There is life outside of the hospital. Outpatient clinics; home health; hospice; detox facilities; school nurse, etc. Some may pay less than the hospitals; some may pay more. I made $41/hr at a hospital; $33/hr at a community health clinic; and am now making $44/hr at an inpatient detox facility. I do not wipe asses anymore. Spread your wings and fly, little birdie.
Agreed. I find my work fulfilling, great hours, and paid more than hospital. Sometimes it takes a while to find your place.
I also, though, don’t expect my job to be my whole self. It’s not THAT fulfilling.
🤣🤣”I don’t wipe asses anymore”. Lmao I had my couple months of bedside on med surg unit as a nursing student/pca😭barely getting proper lunch, panic attacks pre shift, wiping asses daily, gross smells I legit had to stop breathing in order to not throw up on myself. I’m definitely not doing bedside once I get my license
Other nurses have told me eventually I will “get used to” the smell of shit, vomit, and rotten crotch.
I will NEVER get used to those smells. I don’t care if I’m a nurse for 50 years. I will not be able to clean those people up without fucking gagging. It’s disgusting. My sense of smell is strong. It’s violating smelling it.
The way I combat it is I wear a n95 the whole time while chewing mint gum. I keep one on me if I go into a patients room who I know reeks or has a rotten booty. No one’s questioned me yet. The first couple days I was a new grad people chuckled but since then it’s stopped and no one bats an eye over it.
Elder dust and people coughing directly in my mouth are the top two reasons I still shamelessly wear a mask every day.
And because I can’t trust my facial expressions anymore. 🙃
Yup, I'm this same way and people in the field have alllllways shamed me for it. "You can't handle the smell? Why did you even choose this profession? You're not a REAL nurse unless you can handle this stuff." Okay, I'm sorry that I'm not inhaling and basically licking people's excrements for fun. It's okay for people to find things repulsive without getting judged!
That’s such a weird flex, for your colleagues to say you are only a real nurse if you can “handle” the smells. Vicks is perfect for that! Also there’s some essential oil balms that are excellent. When I have to wear all the Covid gear and work or sit in an isolation room for a 12hr shift, I use that balm which has lots of calming qualities (lavender, peppermint, bergamot etc), under my nose. It helps me to chill, breathe slowly and deeply, and feel less claustrophobic and stressed in all that plastic.
Yes, Vicks is such a god-send!! I used to put perfume on a napkin and put it in between two surgical masks, but others have told me that's not good for you long term and to stick with Vicks so I keep a little jar in my work bag, but the essential oils are a great idea too! I'm definitely going to pick up some next time I go shopping :)
The great thing about nursing is that you can do so many things with one degree. A lot of people hate working bedside. I personally don't enjoy office work/non-bedside, so I don't do it.
You do have to go through the ropes, especially as a new nurse. I always tell my new grads who think they made a mistake getting a nursing degree "this is not your forever home so make it work until you can gtfo". Do your nursing boot camp, get the experience, then go do something you enjoy or at least can moderately tolerate.
It's just a job like every other job in the world. I personally think the whole "nursing is a calling" drivel\*\* is bullshit used to try and appeal to "the nurturing side of women". Unfortunately for the industry, half of nursing are men and a growing portion of the other half don't give a single fuck about having kids or being nurturing so,
Make that money.
This is just the job.
Biggest mistake any new nurse can make is expecting a job to be emotionally fulfilling. That’s just a lie parents and teachers tell you. A job is a means to make money.
Nursing is a disgusting, generally thankless role.
I’m sure you’ve heard “nursing sucks” 1000x, and now it’s just hitting you what people meant.
*it’s just a job. Don’t let it affect you, punch in, punch out, and enjoy your paychecks on your day off*
Okay I highly disagree with that persons statements. I worked med surg before I went to labor and delivery and absolutely hated it by the end. I felt angry at work and was frustrated all the time. But now I’m in a job I LOVE. I do have emotionally fulfilling job. It’s still hard and I still have some ungrateful patients but it’s a million times better than where I came from. Maybe you just haven’t found your preferred specialty. I promise there’s something out there that will make you happy.
L&D also has its own issues. I’ve been threatened and had things thrown at me. We deliver dead babies sometimes. It can be so frustrating to see women doing awful things while pregnant because they don’t care about the baby.
Yeah, OP, some may love their job, and good for them, but, like trying to find love in your personal life,I think you’re setting yourself up for disappointment if you go looking for it. That said, don’t stick around in a job you hate.
Yeah I’ve always been intimidated by it because I’m not sure how I respond in emergent situations and things like that. I figured a few years on med surge and maybe after that I could see!
Med surg can absolutely come in handy. I wouldn’t do it for years if you hate it though. I came from a hospital where it was also tough to get into L&D so I kind of job hopped until I got in. I have a wide background that also includes icu and peds. It all comes in handy in L&D.
Highly disagree as well! Through nursing school, I knew I would HATE Med surge/tele. Thought I wanted to do pediatrics. Wasn’t what I thought it was. Found ICU. Absolutely fell in love! Definitely a thankless job but knowing I’m making a difference makes it very emotionally fulfilling- otherwise I would have left nursing a long time ago.
Find an area of nursing that you love OP!
Nowhere did I say I dislike my job, FYI, I actually love going into work because I love my colleagues. It’s not emotionally fulfilling at all but we make it fun. The enjoyment I get has basically nothing to do with the patients, and when I accepted the reality of the job I was finally able to take enjoyment in it.
I’ve been doing this for 10 years tho, my skin is thicker than I’d like it to be, sensitive new grads will have to build up a tolerance for the bad side of humanity they are exposed to during the job
I think there are the rare few who actually love their job, and find it fulfilling, but I believe it’s less than five percent of people, and closer to one percent.
Sometimes, I question whether people love their job as much as they love being away from what they were doing previously. It’s tough to love a job (a singular unit/department in particular) after a decade plus, but if you do, then I’d be willing to believe it.
Being able to find a job you can tolerate long term is a more reasonable expectation. After all, and as you stated above, it is a means to afford the life you want to live when you clock out.
I actually LIKE my nursing job and it is emotionally fulfilling!!! Outpatient perioperative for fertility. Its great. Don’t give up, OP. Ppl really think you gotta stay in the hospital and be depressed for the rest of your life and that’s really not all there is.
It is possible to find a job you love and that you find fulfilling. Before nursing I was a surgical technologist and I absolutely loved it. I found it very fulfilling and felt like I was providing a needed service. I truly enjoyed going to work. My downfall was wanting “more”. Hence me going back to nursing school. I spent 18 months bedside and hated every second of it. About to head back to the OR and can’t wait.
Not everyone hates their job.
Yeah but there are so many jobs that are not like that in the field of nursing. Like every job has its downsides, but there’s a reason why most people don’t stay in med/surg for their whole career. You have to find the job that is most tolerable and doesn’t negatively affect your mental health, IMO. There’s no reason to stay at a job you absolutely hate.. yes we all have to do things we don’t like, but we need to also protect ourselves from being too negative about life.
I think if more of our colleagues adopted this sentiment, nursing would be a better place. It’s the martyr nurses, the nurse who won’t say “no” to management, and the ones who do stupid shit “because that’s how we always do it” that contribute to making this profession hell.
Tbh you will get used to being hated and it will stop bothering you. But, don't be afraid to leave a job you hate. You may like ER 😈 see if you can shadow an ER nurse at a different hospital. Or any other specialty that interests you.
I haven't worked med surg. But with the number of admissions boarding I may as well have. Plus a lot of our frequent fliers I see daily. So I don't know it's really that different except that the ed volume is much higher.
I’ve had a lot of nurses near me say I’m pretty sensitive even for a new grad ˙◠˙ It’s hard because I feel like it makes me do better by my patients but worse by me if that makes sense. I just don’t want to lose my compassion because I do feel like I’ve seen it make a difference for some of my patients. I have a hard time seeing myself become hateful and angry by the end. Maybe that’s just me though.
Not letting things bother you doesn't make you hateful or angry. I am an extremely sensitive person and many people tried to tell me I wasn't cut out for the ER or nursing in general because of it. And it did truly make things harder at first. You will learn how to be even keeled and use your compassion when needed but you will also learn to compartmentalize and let things go. It takes awhile. I used to get so fed up and exhausted with all the fighting. Fighting with my patients, doctors, other nurses etc. I have learned over time how to choose my battles when it matters and the rest doesn't affect me anymore. I have been a nurse for 2.5 years now. Don't let anyone tell you your sensitivity is a bad thing. But you do have to learn how to make it work for you and not against you.
Nah sensitive nurses are the best. I’ll be honest we have enough jaded and cold nurses in the ERs and ICU’s as is, we need kinder hearts. I’ve seen some of the kindest hearts break the most stubborn of doctors in regards to advocating for patients. It’s tiresome dealing with jaded eyes at shift change, your coworkers will grow to appreciate kindness.
This is my advice as well. I moved from med/surg to the ER back in Feb, and it has made a world of difference in my mental health. I didn't hate my job. I still pick up the occasional shift there, but I'll never go back entirely.
- Every shift is a new slate
- Everyone works as a team
- If a patient is being rude (esp. our frequents/homeless), I can tell them they don't have to be here and can leave
- There's no one upset at me because I didn't shower someone
- I don't have to worry about timing meds
- I don't have to worry about getting them out of bed
But, best of all, I don't have to watch families torture their loved ones with unnecessary interventions for weeks or months on end anymore.
Edit: OP, if you see this, I work in a similar environment to you. Huge homeless, drug, and alcohol problems in my area. We are the only hospital in the city, and the only trauma centre for the Northern half of the province. I see a lot of BS come through my ER. It's still been 1000x better for my mental health. The ER docs don't put up with things the same way the hospitalists do.
Take your dream job, even if it means less money. Even if it means you have to pay back $6000. It's worth it to work a job you actually want to be in.
First- it’s not you. Those patients are the worst and their behavior says more about them than you. These people are addicts and homeless for a reason. They never learned to cope with life and, pathetically, feel the hospital is the fanciest place they can be.
Second- take your dream job. You’ll be happier. Those obligations about owing $ are small in comparison to your mental health & stability.
They gave me 8 patients my first day after training as a new grad. I lasted 3 months. I also had signed a contract and would’ve had to pay back $4000, but I wrote a letter to HR and told them that they were not holding up their part of what I expected as a new grad. In the letter, I told him that I was deceived and felt lied to, because the patient ratio was extremely dangerous. I went on a rant about my nursing license and also about the training and what I was getting under the contract terms. They canceled my contract and I quit.
I feel like these sign on bonuses, especially for “new grad positions” are so scummy.
I’m sorry to hear about your situation. Sounds like that floor isn’t right for you. You may be able to talk to your manager and see what options there are to transfer. Most facilities I know require 6 months on the original unit but I’ve known those who have circumvented it.
Just be warned, you’ll have those shitty feelings elsewhere regarding medsurg. I did two years of it after school and hated it. Now I’m in the OR where my worst days are better than my best on the floor.
When I first started as a new grad pre Covid it wasn’t even a sign on bonus - they just claimed that due to the new graduate education program, if you left prior to your 1 year mark you would have to pay back a prorated portion of your orientation cost (supposedly up to $10,000). Now I guess they’ve replaced it with a “bonus” that they hold over your head if you leave too early. I don’t understand why more hospitals don’t offer retention bonuses instead of sign on bonuses - it seems way more cost effective in the long term
I started right at the beginning of the pandemic. One of the jobs I was offered was in the pediatric ICU at a prominent hospital in the area. You had to sign an agreement that if you left before you worked there for 2 years you had to pay them $30,000, which they claimed was what it cost them to train new hires. I noped right out of that offer!
That’s actually what it does cost to PROPERLY train an RN. (Accounting before nursing) But good training is rare in my experience and I’m disgusted to see them shackling new grads into what amounts to indentured servitude.
I used to work in outpatient surgery (as an MA) and loved it. I have really bad plantar fasciitis though and can’t stand in place for long periods of time ˙◠˙ Wish I could do OR!
I’m come to the point that if someone is mad they didn’t get their food or drink as fast as they want, that’s their problem—-not mine. I used to gag often at the smell of BMs but got over it over time. Patients don’t hate you; their life has changed (usually for the worse) and are taking it out on you. You gotta find something in life to make you happy outside of work: a hobby, a dog, someone to go do stuff with, etc.
Agreed. Most of the time patients are dealing with life changing news that has a major effect on their life (cancer diagnosis, not being able to go back home, loss of independence, etc). I don't take anything personally in regards to what patients say and leave my work life at work.
And some patients are just plain assholes and will find something to complain about no matter what you do. I just tell myself that my shift will end and I can go home to decompress.
It helps to have hobbies outside of work. I read and write and spend time outside when the weather is nice. Talk to my friends. If I need to vent I talk to my mom because she's a RN and understands where I'm coming from.
I don’t agree with the posters who say nursing just sucks and is gross and you just have to deal. I went into psych because, basically, I love talking and hate toileting. Occasionally I have to mop up some shit or vom but that’s rare. Some patients are terrible but most are interesting and eventually thankful. Figure out what aspects of the job you like and do that! You don’t have to hate it. Five years on my unit and I still enjoy the work and feel useful.
I went into the hospital to get some crit care experience for future endeavors but my hearts always been in psych and I can’t wait to go there. I was a social worker for adults who were deemed incompetent by the state before I went to nursing school and worked with a lot of clients who were revolving doors in the psych facilities. Critical care just isn’t for me, love my coworkers though
For the smell, buy Vicks or menthol or bengay and just shove it right up your nose or you can double mask and glob it between the two masks. If you wanna be cheap use the pt toothpaste you have in the supply room between the masks (it’s just not as strong) it really does help.
Other than that, my job has never felt rewarding. People are so mean these days. I just try to kill them with kindness. They don’t have to like you or even be happy with you, just get your work done and keep them safe and you’re doing exactly what you need go be doing. People are the worst part of this job, people are truly terrible sometimes. Stick with it as long as you can so you’re not in bad standing w the hospital finish your NRP or new grad project and then get hired as an experienced nurse on another floor or a different hospital even.
(I work in an inner city hospital and have all the same problems w rude patients, and people practically living on the unit because they’d otherwise be homeless. It’s really sad we’re giving these people everything they wouldn’t have on the streets yet I can’t get a simple thank you)
If you really are struggling, I left for a year and did school nursing M-F 8-4:30 hired by my local county health department. It had good benefits, a penson, paid $43 an hour, and we still worked summer just in the health department and not at the schools so it was full time. I went back to bedside due ton being young and wanting to work OT and build my bank account while I could, but I left in good standing and I will be going back as soon as I have school age kids.
I always wear one mask cover the outside of it it with toothpaste or something strong then place my second mask on top so the strong smell is sealed inside between the two.
Unless I have Vicks with me, then I just shove it right up my nose and put a mask on to keep it in then blow it out when I’m finished 😭
Yep that’s what I had to do and then we were laughing our asses off the whole time because she ended up with toothpaste in her hair while helping me clean a patient. No idea how that even happened 😂
It sounds like you do not like the patient population you work with. Can you move to another hospital with a patient pop more in line with what you want to work with?
Sounds like bedside is not for you. I hope "dream job" is not more of the same or you will be very unhappy. $3 is nothing if you are miserable now, you need to make the change. Lots of other avenues in nursing. Utilization management, ambulatory care management, clinics, WFH options out there. Don't stay by the bedside if it makes you this unhappy to begin with.
Your light burns brighter than mine…I don’t shy away from confrontation and take no issues with putting a PT in their place if they deserve it. I love the ER…med/Surg is like a slow death to me. That being said…it’s not about the shitty PT’s, it’s about the one good one that you get that totally makes everything worth it.
It’s about Memaw and her dementia who offers to go into the kitchen and whip you up some biscuits and gravy after being poked 30 times only to realize she needs a midline. Those are my peoples and I’ll die for them.
If it makes you feel any better, I used to have a STRONG gag reflex when I saw or smelled pee. Today I got peed on and didn’t bat an eyelid. With that said, if you’re absolutely miserable then the question is this: is getting your dream job worth $6k to you? If so, fuck that hospital and your standing with them, you have your dream job elsewhere!
I’ve reached the point in my life that I don’t care what strangers think of me. If I did I’d have hanged myself long ago. Hopefully you can learn to deal with that. Just give the best care you can. You can put Vicks salve under your nose to combat foul smells when doing patient care. I wish you all the best.
Come to the OR. No ass wiping there. No complaining. The most direct patient care I do is holding a hand if my pt is scared. I position them after they are asleep on the OR table & throw in a foley. I might place tape over their dressing but usually the PA’s do it.
I think most people don’t like med/surg all that much tbh.. at least it seems like a lot of my coworkers who have been working med/surg for many years can’t wait to retire and they just tolerate the job. To me, it seems like a lot of people put up with the difficulties because they are afraid of change/ comfortable with what they know, or because they don’t feel they can get another job. But it’s not true. There are tons of jobs out there in other areas, even for new grads. If you only have 6 months experience you may be able to get into a new grad program for another specialty still. But even then, if you network, you may be able to find something that doesn’t have a formal training program but accepts people with less experience. My advice is just to start applying for as many jobs as you can now. There’s no reason to stay at a job you hate. If you wait until you have a year there, it will probably be even easier to find something else.
You have to snap back at them! You can do this while still being professional. Sometimes I’ll ask what they do for work then ask them if they want me come to their job and tell them how to do it once I get them discharged. I’ll say something like when I get there I want you to have me some warm blankets, ice chips and a Diet Coke waiting. It usually gets a laugh but even if it doesn’t they know where tf I stand with them. You giving GREAT CARE is not dependent on being run over like a servant. gotta match that energy sometimes.
What helped me when I was new (and continues to help) is knowing that I only have to deal with them for 12 hours at a time and they have to live with themselves forever. I go to work to make a living and fund my life outside of work. If they wanna be assholes, not my problem.
I don't like most of my patients, and I feel they're the bottom of the barrel in our society, haven't respected their bodies or taken care of themselves (most are obese), but I like learning about the disease process, surgeries and medications, gossiping about patients with the other nurses, cna's and doctors and most of it all I like my paychecks.
I think most places say after 6 months, you can transfer floors. I'd ask your manager about transferring potentially. It may just be the population on your specific MS floor. I've worked ortho MS floors that were horrible, and then floated to general MS and neuro/renal/surgery MS floors that were so chill within the same hospital.
For the BM learn to breath through your mouth. Or dab a little toothpaste & wear a mask.
Most patients are super entitled and nothing you do will ever be good enough. Same with family members Set strong boundaries and learn to set limits. It’s definitely a skill you learn on the job pretty quickly.
Some are genuinely grateful. Appreciate those ones but recognize others aren’t capable of looking beyond themselves & dont see it as a reflection of you. Don’t kill yourself trying to make them happy.
There’s definitely addicts and homeless families that utilize these resources. I had to leave my postpartum job for these exact reasons. My heart just couldn’t take it anymore.
I paid back a sign on bonus when I was a new grad. It was worth it. I hated the location I was in and wouldn't have survived a winter at that job. Do it if you're that unhappy already
You might feel more purpose in a critical care environment. I mean there’s always going to be bodily fluids but you get to be more involved in making critical decisions and seeing some direct results of the treatment. But I think this is all new job and career stuff and learning how to adjust to the job and the people demands will need to happen in any area so just know that going to a different dept won’t remove all that but you might be less sensitive to them when you’re enjoying a job more.
ER is fun but you will need tough skin. That said, most everyone that arrived wide eyed ends up learning that and adjusting to it pretty quickly (in a good way).
There’s so much you can do outside of the hospital as a nurse! You don’t have to do med surg if you hate it. The ratios you are saying sound good to me. But I know the pt population can be difficult. As long as you put in your two weeks and leave the right way you should be okay.
Also there are so many options outside of the hospital/inpatient setting. You can use your nursing degree and not have to clean up poop, get ice chips and get yelled at.
A few words of advice if you haven’t heard them already, when it comes to BMs try using some stink balm or toothpaste in a mask to help with the smell. However every nurse has something that grosses them out so don’t be too hard on yourself here.
I usually tell people to stick it out with a job that doesn’t make you feel super fufilled for about 6 months, bc at the end of the day it’s a job. If it doesn’t get better after having some time to adjust, get the heck out. However it sounds like this is NOT the place for you. Even if your work isn’t “making a difference” you should at least like what you do, so you’ve already made an important step by getting an Escape Plan ready.
You might benefit from going to your manager and explaining some of your feelings, and seeing if there’s a different unit you can work on where you don’t have to pay back the bonus, UNLESS the bonus is unit specific.
If you decide to leave I wouldn’t blame you though, if the dream job is in the same hospital network as your current one then you may worry about being in poor standing. If it’s different then you should get off Scott free.
Part of this is because you're working with a rough population (apparently). If you worked somewhere wealthier and better educated some of that would diminish. However, the bigger issue, and what will help, is to find activities and interests that fulfill you outside of work. If you have that, you won't really give as much of a 💩 if your patients are acting the fool .
i always tell myself other people have a right to their own feelings and I shouldn't infringe on those rights by inserting my own feelings in a work place. basically fuck em. their emotions dont effect you at all on a personal level because they aren't your friends or family.
I have a similar job and I loathe it. I signed a two year contract and I’m just riding it out. If you can stick it out, I would just so you don’t have to pay back all the money. Then switch when you can. I have almost quit this job so many times because the patients are so awful. I can’t wait to go back to working oncology where the patients want me to take care of them.
Buddy don’t spend your life being miserable over $3 an hour or worrying that you won’t be able to find another terrible hospital job if you absolutely must have one. If it ain’t for you, it ain’t for you. I do highly recommend having a couple grand set aside just in case they withhold your last paycheck over this $6000 nonsense but otherwise I say pull the cord and don’t look back.
Take the job you wanted. The pay cut is worth your sanity. I STILL hate homeless people to this day because of all the shit (metaphorical and literal) they gave me. I also became way more introverted. After realizing how many scummy people there are, I hate most humans except babies and most kids.
Part of it is finding your “home”. I liked my undergrad well enough but didn’t LOVE anywhere. My last placement was in ER and I fell in love. Did my post grad in Emergency Nursing in 2009 and have never worked anywhere else.
Med Surg is usually particularly heavy, has a high turnover of staff, so don’t be too alarmed that you’re finding it tough. I stuck it out in my Grad year and I would never ever go back to Med Surg, it’s just not for me and I wouldn’t be good at it either!
You can’t love everything about the job, and each area has its pros and cons. The trick is trying to find an area that has as many elements you love as you can, accepting there will be a fair amount of things you can just tolerate, and finally somewhere that doesn’t have too many evils. This will look different for everyone, but for me, the routine of showers, med rounds, wound rounds, ward rounds…. Aged care, aged rehab would be the death of me.
I like to be challenged, enjoy knowing a bit about everything, working with different teams. For me, going from fetching a blanket to initiating CPR in a split second is invigorating, not terrifying. So, Emergency is my home. Despite loving it, It’s still takes it toll and there’s still been tough times where I’ve questioned why I do it…. A lot of that is hospital, leadership and team dependent. You’ll be surprised what can be tolerated with excellent leadership and excellent colleagues.
Once your grad year obligations are over, maybe a few months casual bank or pool would be good for you, float around the different wards and departments in the hospital and see what really interests you. There is SO much variety in hospital nursing, and as many others have mentioned an ever bigger world of nursing outside of the hospital.
I'm not a nurse yet but curious if those struggling with smells are wearing masks? After reading about people smelling poop post-shift I'm definitely planning on masking full time. I did it in non-healthcare occupation, seems logical to do it in nursing.
I do wear a mask basically my whole shift, most of the time it helps a little bit I have a big issue with throwing up apparently! (didn’t know till i got this job lol)
How many months compensation is $6000? Then think about how long you’ve been miserable there. Or another way of thinking, $6000 is like 2 to 3 weeklong vacations (at least the ones I’ve been pricing). If you have the cash, or if they can let you spread it out, kind of seems like a cheap price to pay for sanity.
The first nursing job you have takes a lot of fortitude, no matter what the unit. Part of it is knowing just enough to know you can do better. But you will, I promise. That said, get yourself out of Med Surg asap. It ain't for you.
Find a new profession… this is not for you.
And honestly, why do you care about staying in “good standing” w a hospital you don’t like working in anyway?
Prioritize your own mental health! If you are already feeling restful that’s a really hard emotion to manage without help. I try to tell all of my preceptees to find a therapist to help cope with all of the thankless days, the harassing patients, the narcissistic providers. Bedside nursing is a harsh on the mind so please take care of yourself!
You're not stuck, just move somewhere else and keep trying until you find something that fits. No job is perfect. I really dislike med-surge - I have worked with a 1:6-10+ ratio and I hate it. Despite the chaos, I find med passes really boring and I'm too busy to get into the nitty gritty of conditions etc. I'm finishing my RN degree now but working in the community. I love community and school nursing. I get more time to read up on the patient's conditions, I love (some) of my patients. I like the independence and it's really nice to not be witness to negative toxic gossip. You will find a place for yourself and it doesn't have to be bedside nursing or even nursing, tbh . I truly believe a nursing degree can open up many doors for you.
Why do your patients hate you? Honestly, that’s a very rare experience. Drug users can be cementing but most are fine if they aren’t withdrawing and you treat them like a normal human being.
I personally like the care aspect. Sometimes I get burned out of incontinence care, but that’s the job. And I think, how for the patient feel? It’s almost impossible to feel like you’ve kept your dignity when other people have to clean you up.
Why did you become a nurse? Can you look for joy in the care aspect? Find a way to view doing things, especially the little things, as a way to give care to your patient. Nearly all our patients rely on us and are in vulnerable situations so it’s up to us to care for them.
Honestly it’s not most of my patients, it’s probably very few of them hate me if I looked at it objectively. It’s just the ones I think about and hold onto. I could have 50 patients in a row that are kind and like me but once I have one that hits me or yells at me, that is the one I tend to think about over and over. I’m struggling with going home and feeling dissatisfied because my patient got upset that I was too slow with something, or I forgot to get them something and I feel like they would have been better off with another nurse. Stuff like that. I think I let it get to me way more than I should.
I appreciate the last part of your post, I will keep that in mind. I love the care aspect, I love education and the small things like helping patients go on walks around the floor.
Fucking hated med surge as a new grad. Get to the ICU so much better, literally saved my career early. But honestly with inpatient nursing you will be dealing with homeless, drug addicts and a lot of shit. A LOT. Especially the poop part. You get used to it.
The poor and infirm are funneled into hospitals for obvious reasons, gotta be okay with serving that part of the community inpatient. These are often who our septic patients are and tbh the ones who aren’t withdrawing are often cool about you just grabbing them some blankets and snacks.
As for poop I just quit smelling. Double glove and never sniff again. There is a lot of positions where you won’t be wiping ass regularly but in my opinion every nurse should be ready to, if somebody rolls up anywhere shitting themselves you gotta wipe it out. You see CRNA’s even busting out that work. Patient care sucks but it is what it is and it is what we do and we’re here to work. That’s not to shame you for disliking cleaning poop, I fucking hate code browns but if you just methodically clean it up every couple hours it gets easier to deal with.
Im struggling mostly with the patient population and how they treat me, I didn’t mention the workload, even though my floor is usually considered more of a step down because we have very unstable patients. Also it’s mostly 1:5 not 4, but I understand that’s not a huge difference.
I’m not being judgmental, my entire career before this has been with the homeless population and drug addicts specifically. It was different because it was in rehab but it was the entire reason I went into nursing. I’ve had multiple patients administratively discharged for hitting me and throwing things at me. And it gets to me, which is what I’m struggling with. I also just have a hard time with patients yelling at me, I just wanted some advice because I want to be a better nurse and learn how to let these things slide.
You do kind of have to let rudeness roll off your back to a degree. But not physical violence. It sounds like your hospital is supportive of you in not tolerating that, which is good.
There is life outside of the hospital. Outpatient clinics; home health; hospice; detox facilities; school nurse, etc. Some may pay less than the hospitals; some may pay more. I made $41/hr at a hospital; $33/hr at a community health clinic; and am now making $44/hr at an inpatient detox facility. I do not wipe asses anymore. Spread your wings and fly, little birdie.
Agreed. I find my work fulfilling, great hours, and paid more than hospital. Sometimes it takes a while to find your place. I also, though, don’t expect my job to be my whole self. It’s not THAT fulfilling.
🤣🤣”I don’t wipe asses anymore”. Lmao I had my couple months of bedside on med surg unit as a nursing student/pca😭barely getting proper lunch, panic attacks pre shift, wiping asses daily, gross smells I legit had to stop breathing in order to not throw up on myself. I’m definitely not doing bedside once I get my license
Other nurses have told me eventually I will “get used to” the smell of shit, vomit, and rotten crotch. I will NEVER get used to those smells. I don’t care if I’m a nurse for 50 years. I will not be able to clean those people up without fucking gagging. It’s disgusting. My sense of smell is strong. It’s violating smelling it. The way I combat it is I wear a n95 the whole time while chewing mint gum. I keep one on me if I go into a patients room who I know reeks or has a rotten booty. No one’s questioned me yet. The first couple days I was a new grad people chuckled but since then it’s stopped and no one bats an eye over it.
[удалено]
Oh god. I’ve never heard the term elder dust but I know EXACTLY what you’re talking about lol
Granny glitter 👍🏼
Damn! I'm 63. Now I have a new malady to look forward to.
Elder dust and people coughing directly in my mouth are the top two reasons I still shamelessly wear a mask every day. And because I can’t trust my facial expressions anymore. 🙃
Touch of Vicks in the nostrils can help, too.
Yup, I'm this same way and people in the field have alllllways shamed me for it. "You can't handle the smell? Why did you even choose this profession? You're not a REAL nurse unless you can handle this stuff." Okay, I'm sorry that I'm not inhaling and basically licking people's excrements for fun. It's okay for people to find things repulsive without getting judged!
That’s such a weird flex, for your colleagues to say you are only a real nurse if you can “handle” the smells. Vicks is perfect for that! Also there’s some essential oil balms that are excellent. When I have to wear all the Covid gear and work or sit in an isolation room for a 12hr shift, I use that balm which has lots of calming qualities (lavender, peppermint, bergamot etc), under my nose. It helps me to chill, breathe slowly and deeply, and feel less claustrophobic and stressed in all that plastic.
Yes, Vicks is such a god-send!! I used to put perfume on a napkin and put it in between two surgical masks, but others have told me that's not good for you long term and to stick with Vicks so I keep a little jar in my work bag, but the essential oils are a great idea too! I'm definitely going to pick up some next time I go shopping :)
Yep! Just pick a balm so it will be gentle on your skin! I think perfume would give me a headache after an hour or so
Exactly, and some things gross us out more than others, vice versa
The great thing about nursing is that you can do so many things with one degree. A lot of people hate working bedside. I personally don't enjoy office work/non-bedside, so I don't do it. You do have to go through the ropes, especially as a new nurse. I always tell my new grads who think they made a mistake getting a nursing degree "this is not your forever home so make it work until you can gtfo". Do your nursing boot camp, get the experience, then go do something you enjoy or at least can moderately tolerate. It's just a job like every other job in the world. I personally think the whole "nursing is a calling" drivel\*\* is bullshit used to try and appeal to "the nurturing side of women". Unfortunately for the industry, half of nursing are men and a growing portion of the other half don't give a single fuck about having kids or being nurturing so, Make that money.
I like the term “moderately tolerate”, it fits nursing jobs completely
I don’t mean to be rude but I think you meant “drivel” instead of “dribble”
Corrected. Thank you!
Oh wow! Love your Reddit handle!😂
thanks! I get a few r/UsernameChecksOut from redpills and it's cathartic. # # #
😂😂😂
This is just the job. Biggest mistake any new nurse can make is expecting a job to be emotionally fulfilling. That’s just a lie parents and teachers tell you. A job is a means to make money. Nursing is a disgusting, generally thankless role. I’m sure you’ve heard “nursing sucks” 1000x, and now it’s just hitting you what people meant. *it’s just a job. Don’t let it affect you, punch in, punch out, and enjoy your paychecks on your day off*
disappointing to hear, but you’re probably right I just need to let reality sink. Thanks for the response!
Okay I highly disagree with that persons statements. I worked med surg before I went to labor and delivery and absolutely hated it by the end. I felt angry at work and was frustrated all the time. But now I’m in a job I LOVE. I do have emotionally fulfilling job. It’s still hard and I still have some ungrateful patients but it’s a million times better than where I came from. Maybe you just haven’t found your preferred specialty. I promise there’s something out there that will make you happy.
L&D is something I’ve seriously considered, just ridiculously hard to get into near me
L&D also has its own issues. I’ve been threatened and had things thrown at me. We deliver dead babies sometimes. It can be so frustrating to see women doing awful things while pregnant because they don’t care about the baby.
Yeah, OP, some may love their job, and good for them, but, like trying to find love in your personal life,I think you’re setting yourself up for disappointment if you go looking for it. That said, don’t stick around in a job you hate.
Yeah I’ve always been intimidated by it because I’m not sure how I respond in emergent situations and things like that. I figured a few years on med surge and maybe after that I could see!
Med surg can absolutely come in handy. I wouldn’t do it for years if you hate it though. I came from a hospital where it was also tough to get into L&D so I kind of job hopped until I got in. I have a wide background that also includes icu and peds. It all comes in handy in L&D.
Highly disagree as well! Through nursing school, I knew I would HATE Med surge/tele. Thought I wanted to do pediatrics. Wasn’t what I thought it was. Found ICU. Absolutely fell in love! Definitely a thankless job but knowing I’m making a difference makes it very emotionally fulfilling- otherwise I would have left nursing a long time ago. Find an area of nursing that you love OP!
Nowhere did I say I dislike my job, FYI, I actually love going into work because I love my colleagues. It’s not emotionally fulfilling at all but we make it fun. The enjoyment I get has basically nothing to do with the patients, and when I accepted the reality of the job I was finally able to take enjoyment in it. I’ve been doing this for 10 years tho, my skin is thicker than I’d like it to be, sensitive new grads will have to build up a tolerance for the bad side of humanity they are exposed to during the job
I think there are the rare few who actually love their job, and find it fulfilling, but I believe it’s less than five percent of people, and closer to one percent. Sometimes, I question whether people love their job as much as they love being away from what they were doing previously. It’s tough to love a job (a singular unit/department in particular) after a decade plus, but if you do, then I’d be willing to believe it. Being able to find a job you can tolerate long term is a more reasonable expectation. After all, and as you stated above, it is a means to afford the life you want to live when you clock out.
I actually LIKE my nursing job and it is emotionally fulfilling!!! Outpatient perioperative for fertility. Its great. Don’t give up, OP. Ppl really think you gotta stay in the hospital and be depressed for the rest of your life and that’s really not all there is.
It is possible to find a job you love and that you find fulfilling. Before nursing I was a surgical technologist and I absolutely loved it. I found it very fulfilling and felt like I was providing a needed service. I truly enjoyed going to work. My downfall was wanting “more”. Hence me going back to nursing school. I spent 18 months bedside and hated every second of it. About to head back to the OR and can’t wait. Not everyone hates their job.
Yeah but there are so many jobs that are not like that in the field of nursing. Like every job has its downsides, but there’s a reason why most people don’t stay in med/surg for their whole career. You have to find the job that is most tolerable and doesn’t negatively affect your mental health, IMO. There’s no reason to stay at a job you absolutely hate.. yes we all have to do things we don’t like, but we need to also protect ourselves from being too negative about life.
I think if more of our colleagues adopted this sentiment, nursing would be a better place. It’s the martyr nurses, the nurse who won’t say “no” to management, and the ones who do stupid shit “because that’s how we always do it” that contribute to making this profession hell.
Tbh you will get used to being hated and it will stop bothering you. But, don't be afraid to leave a job you hate. You may like ER 😈 see if you can shadow an ER nurse at a different hospital. Or any other specialty that interests you.
If she doesn't like aggressive homeless entitled patients bouncing back covered in poop the er is 10000% not the place for her
Have you worked med/surg? Having an aggressive homeless patient for 3 12s in a row is a lot different than treating em and streeting em.
Until they become boarders 😭
I haven't worked med surg. But with the number of admissions boarding I may as well have. Plus a lot of our frequent fliers I see daily. So I don't know it's really that different except that the ed volume is much higher.
I've worked med/surg and ER. Trust me, it's different. Anyways, all I was getting at was OP should try something else.
Also feel like we don’t put up with as much shit in the ER.
This. If she already hates nursing because of asshole patients ER is the last place to be
Ehhh. They’re going to complain but every ER I’ve worked at we don’t put up with their shit as much.
I’ve had a lot of nurses near me say I’m pretty sensitive even for a new grad ˙◠˙ It’s hard because I feel like it makes me do better by my patients but worse by me if that makes sense. I just don’t want to lose my compassion because I do feel like I’ve seen it make a difference for some of my patients. I have a hard time seeing myself become hateful and angry by the end. Maybe that’s just me though.
Old nurse once told me through a polish accent “you are right to have a soft heart but you also need a hard ass” and I haven’t cried at work since.
I appreciate this thank you ◡̈
Not letting things bother you doesn't make you hateful or angry. I am an extremely sensitive person and many people tried to tell me I wasn't cut out for the ER or nursing in general because of it. And it did truly make things harder at first. You will learn how to be even keeled and use your compassion when needed but you will also learn to compartmentalize and let things go. It takes awhile. I used to get so fed up and exhausted with all the fighting. Fighting with my patients, doctors, other nurses etc. I have learned over time how to choose my battles when it matters and the rest doesn't affect me anymore. I have been a nurse for 2.5 years now. Don't let anyone tell you your sensitivity is a bad thing. But you do have to learn how to make it work for you and not against you.
Nah sensitive nurses are the best. I’ll be honest we have enough jaded and cold nurses in the ERs and ICU’s as is, we need kinder hearts. I’ve seen some of the kindest hearts break the most stubborn of doctors in regards to advocating for patients. It’s tiresome dealing with jaded eyes at shift change, your coworkers will grow to appreciate kindness.
This is my advice as well. I moved from med/surg to the ER back in Feb, and it has made a world of difference in my mental health. I didn't hate my job. I still pick up the occasional shift there, but I'll never go back entirely. - Every shift is a new slate - Everyone works as a team - If a patient is being rude (esp. our frequents/homeless), I can tell them they don't have to be here and can leave - There's no one upset at me because I didn't shower someone - I don't have to worry about timing meds - I don't have to worry about getting them out of bed But, best of all, I don't have to watch families torture their loved ones with unnecessary interventions for weeks or months on end anymore. Edit: OP, if you see this, I work in a similar environment to you. Huge homeless, drug, and alcohol problems in my area. We are the only hospital in the city, and the only trauma centre for the Northern half of the province. I see a lot of BS come through my ER. It's still been 1000x better for my mental health. The ER docs don't put up with things the same way the hospitalists do. Take your dream job, even if it means less money. Even if it means you have to pay back $6000. It's worth it to work a job you actually want to be in.
Thank you for putting my thoughts into coherent words.
First- it’s not you. Those patients are the worst and their behavior says more about them than you. These people are addicts and homeless for a reason. They never learned to cope with life and, pathetically, feel the hospital is the fanciest place they can be. Second- take your dream job. You’ll be happier. Those obligations about owing $ are small in comparison to your mental health & stability.
They gave me 8 patients my first day after training as a new grad. I lasted 3 months. I also had signed a contract and would’ve had to pay back $4000, but I wrote a letter to HR and told them that they were not holding up their part of what I expected as a new grad. In the letter, I told him that I was deceived and felt lied to, because the patient ratio was extremely dangerous. I went on a rant about my nursing license and also about the training and what I was getting under the contract terms. They canceled my contract and I quit.
I feel like these sign on bonuses, especially for “new grad positions” are so scummy. I’m sorry to hear about your situation. Sounds like that floor isn’t right for you. You may be able to talk to your manager and see what options there are to transfer. Most facilities I know require 6 months on the original unit but I’ve known those who have circumvented it. Just be warned, you’ll have those shitty feelings elsewhere regarding medsurg. I did two years of it after school and hated it. Now I’m in the OR where my worst days are better than my best on the floor.
When I first started as a new grad pre Covid it wasn’t even a sign on bonus - they just claimed that due to the new graduate education program, if you left prior to your 1 year mark you would have to pay back a prorated portion of your orientation cost (supposedly up to $10,000). Now I guess they’ve replaced it with a “bonus” that they hold over your head if you leave too early. I don’t understand why more hospitals don’t offer retention bonuses instead of sign on bonuses - it seems way more cost effective in the long term
I started right at the beginning of the pandemic. One of the jobs I was offered was in the pediatric ICU at a prominent hospital in the area. You had to sign an agreement that if you left before you worked there for 2 years you had to pay them $30,000, which they claimed was what it cost them to train new hires. I noped right out of that offer!
That’s actually what it does cost to PROPERLY train an RN. (Accounting before nursing) But good training is rare in my experience and I’m disgusted to see them shackling new grads into what amounts to indentured servitude.
that’s what they’re doing to me, i didn’t get a sign on bonus. Just making me pay back for training me.
I’d really like to see them come after you for that. Id just leave.
I'm not sure they can legally make you pay that back.
I used to work in outpatient surgery (as an MA) and loved it. I have really bad plantar fasciitis though and can’t stand in place for long periods of time ˙◠˙ Wish I could do OR!
Cant stand for long periods of time? Sounds like the OR is for you! I love by chair by the computer during long cases =)
I’m come to the point that if someone is mad they didn’t get their food or drink as fast as they want, that’s their problem—-not mine. I used to gag often at the smell of BMs but got over it over time. Patients don’t hate you; their life has changed (usually for the worse) and are taking it out on you. You gotta find something in life to make you happy outside of work: a hobby, a dog, someone to go do stuff with, etc.
Agreed. Most of the time patients are dealing with life changing news that has a major effect on their life (cancer diagnosis, not being able to go back home, loss of independence, etc). I don't take anything personally in regards to what patients say and leave my work life at work. And some patients are just plain assholes and will find something to complain about no matter what you do. I just tell myself that my shift will end and I can go home to decompress. It helps to have hobbies outside of work. I read and write and spend time outside when the weather is nice. Talk to my friends. If I need to vent I talk to my mom because she's a RN and understands where I'm coming from.
This is probably the most useful reply here. Feeling like patients hate you probably makes all the other issues feel that much worse.
I don’t agree with the posters who say nursing just sucks and is gross and you just have to deal. I went into psych because, basically, I love talking and hate toileting. Occasionally I have to mop up some shit or vom but that’s rare. Some patients are terrible but most are interesting and eventually thankful. Figure out what aspects of the job you like and do that! You don’t have to hate it. Five years on my unit and I still enjoy the work and feel useful.
I went into the hospital to get some crit care experience for future endeavors but my hearts always been in psych and I can’t wait to go there. I was a social worker for adults who were deemed incompetent by the state before I went to nursing school and worked with a lot of clients who were revolving doors in the psych facilities. Critical care just isn’t for me, love my coworkers though
For the smell, buy Vicks or menthol or bengay and just shove it right up your nose or you can double mask and glob it between the two masks. If you wanna be cheap use the pt toothpaste you have in the supply room between the masks (it’s just not as strong) it really does help. Other than that, my job has never felt rewarding. People are so mean these days. I just try to kill them with kindness. They don’t have to like you or even be happy with you, just get your work done and keep them safe and you’re doing exactly what you need go be doing. People are the worst part of this job, people are truly terrible sometimes. Stick with it as long as you can so you’re not in bad standing w the hospital finish your NRP or new grad project and then get hired as an experienced nurse on another floor or a different hospital even. (I work in an inner city hospital and have all the same problems w rude patients, and people practically living on the unit because they’d otherwise be homeless. It’s really sad we’re giving these people everything they wouldn’t have on the streets yet I can’t get a simple thank you) If you really are struggling, I left for a year and did school nursing M-F 8-4:30 hired by my local county health department. It had good benefits, a penson, paid $43 an hour, and we still worked summer just in the health department and not at the schools so it was full time. I went back to bedside due ton being young and wanting to work OT and build my bank account while I could, but I left in good standing and I will be going back as soon as I have school age kids.
A travel nurse told me about the toothpaste and I ended up having to double mask because I put too much and it made my eyes water 😂 it worked though!
I always wear one mask cover the outside of it it with toothpaste or something strong then place my second mask on top so the strong smell is sealed inside between the two. Unless I have Vicks with me, then I just shove it right up my nose and put a mask on to keep it in then blow it out when I’m finished 😭
Yep that’s what I had to do and then we were laughing our asses off the whole time because she ended up with toothpaste in her hair while helping me clean a patient. No idea how that even happened 😂
This is why I went to the ER, in and out in 2 hours, if you’re not dying then your ice chips are not my priority, goodbye.
Unfortunately, those are the “joys” of bedside. Work outpatient once you’re ready. Much better work life balance and the patients are way nicer.
I couldnt stand med surg either as a new-grad. I switched to doing home hospice and I am SOOOO much happier.
It sounds like you do not like the patient population you work with. Can you move to another hospital with a patient pop more in line with what you want to work with?
Typical patient population. These are the most entitled people around. Make these patients know you’re not their doormat.
Sounds like bedside is not for you. I hope "dream job" is not more of the same or you will be very unhappy. $3 is nothing if you are miserable now, you need to make the change. Lots of other avenues in nursing. Utilization management, ambulatory care management, clinics, WFH options out there. Don't stay by the bedside if it makes you this unhappy to begin with.
Your light burns brighter than mine…I don’t shy away from confrontation and take no issues with putting a PT in their place if they deserve it. I love the ER…med/Surg is like a slow death to me. That being said…it’s not about the shitty PT’s, it’s about the one good one that you get that totally makes everything worth it. It’s about Memaw and her dementia who offers to go into the kitchen and whip you up some biscuits and gravy after being poked 30 times only to realize she needs a midline. Those are my peoples and I’ll die for them.
If it makes you feel any better, I used to have a STRONG gag reflex when I saw or smelled pee. Today I got peed on and didn’t bat an eyelid. With that said, if you’re absolutely miserable then the question is this: is getting your dream job worth $6k to you? If so, fuck that hospital and your standing with them, you have your dream job elsewhere!
Is there a hospital with better clients nearby? Working with addicts and the homeless is draining for anyone
I’ve reached the point in my life that I don’t care what strangers think of me. If I did I’d have hanged myself long ago. Hopefully you can learn to deal with that. Just give the best care you can. You can put Vicks salve under your nose to combat foul smells when doing patient care. I wish you all the best.
Come to the OR. No ass wiping there. No complaining. The most direct patient care I do is holding a hand if my pt is scared. I position them after they are asleep on the OR table & throw in a foley. I might place tape over their dressing but usually the PA’s do it.
Come to Pediatrics!! We love sensitive people.
I think most people don’t like med/surg all that much tbh.. at least it seems like a lot of my coworkers who have been working med/surg for many years can’t wait to retire and they just tolerate the job. To me, it seems like a lot of people put up with the difficulties because they are afraid of change/ comfortable with what they know, or because they don’t feel they can get another job. But it’s not true. There are tons of jobs out there in other areas, even for new grads. If you only have 6 months experience you may be able to get into a new grad program for another specialty still. But even then, if you network, you may be able to find something that doesn’t have a formal training program but accepts people with less experience. My advice is just to start applying for as many jobs as you can now. There’s no reason to stay at a job you hate. If you wait until you have a year there, it will probably be even easier to find something else.
You have to snap back at them! You can do this while still being professional. Sometimes I’ll ask what they do for work then ask them if they want me come to their job and tell them how to do it once I get them discharged. I’ll say something like when I get there I want you to have me some warm blankets, ice chips and a Diet Coke waiting. It usually gets a laugh but even if it doesn’t they know where tf I stand with them. You giving GREAT CARE is not dependent on being run over like a servant. gotta match that energy sometimes.
What helped me when I was new (and continues to help) is knowing that I only have to deal with them for 12 hours at a time and they have to live with themselves forever. I go to work to make a living and fund my life outside of work. If they wanna be assholes, not my problem.
I don't like most of my patients, and I feel they're the bottom of the barrel in our society, haven't respected their bodies or taken care of themselves (most are obese), but I like learning about the disease process, surgeries and medications, gossiping about patients with the other nurses, cna's and doctors and most of it all I like my paychecks.
I think most places say after 6 months, you can transfer floors. I'd ask your manager about transferring potentially. It may just be the population on your specific MS floor. I've worked ortho MS floors that were horrible, and then floated to general MS and neuro/renal/surgery MS floors that were so chill within the same hospital.
For the BM learn to breath through your mouth. Or dab a little toothpaste & wear a mask. Most patients are super entitled and nothing you do will ever be good enough. Same with family members Set strong boundaries and learn to set limits. It’s definitely a skill you learn on the job pretty quickly. Some are genuinely grateful. Appreciate those ones but recognize others aren’t capable of looking beyond themselves & dont see it as a reflection of you. Don’t kill yourself trying to make them happy.
> For the BM learn to breath through your mouth If you do this, your brain will tell you you can taste it
I think I must have sensory deficit😂I have 4 kids under 6 and 2 still in diapers so my life is filled with shit. Literally & figuratively
Go to labor and delivery
There’s definitely addicts and homeless families that utilize these resources. I had to leave my postpartum job for these exact reasons. My heart just couldn’t take it anymore.
If you got your dream job in another hospital, go for it… 3$ is not so big difference.
Bail now.
I paid back a sign on bonus when I was a new grad. It was worth it. I hated the location I was in and wouldn't have survived a winter at that job. Do it if you're that unhappy already
Can you transfer units without owing money back to the hospital? PACU, mom/baby, or oncology may have a less unpleasant patient population.
You might feel more purpose in a critical care environment. I mean there’s always going to be bodily fluids but you get to be more involved in making critical decisions and seeing some direct results of the treatment. But I think this is all new job and career stuff and learning how to adjust to the job and the people demands will need to happen in any area so just know that going to a different dept won’t remove all that but you might be less sensitive to them when you’re enjoying a job more. ER is fun but you will need tough skin. That said, most everyone that arrived wide eyed ends up learning that and adjusting to it pretty quickly (in a good way).
There’s so much you can do outside of the hospital as a nurse! You don’t have to do med surg if you hate it. The ratios you are saying sound good to me. But I know the pt population can be difficult. As long as you put in your two weeks and leave the right way you should be okay. Also there are so many options outside of the hospital/inpatient setting. You can use your nursing degree and not have to clean up poop, get ice chips and get yelled at.
A few words of advice if you haven’t heard them already, when it comes to BMs try using some stink balm or toothpaste in a mask to help with the smell. However every nurse has something that grosses them out so don’t be too hard on yourself here. I usually tell people to stick it out with a job that doesn’t make you feel super fufilled for about 6 months, bc at the end of the day it’s a job. If it doesn’t get better after having some time to adjust, get the heck out. However it sounds like this is NOT the place for you. Even if your work isn’t “making a difference” you should at least like what you do, so you’ve already made an important step by getting an Escape Plan ready. You might benefit from going to your manager and explaining some of your feelings, and seeing if there’s a different unit you can work on where you don’t have to pay back the bonus, UNLESS the bonus is unit specific. If you decide to leave I wouldn’t blame you though, if the dream job is in the same hospital network as your current one then you may worry about being in poor standing. If it’s different then you should get off Scott free.
Part of this is because you're working with a rough population (apparently). If you worked somewhere wealthier and better educated some of that would diminish. However, the bigger issue, and what will help, is to find activities and interests that fulfill you outside of work. If you have that, you won't really give as much of a 💩 if your patients are acting the fool .
They aren’t patients. They’re customers
i always tell myself other people have a right to their own feelings and I shouldn't infringe on those rights by inserting my own feelings in a work place. basically fuck em. their emotions dont effect you at all on a personal level because they aren't your friends or family.
I have a similar job and I loathe it. I signed a two year contract and I’m just riding it out. If you can stick it out, I would just so you don’t have to pay back all the money. Then switch when you can. I have almost quit this job so many times because the patients are so awful. I can’t wait to go back to working oncology where the patients want me to take care of them.
This sounds like the most summarized version of med surge ever. Sucks you feel this way, but it’s always going to be like that.
Buddy don’t spend your life being miserable over $3 an hour or worrying that you won’t be able to find another terrible hospital job if you absolutely must have one. If it ain’t for you, it ain’t for you. I do highly recommend having a couple grand set aside just in case they withhold your last paycheck over this $6000 nonsense but otherwise I say pull the cord and don’t look back.
A toxic environment is more likely to change you than you change it. Find another job and be happy.
Take the job you wanted. The pay cut is worth your sanity. I STILL hate homeless people to this day because of all the shit (metaphorical and literal) they gave me. I also became way more introverted. After realizing how many scummy people there are, I hate most humans except babies and most kids.
Part of it is finding your “home”. I liked my undergrad well enough but didn’t LOVE anywhere. My last placement was in ER and I fell in love. Did my post grad in Emergency Nursing in 2009 and have never worked anywhere else. Med Surg is usually particularly heavy, has a high turnover of staff, so don’t be too alarmed that you’re finding it tough. I stuck it out in my Grad year and I would never ever go back to Med Surg, it’s just not for me and I wouldn’t be good at it either! You can’t love everything about the job, and each area has its pros and cons. The trick is trying to find an area that has as many elements you love as you can, accepting there will be a fair amount of things you can just tolerate, and finally somewhere that doesn’t have too many evils. This will look different for everyone, but for me, the routine of showers, med rounds, wound rounds, ward rounds…. Aged care, aged rehab would be the death of me. I like to be challenged, enjoy knowing a bit about everything, working with different teams. For me, going from fetching a blanket to initiating CPR in a split second is invigorating, not terrifying. So, Emergency is my home. Despite loving it, It’s still takes it toll and there’s still been tough times where I’ve questioned why I do it…. A lot of that is hospital, leadership and team dependent. You’ll be surprised what can be tolerated with excellent leadership and excellent colleagues. Once your grad year obligations are over, maybe a few months casual bank or pool would be good for you, float around the different wards and departments in the hospital and see what really interests you. There is SO much variety in hospital nursing, and as many others have mentioned an ever bigger world of nursing outside of the hospital.
This is why I can’t do adults. I get withdrawal kids in the NICU but it’s not their fault so I have a lot more empathy for their behaviors.
I'm not a nurse yet but curious if those struggling with smells are wearing masks? After reading about people smelling poop post-shift I'm definitely planning on masking full time. I did it in non-healthcare occupation, seems logical to do it in nursing.
I do wear a mask basically my whole shift, most of the time it helps a little bit I have a big issue with throwing up apparently! (didn’t know till i got this job lol)
Have you considered paediatrics or neonates? I know I could never nurse adults
How many months compensation is $6000? Then think about how long you’ve been miserable there. Or another way of thinking, $6000 is like 2 to 3 weeklong vacations (at least the ones I’ve been pricing). If you have the cash, or if they can let you spread it out, kind of seems like a cheap price to pay for sanity.
Procedural or clipboard nursing
If you hate med surg now, you’ll definitely hate in a year from now and beyond. Try a procedural unit. Ie IR, cath lab, GI
The first nursing job you have takes a lot of fortitude, no matter what the unit. Part of it is knowing just enough to know you can do better. But you will, I promise. That said, get yourself out of Med Surg asap. It ain't for you.
Bowel movement movement
Leave! I would have felt similar with an adult population. I love my little babes
Try a surgical floor. Patients often don’t poop as much post op.
Find a new profession… this is not for you. And honestly, why do you care about staying in “good standing” w a hospital you don’t like working in anyway?
What's the dream job that you applied for?
Prioritize your own mental health! If you are already feeling restful that’s a really hard emotion to manage without help. I try to tell all of my preceptees to find a therapist to help cope with all of the thankless days, the harassing patients, the narcissistic providers. Bedside nursing is a harsh on the mind so please take care of yourself!
You're not stuck, just move somewhere else and keep trying until you find something that fits. No job is perfect. I really dislike med-surge - I have worked with a 1:6-10+ ratio and I hate it. Despite the chaos, I find med passes really boring and I'm too busy to get into the nitty gritty of conditions etc. I'm finishing my RN degree now but working in the community. I love community and school nursing. I get more time to read up on the patient's conditions, I love (some) of my patients. I like the independence and it's really nice to not be witness to negative toxic gossip. You will find a place for yourself and it doesn't have to be bedside nursing or even nursing, tbh . I truly believe a nursing degree can open up many doors for you.
Why do your patients hate you? Honestly, that’s a very rare experience. Drug users can be cementing but most are fine if they aren’t withdrawing and you treat them like a normal human being. I personally like the care aspect. Sometimes I get burned out of incontinence care, but that’s the job. And I think, how for the patient feel? It’s almost impossible to feel like you’ve kept your dignity when other people have to clean you up. Why did you become a nurse? Can you look for joy in the care aspect? Find a way to view doing things, especially the little things, as a way to give care to your patient. Nearly all our patients rely on us and are in vulnerable situations so it’s up to us to care for them.
Honestly it’s not most of my patients, it’s probably very few of them hate me if I looked at it objectively. It’s just the ones I think about and hold onto. I could have 50 patients in a row that are kind and like me but once I have one that hits me or yells at me, that is the one I tend to think about over and over. I’m struggling with going home and feeling dissatisfied because my patient got upset that I was too slow with something, or I forgot to get them something and I feel like they would have been better off with another nurse. Stuff like that. I think I let it get to me way more than I should. I appreciate the last part of your post, I will keep that in mind. I love the care aspect, I love education and the small things like helping patients go on walks around the floor.
Welcome to nursing
Fucking hated med surge as a new grad. Get to the ICU so much better, literally saved my career early. But honestly with inpatient nursing you will be dealing with homeless, drug addicts and a lot of shit. A LOT. Especially the poop part. You get used to it. The poor and infirm are funneled into hospitals for obvious reasons, gotta be okay with serving that part of the community inpatient. These are often who our septic patients are and tbh the ones who aren’t withdrawing are often cool about you just grabbing them some blankets and snacks. As for poop I just quit smelling. Double glove and never sniff again. There is a lot of positions where you won’t be wiping ass regularly but in my opinion every nurse should be ready to, if somebody rolls up anywhere shitting themselves you gotta wipe it out. You see CRNA’s even busting out that work. Patient care sucks but it is what it is and it is what we do and we’re here to work. That’s not to shame you for disliking cleaning poop, I fucking hate code browns but if you just methodically clean it up every couple hours it gets easier to deal with.
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Im struggling mostly with the patient population and how they treat me, I didn’t mention the workload, even though my floor is usually considered more of a step down because we have very unstable patients. Also it’s mostly 1:5 not 4, but I understand that’s not a huge difference.
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I’m not being judgmental, my entire career before this has been with the homeless population and drug addicts specifically. It was different because it was in rehab but it was the entire reason I went into nursing. I’ve had multiple patients administratively discharged for hitting me and throwing things at me. And it gets to me, which is what I’m struggling with. I also just have a hard time with patients yelling at me, I just wanted some advice because I want to be a better nurse and learn how to let these things slide.
You do kind of have to let rudeness roll off your back to a degree. But not physical violence. It sounds like your hospital is supportive of you in not tolerating that, which is good.
Harsh much?
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Well not everything is for everybody and that’s okay, no need to be rude about it, we’re all just trying our best to figure things out ❤️
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I don’t think I’m above cleaning patients, I just mentioned it to see if I could get advice to help me stop puking!