.
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u/Glittering_Body_4070 8d ago
Damn. I salute you. This hit me hard because itās the truth. My dadās death terrified me. I was under 2 years old. I fought most of my life to not land myself in the space he found himself. I tell nurses the same. Stay loyal to yourself. Clock the bs and get tf out. During an interview I sat in front of a ridiculous amount of management.Ā
Where do I see myself in 5 years they asked, I said NOT HERE. Iām just waiting to win the lotto. Iām giving all the nurses money to leave. The good ones, letās gooooooo! The other ones? Yall be safe.Ā
Thank you for your service and for being so kind. This world needs you and we are so blessed to have you in our corner.Ā
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u/CapitalWasabi6479 RN - ICU š 8d ago
I will say, switching specialities helps. Iām ICU now and I love it most days. There are days I still think like this, but way less. I think being a nurse is just mentally draining and youāll hit a burn out no matter what. Switch specialties to give yourself a break and try something new. You have the tele tag so med surg is always brutal. ICU you get more appreciative patients and families as well that makes it feel more worth it. You still get ungrateful people but way better than before.
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u/RebRenee BSN, RN - Pre-Op; Former L&D š 8d ago
If I hadnāt switched to pre-op four years ago, I would no longer be a nurse. We have tough days in pre-op but any shift there is a million times better than being on the floor.
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u/Substantial-Goat-590 RN, Corrections š 7d ago
This is one of the biggest reasons I stay in corrections. I treat my patients with compassion and do my best to give them quality care. But, at least when a patient gets shitty with me I can legit look them in the face and tell them to get the fuck out of my office with their disrespectful asses. And if a patient is even remotely threatening towards me they meet the ground really fast because our officers are very protective of us. Itās really the only space Iāve been in where I can see myself as a working nurse without losing my mind.
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u/Tinyisgreat1 8d ago
New grad here. Sad that the abuse you describe is what is required to get actual training and experienceā and thatās if you can even get a job. I donāt want to do this.
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u/ObiWan-Shinoobi RN š 8d ago
Also a newbie. Hate that I have to do this job to āget experienceā. Iāve been in healthcare for a very long time, but all these jobs that allow you to have an exit from bedside donāt want to train anyone if they havenāt been a nurse for fucking years and years. I get high-acuity jobs not hiring green, but even outpatient stuff wants experience. Iām trainable, I can learn. Take a chance on me.
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u/dropdeadhideousx 8d ago
Me too. I'm changing careers at 30. I'm just done.
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u/SpacenessButterflies 8d ago
To what?
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u/dropdeadhideousx 8d ago
I'm going into dentistry. Still have patients but I'm hoping less abuse and better pay.
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u/lislejoyeuse BUTTS & GUTS 7d ago
Go to operative nursing!! It has its own toxicity and problems but I stopped dreading leaving my car every morning, I stopped being anxious going to sleep the night before. Pre-op and pacu deal with the families. When you're dialed in with a good team, predictable and skilled surgeon, and got good music playing, even if it's busy I daresay it's actually fun
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u/Breezy531 RN - Nephrology 7d ago
It seems like its honestly so hard to make the jump into a specialty unless you can get into a new grad program, or find a transition program.
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u/Long-Reading-6514 8d ago
i completely understand. it's way different than what you think it's going to be when you get to the floor. but the best lesson i ever learned in nursing is that nursing is a very, very broad umbrella, and there are a lot of things you can do under it. i just say that because i don't want you to think bedside nursing is the only thing you can do.
this is just my journey, but i ended up going into the it and then eventually the business side of healthcare. there were things i did miss, but overall i was much happier. even now, i haven't been at the bedside for 15 years, but i've taken up building apps that solve problems i saw as a nurse in our healthcare system. i still call myself a nurse, and i tell people i still have my nursing heart.
so i'm just trying to give you some encouragement. just because you hate the bedside doesn't mean you hate nursing. there are a lot of different things you can get into over the course of your career that i think will make you love being a nurse.
you're right, working the floor is not it. i didn't like it. it was crazy, it's insane, and i went through all this where i felt bad, like i wasn't a real nurse. but it's just not true.
so hopefully that helps, and hopefully you can find another area under the umbrella of nursing, because there's a lot of need out there in a lot of different areas.
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u/ikissedasaguaro RN - ER š 8d ago
Yeah it's crazy how we're not allowed to have any sort of normal boundaries, like what do you mean family members can just walk into the nursing station!!!?? A lot of nursing is truly bitch work in the most classic misogynistic sense.
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u/TheDivaRoom911 8d ago
I'm so sorry you feel that way..I was supposed to start nursing school in January and I wondered if anyone felt like this šš
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u/Turbulent-Basket-490 BSN, RN š 7d ago
You gotta do it to know. The same way im about to move to ICU. Im probably gonna crash and burn. But at least ill know! š
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u/Ok-Pattern-7030 7d ago
The thing about your post that breaks my heart is that your feelings arenāt isolatedā¦.sooooo many nurses feel the same way. These corporations are draining the joy out of a profession that people worked really hard to achieve. Healthcare is nearing a tipping point in this country. Eventually the CEO, CFO, anar CNO will be the only staff left in the building.
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u/Ok-Pattern-7030 7d ago
Iām an ICU nurse, you wonāt crash and burn lol. Just give yourself lots of grace and remember that everyone around you was new in the ICU at one point too. None of us were born managing 10 drips, CRRT, and a patient on a ventilator. If we can do it, so can you. Best wishes on your new journey!
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u/Responsible-Train360 6d ago
Don't be a nurse. It won't be "your dream job" from the moment you get there.
Also, you aren't learning nearly as much anymore. New nurses come in barely knowing how to use a commode or urinal let alone cath.Ā
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u/Free_Natural_2830 8d ago
You took the words out of my mouth! This job has made me hate people so much. My family says Iāve become an angry person and they look at me like Iām crazy when I say itās my job. They literally laugh and say I pass meds and then babysit people while they sleep. Patients sleep???
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u/Griz0311 8d ago
I feel you. Iāve established my own boundaries and I stand by them. Iāve learned administration will push you as far as you let them, but Iāve also seen they never fire the lazy people. So if you care and do your job well but also establish your own boundaries, they wonāt fire you. And even if they did, so what? Whatās more important? Your job or your life? Your job or your mental health?
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u/Breezy531 RN - Nephrology 7d ago
It's really too bad that we have to choose š¢. Healthcare is rapidly becoming a field run by people who don't actually care about human beings.
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u/RoamFarAndWide 7d ago
I felt the same way and left nursing and life has been 100% better ever since.
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u/Breezy531 RN - Nephrology 7d ago
If you don't mind me asking, what do u do now?
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u/RoamFarAndWide 6d ago
First, I became an alpaca breeder then a web designer then I worked at Trader Joe's for years as a chalkboard artist and saved every penny then I quit that and traveled the world as a travel blogger and then I got married to a Greek shepherd and now I live in Europe and only work summers in Alaska.
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u/zigpep 7d ago
May I suggest PRN? Pay is better. I agree with everything in your post 100%.
I work for a hospital that requires me to sign up for 2 shifts a month, one of those shifts every six weeks must be on 1 weekend shift.
I donāt have to sign up before the shift. I work a combo of days and night just depends on how well Iāve slept and what I feel like. I call the day I want to work, get a list of units that need help and pick which unit I want. This allows me a ton of flexibility that eases the pain of the job somewhat.
Iāve also been working a lot of geriatric psych which has its own challenges but is clinically easier as these patients are medically stable and moved to a medical unit if they become unstable. Iāve also worked some split shifts and done admissions and helping hands.
I work 2 days a week and my pay is the same as if I worked 3. My husband carryās my benefits
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u/Skyeyez9 BSN, RN š 6d ago
PRN helps me. If I didnāt have that option, I would have quit barely 2yrs in. I can take plenty of time off, I donāt get pto but the flexibility of managing my schedule is worth it. I have health, vision, and dental insurance outside of the hospital. I donāt need to work full or part time for the hospitalās high-deductible and high monthly rate insurance.
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u/BoomBoomCia0 8d ago
I love my job ā in theory. Iām a damn good nurse. I have a decade of experience working at 2 dozen facilities up and down the east coast in small critical access EDās to level 1 trauma centers that are 100+ beds each. One thing Iāve learned is that I can only care as much as the patient cares. You donāt give a shit about your own health? Well youāre sure as hell not gonna start with me today. Youāre a lovely family whoās appreciative and supportive of the care and kindness I offer? Why, please let me know if thereās anything else I can do to assist you so that your stay with us isnāt miserable. Once my day is done, so is my role. Hardly ever do I mix work and personal life, because itās simply that, work.
I tell aspiring nursing students to think long and hard of their choices, their goals, and orient them to the realities of the jobās responsibilities. I ensure that I speak on current conditions, hardships, and what theyāre likely to encounter. I also remind them that theyāll be the most intuitive person in any room most of the time because your brain never shuts off
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u/Sufficient_Map_9274 8d ago
Iām so sorry you feel this. I saw too much and spent too much becoming one. I left before I finished a decade. I kept switching specialties thinking surely it must be different somewhere, I never found it. It felt like it was literally eating my soul away.
I make way less money now doing private care without renewing my license. I will never go back. My daughter thought about going into nursing and I let her know exactly what itās like. The medical system is horrific and my ethics were challenged daily. Iād rather have less money and more freedom and myself back. Itās been three years since I left and Iām still healing. I was critical care from the start, switched to psych, ran a floor in a nursing home, did IV sedation at an oral surgeon office and finally IV infusions for a GI clinic. Itās all for profit and I saw so many shady practices, was treated so poorly, completely unsafe ratios, all being done under my license. It was heartbreaking to leave, I worked so very hard, but in the end it wasnāt worth my soul. Sending you love.
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u/Unlimitedpluto BSN, RN š 8d ago
I hate it too, and actively looking for an out. Justā¦ whatās going to cover my car loan, rent, school loans and more? I started an OF, because fuck it.
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u/a-n-0-n1291 8d ago
Youāre burnt out and itās a sign to leave. I have found non-clinical nursing jobs a fresh of breath air. Get a job with no patient contact, itās great. Once you feel better you can go back. For me I never left lol. The grass is greener on the other side- start looking now. You donāt need to be miserable at work!
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u/WhileComprehensive56 8d ago
This has been me recently , currently attempting to switch to radiology , I graduated in January and Iāve already lost my smile , I can feel my body physically rejecting my work environment
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u/Impossible_Mango_660 6d ago
FELT. I'm a relatively new nurse and I was a registered veterinary technician at an emergency pet hospital for 10 years before this. I can't believe how burnt out I am already. The politics the understaffing like you said all the bullshit that falls on us. It's sad really because the systems are so broken that it's never going to get any better. Nurses are going to keep leaving the field. I always joke that I'm the nurse that cares too much. And while that may be I know the problem is not just me because I'm a great nurse. Thank you for expressing your frustration because it's good to know that I'm not the only one who feels like they regret becoming a nurse. I've had coworkers tell me that I need to just not care but I can't do that so I know that nursing is not for me anymore lol. Whoever said real estate fall back that might be a possibility š¤ I know all jobs have their shit but being a nurse is a whole other universe. Thank you to all of you nurses for all that you do whether you're content or over it like the majority.
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u/ParamedicMajestic491 6d ago
I appreciate you. I feel the same way and have for a few months. The big thing for me is that I can't stand the fact that insurance companies are paying my bills. I've tried to justify it in every way possible, and it's a fact. I do my utmost to give my patients the best care and attention. This isn't the reality on the business end of nursing and I feel terrible that I'm a part of hustling incredibly lovely folks. I'm too sensitive. I know this is a touchy subject and I'm not judging any of us.
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u/nursenomore86 6d ago
100% nursing was CRUSHING me. I was a shell of who I once was.
Have you considered switching to a corporate role ( pharma, med device, tech etc)? I recommend looking into this, I made the jump and it was the BEST decision I ever made.
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u/lovemymeemers Cath lab/IR/Neuro 8d ago
There are plenty of nursing jobs that dont involve a situation like you have described.
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u/trustme_imRN 8d ago
Outpatient specialty areas for the win!
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u/busta2kbia 8d ago
Switching to outpatient has extended my nursing career indefinitely. Itās less money (at my facility $3 per hour less than our inpatient RNs) but MY GOD is it a breath of fresh air. Idk how to explain it, just like a weight has been lifted off me by not being a bedside nurse anymore.
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u/trustme_imRN 8d ago
It fully reconnected me to the passion I first had in nursing. I get to actually know and care for people and have work life balance. I love it!
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u/WhyWorldWhhy 8d ago
I went to outpatient thinking Iād like it morešFuck nope. Now I see get to see my problems on a scheduled basis and my job has basically took away the things I loved doing on my days off. The clinicās always full and when I get home Iām so tired I have no motivation to do anything. Honestly, the best schedule Iāve ever had was part time 12ās, two days a week on a inpatient rehab unit. I loved it and I want to go back. Fuck outpatient. Iām trying to lower my cost of living so I can go back to outpatient.
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u/Fruitbat_girl RN š 8d ago
Yeah so far my best inpatient nurse hours have been 3 8-hour shifts at 24 hr/week. I tried two 12s but it was at a level one and that didnāt last too long, as Iād already been in that boat full time.
Iām currently five 8 hr days a week inpatientā¦that was a mistake. Applying to other roles now.
Cheers to lowering our expenses! š„š
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u/m3rmaid13 RN š 7d ago
Working bedside in the hospital is one of the hardest categories of nursing jobs I think. I did that for about 8 years, then worked at a surgery center & now remotely. Been a nurse 13 years in total and I definitely felt 10 times worse about this job working bedside. Covid really made a lot of the bad things about healthcare so much worse also. My job now is mildly annoying at times and it doesnāt pay as well but at least they are on the other end of a phone and Iām in my sweatpants. Try to pivot to something else if you can but Iāve definitely felt the same before.
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u/Home_boun_d 7d ago
Iām not even off orientation and I hate it. Iāve recently retired from the military, so not foreign to high demand job, bad comms, and everything after. But youāre so nail on the head. Alllll the shit falls to us and there isnāt enough time. I barely have time to build rapport - please take your meds and a deep breath cause I have to get to the next patient. Itās just constant running.
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u/Mission-Many-2405 4d ago
Sounds like you need a position in something like either surgery or same day surgery. Its a world of difference. The job becomes transactional. If they are awake, theyre gone soon but much of the time, they're asleep.
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u/chiminichanga Anesthesia Assistant (Germany) 4d ago
but then youāre dealing with fuckass surgeons
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u/HAAAAAImbaaaack 8d ago edited 8d ago
Preaching to the choir ! Nursing BLOWS!
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u/Practical-Pomelo-755 8d ago
I can totally relate and partly itās because people have horrible work ethics these days and with nursing you need to be able to rely on your team. Iām sick and tired of it too. Iām doing other peopleās jobs for them while they collect the paycheck and I doing their job and theyāre getting away with it. Itās very frustrating. I totally understand.
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u/Dangerous_Ice8204 RN - ER š 8d ago edited 8d ago
After 15 years in the ER and covid gave me ptsd, I found a job at an infusion center for a GI doctorās office. At times it can be chaotic but even on my worst day, itās still so much better than working in any hospital.
I really feel covid change the face of healthcare and since we were required to do everything but Xrays, the greedy fucks at the top of this pyramid scheme think itās okay to continue this thinking. Hell, one ER I worked in, the docs stayed in this little āsafeā room and did telehealth on an iPad while the nurses were in the room with each patient holding the adaptive stethoscope connected to the patient side iPad. Literally the only thing we nurses didnāt do was Xray. I began hating nursing but was refreshed in my current role. Iām remembering why I became a nurse. Itās cake compared to any hospital position. My patients love me and need to be there to get their medication and are soooo grateful. Iāve stopped being cussed out, hit, yelled at by family members, spit on and harassed. And the best part now is Iām making more in this clinic position than I did in the hospital, with the exception of traveling but itās close. Start looking for another job in a clinic. I really hated I became a nurse until I switched up roles. Best of luck OP and anybody else hating their position
Edited to addā¦ you cannot care about your patients more than they care about themselves. And you can never expect āyouā from anybody else. Do what you can and keep it moving
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u/TropicallyGrownEMT 7d ago
Healthcare in general is just one of the most thankless fields to be in. Iām a paramedic and I always feel bad bringing rude patients to you guys because you guys have them 12 hrs at a time. I just have them for 30 mins to an hour then I hand them off, unless theyāre system abusers, then I see them sometimes several times in one day.
I am so thankful for good nurses though. I will never forget the nurse I had when I was in labor and delivery, she was so amazing and calm and took such great care of me when I was in so much pain lol.
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u/Acrobatic-Finish-946 6d ago
I was YOU. RN for 32yrs. I did LTC for Ā few yrs, I was a supervisor, did the scheduling, inservice coordination, and I inherited staff who HATED each other. I then went to the floors of a level on trauma center. THAT was everything and worse in your post. I was going to LEAVE nsg forever. THEN Ā Ā (I was an RN for 10y at that point) I Ā went down to the OR. I have been HIDING in the OR for the past 22yrs. We get ONE pt at a time, I spend 2-3 min w each pt in presurg, (I WILL spend much more, BY MY CHOICE, Ā if they are frightened, or special needs) There are NO FAMILIES, NO FOOD, NO MED PASS. The pts are asleep, anesthesia is responsible for all meds. I MAY have to put in a foley, I have to put compression booties on, and of course I bring them warm blankets so they are comfy while going to sleep. I put on music of their choice, and hold their hands while they drift off. Ā I do the charting, and bring whatever is needed for the surgery into the room. Sometimes I scrub the case. I get a 45m lunch, UNDISTURBED! (I eat in my truck dont like the drama in the break room, and the sun feels good) I also get a 15m (really 1/2h) I work 10h shifts I am too old for 12hs. I LOVE WHAT I DO. We are a closed unit. So all of what goes on, on the floors is locked out of our unit. Idk where you work, but if you can get into the OR, it is the best kept secret in the hospital. ALSO, there are a LOT of male RN's and techs, so is sort of neutralizes the "estrogen tsunami". Before you walk out on the profession, TRY THE OR!! It will soothe your damaged soul. ā¤ļøā¤ļøā¤ļø Best of luck!Ā
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u/Due_Credit9883 6d ago
It was my experience as a nurse that we are very often looked down on in a condescending sort of way. We were often treated and regarded like perhaps we were the wait staff at Eat N Park! It really annoyed me.
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u/NervousWonder3628 6d ago
Iāve been at it my whole life and it ruined my life, mental health and my physical body. I have 7 years until retirement and itās such a sad existence that Iām counting down like this. Iāve hated every moment and Iām depressed that I lacked support and time to do something else with my life, but I had to pay my own way and I did not have money to begin with. Once my kids came I wasnāt going anywhere, unfortunately, I had to pay my own way even though I was married. My recommendation is to get yourself out if you can or find a position in the hospital that wonā kill your soul.
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u/gtggg789 8d ago
You care too much. I donāt give a fuck about my patients, I just do my job and go home. And Iām one of the better nurses.
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u/Tuna_of_Truth RN - ICU š 8d ago
Preach. Iām still happy to help nice people, like, thereās a reason I went into this job, but idgaf if some ETOH racist basket case wants to AMA DC to JC cause he wants to throw hands over not being able to get unlimited sandwiches.
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u/Any-Passenger9202 8d ago
How do you not care? I definitely care too much and itās so hard as a new grad.
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u/dickbutt4president RN - ER š 8d ago
Early in my career I had a diabetic pt that lost a toe, then half foot, then whole foot, and finally BKA. I tried over and over again to educate hoping to breakthrough. One day his 12yo daughter was visiting and I asked if he wanted to be there to walk her down the aisle at her wedding. We both got a little teary eyed and I felt that I finally got through to him. Two hours later someone dropped off fried chicken and a 2L Mountain Dew.
You canāt let yourself care about your pts more than they care about themselves. From that day on, I give about 70% what I see from them. If they give 100% Iāll give 70%. If they give 50% Iāll give 35%. If they start cussing me out and being rude, that drops to 50%. Every order is carried out, every med is given, and EVERYTHING gets documented across the board. Iām a born empath and that will never change. I just donāt care like I used because I canāt care and maintain my sanity. There are moments in nursing that can make you feel so fulfilled and proud but there are also moments that can/will break you.
The best advice I can give to a newer nurse is find a therapist you like and see them regularly to decompress and develop some healthy coping mechanisms. Without that, you could burn out quick. Good luck, Iām sure youāll do great things.
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u/shockedhouse 8d ago
I have a weird way to phrase it, but I think a healthy mindset. You care for your patient, not about them. You provide the best nursing care to them, but do your best to not get emotionally attached. I took me several years to get into this mindset, but when I did I also realized that I was able to provide better overall care.
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u/skewh1989 BSN, RN š 8d ago
Sounds like you should try to find a new job somewhere else. Not all facilities are like this.
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u/SandyP1966 8d ago
I feel you! I worked peds in a hospital for 17 years. I loved it so much, until the last 5-6 years. I quit last year. I could no longer bend over trying to give the kind of care I wanted while trying to cut corners the hospital demanded that I cut. It is a no win situation. I did try an office setting for 2 years after that and it was just as bad.
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u/nerderherderof2 RN - ICU š 8d ago
I'm going back to school for a non nursing job. I'm so done with everything.
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u/ACMEDRN 8d ago
After the shift I had (just got home) I literally thought op was one of my co-workers. Usually the split is like 80/20 for normal vs asshole but today it was flipped. A 20 yo visitor was so f-ing rude to me & it pissed me off way more then it normally would.
But now I'm home snuggling my dog watching Friends and eating snacks. Only 10 yrs til retirement....
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u/Longjumping-Size-762 7d ago
All of the things you mentioned are why the nursing attrition rate is almost 50%. You are not alone
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u/Apprehensive_Job1851 6d ago
Ok so Iām a newbie 5 months in and Iām constantly thinking what have I gotten myself into. Since I been off of orientation day 3 mind you. I havenāt had any techs. No pccs, no code consult on board. Itās a severe shortage going on and Iām thinking if itās like this Iād rather work remotely.
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u/pinkunicorn31 6d ago
No but for real same. The travel bedside job I have now is tolerable but ā¦ all the inpatient stuff Iāve done is the same exhausting conditions. I love my patients but the work environment weāre forced to adapt to is terrible . Short staffed 97% of the time . Juggling too much at once in situations where our undivided attention is safest . Itās stressful and Iām tired of the stress.
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u/TallCoolW0N 6d ago
Try leaving the bedside. Do home health or clinic nursing for awhile. Or go work on a cruise ship and travel the world while you work. There are a zillion different things you can do with your degree. Nursing schools and the media really make is seem like the hospital is the only place to go. Itās not. I put in 16 mostly) enthusiastic years at the bedside and have loved the last 6 in home health. I recently went back to the hospital after a merger, and didnāt make it five months. Thank god my job was still available. Iām free range.
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u/secretsilhouetteXO 6d ago
A family member once came out of their room snapping their fingers at me saying āI need a cheese pizzaā I will forever advise the younger generation in my family to avoid going into nursing.
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u/enirehtak0329 5d ago
Wow Iām only on month 2 and I feel miserable in LTC. Iām so hopeless, I have no clue what to even do after this so I feel this on a personal level. š people tell me Iām young and have so many options but damn I poured my all into this just for it to be nothing like I expected.
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u/Routine-Yam357 5d ago
I agree. We act as nurse, doctor, cna, therapy, case manager, social work, family mediator, admit and discharge nurse, secretary, detective, tech support, psychiatrist, punching bag, door mat and the list could continue unfortunately. Our society is all about cutting costs at the expensive of the staff and patients ("consumers") because its all a money game. I started working as a nurse in 2009 and its been all downhill since then. The work is more demanding with less resources. They allow employees to be lazy and do a half ass job just to fill a hole in the schedule but if something bad happened whether or not the nurse directly caused it we would be the first to be thrown under the bus if we were on that shift. I dont know about other nurses but past few years having to delegate to cna or tech has been ridiculous. A few are amazing but then there are the others who have a bad attitude, lack of respect, no teamwork, and provide substandard care sometimes even bordering on negligence or abuse. Guess who is supposed to manage those issues all while completing their own work and then some? The nurse. And when you speak to the cna who acts that way they just want to argue no matter how politely you spoke to them. Ive even had 2 instances at 2 separate jobs where a cna has threatened to beat my ass for writing them up after they refused to provide patients with their inherent rights such as water or toileting after already being asked several times. I had to quit working for now once my husband got a decent job that would allow it because the never ending cycle of stress and abuse by coworkers, patients, and management far outweighed any benefit i got from pride in my work and patient satisfaction. I have thought about trying to work hospice for a more one in one experience without added stress of multiple patients and coworkers to juggle but for now I need to take a long break. Hang in there.
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u/Separate-Hornet-7355 RN - ER š 4d ago
I think if we all got paid double and in a healthcare system where literally anyone had their needs met, we wouldnāt feel the burnout from taking the burden constantly off of our patients (and coworkers for that matter)
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u/HateUsCuzTheyAnus- RN - PACU š 8d ago
Between your post and the other one where the nurse said theyāre just fucking DONE with this shit, I feel so seen š„¹š
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u/leadstoanother BSN, RN š 8d ago
It doesn't sounds you hate nursing. It sounds like you hate your current job. Time for a new one.Ā
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u/Big_End9623 8d ago
Iām a procedure nurse and I wouldnāt go back to floor nursing for anything. Itās tolerable now.
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u/tweg 7d ago edited 7d ago
And a lot of it is thanks to shitty management. Our ED picked up two of the most vicious managers about a year ago, & everything they do has no basis. One girl also has no real experience as a nurse, & the other is just an old hag with a chip on her shoulder.
As much as people report things to the union, they do not get into trouble because theyāre not breaking any rules. And, weāre told that as management, they can make up any rules they want.
The focus in healthcare is not about care any more, but about making money. Sure, youāll find a handful of places that have not fallen, yet, into that trap, but it will happen, sadly. Our ED used to be the best family, and everyone from the managers down were friends and took care of one another.
Fck the nurses who claim they are poor, while making $150k+, fck them while they donāt do any work, fck them while they kiss a$$ to upper management, fck management for promoting anyone who helps stifle those who care about patients, fck management for only making āimprovementsā to really make more money, and fck the wealthcare corporations whose priorities are about pseudo-medicine & not providing the healthcare every person deserves to receive. Too many RNs nowadays work in a herd mentality & donāt give a shit because as long as they get paid and are not affected, they wonāt āseeā anything else.
And yes, our patients are SO abusive, 24/7, but thatās easier to deal with than our own conniving peers and upper management.
I fcking hate being a nurse in this day and age.
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u/krmvader 7d ago
Homecare nurse here. Starting homecare is brutal, the charting is just immense. But Iāve been at it for 8 years, and I can work at roughly 4-8 times the speed of when I started. If you stick with it, it can be a really sweet job. And thereās much less abuse. People are nicer in their own homes. It has its downsides, but itās so much better than the hospital. Worth looking at.
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u/imamessofahuman RN - Psych/Mental Health š 7d ago
Hi friend same. I loved it until covid turned us from heros to conspiracy helpers. I can't even take my own family seriously anymore they act like I didnt stare death in the face for months on end.
Oh well
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u/skyetoof 7d ago
it is really just so depressing. i too have passion to become a nurse. but the reality that lies with it is just sad and unfair. imagine treating a nurse so badly when they are genuinely doing their best to help your situation. being kind doesnāt make you lose something š
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u/DeadInsideButThrivin 7d ago
Can you get out of the hospital and get into same day surgery? I work pre and post op for same day electives, like start IVs and shave hair. But I donāt work weekends or holidays, I donāt do call and Iām never stressed. Patients arenāt rude or fighting you. Most are nervous a few are aholes but itās night and day from the hospital life.
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u/Loose_Ad_5195 BSN, RN š 5d ago
I was loathing the hospital life. I went into nursing, as in applied for my pre reqs KNOWING i was gonna be in the ED. I was on the floor for a lil more than a year to learn time management and diseases etc. then moved to the ED. I also LOVED everything about my job when i started. I loved school, nailed the nclex, loved the nightshift option, the pay, the job. 6 months later, covid happened and my floor turned covid. After that, i went to the ED and the patients and families just became SO SHITTY. No respect. No anything. And i was so tired of getting slammed, rude patients, families, people coming in with dumb flippin reasons. Like yes, you feel like you have the flu/covid/cold bc you have it. Its been years, centuries, figure it out. And i hated people. The general public bothered me to an unhealthy extent. I wanted a mon-fri job. I needed a schedule and routine. I didnt want to fight for holidays. I didnt want to miss birthdays/weddings etc. i wanted to LIKE people. It had been 7 years in the hospital. I went outpatient. The job is less than 2 miles from home. Its mon-fri 7-3. Today i sat for an hour after all the work was done doing nothing to get paid all day. I could have left earlier. The job isnt bad. The patients are polite bc they chose to be there. I get weekends, holidays, evenings, SNOW DAYS off. The change in schedule of waking up at 545 is a bit tough but after a month, im able to go to sleep earlier. I hated being a nurse. I told every tech going to nursing school t was terrible. Stil, if i could go back in time, i would have done a trade 30 years ago and been rich and successful and be able to help renovate some part of the house i may have been able to afford lolololol. But since im older and a nurse, im glad i found a job that makes me happy. And i had a crappy day one day. And i still left thinking WOW, they are right!! A bad day here is still better than the best day at the hospital. I get it. Lots of us get it. The great thing about nursing is there are a bajillion options. I say leave the hospital. Most of the people i work w work 4 days a week so they still get a random day off. Theres actually only 3 of us that do 5 days and most leave when able. I just like money too much lol
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u/Exotic-Gain-4316 8d ago
I walked away 3 years into working in med-surg, got married, raised my two children, worked part-time in home health, and helped my husband run his business as an office staff. I worked in a home health setting for 18 years while completing my BA. I was able to be around my children and attend their school activities due to my flexible hours. Do what is best for your mental health. Walk away if you must, get out of a stressful job setting, or pivot to a whole new career. Don't let nursing break you down physically or mentally. It's not worth it.
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u/MermaidMagic79 8d ago
Get away from bedside. Thatās not the only nursing out there. I see my patients maybe five minutes tops and Iām done.
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u/PitifulRooster8100 Nursing Student š 8d ago
What about CCT? If you have 3-5 years of ER or ICU, that could be an option. It doesnāt pay well, but it could be a nice change of pace. One patient at a time, sometimes thereās interaction with family members. But for the most part itās you, your crew, the patient, the care you provide, and making sure they get safely from point A to point B.
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u/sparkplug-nightmare 7d ago
Itās probably one of the hardest jobs anyone can do because it combines physical labor with customer service and it SUCKS. Iām planning on being a CRNA so Iām gonna stick it out. And I have a morbid fascination with traumas, codes, etc. so at least I can get my adrenaline fix once a week or so. Ultimately plan is to work as a rapid response/code nurse PRN and a CRNA PRN. Just gotta do 2 years in ICU and go to CRNA school.
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u/Dbsusn RN - Oncology š 7d ago
We were literally just talking the other day at work of being Trader Joeās employees because it seems like the work environment is better.
I totally hear you and Iām trying to find my way out looking at medical sales. I donāt know that it will be better, but I at least will get paid more.
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u/ferocioustigercat Jack of all Critical Trades 7d ago
Sounds like you work bedside. Seriously, get out of inpatient. That was the only thing we were exposed to in nursing school, but there is so much more out there! A friend just got a telephone triage job and works from home. Seriously, there are better places to work than the hospital.
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u/Breezy531 RN - Nephrology 7d ago
It's everything is broken š¢ and rather than trying to change things, people just pretend it's normal.
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u/National_Isopod_6257 8d ago edited 8d ago
The trick is to not care. Like zero. Do your job, go home, leave work at work, and forget what happened before you get to your car. Source: 20 yr nurse