No wonder theres a nursing shortage

Nurses and other healthcare providers endure significant verbal and physical abuse in the hospital today. Has it always been this way? Has society changed? Has courtesy and respect vanished?

[@ancientaquarius1310]

It's the same if not worse on the floors. We are treated horribly by patients and families. The sense of entitlement is insane!

[@Nightxslayer420]

I work ER for a little over 5yrs and i agree with this comment. I take pride in going above and beyond for my patients…. Too much to vent…

[@MatthewJay80]

I agree. Working in the ER, the biggest issue for me is how many fellow nurse co-workers treat each other.

[@LOUIE-jc2oh]

The nursing shortage involves two fold. Rude co workers struggling for power and too many patients

[@adamdashawn]

MedSurg nurse here, and this behavior is extremely common on the unit. I believe nurses are exhausted with this behavior. Not only are we exhausted, we feel unsafe and unprotected by the institutions we serve.

[@specialagentorange4329]

Im a nurse from the 1700's

[@daveatauvich2826]

Administration needs to stop allowing abuse by patients and families. We need to lobby to get rid of EMTLA, HCAPS. More pay, flexible hours, 4,8, 10 and 12 hour shifts

[@MNP208]

EMTALA is important, but we need to create exceptions. ERs should not be absorbing all of the mental health patients that were forced into the community. Screaming at staff should not be tolerated.

[@lovebeiber101]

Yeeessssssssx

[@lovebeiber101]

Mental health patients can amount to about 40% of the ER patients during the nights. Homeless and/or mental health combined prob 50-55% sometimes

[@barbarafrancis533]

I am a retired R.N., and I spent 44 years in OB/Level 2 nursery. I can't tell you how many times we have had to call a code 13, which is a threat against a pt. or a nurse. Nursing has become more of a violent working environment since I first went into nursing. One of the worst treatments nurses receive is from doctors. I am just glad I am no longer working. If I had to do it all over again, I would not be a nurse.

[@paigereynoldsreynolds1627]

I agree, I have been a nurse for 33 years and the behavior, disrespect Has gotten worse and worse Burn out is a real problem Lack of training has been an issue too

[@fa5102]

It happens on the unit too. I have had a pt literally throw urine at me! I also had a pt who had hepatitis c who was banned from the local hospitals for intentionally cutting himself and flicking the blood at the nurses . He became verbally violent with me I called the security. It’s just insane like he literally was intentionally trying to harm ppl who are trying to take care of you. This job is not worth it. I cruelly regret the amount of time and energy I spent on getting this degree. I won’t recommend this field to my worst enemy

[@Inkbkank.2029]

Omg 😭😭😭😭😭😭uh uh hell no !!!!!

[@jamesboone3678]

I live in a very big city. Went to the hospital and noticed absolutely no nursing staff in my hospital. Lots of PA and Doctors but no RNs. Turns out when you overwork the crap out of your staff and dont pay them anything people quit.

[@danababy1977]

Do you live in Philly

[@jamesboone3678]

@@danababy1977 I live in LA

[@davidwilliams4865]

Hospital administrators are only concerned about Press Ganey scores and whether the ER patient with abdominal pain was given food, immediately, upon their demand!!

[@kellifavazza8021]

I worked as a LPN in long term care for 12 years, then went back and got my RN and transitioned to acute care. I work on a med surg unit and so many patients honestly act Like they are in a 5 star resort, not a hospital. They treat us nurses like we are to wait on them hand and foot and for every single need they want. They also treat us like absolute care. We get hit, spit at, kicked, told to go fk yourself, etc etc etc. It's so challenging. And then our facility is pushing that we need to "make moments" with the patients and go out of our way to do all these things. Sure, I'd like to do that. But we have ratios of 1:7, but they "try to cap us at 1:6". We don't HAVE TIME to make moments. I never ever get out by 730. It's usually 830 or later because I'm still charting. I barely get to chart during the Day. It's so stressful and daunting. Idk how long I can do this for to be honest. But my identity is a healthcare worker. I've been in tbe field since j was 18. I worked in dietary, then was a CNA, then a medical assistant and worked as a phlebotomist, then LPN and now RN. I don't want to not be a nurse. I just don't want to deal with this crap anymore

[@angieknight5787]

As a former 30 year ED nurse, I agree with these concerns. For me, it was the C19 response. Every bit of it was and is total BS. Seeing my coworkers, people I respected and learned from bobble-heading the nonsense, was more than I can take. The corruption is so profound, I refuse to be a cog in the wheel.

[@kimberlyperry6086]

There is no shortage, hospitals have burned the local nurses out, and would rather hire travelers so they don’t have to give benefits. Home health would rather burn nurses out by asking them to drive miles and miles just to see patients. Offices don’t hire nurses anymore.

[@Zenalliecat]

ER nurse and I'm working on my exit plan. Thats why I'm doing FNP school now. Patients are nuts. Asking for water and ice when you clearly see me doing CPR or trying to help someone breath. It can also be very unsafe. The patients feel like they know more than you. They don't want vital signs. They question every little thing about why we need to draw blood again, why we cant use the x-ray or blood from last week. Or the ones that don't want a black nurse and come in verbally assaulting you. Or the equipment issues or lack of appropriate equipment. Or the lack of support staff like techs and phlebotomy. Its so much...

[@specialagentorange4329]

You went into the wrong field.

[@DrWilliamMartinPhD]

Good for you. Get that FNP, and get as many credentials as you can because you have to be flexible enough to roll with the changes in the crazy years that lay ahead of us.

[@Nightxslayer420]

Exactly!!!

[@kahrenheit3961]

Not to invalidate your frustration, but I think a lot of patients ask because they’re billed for everything. Healthcare is way too expensive, and they’re a captive audience.

[@Zenalliecat]

@@kahrenheit3961 I understand and appreciate your logic. Thanks for the engagement. It definitely gets frustrating. I think that there is a disconnect between patients and staff in that the patients dont understand the different roles of the staff and our processes. These misunderstandings share dual responsibilities from the staff as well as the patients. We are constantly trying to relay our processes in several ways, yet some of the patients seldom listen. Its just frustrating...

[@fa5102]

I’m leaving nursing over it!!!! Not worth it anymore

[@csouthland]

This female's behavior has nothing to do with her drug addiction, her mental illness, her past trauma, or any of the other excuses we all hear every day. She has one problem and one problem only: she has never faced any serious consequences for her actions. I have worked in the ED for over a decade.

[@Jan-fw4tk]

"Entitlement" is the "medical" issue...🙄

[@Absaalookemensch]

I quit nursing after 40 years in healthcare.

[@kloatlanta]

That’s called retirement!

[@MNP208]

Yep! We aren't forced to put up with that in Urgent Care! We call 911. Some of our locations have security guards. I'm lucky because my employer still staffs RN in urgent care. Many systems across the country do not. We have a lot of highly qualified ER nurses working in our urgent cares. They got fed up with the ER.

[@travelnurseadventures3225]

70%of workplace violence is in Healthcare, not post offices, not schools, not police stations

[@bethharvey8272]

The addiction epidemic is way worse and more rampant than COVID ever was, a much bigger threat to humanity than COVID ever was in my opinion.

[@baldwinangel1218]

Nurses cost the hospital. They will always keep it skeleton crew, burn the nurses up and recruit the 20 y.o. at base pay . Wash rinse repeat since 1980. There are new grads that have to volunteer to get experience. They then just leave nursing cause they can't get in. Be afraid when the seasoned staff leave. They developed a nuiance the new recruits dont have yet. Since the acuity is so high there isnt a nurse there at the right time (especially med-surg). We once had a code on the floor and the ED doc who responded asked where the nurse was that she didn't know. The pharmacist that responded to the code said she is in with another patient working! WTH. I missed my window to have kids because in my 20s i am doing rotating shifts and the only thought in my head is sleep. Never mind date. Im pretty sure i am not the only one this happened to. I hate the word shortage. It's not actually what has been going on since i started. I fear for my end times. I will be alone. God willing, i will pass away in my sleep in my home before I ever need LTC.

[@janedoe5180]

You’re not alone.Prayers and hope for you

[@TheMabes69]

I feel for nurses everywhere. I'm 53 and work as a psych RN, second career for me. 4 years in and even in that short amount of time healthcare and society in general have declined significantly. And I work at one of the best hospitals in the NE. It's like the wild, wild west. It's a trifecta of worsening general health, lack of social services, basic needs like housing and food, and worsening mental health. Depression, anxiety, suicide attempts and substance abuse are just OFF THE CHARTS. We routinely now see 4,5,6 year old in our ED for SUICIDE ATTEMPTS. LET THAT SINK IN. American society is in decay and I truly fear for the future. Long gone are the days when nurses could work this "career" for 10, 15, 20, 25 or more years. Now making it to the 2-5 year mark is really rare. It's frightening to me to see so many new grads in the ER and critical care because the seasoned experienced nurses have had enough. But even they don't last. The RN turnover in my hospital ER is 70%!!!!

[@MishaIsha1]

I work on the Observation floor, so we are connected to the ER and also feel like a Med-Surg floor. We have become a detox unit with very rude, violent, and entitled patients that just want opioids. Most do not want to get better. All this is happening while juggling 6 patients, their families and doctors and other specialities. We barely have security, and they hardly do anything. I have developed PTSD from this job. I was a nurse who left 15 years ago because i hated it. I worked at Trader Joe's, which was SO much better. I'm part the point of being upset because no change ever happens to help the nurses. I have become numb working there. It's time to leave. It's a very sad state in our hospitals. Anyone who gets mentally healthy will leave this job. If they heal their family of origin(usually alcoholic homes) issues and codependency, they won't stay.

[@pS-sv3pm]

Here's the problem. What are we supposed to do with abusive patients? They're people too, who need to be taken care of. I had a patient who couldn't be discharged because they would have most likely died, so the Dr put a 72 hr hold on them, when they threatened to leave AMA. And still had normal staffing, acuity is no longer considered on med surge floors. The whole system is just effed up, but bottom line, somehow, someone still needs to take care of the abusive patients too, we don't get to decide to discharge and sentence them to death. It's certainly making me concerned for getting old tbh.

[@pedinurse1]

The floors are chaos, the pts are insane, the workload is unrealistically demanding. I have worked in California, we have ratios and the workload is still ridiculous due to the state micromanaging pt care. In NYC the workload was also overwhelming with no ratios. Nursing in the hospital as we know it is declining and will continue to decline. No one wants to work where it's giving you a mental breakdown.. I say let it fall apart.

[@TheMabes69]

I agree. If you want to witness the decline of American civilization, go visit any random ER in the country...

[@loraqgui]

I know a young nurse who was studying for the boards last year while working as a CNA. This year she wanted my help on how to transition to tech (I did that in 2021 and happy with my current role). She does not want to pursue a nursing career anymore.

[@fa5102]

I’m currently in a tech program now and I can’t wait to be done I’m going on 5 years now as an Rn

[@CassieSmart365]

We just don’t get paid to deal with the BS we have to deal with! By management, pts., staff! It’s all crap! I’m so over it n I’m only 12yrs in! I’m so over being treated like a total piece of crap. 😢

[@RescueNinjaKris10]

It’s not a shortage. There are plenty of nurses and the nursing schools are cranking out new grads every year. The hospitals do not appreciate or respect their nursing staff. And no it’s not from Covid. I left the hospital for home care 13 years ago because it was such an awful place to work. I tried a couple different hospital in my area, and it’s basically the same situation regardless of the hospital or location. But this has been going on much longer than Covid. I finally left home care 4 years ago to work in private practice which is much less stress.

[@kimbaker4352]

I’m sure firing nurses and staff if they didn’t get vaccinated didn’t help, that’s what happens when you force someone’s hand, it can backfire on you. I’m a registered nurse and had I been working during that time, I 100% would have walked.

[@ethantsao3425]

Thank you for speaking out about this! As a nurse, I really appreciate it! I don’t see a change in our hospital system. I walked away from hospitals for two years! And, I don’t miss it! However, now because life and need to work night due to family issues, I had to go back to the hospital! I’m dreading going to work. It’s just a horrible condition to work in and bad for my mental health. Oh well, I appreciate you bringing this to light! Let’s see if the public care or our leaders care about us lol

[@michellefrothingham4275]

Yes… poor behavior choices by pts and some family members. I view this behavior in Critical Care… most stems from some sort of mental illness or the overwhelming devastating dx. of their loved one… i work noc’s… so i see my fair share of sundowners… etc… this becomes physical @ X’s from the pt. I have been in the field 38 yr’s… soon to hang up my ‘hat’… new/ young nurses and techs need daily support from their manager and above administration! Providing feedback frequently is crucial… helping adjust the given situation, tone of voice, respect. I could go on and on…i pray that there will be a compassionate RN when my day of illness becomes a reality🫶. Great subject for discussion.

[@rizzo3170]

Agreed - no reason anyone should put up with that type of abuse. I left that a long time ago for much better job opportunities and never looked back.

[@Akak-od8nv]

What kind of job is it?

[@Jan-fw4tk]

I agree however these Same situations also happen on the Rehab/Skilled and LTC facilities as well as in the Home Health Care side (Post hospitalization)... 😐👍

[@emullen93]

I really enjoy being a transport nurse but if I ever have to go back to the hospital full time I’m going to sell my house and learn a trade like plumbing or something where at least I’ll get some respect handling other peoples shit. Hahah

[@AndrejD303]

Thats where im at right now... 5 years cardiac ICU... and i just wonder if its worth it... maybe i should just play with pipes :D

[@user-cc5od3zk4p]

If hospitalized for any reason, please treat the medical teams with respect. They deal with unprecedented levels of admin and an ever demanding public. Take care of your health. It’s the best thing one can do. Don’t become a burden to an already overburdened system. Stay safe everyone!

[@sosammathomas1525]

They can go and hire the nurses from india .Lots people going to nurssing there.They can hire as a contract nurse.

[@TheBeachkitten]

The should ALL quit.

[@huskymom234]

I would not want to go to some of the neighborhoods to do home care . It’s not safe anywhere - particularly if you are identified as healthcare - they think you may have drugs and you are then a target

[@csouthland]

You don't know where everyone went? really? Okay, I'll say it. Just a little bit ago there was this thing the government tried to make all nurses do or else they could never work again. We lost over 100,000 nurses over that. Who knows how many students changed majors as well.

[@Jan-fw4tk]

Getting,/Mandating the "Jab"... Amen Preach 😐👍

[@lisamarks4651]

I've been a RN for 38 years....there is soooo much.more going on...I could write a book...

[@csouthland]

@@lisamarks4651 Spill the beans! I actually would like to know what is really driving the industry. We all say things like, "It's big pharma." and "It's all about the money.", but that is all pretty vague. Do you know of a book, article, web site...anywhere I could get some solid information?

[@lisamarks4651]

@csouthland I need time to write that book... I've seen lots of overworked nurses and CNAs over the years. They've been underpaid for years. Covid has made a difference, but there have been so many issues prior to the Global Pandemic. Money is a big part of it...nurses work evenings, nights, weekends, holidays, looong hours, forced "12" hour shifts, and aren't shown enough appreciation or money... I remember years ago...I was working in ER, and a drunk patient suddenly hit me in the face. He yelled horrible things in front of quite a few people in ER. I wasn't hurt ...physically....but I think about it once in a while and wonder why some people think it's ok to treat nurses this way. I think I was trying to get an IV in him. Many patients have been kind and appreciative, also. I like being a nurse, but hate times we've been understaffed and "the powers that be" seem to think that's just fine. I could go on and on....I've got to start that book....

[@markzirpolo9934]

People

[@heidibeilstein6459]

leaving nursing and going into oriental medicine after years of disappointing professional experiences in hospital(s)... it has nothing to do with the patients.

[@heidibeilstein6459]

check out vids made by nurses... the bullying is peer-to-peer, your resources are not adequate, management is running around focused on white boards and scripts instead of really helping creatively troubleshoot system issues and the constant unenlightened quibs made by jaded docs. in the same way management comes in to tell a unit what they need instead of listening to what they think they need. Patient ratios are antiquated and reflect a time when inpatient patient acuity was mixed. so the patients we get now are sicker. i experienced bullying from at least 1 co-worker in every hospital environment i have worked in. The phrase nurses have been indoctrinated to tell eachother is to "get thicker skin" in response to overt bullying. Once i got that gratifying call several months after leaving the unit that i worked my entire youth to attain because i had a bully... the person said "i'm sorry, you were right, now she's bullying me. She was our union rep.

[@linehempel162]

With Low pay,they keep us hungry for overtime

[@bellaperuana64]

Well!! I personally think the problem are the old nurses who are NOT PATIENT with NEW GRADS and make fun of them and let them think “they are not smart and talk shit on our back”. ER preceptors are the WORST.. they think they are the BEST!!

[@mariemuhammad5313]

Yes seasoned nurses may be impatient with their preceptees, however, I think it’s the young novice nurses with the arrogance and attitudes. They’re trying to zip through to NP without even having a good grasp for the fundamentals. And VERY catty generally, from city to city. I once witnessed a new nurse that thought she knew it all try to reattach an EVD to a patients skull while letting the CSF just leak like the running tap. SMH. Thank God for hemastats and a basic understanding of introducing bacteria to a sterile environment. SMH

[@TheMabes69]

Nah...not anymore. I'm 53 and now the brand new 22 year old grads who think they know it all bully the older experienced RNs...it's bad

[@ny_njtrailrunnert926]

It doesn’t seem right that a Nurse Practitioner is using “Dr” in their title. if they have a PhD that should just go at the end of their name. As a lifelong nurse, the distinction between the training, a doctor receives, and thetraining an advanced practice nurse receives are completely different. Using the same title as a doctor is inaccurate and misleading to people who are not familiar with the credentialing system and how you are permitted to use “Dr” if you have a PhD and you are a medical physician

[@whatsyourname948]

DNP is a doctoral degree it’s in his banner

[@shelleystrong8673]

Great!!! Blame the patient. Who are you?? Maybe you Ph D should stay in the classroom.

[@kloatlanta]

You’ve clearly never worked in a clinical job in an acute care setting. Were you the girl who couldn’t pee???