this and that

This is a post in response to people who are surprised to learn I am an RN, and those who want to know if I like nursing.

Every time I meet someone, they ask, “So, how do you like nursing??” after they ask me what I do for a living. It is a complicated answer. Usually I just mumble something about how its okay, the pay is pretty good, and move on. However, for people who really want to know, here are some actual thoughts I have on nursing.

PROS:

• It pays pretty well. Also, because we are so understaffed, we can work unlimited overtime when needed, and not only do we get paid time and a half, but also we get a $75 shift bonus for each extra shift we work.
• I only have to work three days a week. [See both section, though]
• I know I’ll always be able to find a job. Nursing is in super high demand.
• It is interesting and amusing at times. [See both section]
• I dont mind wearing scrubs. Its better than having to wear dress clothes, or some other type of ugly uniform.
• It is good exercise. [See both section]
• Even if I have a really bad night, I know at least Ive made other people feel a little better.

CONS:

• It is exhausting. I spend the majority of my 12 hour shift walking, lifting patients, helping to lift very obese patients, etc. Also, there is the occasional running of a patient to the ICU (you know, the dramatic running with the bed down the hall, etc), running to a patient’s room when their heart has a bad rhythm (or no rhythm, lol), holding down crazy patients, cleaning up poop, etc)
• 12 hour shifts are really long. It is sometimes hard to stay awake and keep going at about 3am.
• I get beat up all the freaking time. Confused/Alcohol detox pt’s are often violent and mean. Ive been kicked, hit, punched, pinched, etc. Ive even had a bruise on my boob before. Ive had my hair pulled. Ive had a pt grab my stethoscope from around my neck and try to pull me into their bed. Ive had my butt grabbed more times than I can count. I wont even go into being screamed and yelled at.
• Nursing is really, really frustrating about 90% of the time. Im going to have to make a separate paragraph about that.
• The potential to pick up yucky germs sucks. We constantly have at least two or three patients on isolation. Some you just have to wear gloves when wearing the room, some gowns and masks. It is kinda scary to have to potential to catch TB or MRSA, etc while doing your job. Part of the problem is that patients will come to our floor, and wont get diagnosed with their bug until after they’ve been there a week. We had a patient with TB on our floor for like a week and a half before he was diagnosed with TB, so all the nurses didnt know to wear TB masks and were exposed.
• We are understaffed. Sometimes we end up having to do our job and the nursing assistants job too. Our patients are also getting sicker and sicker, which means we need to have a lower ratio of patients to nurses, but it isnt happening. More patients are falling, more errors are being made, etc.

BOTH:

• I only have to work 3 days a week. However, the day after I work, I dont end up being able to do anything because I have to sleep, and Im aching all over.
• It is interesting and funny sometimes. We get patients with exotic diseases and conditions, which are interesting, but not fun to catch. Confused patients make me laugh internally nearly every single shift. However, sometimes even though something is funny, it requires followup. Sometimes its restraints, sometimes its pulling dentures out of the toilet and trying to figure out how to clean them, and sometimes you have to clean poop out of the blinds.
• It is good exercise. At the same time though, its so seriously exhausting. Ive had patients that are so fat, it took 8 of us to move them up in bed. It is estimated nurses walk at least 4-8 or more miles per shift. Look it up if you dont believe me. I mean, I know its good for me, but doing it 3 times a week sucks.

As mentioned earlier, nursing is just really frustrating. That is the worst part. That post will be later.

This entry was posted on Friday, June 27th, 2008 at 12:42 am and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.