There is No Nursing Shortage: Here's the Real Issue | Nurse Practitioner Reacts

[@susantaylor9078]

I just retired after 35 years icu. My husband got transferred a lot, so I experienced several different work environments. I don’t see anyone else mentioning the one disturbing thing that I saw throughout these hospitals. It started out, we want u to partially clean the room when ur patient is discharged bc the room cleaners are understaffed. Here is a list of what u r responsible for cleaning. And remember it is ur responsibility to have linen bags and trash cans emptied before u give report to oncoming shift. Then all nurses have to take a class to draw ur own blood and abgs bc lab and respiratory therapy are understaffed. Then there is no longer a lift team or transport people available. We don’t have the resources for this kind of support staff. The nurses can do it. Then u are responsible for being in any family care conference involving ur pt bc the social workers are under staffed. Then every month they add so much more mandatory charting. If u incur overtime to complete ur charting it will not be tolerated. u will need to go to class to learn how to manage your time wisely!!! Pls be aware of the expression on ur face. We want good pt satisfaction surveys so it is very important that nurses not show stress on their faces-smile instead of frown. I found this attitude towards nursing actually demoralizing, disrespectful and depressing.. I don’t feel capable of stepping in and doing every job description in the hospital. I want to focus on my pt like I was trained to do. Not staff every ancillary department in the hospital. Is it just me that feels this way???

[@montanagal6958]

Seen the trend. I worked nights for awhile and they asked the RN's to do the 5AM lab draws (or you could push a button "ask lab"). I pushed the button every time. No one ever said anything (I was waiting). There were times I was on the floor under a bed in the middle of the night trying to fix a bed...

[@lisagardner903]

I retired from ICU at the age of 50 because I couldn't take it anymore! They were giving us 3 and 4 patients, did all of our labs draws, emptied the trash, no monitor tech, and all the CNA's were taken away from us. Oh, and you will be on the Rapid Response/Code Blue Team, count narcotics, etc. If we stayed longer than 1 hour past our shift to complete our charting we were in trouble. Sadly, I would have worked another 15 years in nursing but I felt like I was going to make a bad mistake so I left before I did. The work load became impossible for one human being!

[@carolapostolos8929]

RN here that retired after 34 years. I can totally relate to everything you stated. We spoke out to managers and even admin. We only got lip service until they knew we were voting on unionizing.

[@Bayoubebe]

Yep, it’s sad. It’s like they abuse you to the point of burn out. There is always some die hard there that will fall on that sword and try to shame you for wanting to be safe and make you feel like a quitter, but I didn’t care. If we don’t look out for our own selves as a whole, no one will...definitely not admin. I have seen so many nurses become sick or die an early death and I think it’s from a stressful life

[@celesterose9132]

You couldn't have said this any better

[@ethantsao3425]

3 years of nursing and had enough of it. Don’t need to explain. In patient nursing gets abused by patients and management. The pay is not worth it anymore. Going back to school for a completely different field of work. The healthcare system is so screwed and don’t want to be a part of it anymore. Thank you for this! Nursing is the most degrading job I have ever experienced.

[@sarah29880]

Yup same with 3 years of grad school for physical therapy, not worth it for me

[@kristenturner1222]

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences, super enlightening as someone who quit teaching and is now trying to get into the medical field. Ethan, what did you go back to school for? Sarah, what do you do now? I am particularly interested in PT so I'm curious what were some of the cons that ultimately made it not worth it. If either of you could recommend a job in the medical field, what would it be?

[@daniellecolucci3470]

Is it sad that I really don’t want to do this for any longer than 3 years and also want to go back to school for something totally different…..

[@jeswith1s2009]

Nursing was actually my second career. I graduated in 2003 with a BA in Communications (Television/Radio Broadcasting). I was laid off during the 2008 recession and unable to find another job within my field and thought I would go back to school to so what I had originally wanted to do when I was much younger…become a nurse. So I received my RN in 2011, took my boards right away and went to work about 3 weeks later. After 7 years I needed a break, but I decided the break was so worth getting out of the stress, that I finally found work again using my BA. I’m grateful for all of the knowledge I received not only in nursing school, but in the field as well. But it’s simply the “System” it’s self that will never get me back into healthcare.

[@runee60]

Absolutely. Get out while you can

[@MPQueen11]

Leaving health care was the best decision of my life. Covid made me open my eyes to see how nasty and greedy ALL of the healthcare industry is.

[@brendabelcher3197]

Said "enough! " after 20 years as RN. It was not about the pay, I always made good money. It was the working conditions and constant pressure to do more with less staff, less equipment and fewer supplies. It was always less and less and less. It only got worse as years went on. It went from a difficult days regularly, to impossible days everyday. It was knowing that the Board, the administration, the facility and patients were ready to reprimand, blame, insult,and sue you for not being the nurse of their imagination.

[@csndre]

They're not asking nurses for answers because they don't like what we have to say.

[@apriljohnson1067]

They never have.

[@timothymadaras1613]

Amen!!!

[@Magical_Thinking]

OMG, could you imagine if we all start asking about retention strategies during interviews and requesting the specific numbers, MEASURABLE GOALS, and things that have been modified to change things that weren’t working! The hiring panel would be dumbstruck!!! LOVE IT!

[@NurseLiz]

"you mean you are not grovelling at me for a job no matter the conditions?!" haha I want to see that!

[@1bozina]

Good chance that you may not get hired... :)

[@jeswith1s2009]

IF and big if at that, I decide to ever apply to work in another Inpatient Facility I may just have to use these insightful questions for when they ask, “So do you have any questions for us?” Why yes I do! Oh you have a Low Retention Rate? So what plans have you implemented to fix this problem? Any MEASURABLE GOALS on how to KEEP your employees? Heck, I may just do it for fun and to see the looks on their faces🤣

[@MonaLisa-lu8zi]

That's very tempting. I would like to try that. 😂 Just set up interviews for myself. Ask the questions. Analyse the interview team. Become an expert. As it is, what I do notice is there is no shortage. The game is rigged. The interview team reject perfectly good candidates. In return, they have a day out, free meals, paid mileage, get to look into the interviewees cv's. Also, some small talk. Just observing.

[@Carnivorenursekim]

And then, every year at our annual eval, we can bring out the data to see if they are meeting their “goals” we set for them. 😂 If they don’t meet the benchmarks, there goes their raise!

[@jacquelinegan958]

I am thrilled that you young nurses are speaking up and out! The older generations did not have the benefit of the internet, and we were so controlled that we were like the freaking Stepford wives. Keep it up Liz, you inspire me!

[@NurseLiz]

super excited to see what they do as well!!

[@jeswith1s2009]

Wow! I had never thought of it that way. Like “Stepford Wives”! After leaving my nursing career and really looking back at it, the state nursing boards, the facilities, all want their nurses to fit in a box. It’s like they want they outside world to still see a nurse as that WOMAN in a white dress and nurses cap. Dare you say or do anything to step outside of that box. Nurses aren’t aloud to be sick too. They don’t want their “customers” (patients) to know that they person taking care of them might be in pain, or struggling mentally. And if you can’t hack it, I’ve even heard older DON’s say “Young nurses are a dime a dozen. There’s always another one waiting for a job when another one leaves.”🤷🏼‍♀️ Let’s prove them WRONG!

[@emagneticfield]

There wouldn’t be a shortage of nurses, QMA’s or aides in nursing homes if management treated their staff better. It was always rough but Covid 19 just made it damn near impossible to function. I feel so sorry for our residents when they are stuck in their rooms with very little group activities and the ability to dine in the dining room because of outbreaks. It breaks my heart when I hear a resident cry themselves to sleep from sheer boredom from few visitors. One of my residents told me she wished the staff would come into her room just to say hello instead of only when it’s med, meal and change time. And we can’t because we are short staffed and just don’t have the spare time. That’s heartbreaking. 💔

[@apriljohnson1067]

And none of it was remotely necessary

[@tracyannjohnson5724]

😢💔

[@grandma460]

Maybe start a volunteer program?

[@johnberry2877]

Where i currently work, the aids do not even attempt to get the patients out of bed in the morning. They sit at the nurses station talking about “they boo” and playing on their phones. Patients sometimes never get water the entire shift and are in their own filth all day. Managers turn a blind eye because they cannot replace them and moreover, are scared they will be assaulted if they write them up. If they do get written up, the manager can have her tires slashed or, I have seen field stones stashed into their windshields. It’s so demoralizing and oppressive to be entirely powerless and unable to help any residents. Management even tried to get them to stop using their phones, wearing crocks, wearing proper uniforms, put their long weaves up and stop wearing 2 inch long nails. But, the CNAs got the NAACP to threaten a law suit. So, it’s like the Wild West!!

[@michelleklein3713]

This has me HOT! Every major current “shortage” I hear about - at least locally for sure - is NOT a shortage of personnel available but of people willing to put up with any more of the BS (i.e. poor management, poor pay/unfair pay when compared to the travel pay, the continual feeling that the employer de-values you every day, the inability to eat/pee/drink water whatever, being harassed by the general public and being told you are the problem when the issue is clearly NOT you). While pay is a big thing, the way people are treated in the workplace (particularly nurses, teachers, and in my experience - pharmacists) has spiraled downhill to a point where many people had no choice to leave for their own mental health. Why are there pharmacies closed early -STILL - and often on the weekends even - in major cities? NOT because new grads aren’t still being pumped out of schools and not because there aren’t pharmacists around. But no one wants to work for an insulting amount of pay for a company that treats you like a piece of meat and won’t provide any support staff to help make sure you can safely serve your patients (but they can have fancy corporate events with famous singers……..at Disney…ahem). They need to remove most of middle management - and suddenly they could pay for the technicians (and dear god pay them more because they hold everything together!)

[@NurseLiz]

YES!

[@montanagal6958]

My pharmacist said they can find no assistant to work and asking them to do the shots on top of everything was a little much. They are trying really hard to work with a broken insurance system looking crying people in the eyes. And then...on the mountain of rubble heap, demanding N-95's for hours. People gotta breath...seems a God given right.

[@tanyaj.8482]

This sounds a lot like what teachers experience. Not a teacher shortage, but a high turnover due to unsatisfactory working conditions

[@cyradragons]

And guess what? They keep churning new nurses out of school every semester to replace all of us that have spoken up, got railroaded out, quit, ghosted. They know how many are coming out year after year. The crisis rates dazzled many eyes and enticed them to nursing school. We are nothing, but a disposable commodity to corporate health care.

[@linehempel162]

You deserve a Scotch❤

[@lorikeetsrikkiandsunny3417]

It is not a nursing shortage, it is a nursing wastage

[@NurseLiz]

for real.

[@michaelreinhart562]

@@NurseLiz If you would educate me on what would be(in our dream world lol) considered a safe assignment that will focus on the patients disease processes and what to do to get better. I often times work in nursing homes through agency's and having 30-40 patients long term care is the norm. Just doesn't seem safe to me at all. Even skilled at 13-17 seems a bit much.

[@DA_Karas]

This was the exact conversation I kept hearing in my prior job as a trucker driver whenever the media brought up the 'driver shortage.' Low pay, high stress, and lack of respect is the reason for the high driver turnover.

[@carmanbishop8819]

Home care is the safest nursing that I can think of where you have one patient at a time. I am an LPN but most likely won’t further my education as I had planned because my desire of working in the hospital has faded due to the unsafe staffing nurse/patient ratios. That was the whole reason why I wanted to be an RN to begin with. Nursing homes don’t look too much better either

[@different_vybe]

I refuse to go back 1.5yr and finish for my RN. Its not worth it and nobody is stepping up to make conditions better and less toxic/demanding. Ill stay an LPN and keep figuring out how to leave all together.

[@ny_njtrailrunnert926]

I’m currently sitting in the lobby of my hospital on break, (quite large lobby with adequate room and chairs) and I see huge signs that they just put up yesterday (start of Nurses Week) “ please remember this lobby area is for patients and visitors” in other words, staff members- you are not welcome to come here, relax, be seen. Got it!

[@kl-jn4kh]

I think nursing students aren't properly informed of what the actual work environment and work load will be like. I've been a CNA/HHA for 10+ years and my fellow RN program classmates can't wait to get into the most unsafe environments 😓

[@NurseLiz]

completely agree. And social media does a horrible job preparing people as well becuase its is so over glamorized on there. And now schools are moving awy from in person clinical so people will have no idea until they actual get into their jobs. ugh.

[@patwoessner198]

I try to teach/share reality with my clinical students...as I remember reality hitting hard when I graduated.

[@Aliciaw867]

So true

[@empressm6]

I graduated in 2009 with my BSN & could only find a job in nursing homes bc the “market was saturated.” Anyway I worked just about every area of nursing (gaining quite a bit of knowledge) except a hospital, which I rly rly wanted. Fast forward to 2017 & I finally got into a hospital. I left in less than 6mo. It was so unsafe for my license & my patients. 2019, I left hands on care altogether. I currently work in Utilization Review 3days at home/2days in office. 6wks PTO, flex time to go to appts as necessary. 8-430 w/ 1hr lunch, 401k match, started at 80K. I took a salary cut but gained A LIFE! I miss interacting with many of the patients but I would never go back. I do consider being a part time medic just to get a fix. Every day I get mailings from nearby hospitals trying to recruit. Nope, no thank you. Every single nurse my company has recently hired for utilization review has been a young nurse in a field that was mostly older nurses nearing retirement. We have had enough & we’re doing something about it: LEAVING.

[@NurseLiz]

Thank you for sharing your experience!

[@Normal-mom]

Where did you find this job?!

[@Bayoubebe]

Yep, I do chronic care now from home. I too miss interacting face to face with my patients, but no way will I go back. I took a big pay cut for this job, but it’s worth it.

[@yotuba9493]

@@NurseLiz where on earth do you live where you can't get a hospital job pretty much asap?

[@stephanieascher6988]

HELP ME! How did you find this? I Am Mentally and Physically Dying A Fast Death As A Float Pool Nurse Dealing with poor pt/nurse ratios, feeling unappreciated when you bust your ass while other nurses sit on their asses on their phones because all the worst patients go to float/travel staff and so many nurses have ZERO WORK ETHIC which KILLS the GREAT NURSES!

[@definitelynotfbi119]

I was a Combat Medic and I know 17 fellow medics who became nurses after getting out and now only 3 remain. The common thread between them is that they say the military command structure is easier and more forgiving than the civilian Healthcare companies. That's bad considering they all came from Infantry units.

[@waterdawg686]

Medics are way more advanced than nurses and able to do various emergency procedures nurses never do or see and get paid way less..

[@fuzzyjem3]

"trauma nurse enters the chat" Theres a reason why nurses can be medics and medics need to go to school to become nurses. just sayin. To be fair they are two different professions and obvious they both excel in different areas. @@waterdawg686

[@wangui0011]

yes, its absolutely toxic and non-sustainable for a lengthy career.

[@nancymarshall6014]

Thank you for sharing that...I worked for the VA..it made it so difficult to get hired in the outside sector..because I did wound care. And having a child and a single mother..I didn't have the income to go to school. And at the age of 50...I didn't want a fricking student loan to pay back in my retirement...and that I was screwed out of too. I noticed that those that have fast tracked the nursing schools..have no experience. And can't communicate with good bedside manners. Covid 19 really screwed it up.

[@emagneticfield]

Also nurses need to realize that we QMA’s are not your enemies. Most of us are (qualified medication aide) hard working and care deeply for our residents. Doing much of the pill pass frees up the nurses to get their impossible tasks done. I have been a QMA for 21 years and work hard and don’t goof off. QMA’s and CNA’s often notice changes in resident conditions and we keep our nurses informed. When a nurse is short staffed we are your eyes and ears. Respect us and we will be there for you 110 percent. 📿

[@louisejeffries7155]

I miss you guys and gals I wish there where as many of you as there use to be I agree with everything you say here

[@YeshuaKingMessiah]

Don’t see this ever happening

[@silvermoongirl2658]

How is the RN protected if you guys are passing meds? Surely this isn't in a hospital?

[@cyradragons]

@@silvermoongirl2658 they're not protected. It's the RN's job to supervise the CNAs and QMAs. If one of them screws up, it's on the RN 1st. The RN has to CHA (cover her/his ass) at all times.

[@thaddeawoods3114]

❤

[@melissahood2960]

I took a hiatus from nursing because I couldn't deal with the other nurses being bitchy. I cleaned houses for about six months and now I do private duty nursing. No more bitchy coworkers makes me very happy.

[@sandrarose7129]

Biggest reason I left nursing was constant short staffing and mandated overtime.

[@NurseLiz]

yeeeeep

[@stephanieascher6988]

This is why I am currently looking for something else

[@kimberlywallace6148]

As a Nurse who was critically injured in a car accident 5 years ago I got an eyeful from the other side of the stethoscope. My left leg was shattered and I had immediate surgery. Multiple other injuries too but here’s the kicker…within a couple hours post op my leg naturally began to swell and the dressings became like a tourniquet. I was screaming with pain and fear because the nurses could not find a doctor to come and loosen the dressings instead she got an order from a doctor for Dilaudid on top of everything else Narcotic that I received. It took up to 45 minutes to get pain medication, my dressing was not changed until it literally stunk and I had to get The Nurse Manager involved, my bed sheets were not changed, I was not bathed or even given anything to help me do it myself, I had a Foley Catheter, not cleaned, developed a painful UTI and it took 3 days of me telling them before anyone got an order for a UA C&S. Nightmare experience! So I’m going to say that Nurses are not well trained and it appears that a large percentage are just sliding through school and work without the fear of disciplinary action. Incredible!!

[@tracyannjohnson5724]

THAT IS HORRIBLE!!! Could you have sued the hospital?

[@maxalberts2003]

That would have been 2018. Pre-pandemic. What you're describing sounds less like a nursing shortage than a terrible hospital with a majority of incompetent employees. After your surgery, were you moved at once into Critical Care? If you were sent to a recovery room, was it adequately staffed? What city and state did this occur in? Did you file a complaint with the hospital and your state nursing board? Did you contact a hospital patient representative at any point? I hate to say this, but it sounds to me as if you took very little responsibility for your own care and didn't address the incidents as they were occurring. Have you no friend, significant other or family member who could stay at your side and see to it that you were well taken care of if you were too incapacitated to know what to do? You make it sound as though you were all alone in a foreign country where no one spoke your language. Come on.

[@dorothybrown8859]

Why is suing the first thing someone thinks about?

[@angelachouinard4581]

@@maxalberts2003 I had a similar bad accident & during COVID to boot. You are all alone in those places. I am lucky to have connections to people who could teach me how to fight the system and I still got abused and got bad medical care. I went through three institutions and they were all glad to see me go. As far as I'm concerned 90% of my so called care personnel were bad at their jobs, didn't give a damn or were on the verge of quitting because they did.

[@SanctifiedLady]

Crackerjack box degree now

[@timechick2]

I'm a CNA not a nurse but I agree with you. There are plenty of people wanting to work, but the environment is horrible. I just left a job in a hospital because I felt I wasn't being treated well and was overwhelmed. The hospital had an acute care med Surg floor and I was the only CNA on the shift. The nurses were of no real help and wouldn't help unless I said something. I left on my own and now I am at a new job at a rehab center near by. Before I started at the hospital, another CNA left suddenly, for some unknown reason, but according to some people, not nurses, they left for bullying from the nurses. I talked to my manager but this didn't help and I left when I couldn't find a position in another department.

[@NICU_Guy]

The problem is that many nursing school graduates have no desire to work bedside. From day one of their first nursing job, they are already starting to take classes for their Masters. Soon we are going to have a bunch of FNPs with little bedside experience.

[@silvermoongirl2658]

Curious. Where are all these jobs? Healthcare - like every other area, is getting more complex. You really think so many go further in school for no reason other than not wanting to do bedside?

[@NICU_Guy]

@@silvermoongirl2658 That is the problem, they graduate with their FNP and the only place that will hire them is the Minute Clinics at CVS/Walgreens because the field is saturated with FNPs.

[@cyradragons]

@@NICU_Guy But schools have been pushing it since the 90s.

[@EritreanChic]

so true!@@NICU_Guy

[@chilloften]

The scariest part is, having in your life, persons that don’t comprehend the stress involved in nursing and have absolutely no compassion for you. It’s so very hurtful.

[@LifeinCaliforniaԿյանքըԿալիֆորն]

most of them don't care, you are not alone sis! The most important is to remember your body and your life is given to you once. Take good care of yourself!

[@NurseLiz]

Ugh I am so sorry you're experiencing this! The most we can do is educate the people around us and if they wont learn hopefully you can find a support system! You got this!

[@montanagal6958]

feel your pain

[@chilloften]

I mean, just the simple gesture of quiet, no TV, or whatever your needs when you get off. I want to be alone, and don’t want to hear or see anyone. Especially a television!

[@jeswith1s2009]

Totally understand! I worked and worked hard during a difficult pregnancy. Night shifts in the ER at 8 months pregnant, I could barely start and IV without my belly in the way lol. I went back to work when my son was 2 months old, was lucky and found a day shift position. Unfortunately, another LARGER company bought out our small facility and I knew this was my time to go and be with my son. I now had one year before he started school and I wanted to be there for all of those new beginnings. I got a lot of grief from family members at first, but looking back it was the best decision I’ve ever made. I’ve been able to volunteer at my sons school. Be there for Halloween parties, Christmas programs and above all having to learn to be a 2nd grade teacher myself during the pandemic. There’s absolutely no way I would’ve been able to work 12 hour shifts and make sure my 7 year old was online every morning for Zoom and then all of the hours of self study was completed afterwards. I truly commend those working parents that were able to get their children through those trying times and be able to advance on to the next grade.

[@Badmomsclub]

I was a Director of Nursing for an Assisted Living Facility. Yes there is a shortage! 😮. There are more people leaving nursing bec of how nurses were treated and “not paid” for their role in the pandemic. They realize now they are not valued as much as everyone else was during 2020!! Nurse were treated like crap while the world was paid to stay home!! 😂😂😂😂

[@angelachouinard4581]

I don't know if you will see this but last year I was in hospital, then a rehab center then a nursing home. CNA's were doing kitchen duty like bringing meals & collecting trays, nurses where doing CNA duty like helping patients to the toilet (avg wait 30 minutes) and the nursing schedules were all over the place because they got disrupted when a nurse was needed for a crisis. This made the nurses stressed and short tempered and created antagonism with the patients. The patients were often difficult when they didn't have to be too. I have a friend who works in prisons and my descriptions made her say I sounded like one of her prison inmates. I don't know how to solve this, we pay more for medicine than any other country and so many highly trained nursing personnel are miserable and so are the patients.

[@Bayoubebe]

I’ve been a nurse for 17 yrs, did a few years on tele and med surg floors. I liked home health for a few years. Now I’m a chronic care nurse for a cardiology practice and I work from home. I love what I do and the autonomy. It sometimes gets monotonous and there is still lots of charting/ care plans; but I take it over the floor any day. Sometimes I think about doing floor work on the side for some extra money , but I don’t think I will unless I have to. It just looks overwhelming now

[@jennpiach]

Sitting at a desk pencil pushing doing busy busy work Iis no better. Most of those jobs are ripping off Medicare and medicaid.

[@donot314]

If you are a patient, family of a patient, the best way you can help nurses is by applying political pressure. In Canada, be aware of the current contract talks. Put pressure on your MLA'S to protect and support nurses. Demand nurses be paid as though your life depended on them: it may. Keep nursing standards high. Don't allow short staffing to be an excuse to dumb down the profession. Demand proper training and standards for managers who undermine the PSLS reporting /learning system by using it as a disciplinary tool, putting patients at risk of non-reporting. While in hospital, understand that your nurse is not sitting at the nurses station because of laziness. Your nurse is swamped with paperwork created by the bureaucracy that runs the place.

[@quota500]

I agree, Nursing less the docu-tasks means more actual lives saved. (But not the RNs' license 😆)

[@Nursekimberly]

I have learned that it’s important to “Show” admins who are stuck in their offices what’s going on. They are often afraid to come down to the ER. ER staff don’t want them there but it’s important. I have been known to go down tor heir office and invite them to come down to the ER as observer during high census times. I ask them to observe and ask questions. It has proven helpful depending on the admin. But I ask them to ask themselves “how would you feel if that was your grandmother, your child sitting in that hallway bed”? It important they see what’s happening, not just sit in an office and read reports

[@lillis887]

Definitely took note during Covid the speciality docs, admin and management who wouldn’t come close to a nurse or set foot on a floor!

[@lauriekh9072]

Ive been known to hide in the bathroom at work and set my timer for 10 minutes and sit on the toilet and just decompress.

[@oscarlozano9986]

If you are KNOWN to do this, then you are not HIDING and can't really decompress if they know where to find you. Js.

[@Magical_Thinking]

Yes, my therapist told me to do this along with doing grounding techniques and it wasn’t working. I ended up calling out early one morning because I just couldn’t face work that day. Without thinking about it and without any forethought I accidentally said, “I’m not going to be able to come in today. In fact, I’m not going to EVER be able come in.” The house super who took the call said that she wouldn’t accept my resignation & that I would have to call my manager. I told her that I don’t work there anymore so I guess it was going to be her job to do so 🤣. I didn’t have another job lined up, cushion money, or a spouse with a second income but the feeling of relief that swept over me was lifesaving.

[@NurseLiz]

SAME FRIEND. same

[@megb3056]

I have been a RN for 15 years. I was forced to leave because I could not physically do 12 hour shifts anymore and that is what the hospital required. They gave me a hard time because I could only do 8 shifts

[@montanagal6958]

seriously 12 hour shifts are so hard

[@maam-yj8ph]

There is no reason there cannot be 6 - 8 hr shifts.

[@wajutiem08]

​@@montanagal6958 but should it not be a problem because you have 3-4 days off,? I am sorry I am just being curious and want to know why 12 hour shift is bad despite 3-4 days off

[@kimlique8512]

@@wajutiem08I can't speak for her but as for myself being aLVN for 20 years, my back is so messed up from working in this field that there's no way I could work 12 hour shifts anymore

[@Kevagoddess]

12 hours is crazy even though some people say you do 3 days in and 3 days off still it’s crazy on the woman body

[@risadoobie]

Hit this stream halfway … love your channel. And yes, I think there’s PLENTY of licensed nurses out there. It’s just a matter of employers understanding what these qualified nurses NEED to drop their life and commit to what jobs are offering. Smart nurses know their boundaries. They’ll say YES to SAFE JOBS.

[@NurseLiz]

yes yes yes! there are safe jobs out there. And hopefully as people start demanding safer conditions, more and more will come about. But i think it'll come down to having it mandated through laws vs the goodness of most CEO hearts

[@montanagal6958]

right? It seems nurses ask for so little, the hours and pay hired for and some appreciation from the company (maybe a meal break?)

[@IsaacMakana]

It feels like a shortage when my hospital system has texts regularly from each unit begging nurses to come in to help because we are “short-staffed”. So you would think the system would value those of us still employed. Just started bargaining, does not appear that way. Their lawyer even said “It was debatable “ whether said system actually needed nurses. Good way to start.

[@montanagal6958]

private texts on your personal phone....too

[@IsaacMakana]

@@montanagal6958 exactly. Personal time intruded on by multiple texts a week, sometimes a day because you are willing to be on the text list, just in case…

[@runee60]

They don’t value nurses. They use them. There is no one stem t in supporting nurse. Strictly a commodity. The couldn’t give a rats ass

[@1bozina]

What I LOVE (sarcasm) is that when the hospital has a meeting with nurses they & serve: Pizza, Bagels, Doughnuts and Coffee / all healthy choices ... Oh, and they give away freebies like pens, tote bags and other trinkets made in China. I also like the cute flyers and ads for nurses. They all look the same. A cute little gal maybe 22 years old in her new, unstained scrubs and a never used stethoscope in a brightly lit room ... Meanwhile - The avg age of an RN is 52 years old. My favorite is reading hospital mission statements and then comparing that to what ACTUALLY HAPPENS.

[@NurseLiz]

😂

[@montanagal6958]

During Covid all the masks and eyewear were "made in China"...seemed wrong

[@runee60]

Well said. Absolutely spot on. Insulting the whole way through.

[@1bozina]

@@jch9825 Damn... You get a sandwich *and* a keychain?! I didn't get anything like that for the last dozen years and I work for a very large hospital network.

[@vincentkingsdale8334]

Remember how health care workers got free coffee and discounts galore during the first few months of Covid bc we were heroes? Meanwhile, the teachers across America have received discounts galore for decades, and get 3-4 months off each year??? Where are the continuous discounts for healthcare workers? Are we just expected to do our jobs for the entitled masses?

[@Absaalookemensch]

I've been in healthcare for 40 years and recently retired as an RN a few years early. I quit the leadership not the job. COVID completely burned me out when we worked for months at 50% staffing. Nurses were expected to get it all done while leadership came and left on time. I've never seen staffing shortages and work conditions this bad in my 40 years and due to career progression and moonlighting I've worked in about 20 facilities, so I have a bit of broad range experience.

[@christarbutton1279]

I graduated in 2010 kind of in the middle of the financial crisis. A lot of middle age people lost career jobs and needed something new. Nursing was a stable well paying job that wasn't going away and only took 2 years of school to get into. So a good chunk of my graduating class was in there 40s and 50s. Many of which had less than 20 yrs left to work and I imagine some probably went back to they're old careers when the market got better. A lot of those folks we probably only get 10-20 years out of instead 40.

[@alexs6475]

I’m leaving for multiple reasons. 1. Vaccine mandate 2. Disrespect from co workers and management 3. Burnout 4. Patient ratios 5. Pay

[@NurseLiz]

thanks for sharing!

[@patwoessner198]

That was my line in the sand...just got my religious exemption approved.

[@tl9585]

I never realize one of the problem that would make nursing such a hard career is the cattiness between coworkers… Of course, I understand not everyone will be your cup of tea but how many narcissists in this career is depressing. Of course, there are kind and truly warm nurses that no matter how little support they have they still come out to be such sweet people. Now is that the majority? Not so much…

[@Bayoubebe]

@@tl9585 definitely found the saying that “nurses eat their young” to be true...unfortunately

[@jbr84tx]

There was a 'nursing shortage' way back when I graduated from nursing school in 1988, and throughout my career until it ended in 2015. Nurses are not treated very well by hospital admin.

[@kimberlywallace6148]

The workload and being put into unsafe situations due to nurse/patient ratios and acuity of care is why nurses leave. I graduated in 1989 and stayed in the field for 30 years working in every area from MedSurg, Respiratory Units, NICU, Mother/Baby, Long Term Care, Case Management and everything in between. It’s the same thing in every area…MISERABLE!! Exhausted mentally, physically and emotionally. There isn’t enough money in the world that could bring me back into Nursing. I was a young nurse when hospitals transitioned into Multi Billion Dollar Corporations. The first thing that these corporate geniuses did was cut staffing to save money. That is the whole thing in a nutshell. Say “No” to an unsafe assignment? Not an option…now you’re a Target 🎯 and yes they will find a reason to get rid of you. Saw this happen many times. No No No…never again!! Just for the record I worked in the state of Florida.

[@jennpiach]

Me to same as u as experience. We get 3 couplets on M/B. No PCT ( most shifts), no lactation support on nights, we draw all our own blood work no phlebotomy, so 1 nurse doing job of 4 people. Then through I. Hundreds if hours of required certifications and other education that's " unpaid for". So the required education on your own time. Most shifts, no actual lunch break u work and snack.

[@sheilafleet7060]

Thank you Liz! Nurses need to speak out!! I was a traveling nurse and I couldn’t get into hospitals that took care of their staff. My jobs were in understaffed difficult places. Now I’m an oncology infusion nurse with 8-9 patients with no help, it’s awful!

[@jennpiach]

O, that's HORRIBLE! oncology is a huge money maker.

[@gunchief0811]

it's good to hear as much information as I can get because I am a new Nursing student and am just getting involved into the career of Nursing. I do want to become a Nurse but it's good to see the good, the bad, and the ugly sides of anything. so thank you for your Honesty and transparancy.

[@Aliciaw867]

I hope you graduate and enjoy your time being a Nurse. It’s good to experience this field first before listening to others opinion. I wish you the best.

[@Aliciaw867]

I hope you graduate and enjoy your time being a Nurse. It’s good to experience this field first before listening to others opinion. I wish you the best.

[@Aliciaw867]

I hope you graduate and enjoy your time being a Nurse. It’s good to experience this field first before listening to others opinion. I wish you the best.

[@frenchysandi]

Retired after 50+ years initially med/surge then etoh/drug addiction medicine to finishing up as mental health RN. I am Masters/Ed prepared nurse. Retired with mild PTSD symptoms and am lucky that isn’t worse. Have seen so many suicide attempts, self-harm events, violent patients and worse have never felt supported by any institution I have worked for.

[@Bayoubebe]

What you spoke about ADN program... I can attest to. I graduated an ASN program in 2005, we lost almost half of the class after 2 semesters. It was gruelinggggg! Fast pace and if you couldn’t cut it, there was no sympathy for them. They had to join the BSN program next semester. I passed my NCLEX easily first time. I did go back and had 1 semester to finish BSN bc I thought I wanted to go FNP route, but then all of my friends who did FNP ended up in neuro or general practice and they hate it. So I took some time off to think it through. The tuition prices compared to early 2000’s gave me sticker shock!

[@jennpiach]

Because all they do is write scripts, basically

[@svetlanasafronova864]

I left because a nursing home had no regular staff, and it was running on 1/30 ratio. They was running completely on agencies. So, when I came to shifts traveling 8 hours back and forth in Boston. Then another nurse from agency assumed that i am the similar nurse from an agency, and I got 3 times less in hour rates. But I was not I was new nurse on orientation coming actually from heavy education as a physician with a lots of knowledge but not simple nursing nursing skills. I had none of days of orientations, I didn't know even codes to doors, patients rooms sequences, or patient names and how they take their meds. Both agency and unit manager disappeared together for few times for great amount of time. So, for one week of self learning I had not even got Paid.....And a nursing director called me and threatened my license if I do not return to job because it is in her eyes it was patients abandonment when I was on orientation.

[@louisejeffries7155]

Thought about telling the role is not for you after all.

[@stephaniev7594]

This is the end of nursing as we knew it. I have been a nurse for 28 years and am quickly planning to leave. Emotional crisis is my biggest problem. I know we can do this but at what cost? I love being a nurse and am committed to my pts. I am so sorry for the family's that have no ideas what is really happening. I'm scared for critically ill people who really need me. I don't want to stop being someone's brightness or Savior on they're most horrific terrifying day. I work in an er. I feel that mistakes are imminent. Mistakes are even more terrifying Allowing my co workers are being ro ck strs. We are trying so hard to be the best nurses, stockers,sitters house keepers. How do we keep on keeping on,? I'm tired boss, so tired Please help.

[@NurseLiz]

I wish I knew the answer on how to fix it, other thank talking to legislators is your districts and senators, because we can only do so much. Stay strong!

[@timothymadaras1613]

I m tires of spending my entire life taking care of others and not myself or family but have not figured out a way to leave, yet!!!

[@NurseLiz]

ugh i'm sorry. in the mean time definitely check out some non hospital based jobs to see if that can give you a little bit of your life back!

[@montanagal6958]

Maybe nurse liz can do a topic on how nurses can take care of themselves and their families because I usually come home from a 12 hour shift, go straight into the bedroom and slam the door. I know it's not nice to my family but I don't know what else to do...

[@vincentkingsdale8334]

There are a lot of non clinical nursing roles, ie, nurse clinical educators for pharma companies

[@jociecovington1286]

I am a psych Inpatient unit RN at a state ran psychiatric hospital in North Texas. We are hideously short staffed all the time. In December I was attacked by one of my patients and was out because of the emotional and mental toll it took on me. I am still out and no one at work returns my emails, they referred me to TPAPN because of the anxiety I have since being attacked. This TPAPN has me doing random urine testing and I will be in it for 2 years! I feel like they are punishing me for being attacked, when if we had been properly staffed it may have been avoided. I am sick of the ridiculous nurse to patient ratios. Administration, and the State does not care at all. It is enough to make me want to leave nursing, a career that I have been proud to be a part of for 10 years. I am so torn about what to do.

[@xxxnvssaxxx]

Have you always done psych nursing ? How was before this incident ? I’m sorry this happened to you

[@jociecovington1286]

@@xxxnvssaxxx I have done it almost 8 years, almost 4 at the psych hospital I am at. I have never been attacked before. I only had 1 pna that day and she has bad knees so wasn't able to help. The pna's from the other unit had to intervene. No matter how we voice that it is not safe, we do not get extra staff.

[@bugsy2902]

It sounds like you need a Workers Comp lawyer! You are being penalized for PTSD from a work injury that was caused by unsafe staffing! I hope you see this and get a WC lawyer. I wonder if what they did was even legal? It sounds like they retaliated against you for not coming back to work speedily as if nothing happened! Check if you can find the lawyer that Nina Pham used as she was even successful in getting a settlement when that is not usually the case with Workers Comp. I wish you well!

[@late_apexx]

Planning my exit of bedside nursing due to high ratios, s*it pay, inefficiency of policies/ operations, burned out from increasing responsibilities, breaks are not guaranteed, the list goes on and on and on

[@NurseLiz]

I don't blame yoiu one bit. Good luck with everything! I hope they come around and start valuing nurses soon and turn things around.

[@tenzinlek1262]

you talk about real issues that affect nurses. I truely truely appreciate it. thank you. ❤️❤️

[@NurseLiz]

You are so welcome! I'm glad you find them useful!

[@elissam.corsmeier469]

I work in EVS @ Banner Medical Center in Tucson. I enjoy watching you so that I can better understand what the nursing staff are dealing with besides the obvious.

[@victoriakirsch3457]

My hospital is losing staff at an alarming rate. Our ER is on almost constant diversion, the rapid desicion unit has closed, and there are frequently no nurses scheduled on the med surg units. The ER has had 38 patients and 2 nurses. It's a nightmare with no relief in sight. We are the only hospital in the local community and our patients depend on us. The administration doesn't see any problems and is making no plans to retain any of us. Honestly, it almost feels like they are purposely driving the hospital into the ground...

[@louisejeffries7155]

Actually Elon Musk did say it was deliberate Truely he did I think you and your colleagues need a walk out for a day or two That gets management out of their office Some to do clinical and some to face the media

[@forrest4142]

First step of war take out the medical

[@fixinfkinsandwiches6183]

Good for you! I became LPN as a stepping stone to RN, but after being an LPN for so many years, I just want completely out of the field.

[@toddmenard2330]

My wife is a nurse, and I used to work in hospital admin. Nurses are expected to nurse along with being IT people, social service counselors, maids, psychiatrists, etc. Hospital management is the sole reason nursing can’t retain employees. Nurses week, nurses are gifted a hospital logo swag or given a free meal at the cafeteria. That’s trash. Admin is run by many who have no bedside experience, but these clowns are making hospital clinical policy. My wife has to wear THREE badges -name badge -Locator badge -and an asinine badge that monitors her hand washing. Lastly, hospitals love threatening termination on the regular. No one wants to work somewhere, where termination is a constant threat.

[@michikosmith3262]

Yikes. I was just accepted into a BSN program. I have seen SO MANY nurses speaking out. I feel like I’ve made a huge mistake 🤦🏽‍♀️ but I have been in and out of school for so long due to illness, deaths, and more illness. Now I’ve finally made it (I’m freaking 39 now) and it seems that I have supremely effed up… siiigghh. I guess I’ll find out how badly soon enough. I finally made it in. 🤦🏽‍♀️🤦🏽‍♀️🤦🏽‍♀️🤦🏽‍♀️ Man.

[@silvermoongirl2658]

Don't let naysayers get you down. Lots of what happens to a person in life is what they make it. Be wise when interviewing for jobs - ask questions about what the hospital is doing to make the work environment a good one, etc. When there's a nursing shortage, new nurses have a bit of power.

[@tracyannjohnson5724]

Work privately. OR.. you can work internationally! You can make SICK money in Dubai for instance and will be treated WONDERFULLY!

[@jupiterj5165]

not everyone is built for the profession! but if you work hard and master your skills it becomes much easier.

[@donatello9482]

@@jupiterj5165 not everyone is built for just any profession. You’re definitely right

[@wanderfulescape773]

Yesterday I was working in a LTC facility as RN sup (I’m agency) and the agency floor nurse just up and walked out because she didn’t like how the administrator was talking to her. She had to keep track of a resident who was supposed to be 1:1 due to elopement risk but she was only doing Q 15 min checks due to not enough CNA to be able to do a 1:1. Furthermore there was no official order placed. I tried to explain this to the admin but she wasn’t understanding. The floor nurse walked out and I had to take the floor AND sup at the same time. Extremely stressful. I’ve only been a nurse for 2 years and I’m a supervisor juggling many jobs. The Covid vaccine mandates don’t help at all. My state mandated the first booster and that’s when a lot of nurses left.

[@wanderfulescape773]

And the Director of Nursing called out that day and couldn’t help

[@Magical_Thinking]

It’s beyond me why staff nurses who’ve always had yearly mandatory flu vaccinations are refusing to get Covid vax’s. These same nurses upon getting hired are required to get titers for childhood vaccinations and boosters for the ones that they’re no longer protected against. Many of them aren’t refusing Covid vaccination due to its ingredients, but more on the principle of freedom of choice & not being told that they’re required to get it in order to keep their jobs. First off, they were fine with getting flu shots and vaccination boosters from the time of being in nursing school, so why all of a sudden are they refusing Covid vax’s if they have very low reaction and complication rates and it’s for the greater good? I have quite a few RN friends/former co workers who have gone on social media and complained that they weren’t given a choice when it came to getting or not getting Covid vaccinations. But they all were given a choice and chose to walk away from lucrative careers rather then get the Covid vax. They actually thought that they would be able to find other RN jobs in healthcare that wouldn’t require to vaccination. You can’t even get a 100% remote Telehealth job without getting the required vax’s, so it’s clearly backfired on most of them. In the meantime, it leaves major staffing shortages. Not due to there not being enough licensed nurses, but because of being stubborn, selfish, or standing on principle that they broke every year to get flu shots, etc. It makes no sense. BTW, there are plenty of doctors who didn’t want or believe in getting it, but they got it anyway. What’s wrong with our community?

[@oscarlozano9986]

Safe harbor

[@NurseLiz]

omg. i'm so sorry yuou are doing with that. PLEASE report that situation to CMS. Let them know that their patients are not receiving safe care due to unsafe staffing. and let them investigate.

[@homehere9817]

God bless you sweetie! U will soon learn to put yourself first or age much faster than your time. Make the right choice now. Good luck

[@oliviayu6990]

Though I might be disgruntled at time - Nursing is my calling, I don't think I could ever change my career.

[@NurseLiz]

And I love that! I think it is so encouraging for new grads and students to see that not everyone is cranky all the time like me lol and still loves the job even if it does need some help getting back on track

[@TheMinot60]

Me too. My vocation.

[@fyevalentine7670]

I heard they’re also firing nurses who don’t want the co-vid shot.

[@vincentkingsdale8334]

I didn't get mine either.....screw that...

[@nurseruthie11]

There are so many niche’s within nursing. If you don’t want to work geriatrics, don’t. There’s employee health, risk management, quality positions, patient experience, amidst many various bedside roles, etc. Nurses need to be encouraged to check out other niches instead of leaving nursing totally.

[@NurseLiz]

Definitely a lot of choices! But its also totally OK to change your mind completely and leave. I think we need to normalize changing your mind a little more vs thinking we knew what we wanted to do for the rest of our lives way back in college

[@kpete27]

Great point! Including more holistic choices like transitioning into wellness nursing, integrative, IV nutrition therapy. Much opportunity but def harder to navigate than getting a job and punching the clock in big instit med.

[@gailcole9913]

Exactly Nurseruthie11---So many possibilities out there. Quit if you want, but I have learned new job areas and been happy over 35 years in nursing. I also think you need hobbies, etc that fulfill you. I cycle, hike and have horses. Your whole life should not be nursing or any job. I think people today have given up hobbies.

[@GW-gz8jh]

It’s not the specialties though. It’s the generalized culture and “politics” within hospitals and long term care facilities.

[@cyradragons]

Except that once you're in a particular box, eg; ICU, ER, Ortho, etc. they want to keep you there. I started in ICU, I moved onto legal nurse, nurse surveyor...they still latch onto ICU. I was once told that I had applied for the wrong position when I asked HR during an interview why I had not been called to interview for the OP surgical center instead of the ICU job that I was interviewing for.

[@tineyray]

I am a visiting professor for a couple of well known universities, and yes I absolutely love it. On the downside they pay is horrible and the workload is is more than my full time gig.

[@KENINGIGNOLI-q8x]

We all know that it is Staffing issues are the culprit. Particularly amongst Critical Care. Management ALWAYS puts Profit Ahead in Patient Care.

[@jackson12802]

I’m my area 23.50 is what a new grad is paid. Maximum raise is 2.5%. They only match retirement. 0.5% for 1% you contribute up to 2.5%. The health benefits are trash as well.

[@RawrDinosaurgrr]

I been hearing about the shortage since 1990.

[@NurseLiz]

I guess they figure if their marketing strategy is working, why change it

[@patwoessner198]

Since the 1980s.

[@carlapierle8623]

The (Magnat) hospital I used to work at in Indianapolis, Indiana was in the process of forcing ADN and three-year degreed nurses to start their BSN degrees within two years of employment. I was already a BSN and thought it was ridiculous. Most of those nurses had more experience and could run circles around BSN new grads yet were willing to let them go if they wouldn't agree to getting their BSN. I've ALWAYS said nurses need to start sticking together but so many I worked with would rather tuck their tails under and not make a fuss.

[@jennpiach]

I went to a diploma program 3 yrs. We had way more training and hands on clinical experience than the BSN.

[@carlapierle8623]

@@jennpiach There's a lot of BS in the BSN program. I graduated at 40 as a second career. I got it because I thought I'd go on to get my Masters. By the time I got through my BSN I was so sick of papers and busy work I wanted nothing to do with going back to school.

[@dorianjasper892]

Nurse Liz, you are amazing and I love your channel. I'm a CNA (Certified Nurse Assistant) and I agree that burnout is real, nurse ratios are horrendous, and shortage of nurse educators accompanied with their pay is just as bad. All of these things need to be fixed. Need to be addressed. I guess my only issue is the money. How much money is enough money to pay a nurse that is good enough? Because in my opinion there isn't a reasonable amount of money that could be offered to satisfy the majority.

[@NurseLiz]

Hello! Thank you! I wouldn't even focus on the money honestly. I would focus on quality of work environment. Nurses are demanding more money because they refuse to budge on the environment, so its almost like hazard pay. I can almost guarentee that most nurses would prefer having safe ratios, lunch breaks, and days off instead of having slightly higher pay. But hospitals don't want to provide those because they are used to nurses bending over backwards and doing what needs to be done despite self destruction

[@bethanyhdbd3377]

I agree with Liz. I used to work at a place, in my state, that used to be considered the best place to work in psych. If someone didn't have an internal reference, it could take up to two years of applying to get an interview. The Work environment started to drastically change when they opened another building and opened up units faster than they could hire good staff and train them properly. Thus creating shortages and other issues and things started to be run poorly.. This started BEFORE covid. This place generally paid a little on the lower end plus 11-12% of your paycheck was automatically taken out for retirement. So alot of ppl made significantly less on the net end. After the third facility opened....changes to the environment started. COVID exacerbated these issues and the negative work environment and shortages spread to the other two buildings, but staff still held on during the first year of covid, but afterwards the facility continued to run things poorly and short the units even more. They would not close a unit until they basically had no choice and the staff that would get moved from a unit to others really didn't make much of a difference. The upper management would focus on admissions. I was in a meeting where a manager was explaining how unsafe it was on the units and afterwards....the upper management personnel in the meeting basically said they still had to admit people. It wasn't until the work environment was really bad that staff finally focused on $$. So I completely agree with Liz on this. The Work environment caused people to demand more money...and ppl left bedside nursing to have a better work environment or became travelers for better pay with similar work.

[@lisagardner903]

Lets face it the work load for a nurse has become impossible for 1 human being! Instead of hiring travelers why doesn't management pay more and hire more nurses so that there are manageable patient ratios? It never made sense to me that travelers made 2 to 3 times more than everyone else.

[@elmemo12352]

Money is always the issue. The root of all evil

[@janinecrane6321]

NO NURSING SHORTAGE! YES YES YES CNA SHORTAGE!!!! WE BEEN DOING THE WORK OF 4/5 PEOPLE FOR LAST 10YRS No pay raise, no benefits, no holidays, must stay when next shift does not show! This is why we have are all leaving!!!! THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED ASAP!

[@jennpiach]

My friend was a nurse educator and she said students just wouldnt show up. Call out, come late. No sense of responsibility. When i went to school we couldnt miss 1 day.

[@patwoessner198]

Managers tell you in no uncertain terms not to tell your patients how many patients you have....and you get written up when they look to see who is doing this as the complaints come in.

[@NurseLiz]

cause that's not sus...

[@2liter]

you’ve really built such a great small community. deserves more recognition. i’m studying nuclear medicine and currently work in a hospital. i see what happens and wish it wasn’t this way

[@aclem8246]

Same for PCT's who assist nurses with their patients in hospitals. Nurses typically have 4 patients in hospitals but PCT have 9 to 15 patients they assist with so end up running all day trying to keep up with calls from 4 to 6 nurses they are assisting along with calls from the HUC, monitoring, therapy, the kitchen, along with patient calls and answering call lights.

[@wangui0011]

Clocked 10 years as RN on Jan 2023. I'm not anticipating to be at bedside past 5 more years. God help me. I am burnt out to a crisp. I want out!!!

[@myimperfectdiary890]

I only been a nurse for 3 years and I hate the environment of nursing. The bullying culture and the out of touch managers. Also low pay for the mental stress so who wants to be nurse. :C

[@justinriley938]

Its amazing that you mentioned a lot of causes for the nursing shortage while the lack of pizza parties was never a factor.

[@stephanieascher6988]

OMG YES!!! THAT AND CANDY BASKETS ARE NOT A PAY RAISE!!!

[@jessicaschoonmaker2073]

My work I’m a CNA and about to go to nursing school I remember all the pizza 🍕 been a few months now lol since we had any since pandemic is over covid broke out 2 times I had it once I couldn’t breath in the heavy duty mask and my nose keeped bleeding and bad headache and yes I had the vaccine it wasn’t bad like hospital ventilator bad due to the vaccine 💉

[@TheMomseloc]

I know! It's because those nurses met and married the doctor of their dreams. Isn't that why we went to nursing school in the first place? LOL LOL

[@jennpiach]

They throw a couple pizzas at you to shut u up. U can't complain if your chewing. LOL! I wanna be a hairstylist they making bank in Fl. $200 bucks for color cut and highlight. Do 3 if those a day. That's was more than nursing.

[@marianking3773]

When I first worked as a LPN the main bias was against LPN. The RN’s were required to join NYS union within certain time period of hire. I had already been kicked out of a ADN program first semester over a technicality. Found an evening PN program. When I moved to Philadelphia; I learned about how different states regard LPN. Like in NYS many hospitals had LPN IV teams and I had been a team leader on a large medsurg unit where I had 22-23 patients and was responsible for monitoring the IV’s. IVacs were new on our floor but we still occasionally had some insulin or morphine drips with only pedi drip chambers-hourly refill from the main bag/bottle. Found out in Penn I could not even d/c a IV that infiltrated or was scheduled d/c. When moving to new state-request copy of Nurse Practice Act! I did dislike how the NYS union worked against any form of practical nurse (there were still some “waver nurses” left over post WWII). I saw the favoritism of BSN over Diploma developing-and the diploma programs had started including classes at state/community colleges. How to have all the experience to make the folks at a job fair excited until they see your ADRN and say we only hire BSN. Left nursing in Boston area after doing some homecare.

[@NurseLiz]

thanks for sharing your experience!

[@montanagal6958]

I agree, it's always desperation that decides in the end.

[@theresadunn6857]

Seasoned (35+yrs) LTC Nurse here.... I LOVE caring for my elders, unfortunately,due to NO real SNF-SubAcute Reforms or the enforcement of , current UNSAFE Caregiver to Resident ratios (1 Nurse,2CNA:to 20-40 Residents) and Facility abuses toward its workers have left many of us severely overwhelmed,demoralized and BURNED OUT!! I'm looking to retire this year 2023 to pursue a low stress or Private Duty situation.

[@tarbuckle2]

It's rare that you see both an ad and the video featuring the same person 😅 Regardless, great content as usual. I keep up with you as I'm going into the Nursing program at my school this fall, and you help me keep a pulse on both school and the industry as a whole. ❤

[@jeswith1s2009]

In 2013 I moved out of bedside nursing to work for another hospitals Outpatient Specialty Clinics due to the birth of my son, simply because I was receiving almost the same pay to work Monday-Friday, 8a-5p. A dream job for working mother whose an RN. Then in 2017 they decided that they would REPLACE all of their clinics RNs with CMAs and send us RNs back to the floors. Why? $$$ of course. I refused to go back to working 12+ hour night shifts, taking on literally up to 9-10 patients a shift. Being verbally abused by patients and used and made to feel guilty by my employer if I didn’t take on extra shifts or stay later or check all the DAMN MONEY BOXES!! Not been back since 😢

[@NurseLiz]

ugh that's the worst, and I'm sorry you had to experience that, but thanks for sharing!

[@jeswith1s2009]

Working in Outpatient Services for so long is when I came to the realization that EMR programs are truly just glorified cash registers. Each box you check increases your patient’s acuity level, which means the facility can bill public/private insurances more and more.

[@bugsy2902]

@@jeswith1s2009 The doctors at the hospital I worked at expected us to put in orders for them and I noticed Epic had added $ signs for lab tests and meds from $-$$$ apparently trying to discourage Dr's from spending too much money. Unbelievable!

[@debterilli1380]

I was going to wait to retire, but I just couldn’t. So happy I didn’t wait for the magic 66.4 number! Retired at 65 and never looked back..

[@NurseLiz]

Enjoy that retirement! You certainly earned it😁

[@beatriceannbaker3350]

Did a paper on this in my masters classes. There is no shortage. They choose to stay home. Typically in economic down turns they come out in droves. Have had my masters since 2011. So the paper was in 2010.

[@Hannah-fq4gq]

Im a new grad RN who has worked as a CNA in the nursing home and then step down during covid. I've decided to not even go into bedside and only looking at outpatient.

[@jeswith1s2009]

Good luck depending on where you live. I worked for almost 5 years in the outpatient setting in a local hospitals Ortho Surgery Clinic. Due to $$$ they decided it was more efficient to take out the RNs and replace us with CMAs, and they sent us back to the floor. I said thanks, but no thanks. Been there, done that and so therefore my nursing career has been “on hold” since.

[@mylifeinschrampbells9604]

I work bin LTC and I do love my patients which is one of the reasons I have hung on. I have a lot of the same patients for years, and it’s hard to not get emotionally invested and attached to some of them. Some of them feel like family. But I do fear something going wrong because of being stretched so thin. With an average of 30 patients sometimes more, it’s not possible to get it all done perfectly.

[@jennpiach]

30 patients is the norm. Hiw xan that even be. Should be illegal.

[@nothankyou1072]

Hi there, can you do a video on the different types of nursing positions out there. I feel like a lot of nursing information focuses in on ER nurse, critical care nurses, pediatric nurses, home care nurse etc. Could you share more obscure ones like a dialysis nurse, public health nurse, what is expected of them and also where to find the information. Also if one were to burnout from being a nurse what other positions can they do that are within the nursing field, and what positions can they do outside of the nursing field that would be less stressful? (This might be a two video request) thanks 😀

[@NurseLiz]

I'm slowly but surely building a playlist that does just this! I interview nurses and healthcare workers from different fields to show just how many jobs are out there. The only limit is finding the people to interview. It's in a playlist called Career Assessments!

[@Nursekimberly]

The “business” point of view is what leads to nurses facing charges, losing licenses and becoming the sacrificial lamb when admins fail.

[@somethingclever2]

It's almost like capitalism ruins every profession

[@bethlewis7485]

Like 30% quit by the end of the 2nd year after graduating. Yes, some patient's abuse you and you're suppose to take it. I escorted a patient to the front door of the ER after she verbally abused my staff and anyone who would listen after the doctor discharged her. But I, I repeat I was told that I was not allowed after the fact . I did not yell at her, cuss at her, hurt her etc. They said that was for security to do. My question is in what policy can the Charge Nurse verses Security not do that? Just allow the patient to hit and assault you etc. etc. etc. Welcome to the nurses world. I've done nursing for 45 years full time and can't believe what Hospital Administration asks you to endure. Bad staffing, lack of breaks, insane hours, working holidays, low pay etc.

[@hollyhayes9640]

On top of the crappy pay, as a patient who was recently in a hospital for almost 3 years, I've also seen good nurses getting b*llied by bad nurses, I've seen bad nurses ab*sing patients, and I've also seen bad nurses carrying out orders that they know are bad just to get a paycheck. I've also seen nurses allowing patients to physically harm each other (I got st*bbed in the neck with a pencil by a patient with d*mentia at one hospital because none of the nurses were paying attention to what was happening); but I've also seen good nurses defending patients from harm, as well (for example: I was recently in a long-term care home, and I got all of my personal items, iPad, clothes, blanket, etc., taken away because I refused to get a 3rd C-19 vaccine; and it was actually one of the good nurses who defended me. So I think good people and bad people can both be attracted to nursing as a career (I suspect this is true of cops, as well.) Edit: sorry for all the censors; my comment might get deleted otherwise 😅)

[@scatling2065]

I hate to say this, but I remember being in charge of the ICU at night,16 patients, 1 year out of nursing school, totally unrealistic, in 1975. These problems are not new. I left for other possibilities in 1978, very burned out. My favorite job as an RN was in the early 1980's as a home care hospice RN. I became an FNP by 1987, loved it until computer EMRs showed up in 2010. This ruined my practice, ended up with taking care of the computer, three RSI hand surgeries within 1 year, endless hours on the job and at home on my days off. Totally not workable with a real life. I ended up retiring suddenly in 2019 due to severe burnout - I felt I was going to have an MI Or CVA if I did not make a change. So sad... These are not new problems. I would still be an FNP in practice if it were compatible with having a real life. Also, fyi, I would have become a nurse/fnp educator a long time ago if the pay had been reasonable. It was not. Nurses are so great!! It is so sad that that they are not being respected and honored for the job they are doing. Pizza parties are so pathetic, and so far from what is needed to retain nurses.

[@NurseLiz]

yikes. thanks for sharing. What do you think has changed that has caused people to all the sudden seem more fed up than before?

[@scatling2065]

The nursing landscape started changing awhile back when the non-medical business admin became the people who were making a lot of the decisions. This got so much worse once computers and especially EMRs became the norm. Metrics became more important than people (both patients and staff). Then, on top of all these organizational stressors, the pandemic hit, with a huge increase of stress, frustration, sadness, and emotion for everyone. The pandemic stress pushed an already overstressed healthcare system over the edge. Unfortunately, I don't have any brilliant suggestions. The main antidote is to put the heart back into everyone's daily experience. However, that is so difficult to do when everyone is constantly overloaded and time-pressured. It is going to take a long time to right this listing ship. It is true that each person has to decide what will work for them, what job scenario will allow them to have a more balanced, happy life. 😊

[@MTknitter22]

We also have nurse administrations full of nurses with very little clinical nursing experience. They go straight schooling from HS thru Master’s degree.

[@Rebecca-zr3lu]

Today I pray for all of us nurses regarding our issues. I pray that we are all healed in every area. There has definitely been issues in my nursing heart and in all others that I’ve met. With God, all things are possible and we have been used by him to help love others. I know this. God, I ask that our love does not grow cold. Amen 🙏

[@kellyward7618]

Nurses we are overworked no breaks and too much stress Nurse here 25 years.

[@paulabluestone8007]

By the way I did get the BS. Liz you provide so much info that I have experienced in the 52 years I have been licensed. Keep your blood pressure under control. I am so glad my time for nursing will come to an end . I am finished with the manipulation and tired of being angry.

[@SaM-lz9tz]

As a nursing student I decided to listen to this video and I'm glad I did. I also agree with your comments about "Nursing Theory". I'm a very technical learner and when I started nursing school I was kind of taken aback at the amount of time we spent on theory that is not even applicable to nursing today which they wanted us to essentially memorize.

[@kayleighwaggoner1721]

Omg I’m so excited about this video, thank you Liz! Love your videos

[@NurseLiz]

Thanks for being here!

[@deris7865]

I have experience in the cardiac step down then decided to go to outpatient due to floating and driving far. As an outpatient BSN, I’ve worked mostly with diabetes patients and acquired my CDCES. I’m bilingual Spanish/English and when I offered my services, they told me that 2 diabetes educator have retired and were not being replaced due to budget!! I was so disappointed for the poor vision this manager had. I was doing some CDCES job duties but was not recognized and/or compensated; you are hired as an RN only, they told me.

[@user-qr8ki8ue4i]

RN for thirty years now. I've "been there done that" all over the western half of the country. In my experience down through the decades, we've always ran in cycles of surplus vs. shortage, and I believe all of it to be manufactured by those running the business end of the stick. When you, as a business, have a surplus of RN's then you get to cherry pick your employees, and the RN's have to put up with the edicts from on high, so-to-speak. When there is a shortage, then multitudes flock into nursing schools and again, the employers get to cherry pick from the young (cheap) new hires. It's a win-win for them.

[@Brooklynbarrile]

I’ve been an Lon for 13 years. It took me 7 years to finish my pre requisites and get into clinical for my associates. I hate it so much. But I’m 47 and feel kinda trapped due to finances. But . I agree the amount of abuse and being over worked feels sickening.

[@marleykeel4847]

I'm in Fundamentals of Nursing right now and there is a section in the first chapter of the textbook about nursing shortage. They even state that there are healthcare dollars invested in recruiting and retaining RN's. Hmmmm...maybe they should put those "healthcare dollars" into a higher wage!

[@maam-yj8ph]

I honestly think that having sales rep's for hospitals etc. is kind of a red flag.

[@KellyShouldice3]

The nursing home my mom was in (2018-2019) was so short-staffed & overworked that they didn't do her vitals. Her BP was so low that she later died.

[@chilloften]

The computer games to enter the vitals is a pain and wastes tremendous amount of time, during which you’d be interrupted 6 times because you are the only one held accountable for the actual care provided.

[@NurseLiz]

Oh my gosh and am SO sorry to hear this! That is so terribly dangerous for a facility and I'm so sorry for your loss.

[@kellyward7618]

I am so so sorry

[@diplomat2623]

I am sooo incredibly sorry for your loss this way. 😞😞

[@bluetickbeagles116]

What would you nurses tell somebody interested in going back to nursing school? I’m retiring from the military in four years and want to go to a career that enables a wealth of knowledge accumulation, a job that actually matters, a job that is not stifling (I’m absolutely depressed in the military bc it like being in eighth grade level of education and training is almost non-existent), useless mindless missions, ZERO leadership. I want a job that matters and not one that, “it’s just a job to pay bills”. I’m interested in emergency medicine and orthopedics.

[@johnberry2877]

I literally fantasize about getting into a wreck before work. So, I don’t have to go in.

[@roymaddocks3184]

ouch, sending emotional support

[@joyjustus6873]

I’m an Lpn now delivering for Amazon flex for about the same pay. I’m only doing Amazon on the side.. looking to leave nursing completely. Currently looking at veterinary offices to see if there are any positions I could do that would be close to the same pay.

[@gloriawoodley4350]

Been a nurse for over 25 years. This is the worst I’ve ever seen. Just recently stopped travel nursing d/t rates decreasing. Now I’m a staff nurse. Uggh. I work 12 hours 3 days per week. I have about 20 patients with high acuity. We’re expected to do so much. It’s exhausting. If dietary is short staffed it falls on nursing. If house keeping is short staffed it falls on nursing. If maintenance isn’t available it falls on nursing. If there’s no receptionist it falls on nursing. A lot of us are tired of wearing so many hats. We’re not appreciated. Nursing isn’t an attractive career. There’s no promotion of self care. We’re overwhelmed and mentally exhausted. I think a lot of places need to offer mental health services on site for nurses. Longer lunches. Locker rooms. I loved being a nurse and love taking care of people. But not so much anymore. Im just exhausted.

[@Dausypoo]

Replying months later but mentioning the surgery schedule thing. I'm a periop nurse and everything is now an outpatient surgery. C19 changed a lot of how our surgical area is ran and ofcourse now its a profit thing. So we used to admit maybe 1/3rd of our patients but now they all go home. Sounds like a relief for the floor nurses but they just fill those rooms up with ED patients. If something urgent does happen to a surgical patient and it is deemed unsafe to send a patient home then they end up being housed overnight in the PACU. Considering our facility closes our OR and PACU at 7pm this causes a lot of frustration for surgery staff because we didn't have a nightshift crew. Luckily, we held a mini strike and we've hired a traveler to come in 3 days a week for the holds that are bound to happen. And ofcourse because admin knows we have that traveler theres even more incentive to hold patients in PACU and fill up rooms in the hospital with the ED patients. But we've since gotten used to sending home hysterectomies, multilevel cervical fusions (eek), joint replacements and some others and a lot of the time these are fine. But we've had some frustrating attempts at outpatients like sending home an XLIF (complete fail, ended up drawing straws to stay overnight with this patient), we had a bilateral knee replacement with advanced parkinsons, knee replacement with a trach (lmao), a hip replacement who required 2 units of blood before DC home after getting 2 units in the OR(!?!?!!?), a turp (orders to show him how to flush clots out his own foley..really!?) and there were some others. These are absolutely ridiculous and unsafe but management just sees it as a way to get $$ from surgery and more money from ED at the same time.