Goodbye to Hospital Nursing

I scanned through some of the comments and I can relate to most of them.  I want to know if any one is as concerned as I am, about  blacklisting, do not use (DNU), or do not send(DNS), lists of nurses that should not be hired.  I do understand these lists may be needed to weed out incompetent services.  However, because ironically, nursing bullying is a well established practice, these lists might just be another bullying weapon, for the bullies to use at their own selfish whims.  If a nurse is on any of these list, he or she should have the right to know about it, and allowed to legally defend their rights as applicable.   It should not be a "country club list" only available for a bully vendetta.   If being on the list is legal and genuine, then there is no need to hide it.  

Actually most of the users of such list, are only using it for personal gain and loyalty to nursing bullies who intimidates them.  If these list were being used legally and unselfishly, the public would see that nursing can be a wounderful service and not something to fear or else....  Many of the planted and rooted nursing  bullies would be on these list themselves, instead.....

Every time I have seen a nurse retire was really sad for me. No celebration or recognition of 30 years or whatever time period of employment at a hospital etc. They would start their shift saying "Good Bye". No time or effort to say "Thanks for a great job". Nurses need to be more caring to each other.

Thank you Pat for sharing your perspective and experiences. I read all the comments as well. Everything written reads so true and resonates so well. The stories from everywhere could be the stories from anywhere. I do applaud you for your persevering tenacity. I am a nurse for 20 years and I will soon be 62. I am in no position to retire. I felt the tenure of my birthdays would become something to be asseted within this type of social service, i.e.  Nursing. Currently, I am unemployed... I am still seeking employment within the `field’, yet as I reflect on yours and the other comments, the pause thought then leads to the consideration that the proverbial `something else’ would  fit the skills, education and experience I have accumulated and integrated.

It would be of interest to hear your assessment of the second-career experiences while working on a cruise ship.

37 years for me and I will be departing from the field...not sure to do what but feeling increasingly powerless has superseded my passsion for nursing. Persons that dictate to our profession (hmm, is it really a profession?) are interested in meeting their "bottom line" but Nurses do not seem to "hold their own" ...we are patient, wait for our turn, understanding of everyone's reasons why we need to give more for less for "just a little while longer". We trust and remain optomistic-as we are RAPED. And Nurses who see this and voice their concerns to seek solutions are viewed negatively and shunned even by their own. THERE ARE SOLUTIONS but who is listening? A seasoned Nurse who cares is so valuable...is this Nurse also a threat to the new medical system?

ALL YOU SAID WAS QUITE TRUE,I WILLBE RETIRING IN APRIL WITH 35 YEARS. FORTUNATELY,I WAS ABLE TO WORK PARTIME IN THE LAST SIX YEARS,OTHERWISE,I WOULD NOT HAVE MADE IT.NURSING WAS CHOSEN FOR ME,AND IT HAS WORN ME DOWN,AND TAKEN A LOT OUT OF ME,YET IT WAS MY DREAM. HOPEFULLY,IT WILL ALLOW ME TO BE ABLE TO DREAM A NEW LIFE.

Nurses don't support each other.

. When one nurse gets fired we just keep on like they never existed.  What is supposed to be the most compassionate occupation is filled with bullies, back stabbers and gossipers. We have to deal with patients, family members and all kinds of challenges through a shift.   If we would support each other instead of having to watch our back all the time nursing would be the best profession in the world.

Try home care. Not the traditional medicare based home care, but the private service industry. I have been a private duty nurse/household manager for the very wealthy for 10 years. It can be difficult at times, but the pay, the percs, (private jets, country clubs, chef prepared meals) make it all worthwhile. One of these days, I am going to write a book about how to get into this line of work and all the incredible and interesting things I have seen along the way.

For the record - it is not just the New Grads who cry.  The seasoned nurses are crying because good patient care is unattainable at the current workload levels.  As a new nurse, I have comforted MANY seasoned nursing professionals due to the ever increasing strain of the job.

I have been a nurse for 10 years and it is extremely sad to see a caring profession be torn apart. I work with an awesome team at this time, but I have worked the majority of my nursing career in LTC. You are expected to work short (except when State shows up) and there is no respect or appreciate unless they want more from you. We are advocates for our patients, but who is an advocate for us when we are mistreated and abused, whether it is a patient, their family member, a boss, a co-worker? Being a nurse definately is not as exciting and fun like it use to be. I still truly love what I do and I appreciate my patients and co-workers including my bosses, but I certainly struggle with the way nurses are being treated now days. The good news is, there are still some good people in the world who do appreciate each one of us. I sincerely wish each and every nurse a heartfelt appreciation, because we are needed and wanted.  God Bless!

Thank-you Pat. I am 62 I thought I had a few good years left Benefits and salary were good, so I wanted to continue. But unfortunately, this year. My hours were changed to 12 hours and night shift 7p-7a. Became very difficult so I retired I felt the last 2 hours were horrible Eyes felt blurry, tired,I became slower and  decrease in focus. My concern was the patient if there was an emergency could I handle it . Would I be able to give the care that I wanted to give as an RN and within the scope of practice. Many times I would hear your adrenalin would pick up and you would be able to do it. Is this fair to the RN and patient. Many RN's can do 12 hrs and be competent and I admire them. There are many that can not.Driving home was scarey, difficulty staying awake and then sleep time is interrupted. I am happy I retired Stress is decreased, BP down So Pat and fellow retired nurses have fun and enjoy retirement  I did receive a nice retirement luncheon with my coworkers at a restaraunt and the hospital had a nice party I received a lovely clock with plaque with 31 years of service

You are fortunate Gail. The thing is, I would have said EXACTLY what you said until I retired...I was both shocked and hurt that the same people I spoke so highly of ignored me.

After reading the above, I feel very fortunate in my position at my current hospital. Yes we are all feeling pinched from patients , excuse me clients, families and administration but I happen to work with the best of the best. As a group we have over 250 years of experience,there are 12 of us. I wonder if its the old school values that makes it so great to go to work everyday?  I admit when they start to retire, so will I.

I have wanted to be a nurse since I was small and totally see what u r talking about. I have been a nurse for one year and see such bitterness from staff everyday I work. Its sad to see that the most caring profession I always thought of can make them so cut throat because they dont feel treated fairly and hurt or hinder others in the process.

It is so sad, isn't it?  I became a nurse 4 years ago and feel this way already. Taken advantage of by the administration, getting the brunt of dissatisfaction from patients. Patients coming into the ED acting like nurses owe them. Nursing should be a respectful profession. Yes, there are the occasional grateful family members or patients that make your job worthy. But those are far and few between when the organization/administration you are working for treat you like a doormat. Have they forgotten what it's like as a staff nurse. The hospital I was working for after three years starting hiring new grads in at the new adjusted pay rate while not adjusting or raising the current employees hourly wage. Thus, I was making as a three year experienced ER nurse the same as new grads for more than 9 month. So no raises in now four years and weekend premium along with float staff nursing pay rates were decreased. I am wondering what next. Is this what I have to look forward to the rest of my career. When I left the ER 9 other employees followed me. My director said about one of his best friends who also left that we are all dismissible because there's a stack of applicants constantly on his desk who are waiting for an opportunity. Wow, is all I could say. All I really want to do is help people and feel good doing it with the support from the administration. A pat on the back once in awhile for a job week done ,and some pay raises theoughout years served would be great. So I've decided maybe travel nursing is the answer. Hospitals who need travel nurses treat you as an asset and are grateful to have you while compensating you for your time.

Thank you Pat for all that you've done for nursing.  By writing this blog you continue to have an impact.  I too have experienced this shift in attitude/expectation in the hospital setting.  It sucks the life out of nurses.  I hope that as a profession we can begin to care for each other (in addition to our patients).  As a profession we have become over burdened by administration..."let's get nursing to do it...or...it's nursing's fault".  The burden is great.  I wish we could stand together as one voice, supporting each other.  Wishful thinking? I hope not, because I have 20 more years to go till retirement.  

Thank you Pat for all your hard work over the years.  I was lucky enough to experience your advocacy first hand.  A good nursing supervisor can make all the difference when dealing with the hardship that has become hospital nursing.  When we wake up as a country and take the profit out of health care, maybe the job and it's environment will change.  Instead we are increasingly trying to turn a profit at the expense of the hospital staff.  However, that is not the only problem.  Lists every year show that the citizens trust and believe nurses over just about every profession.  However, more and more patients, and family members, arrive at the hospital with preconceived notions and initiate an adversarial relationship with the nursing staff.  It is very difficult to leave your family and go to a job to take care of others and their family members who study your every move as if your goal was to do them harm.  When this change started I cannot say, but it is definitely doing harm to current hospital nurses.  This country needs to wake up and provide nurses with better hours, working environments and resources, but also with respect.

So sad but true, felt like I gave it my all, was the best patient advocate and advocate for all my hard working colleagues, I was accountable, honest and always hard working, yet when I retired I felt as though I never mattered, not one supervisor wished me well!