I have eventually left nursing beacause of the “treat ’em and street ’em” approach. i trained in the 70’s at St Georges, London, where the team on each ward taught and supported each other. Very different nowadays. Sister = Manager, above her a “Site Controller”. The computer at the nurses’ station used by all – no wonder the bugs spread! A sort of exhausted bored apathy at every handover. I was reprimanded for telling a dying patient she looked lovely on her nightdress. “No time for that sort of thing…” And the mess everywhere! Nurses eating at their desk – nurses too fat to do up their belts –
No more nursing for me. I have trained as a gardener. I’ve never been reprimanded for talking to a plant!
I have been thinking a lot about your post, Angela. I do not doubt that many nurses have shared your experience. In fact, that is the reason Reality RN was started. We believe that nursing is the best profession out there. We also know that it is not perfect. Our hope is that this site will help empower nurses to change the systems that don’t work so that they can love their jobs. There are so many areas in nursing that I don’t think you have to leave the profession if one job doesn’t work for you. There is something for everyone no matter what your personality or skill set. Sometimes finding that right fit takes some work, but I believe it’s worth it. I had 5 different jobs (in 4 different areas of nursing) before I landed in Family Practice. Now I’ve been doing that for 21 years. Even within FP I’ve had 3 jobs working anywhere from 40 hours to 3.5 hours a week.
For those of you who are struggling in your jobs, don’t give up! Nursing offers more flexibility than any other profession out there. You are not trapped in that bad job! Keep looking. I promise you there is a job out there that you will love.
Do any of the rest of you have stories of finding the right fit? How did you do it?
July 11th, 2007 at 8:34 am
I have eventually left nursing beacause of the “treat ’em and street ’em” approach. i trained in the 70’s at St Georges, London, where the team on each ward taught and supported each other. Very different nowadays. Sister = Manager, above her a “Site Controller”. The computer at the nurses’ station used by all – no wonder the bugs spread! A sort of exhausted bored apathy at every handover. I was reprimanded for telling a dying patient she looked lovely on her nightdress. “No time for that sort of thing…” And the mess everywhere! Nurses eating at their desk – nurses too fat to do up their belts –
No more nursing for me. I have trained as a gardener. I’ve never been reprimanded for talking to a plant!
July 12th, 2007 at 1:37 pm
I have been thinking a lot about your post, Angela. I do not doubt that many nurses have shared your experience. In fact, that is the reason Reality RN was started. We believe that nursing is the best profession out there. We also know that it is not perfect. Our hope is that this site will help empower nurses to change the systems that don’t work so that they can love their jobs. There are so many areas in nursing that I don’t think you have to leave the profession if one job doesn’t work for you. There is something for everyone no matter what your personality or skill set. Sometimes finding that right fit takes some work, but I believe it’s worth it. I had 5 different jobs (in 4 different areas of nursing) before I landed in Family Practice. Now I’ve been doing that for 21 years. Even within FP I’ve had 3 jobs working anywhere from 40 hours to 3.5 hours a week.
For those of you who are struggling in your jobs, don’t give up! Nursing offers more flexibility than any other profession out there. You are not trapped in that bad job! Keep looking. I promise you there is a job out there that you will love.
Do any of the rest of you have stories of finding the right fit? How did you do it?