The Effects of Nursing on Nurses
Hi, welcome to my blog post. I have never had a blog post get more than 50 comments, so I am a bit overwhelmed. After responding to many comments, here is a note:
Note: I wrote this blog entry at the end of my 3rd 12 hour shift in three days. I was tired and I was emotional. It is a blog post, not an “article.” It is not researched or sourced, it is purely opinion.
The point of this post is that nurses (and many other professions) need to take the time to practice self care and to encourage one another to practice self care.
My biggest mistake in this post (and there are many) was to use “her” or “she” when I should have used “they” or them.” I ignored my male coworkers, and I should not have. You have my apologies, and I have corrected the post. I have left “she” and “her” in place in the portion where I talk about my coworker.
I have read every comment posted and deleted some very nasty comments that were not helpful to conversation. If you feel this is the place to spew your vitriol, it is not.
August 11, 2013
This morning, while I was giving report to the day shift nurse taking over my patients, she burst into tears.
She’s going to miss her children’s hockey play offs due to our strictly enforced every other weekend schedules. You work every other weekend, no more, no less, unless you are going to college (I work every weekend because I’m in college). She’s their hockey coach, and inevitably, each year, their last game falls on a day their mother has to work. I’ve come in early for her before.
So I offered to come in on my night off for an hour and a half so she could get to the game. I’m coming in that early because I know she won’t be done charting.
She turned me down until another day RN got involved. I reminded my coworker I only live a mile from the hospital, and it really wasn’t a big sacrifice for me. She finally agreed, and calmed down. We got permission from the charge nurse.
Nursing is one of the largest professions in the world. If you don’t know a nurse, I’m really surprised. Nurses talk a lot about the rewards of nursing. Catching that vital sign, saving lives, providing comfort, but nurses, by nature, are taught to martyr themselves on the altar of nursing.
When I was a new grad, I hated coming to work so much that I would wish I’d get hit by a car on my way to work just to get out of work. One night, while checking medication sheets, I confessed this to some experienced nurses and found out some of them still felt the same way.
In nursing, it is NORMAL to have days where you wake up and just can’t mentally and emotionally face the day at work. I swear, the only other people who can understand this are nurses.
Nursing is emotionally, physically and mentally taxing, and some days you run too low on what you can give emotionally, physically and mentally. That minor back injury you don’t want to report to HR because you don’t want it on your record. Having a patient with constant diarrhea who can’t get out of bed and needs to be physically rolled and cleaned several times an hour. The cold you got from the two-year old someone brought in. The sorrow that comes from supporting someone who has just found out they were dying, holding in your own tears so you could wipe theirs. In one day, all of those patients could be yours.
I don’t know a nurse who hasn’t taken a mental health day. Some do it by requesting more vacation than others. Some do it by calling in sick, but it’s all time off because we are too drained to give anymore.
So if you know a nurse, and that nurse mentions to you that they feel like calling in because they just can’t take it another day, don’t give them a hard time. Especially if you have an 8-5 job with weekends off or some other really great schedule. The 12 hour shifts nurses work mean we miss the entire holiday we work with our families. Night shift nurses have to choose between holiday dinners or sleep. Often, if a nurse chooses to sleep rather than go to the holiday dinner, guilt ensues. Even though I’ve told my mother-in-law repeatedly that every nurse has to work holidays, she makes a point to say how horrible it is my husband has to be alone for a few hours. What about me? Working my ass off while everyone else celebrates?
We work hard. We are intentionally understaffed by our hospitals to improve profit, even if the hospital is a non-profit. We help people at the worst times of their lives, and often have no way to debrief, to get it off our chests. We don’t just bring warm blankets and pills. We are college educated, degreed professionals who are often treated like uneducated, lazy servants. We get sexually harassed by our patients. We get groped, punched, cut, I even know of a nurse on my floor being strangled (she survived).
Nursing can be rewarding. But nursing is a fucking hard job. If you are afraid of healthcare rationing, you should know it is already happening. Nurses are unable to give everyone the care they need, so patients with smaller problems may not get the same level of care. A nurse may be pressed to only give the minimum amount of care to a patient if they have 5 or more very sick patients. If you don’t want healthcare rationing, talk to your local hospitals about their nurse to patient ratios. Talk to your doctors. If you hear of legislation to support nurse to patient ratios, vote for it. Support it.
So if a nurse needs a day off, you support them. If you’re in a position to help like I was this morning, do so. If you are a nurse, go easier on yourself when you think about the things you didn’t finish, or the things you should have said. It’s a 24-hour a day job and you don’t have to do it alone.
As of January 27, 2014, this post is no longer accepting comments. I am doing this as a practice of self care. Tending to this blog post, several times a day, has become a burden. It has had over 2 million hits, and I am tired. The post has become a platform for people who want to propel their own agendas and are using my space to do so. Thanks to all who said such nice things, and to everyone else, go write your own blog.
Posted on August 11, 2013, in Nursing and tagged Health care, Nursing, registered nurse. Bookmark the permalink. 2,612 Comments.
ofcourseitsaboutyou 
Nurses rock.
As a psych nurse with a patient ratio of 30+ pts to 1 nurse I completely agree and understand your post. It is comforting to know I am not the only one with feelings like this. And as for anyone that says nursing isn’t mentally challenging …… Please come work with me where I’ve been punched, slapped, kicked, spit on, scratched, cursed out, death threats, med carts shoved into me, chairs and wheelchairs thrown at me, felt up, sexually harassed, and break up fights daily, which typically happens during med pass or shift change or sick call. It’s a challenge in EVERY way humanly possible. I LOVE nursing but like every job you will have bad days that REQUIRE venting. I have sat at work and cried behind closed doors then picked myself up and moved on because my pts needed me. She never said nursing was harder than any other job, only that its effin’ hard cause its the effin’ truth!! Good lookin out for your fellow nurses!!
What I find amusing is that most of the people slamming this blog probably couldn’t even make it through nursing school!
Not all but probably quite a few of ’em!!!!
I am a nurse who is a Med-Surgery manager with that 8-5 “so called sweet schedule” that’s nit so sweet. I am on call 24/7 so when someone calls in because they “just can’t take it” I am there to cover. I WISH I could only be responsible for 3 or 4 -12 hr shifts. I say if you didn’t get a clue in nursing school or from any other nurse before you went into nursing, shame on you. To have a pity party is rediculous. Don’t presume to know what anyone else goes through – especially those with seemingly great schedules that actually are no better than yours.
Tomorrow I’m doing my 4th day in a row because there’s not enough staff. I’m spent
Ok people…STOP giving “Connie” what he or she wants…Attention. I think that was posted to do what it achieved…rile everyone up while “Connie” sits back & laughs! Remember, there are sick people in this world! Yes that’s a pun.
Anne you have no clue what you are talking about. Nurses make decent money for the risk. We all take precautions but sometimes you just don’t know what you have been exposed to until it is too late. I have been exposed to TB 3 times in my nursing career. We (medical staff)are exposed to infectious diseases on a daily basis. Yes we know this is a risk when choosing this career. The pay is NOT as lush as you think when you are looking at the full picture. Nursing is very mentally, physically, emotionally and (I believe the word you meant to use Anne) intellectual. Nursing is very complex. When you get your nursing degree then you can make an intelligent reply. I agree 100% with this blog.
Amen ! I was a nurse for 34 yrs. Sustained a back injury, from the job, the hours, the stress. I always loved the patients, hated the paperwork. I did everything imaginable. My family was understanding of the holidays, weekends and hours. I was the one that was always depressed about that. Had a lot of depression after my injury because nursing was my life, it was all I knew and I did a fairly good job of being a nurse. I would have gone crazy if I did take an occasional R & R day. It seems like we are hardest on ourselves and it should not be like that. I certainly was not perfect, but tried hard and that’s all any of us can do . We really do need to support one another . Thanks for sharing.
I am a clinical nurse/traveling wound specialist. I travel up to 5,000 miles a month in multiple facilities. Yes its very time comsuming, hard on my body and my family that I am away. I have been a nurse since the early 90’s. Went to nursing school in my 30’s with a 3 and 10 year old. But my life nursing…has been SO rewarding from the hospital, to home health to special needs at a school to the job I have now. I’m getting older and the miles are much harder on me now. But the feeling I have, when a patients stage 4 wound has finally closed..well what can you say! Yes its a toll on my body, mind, family…but I make a good living, I earn it every payday, but I’ve been told by many a patient, one day you will have lots of jewels in your crown young lady for the love you give each and everyday to total strangers! Just sayin. Nurses are born, its not about the praise, glory or the money for God sake! Its the compassion you get from making someone elses life alittle better.
I’ve been a staff nurse for 29 years. I love bedside nursing. I’m certified in my field. Your blog hits the nail on the head! After today, I’m about ready to hang my hat up! I’m to young to retire but I think I can do something, until I retire, that is less physical, more rewarding, and less of a headache. I’ve never felt so down about my career!
So well said!!! Very taxing job and after 16 years at the bedside i am getting ready to make the move to the 8-5 side of nursing. I will miss the bedside terribly but it has taken a toll on my life with my kids ….hoping the change is for the better. After 16 yrs i still feel the need for personal days!!!
I quit Nursing School because I did not like the way nurses were being treated and it seem like the norm to accept the bad environment. However, I worked as a Nurse Tech to support myself while I completed a degree in psychology and a Masters in Counseling. Whenever I would visit someone in the hospital, they would complain about not seeing a nurse and i would find myself explaining that the profession of nursing is nothing like the glamourize version on television. I would share horror stories of taking care of 10 to 12 patients during an 8-hour shift. I got out before the popular 12-shift became the norm!
12 hours is the Bain of my job, I’m level two dementia carer on a nursing unit , I love my job, I love helpin people, but what I don’t like is the 12 hours especially when they split shift like some days nights some days shift, it totally messes with you sleep pattern and eatting habits…. It’s like ur a vampire u go to work in the day leave in the dark. Plus it’s hard wen ur a pair of hands down. We do such good but we are nt paid enough for what we do but because we wanna help we put up with it. I think we should be paid more, have more staff on and in return we would give better care!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I’m an RN on a busy med/surg unit and it’s nice when others validate the hard work we put it. Bravo! Your awesome for letting that mom go to the hockey game. I’m sure your an awesome nurse as well.
I have been a nurse for 22 years. That being said I believe I understand. My expierence was in med/surg, OB, ER, Dialysis ,Cardiac, long term care, and home health. As long as I could remember, I always wanted to be a nurse. It consumed my soul and mind. I couldn’t shake that longing and desire to want to help people. So I went to nursing school with 2 babies and a husband. I was one of the top students in my class. So you know that meant I kept my head in the books 24 /7. My babies would cry and knock on my door , I couldn’t stop studying long enough to take care of them , so my husband did , I missed 3 years of time with them to get that RN liscense. I didn’t realize that when I got a job I would miss birthdays, holidays , games, dances, and when I was off I was to drained physically, and emotionally to do anything but rest. Continually tormented from the previous shift I just completed , did I chart everything? Did I follow up on everything? Did I tell the oncoming nurse everything in report to have continuity of care? I spent my off days dreading going back to work. I called it my tour of nam. I believed I suffered from PTSD . Especially from ER. My health suffered from nursing, not being able to adequately eat and keep hydrated, or empty my bladder. Sometimes I would go the whole 12 hour shift without urinating. I have had surgey on my bladder twice , still have problems with my bladder. Carpal tunnel , and back problems. I would like to say how worth it all was, how rewarding it all was, but that would be a lie. It was pure hell for me. I wouldn’t go back to nursing for a million dollars! Thank God I have my husband who makes enough money I don’t have to do nursing anymore , I have been out of nursing for 4 years now. If something happened and I had to work again, it would be anything but nursing. I have and do know many nurses, I have never met one that would do it over again, and they are always trying to fiqure out how they can get out of nursing. I try to tell people that are going in nursing , don’t do it !! Flee from it!!! Run as fast as u can the opposite direction!! I so love my life now!! I never look back, I have not missed nursing for one second!! And I never will!!!
I’m not a nurse. After watching the nurses in my family and doing a stint in a nursing home in high school, there’s no way I could handle it [I worked in the lab, though].
Doctors write the orders, but nurses are the ones who save your life. Docs wrote the wrong dose? The nurse is watching out and questioning. Patient is having a reaction to the medication? Guess who’s on the phone with the doc. They’ll bring you tea at two in the morning, and then call in a code in the next room.
Walk into the ER with an allergic reaction to a bee sting? Guess who actually writes the orders, sticks them under the doc’s nose for signature, and then coordinates a FAST response.
As our chronic disease burden increases, requiring more care coordination, more medication monitoring, just more of everything, nurses will be at the forefront of care.
And, as much as I love and respect nurses, I have to add this: they’re so very very stubborn, but then again, they have to be.
Having worked for 10 years in the ER, I understand exactly what she is saying. It is a hard job, physically and emotionally. You don’t get breaks. You don’t get lunch. You don’t get to empty your bladder when you need to. You get yelled at, hit, kicked, reported on. You have mandatory educational requirements that you end up doing on your own time. You have numerous federal and state regulations that you must follow. You do work 12 hour shifts, rotating weekends, holidays. You do laugh, cry, get angry with your patients. But you know what? Almost all nurses love what they are doing. Almost all nurses have a love for their fellow man. Almost all nurses would give you the shirt off their back if they thought you needed it. In spite of feeling down and needing to vent at times, in spite of how badly you treat your nurse, he/she will be their doing their very best to help you. Because We Care!!
Reblogged this on katben123's Blog.
well said josi!!
How much do u all want to bet Anne and Brandon were the people that didn’t make it into or through nursing school! That’s where all the resentment is coming from. We’ve all even had patients that act the same way. Bottom line is no one would understand this blog unless u are a nurse. Period.
Very true,I we do great work but we are dispised. We are not paid well,they say no need to add them salaries. Very hard to enjoy being with your family. No time for yourself. I pray that God will protect all nurses with their families. The pain we go through always can not be expressed. Leaders see us as if we didn’t go to any school. May God reward us with peace and love in our families.I love you my fellow nurses. Lets CT with good work that God has given us and help,support ourselves.
How come you delete posts that present constructive criticism?
I agree with everything you said but what about the other disciplines that experience the same? I’m a respiratory therapist. We are more often than not treated like a lower life forms by the nursing staff yet when there is an emergency we are the first called. “Somebody page respiratory”! We work 12 hours deal with the chronically I’ll & their families. Everyone from the neonate to the 100 y/o. All we ever hear is how wonderful the nurses and doctors are. We are the shadows of healthcare. Hardworking dedicated smart and almost always ignored. I appreciate you and acknowledge your sacrifice. I just ask for the same in return. We can understand and we are not nurses.
Great article!!I think I have said, done ,or experienced everything in your article and if I haven’t then the nurse beside got what I missed. When I missed work IT was for exactly what you said a mental health holiday and I used t hat term.Supervisors are so diluted from the trickle down they really believe the scrap they tell you when you get 2 nurse and no aide but really need 3 nurses and 2 aides!! BRAVO WELL WRITTEN!!!
There is so much truth in this post….could write a 10,000 word response, no problem and still have more to say. I left nursing 9 months ago. Graduated in the 1980’s and spent the last 18 years of my clinical practice as an ER/Trauma RN. It took a lot for me to walk away and sadly, would not recommend nursing as a career. I began to feel this way about 6-7 years ago. I am now pursuing a 2nd career in a completely unrelated field. Our profession has been decimated on so many different levels, especially by what has become of the hospital system. “Health Care” and the profession of nursing bear little resemblance to the practice of the “healing arts”. I could no longer be a part of the health care industry- note the word “industry”. And now with the so called “Affordable Care Act”….. There was no way I could be a part of the further decimation that is coming.
I was a 12 year icu nurse. Hospitals cut secretary’s , transport and aids and it’s all on the nurse. Over the past 5 years PTs were coming in with multi system organ shut down and were getting heavier by the year. Being a guy. I was always Getting the 300-500 lb PTs. Last feb I quit. Could not take another day of the bullshit. I opened a gym. I could never go back.
I worked at a nursing home as a transporter and later maintenance….I befriended practically every nurse at the facility and I must say that I can see your side as far as not wanting to work a shift at certain times…..These nurses I saw were so much under appreciated that it was just pitiful the abuse they endured….A lot from the patients…coming in after that was the family of patients and then the Drs. would treat them as second rate humans…..would never venture into the nursing world for a living….
Brandon Smith- you need to get a life. And Anne- you’re totally out of line. Don’t make comments if you have no idea what you’re talking about. We are in charge of people’s lives every day. I work with low blood sugar every day and headaches due to zero breaks or lunch breaks and I’m still in charge of people’s lives. And for your information I don’t “demand” $30/hr pay nor do I make that. I do however believe that everyone’s job is challenging in its own way. I don’t understand why people would read a person’s blog and then post something negative about it. No one forced you to read this. If you don’t like what it says then don’t read it anymore.
This is going to sound very ordinary, I agree 100% with the blog. Try being married to a nurse. There is absolutely no fun in it at all. Most of the time you cop the brunt of the de-brief and there is little you can do or say to appaise.
Wouldn’t make my worse enemy be a nurse for a day let alone a week.
Hats off to all who persue this profession.
Loved the “vent”! I’ve been an RN for 30 years, almost entirely in the NICU…26 year’s worth. To say nursing is not mentally challenging, as well as sooo hard, but sooo rewarding on a multitude of other fronts, is simply a testament to that individual’s mental capacity…something that should be impossible for we in the brotherhood to be offended by…after all, we are faced daily by patients, family members, DOCTORS, etc that are nearby and are witnesses to what our days (and nights) are like, and these individuals, at times, have no more understanding, and are, at times, just as clueless. Nurses have, along with such a multitude of other skills, a seemingly infinite capacity to forgive…we forgive stupidity, impatience, arrogance…on a daily basis. Anne, we forgive your stupidity. Grimalkin, Thank You, For such truths from the heart.
Coming from a bachelors degree prepared male nurse, you are a poet. Your blog has touched my 6 year hardened nurse’s heart. You capture the essence of a nurse’s mind and heart with an almost melodic flow of thoughts. People have NO clue what we go through. They can NEVER understand the three-front war we wage from the moment we clock in (physical, psychological, and emotional). From dragging morbidly obese patients onto their sides to clean Stage 4 pressure ulcers, to physically exhausting yourself by performing chest compressions on a patient in cardiac arrest, to having to endure the verbal assaults of patients / their families / god-complexed doctors that treat you as if you belong in special ed, nurses are the unsung heroes that have to catch all of the blame when things go wrong and silently acknowledge the siphoning away of credit when things go right. If you (or any nurse out there that reads this comment) needs a set of eyes to vent to, I would be happy to lend my time. Simply respond to my comment and I will give you my Facebook and / or email information. And thank you
Nice blog. I appreciate the mentality of old school nursing. In the end, we only have each other to vent to, to go to for help and be there for one another whether helping a coworker see her kids last game to getting a crappy assignment settled. No one goes until all is done as a team.
Oh and a sample of good moments…a child crawls up on your lap after puking for an hour and latches on and falls asleep. A mother hugs me so she can go take a shower after promising to hold her baby. You sit with a parent after their child just arrested and there is about 10-20 people working to save the child’s life and the reward to be their for someone in so much pain..priceless feeling.
Sample of bad moments..holding a baby on Christmas Day to die because the parents aren’t able to be found. Caring for a 3yo who is intubated having to lie prone due to the swelling to spine from the big steel toe work boot imprinted and swollen on her spine. Oh, did I mention the owner of the shoe still had rights to sit next to that poor child’s bed while I cared for the babe in neutral mode. A resident physician has to drill burr holes in a child’s head to relieve pressure and fluids spurt everywhere.
Yes, after 21 years of nursing…their is good and bad. We take our lumps and get back on the saddle. Do I feel bitter at times, not so much now but at times. Frustrated may be a better choice of words. I remember my brother going into nursing school. I said, Jason, why are you doing this?” He said “the money and working 3-12 hour days”. He lasted 3 months and came back and apologized and thanked me for what I do. He said I don’t get paid enough, lol.
I’m an aid & i know what you’re talkin about! I’ve been. cursed at & threatened physically. I’ve been pinned in the bathroom. as a man touched me eveywhere!!! We are terribly underpaid. so bad i decided to leave after these things were reported. nothing changed. So much for tryin to go good for people. good luck to those who remain.
I’ve never taken a mental health day nor called in sick in fifty years of nursing. so now you know one. LOL.
I’ve never taken a mental health day, either, although I’ve called in sick when I need to. Why not? Because (1) the hospital doesn’t recognize the need for a mental health day as a reason to call in, and (2) I’m a poor liar. But I can certainly understand others—-especially those with heavy responsibilities at home, as well as at work—–who do this occasionally.
I’ve been a nurse 27 years now. I can tell you nursing destroys you mentally and physically. And if you’re not a nurse you can’t possibly understand it. The workload, the stress and the abuse you take is beyond belief. If I had it to do over again I would take any career other than nursing and would strongly encourage nursing students to switch thier majors while they have a chance.
Nurses don’t save lives, they are overpaid waitresses. Maybe overworked by the amount of patients they have; having to change bedding,urinals to empty, or food to microwave , or fetch juice, or asking a doctor if you can give a medicine that you don’t have to calculate. Lets not mislead people, a monkey could do your job, you are the go between the pt. and the doctor, your like the guy who drives drugs to certain areas and then get paid. Boo hoo, call in sick if it’s that important that you get off. If you work in a hospital, then you know we all work weekends, you get all these shift differentials, bonuses for this for that, whatever. Save your trash talk about how; I couldn’t go to nursing school, I’m jealous, or I’m not smart enough to go to nursing school. I actually save lives, do formulas in my head, make decisions without a doctor telling me what to do. Be happy that your overpaid and hopefully your next shift you won’t have too many bed pans or beds to change.
Notanurse, you sound bitter (and more than a tad envious) toward nurses. May I ask what it is that you do for a living? If you’re doing the same things nurses do but not getting properly compensated for it, why not go back to school and get your RN? I mean, considering that you seem to feel you already know everything, nursing school ought to be a cakewalk for you. Right?
Notanurse, im thinking you have roles confused and maybe need better education. The role you are describing is that of our CNA’s. No where do you mention performing CPR (what is that? Oh yeah, saving lives), we do calculate medications, half the time the Dr asks us (nurses) what medication we think would be best as we are with the patients. I could go on and on but I wont. Be for you want to be quick to judge when one needs to vent a little (as we all need to at some point) maybe KNOW what their job ACTUALLY entails instead of being spiteful.
I call troll. TROLL.
I’m not a nurse yet, however I was 24/7 caregiver for my grandparents and am in nursing school and currently work 12hr shift nights as an emergency dispatcher. This is also a trying profession and I have felt the same way. Well said
Being a nurse myself, it is really quite hard to go to work every day, not knowing what to expect. The level of stress that this profession puts on one’s life becomes so unbearable at times. It harbors so much sacrifice. And yes, we do need to become martyrs at times. All we ask is just a little bit of consideration and much deserve RESPECT…
This sounds about right! My mother is a nurse, and god bless her heart, my twin sister, my older sister, and all other nurses for all working hard to becoming a registered nurses to save and impact lives every day. Growing up I watch my mother go through school with a 8 year old, 6 year old and 4 year old twins… The sacrifice started off strong. She worked at nursing homes until her heart and body couldn’t handle it, she moved to working in the emergency room night shift. My childhood was motherless, she worked whir we slept, she slept while we played and even on days off she just couldn’t get up. I didn’t understand then as a child why my mother was so tired or why we had to tip toe around the house so she could sleep. She saw children die, and would cry all night, she would come home with blood stil on the slippers she was too tired to take off, or have a voice message saying someone was exposed to TB and to come in and get vaccinations and tests… My mother did it all, and she was so awe inspiring that two of my sisters followed her footsteps. I myself couldn’t do it, I know I don’t have the stomach for the squeamish things, I’m like my father. I joined the military , and am in the airforce. It’s funny how we have so much in common. I average 52 hours a week, work every 3rd Saturday , and every 3 months I work 12 hour shifts for 14 days in a row. It’s so exhausting I feel as though I have even recovered by the time the next 3rd month arrives . We lose sleep, sacrifice our family time, heck I have been home for Christmas, or thanksgiving in 3 years. This isn’t about me, it’s about how even though I have such a strenuous job, I’m so greatful for all of the
Greatful for all of the hard work nurses do. You are appreciated so much. Your hard work is not unnoticed. And on a day where you feel like no one can understand what your going through, just know we can try. If I could change the world alone, hospital would have more nurses, nurses would have less patients, patients would be more respectful and caring and the world would treat you like it is a choice you are caring for the world! Thank you
Amen! I’ve been a nurse for 29 yrs., and I’ve seen and done more than any one person should have to! This career has supported me and my family, but has taken a great toll on me and my family. It takes a special person to do what a nurse does, and I pray that we can continue finding these people. God bless and take care of yourselves.
I have been a nurse for 35 years. I love my job. I could not imagine doing anything else BUT like most every other nurse I have had those days, weeks or months when I did not want to go!to work! when the verbal abuse from my co workers was horrendous! I did not want to put on one more isolation gown and sweat till I was soaked only to have to take it off and carry on, wet.All those infected dressings, patients dying, babies dying, people bleeding out, families screaming at you or accusing you of poor care, or verbal abuse. some of those patients deserve to have their asses kicked but no, we put up and shut up. One patient tried to stab the nurse with a needle and syringe. I did not sign up for burn out for months, sick leave and more drugs than some of my patients. Neither did I sign up for doctors yelling at me or blaming me for their stupidity or forgetfulness. I certainly never thought I would find myself out there in a major, raging snow storm, ice storm or whatever else trying to get to work or trying to dig out my car at 12::00am in the freezing cold wind so I can go!home and repeat it next morning BUT the old lady’ s hand in yours as she passed away makes it worth it. the smiles on patient’s faces when they see you and say ‘I am so glad you are my nurse today ‘. seeing wounds heal and people go home. giving someone hope when told they have cancer and then a year later the patient shows up to thank you and take you out for dinner? the total joy on parents faces after you have cared for them for hours and the baby finally arrives? the grateful ness from people who really have no reason to be grateful but they are. the relief on a man’s face when you come out of the OR and tell him his wife will be fine. finally! Having the family ask how you are doing after they lost their baby!!
There is no job like it. The hours stink, the work is hard and the pay sucks, no one else but a nurse really gets it. that bone dragging fatigue as you drag yourself home to take care of your own family. But, I would never change it. I am grateful for all I have learned from my patients and how it helped me be a better nurse and help others more effectively.
Now , I have to take more care of myself, the job has taken its toll. BUT I would never change it
I am currently a Hospice RN and absolutely love my job and patients, but I have also hated it at other times totally understand everything in your post.
I am not a nurse but I do work in healthcare at an assisted living. No my work days are not 12 hours but I do work 3-11 5 days a week which includes every other weekend. It is an emotionally and mentally draining job as well as physically, I have missed holidays, birthdays and even my own aunts funeral due to my job. I couldn’t agree more with you about this line of work.
My partner is a nurse specializing in critical care or ICU. Her shifts are madness, often draining always taxing and yet she goes back for more. As a Detective I well understand the shift issues but I cannot fully understand the internal turmoil, emotional highs and lows that go with the all too often forgotten job of comforting the sick and dying and their families. Through her I now know many nurses in many fields and their stories are all the same. I fully support her like everyone should with all nurses. I despise those who assault abuse and demean nurses and that includes (some not all ) doctors You are truly the stitching in society, holding the different fabrics of communities together in this amazing patchwork quilt we call humanity. And every once in a while, deservedly you just need some you time. So take all you need with my blessing because without nurses our quilt falls apart.
well done and so honestly said ! we all think it but thank YOU for stating it!!
If I were to substitute “teacher” and ” teaching” for every time she said “nurse” or “nursing”, my entry would read the same as her blog.
Thank you for all you do, each and everyday!! My mom was an OB nurse. Now does home health and hospice. Not sure how she does it and my sister in law is an RN and has worked a lot of different areas of hospital. They both put others needs in front of their own always ! Nurses are very special people !!!
I’ve been a grad for 6 months and what annoys me is that we always get blamed for everything that goes wrong on a ward. Just being a grad makes you a target. We take so much shit from regular nurses,it no wonder so many of us drop out before they finish the program
I am proud to have worked as an LPN for 50 plus years. Been semi retired for 6 years now. Worked most of that time in hospitals in most every department and short stint in a clinic. I found most satisfaction working in a fast turnover area. Loved ER. I agree many incidents of physical abuse and some emotional abuse(that-from other nurses). RN’s I wasn’t after your job-I had plenty to handle doing my own work-but please acknowledge that I’m a good helpmate. Once I offically retired I worked in travel nursing mostly in home health field. Truly a wonderful experience. I still have nightmares about working in hospital and at end of shift realizing that I still had much work to complete. Yes, I worked holidays-but usually able to adjust schedule-thanks to other nurses for really important occassions. As a divorced Mom of young children I was able to support my family. Yes, I felt bad about missing some occassions but thats life. I didn’t encourage my kids to go into medical field but they must have sensed my times of satisfaction as all 3 of them have worked in medicine.
I totally agree with you on this. I feel the same way as a CNA. Although, I am also one that won’t take a mental health day when I should… Nurses and CNA’s have hard jobs, and it is very easy for both to do more for other’s than themselves… At least that is how I am… It is very hard for me to say no… I am getting better at it, but it is hard!
I just have to also add that this is all pretty similar for an NA, and I do see the nurses I work with struggling, but I also see some of them that I work with not struggling, not helping the other RNs who need it, and turning around and over-demanding from the NA’s just the way the management does to them as management is also overworking the NA’s as well as the RN’s to start with. Sometimes this field feels like a war-zone and I hate it. Why cant we all help each other, be honest, kind, and for gods sake if you don’t give a shit about the patients, get the hell out!
I agree with everything you said. I am a nurse and have been for 4 almost 5 years. Today was horrible. I had a pt pass right at nine o’clock meds, a new admit at nine, a pt in excruciating pain that I couldn’t get under control, a newly diagnosed cancer pt, one non compliant pt who was supposed to be npo but kept calling for water and asking everyone for it when I left the room and even got up and drank water out of the sink, and one easy pt. Thank God for the walkie talkies. But I have to say this job is so hard and only nurses get it. No one understands the stress. I have another 12 hour shift tomorrow and I agree I wouldn’t care if I was in a wreck sometimes. It’s so hard to stay up beat sometimes bc nursing can drag you in the ground. This job is so hard. I had a doctor get onto me for not staying my potassium replacement soon enough. Half the time doctors don’t have a clue what we go through. They get angry bc you call them all day, but what they don’t realize is you have the stress of your pts, their families 10 billion questions, and calling them bc you know they are going to be short and most the time rude with you. This job is hard and it only gets harder. My job we aren’t even getting raises yet our pt load is increasing and we work short staffed most the time. It’s a hard job. I wish more people understood.