Why Nurses Are Saying Goodbye to Bedside Nursing

"The 10-year RN Work Project study found 17% of newly licensed RNs leave their first nursing job within the first year, 33% leave within two years, and 60% leave within eight years."
Reference:
HealthLeaders. “Want to Keep Nurses at the Bedside? Here's How.” HealthLeaders Media, www.healthleadersmedia.com/nursing/want-keep-nurses-bedside-heres-how.
**I could not find the original blog post I had read but the statistics above are far worse than what I state in this video. For reference to staggering number of nurses leaving the bedside see the two webpages below.*
Links to webpages:
journals.lww.com/nursingmadei....
nhcps.com/the-death-of-bedsid...
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[@territalks8323]

Hi! You were my mom’s nurse in 2019. I just started nursing school at the time and you told me about your Vlog. So I’ve been following your channel 😊 Anyway... I just wanted to say thank you for taking care of my mom when she in your care!

[@Katherine_Ann]

Hi! How is nursing school going for you!? And thank you so much!

[@territalks8323]

@@Katherine_Ann it’s good... definitely a different type of challenge with virtual learning. I was supposed to start clinicals in the summer, but we are virtual in the summer too and most likely not going into clinicals

[@Katherine_Ann]

@@territalks8323 ah man I am so sorry to hear that, I'm sure that is frustrating not being able to go into clinicals ;/

[@lydwinaofschiedam2685]

I have been a nurse for 40 years; an advanced practice nurse for 18 years; and a nursing professor for 15 years. Med-surg nursing is the hardest job on the planet - and it is the heart and soul of nursing. For an ICU or ED nurse to say med-surge nursing isn’t “real” nursing is absurd and egotistical. It is the MOST real form of nursing.

[@annemoulder3683]

Thank you for speaking truth.

[@kelly-dl6zp]

I do both. I diagnose more in med surg on my own vs ER where everyone runs to the doctor for questions

[@runner.explorerUT]

If your RN YOUR A DAMN REAL nurse,!! What the heck is wrong with people saying nurses aren't real because of departments for reals really 🙄 !!

[@paengguin9381]

I totally agree with you. I was a Med-Surg, Telemetry and ICU Nurse. Med-Surg nursing is the hardest job, the heart and soul of nursing, very true! You read my mind.

[@patwoessner198]

I have been a nurse for 36 years...taught for 12. Med/surf is the best....always something to learn and such variety....never a dull moment.

[@lance1625]

Ahhhh yes, bedside nursing! Do you like being treated like crap by patients, co-workers, and management? Do you love having the impending doom of charting on time? Do you hate relaxing while eating or having time to go to the bathroom? Well let me tell you, there is an abusive relationship of a job called bedside nursing and it is for you!

[@jille2272]

No truer words have ever been spoken. 😆

[@bribri8232]

😂

[@kristalstanley]

😂

[@theproperty541]

Dental assisting

[@fsuandrea]

10000% true

[@sandybeach9903]

I love working 3 days a week but man are those 3 days mentally, emotionally and physically draining 😓

[@Katherine_Ann]

Absolutely Sandy, Its hard to find the emotional energy to give to your family after those long days.

[@PositiveMommaLife]

I’m cutting down to three days a week. Four days off a week sounds terrific after 18 years

[@chaikristinjournals]

This is probably the biggest reason I’m still in bedside... the schedule... but is it worth our sanity?

[@Katherine_Ann]

@@chaikristinjournals It was not worth mine anymore :/

[@sandybeach9903]

@@chaikristinjournals no it’s not 😭

[@cassandra820]

I'm leaving nursing after 6 years. I've been in acute care setting in multiple facilities. I've decided to become an plumber apprentice. My husband makes more money than I do and he doesn't have to put up with all the crap that I would at the bedside. Wish me luck. I've been working with him for the last 3 months and it's wonderful.

[@ciannima]

I love your career pivot!

[@bash9032]

Good for you and good luck!

[@heidiford4451]

My husband is journey plumber, better do new construction pumping or you will still be dealing with crap!😃

[@cassandra820]

@@heidiford4451 that's exactly what he does. Residential and commercial. No service for us

[@cassandra820]

@Amy Weinholtz that's funny. I actually haven't seen any poop in plumbing. Can't say that for bedside nursing!

[@TheHomesteadTrail]

I left bedside 3+ years ago to go into insurance and I will never, ever go back. Nurses bear the most responsibility and are burdened with all the blame, even when constantly working short staffed, with unsafe ratios and a lack of supportive personnel (CNAs, techs). It’s unsafe for the patients and the staff (violence against nurses is a huge issue). Patients have an unprecedented entitled attitude that is encouraged by surveys that treat the hospital more like a hotel. Due to ridiculous policies, we chart about the care we give more than actually give the care. People who have never cared for a patient in their life are at the top of the hospital making additional policies that look good on paper but are asinine for the staff who don’t even have time to take a lunch break. The shortage is only going to get worse. If you get to the point you’re dreading your next shift and having a panic attack in the parking lot, it’s time to get out. There’s lots of options that are way better than bedside.

[@MakeupandMasque]

This is the best response and the most accurate. 👏 I’m gonna pay off my $17,000 student loans with this next crisis assignment and really think about leaving once I’m debt free.

[@Whitesilver1970]

I’m a nurse for nearly 20 years and this is the most accurate summation of what has and is happening in bedside nursing today. I also left bedside nursing 3 years ago because of all the reasons that you mentioned.

[@ericl20881]

What exactly are doing in the insurance field? Did you have to go back to school to get another degree?

[@lauraelise5095]

I’m in insurance now too and love it! I was in dangerous situations as a bedside and community nurse before this. It’s a breath of fresh air.

[@lauraelise5095]

@@ericl20881 I work at a large insurance company and no you do not. Most are BSN positions, some LPN 🙂

[@Nursetrim]

After over 10 years as a L&D nurse, I left to become a lactation consultant. Best career move ever! No stress! Better hours! Gratifying work that makes me feel like I made a difference! Not a shift goes by without hearing the words “thank you” from an appreciative mother!

[@Katherine_Ann]

I am so happy you found a great spot in your career! I'm sure that is such a gratifying job :)

[@amandacosnett5820]

Are you an IBCLC? Are you in private practice or do you work in a hospital setting or somewhere else?

[@sherrydawson6253]

I'm not sure what consultant u are. Are u just teaching mothers how to breast feed? If independent how to u get referrals? Or do u work in a hospital under that tittle?

[@VeritableVagabond]

Details please

[@chelsiecabral9379]

How do u get into l&d?

[@TheDowntown02]

There is ZERO mystery why people leave bedside nursing. Just saying.

[@74the_magpie]

I was a unit secretary for ten years. While I did the ordering and communications, the nurse did nursing. We need to get it back.

[@woori1983]

I know right. I feel that too. I was LPN for long time and I left the field forever.

[@lizzy5437]

Right? 😂

[@mq3177]

@@74the_magpie Much respect to you Sally. I've always seen unit secretaries as The Gatekeeper or Air Traffic Controller of the unit. It's a tough job which I deeply respect when I was a staff RN.

[@Wallychans]

Because they weren’t equities for the job in the first place and just wanted the pay check. Yeh, it’s pretty telling especially by the immature responses amongst the community in this very comment section. Very telling indeed.

[@itsyvonnekelly4151]

For all of these reasons i decided to bypass the floor after nursing school and become an OR Nurse. One patient at a time and i get my breaks , best part is they are asleep 99% of the time ☺️ I salute all my floor nurses. it is NOT easy

[@Katherine_Ann]

Hi YvonneKelly! How it in the OR and standing on your feet all day?!

[@itsyvonnekelly4151]

@@Katherine_Ann Honestly i love it! it was an adjustment at first! i had to get very comfortable sneakers. sometimes scrubbing gets tiring, but some cases i circulate are long and i get to sit for a while! Other days i'm running like a crazy person. it just depends on the day and the surgeon 😆

[@KennitaColeman]

Strategic, smart, and helpful! 🤔

[@KennitaColeman]

Strategic, smart, and helpful! 🤔

[@nairusabdullahi1470]

Is PACU and PRE-OP floor/bedside nursing?

[@kathrynstewart5863]

Nurses are emotionally abused...everywhere.

[@draculasbridekaren1664]

I wonder if they are more abusers than abused. From my vantage point, I saw a lot of lazy, often obese freeloaders, who put their brain in a jar when they got to work. Although, I am aware that nurses in North America take on far more tasks and responsibilities. Honestly, maybe it's the overall hospital environment. In general, I think all hospital employees are overpaid; doctors, nurses, phyios, admin, clerical, security, porters - the lot. All overpaid and running a scam on the public.

[@praymond12]

@@draculasbridekaren1664 Seriously?! You think we’re ‘overpaid’?? I’m sorry, and what hospital or healthcare facility do you work in? You obviously have no idea the responsibilities and expectations of a nurse or most other people in the healthcare system and what their worth really is. God forbid you ever end up in a hospital you may open your eyes to what those people giving their all to help take care of you are really worth!

[@lisajohnson6351]

So are woman in general, which most nurses still are.

[@draculasbridekaren1664]

@@praymond12 So, you're saying an OPD nurse deserves the same pay as an ED nurse? Your own hypocrisy betrays your true intentions; financial extortion by means of permanent government employment... I am a hospital insider, I've seen it all, so your gaslighting and character attacks/ ethos-based rhetoric, won't work. Find a real argument if you bother to reply. "You obviously have no idea the responsibilities and expectations of a nurse or most other people in the healthcare".... Haha, if you only knew...

[@mbwilson8592]

@@draculasbridekaren1664 if they're all so over paid, and therefore you don't believe that the pay matches the work- how come everybody doesn't choose to work in Healthcare, and how come so many get burned out and leave (despite the pay) ? The level of required knowledge, responsibilities, and potential risks- including to ones license- are huge factors that go well beyond the job that you think you're seeing them perform.

[@nurserachelcrafts6630]

I’m also leaving bedside nursing. We were already so overworked before the pandemic but now it is just ridiculous. We literally have to do the roles of everyone else and have no one to help us with our role. I would also like to be able to have a lunch break during a 12 hour shift.

[@Katherine_Ann]

Couldn't agree more with that ♡

[@Di-hz2dz]

i quit too.

[@LilannB]

I left an LTAC job 6 months ago after the pandemic made a bad situation even worse. They could not keep aides so I had to do all the patient care, answer all the lights, make rounds every hour. Plus do my job and charting. Taking a lunch was a luxury that would put me behind for the rest of the shift. I was backing up lab, RT and pharmacy who all got breaks and lunch while no one was there for me. Despite make a lot of money I got fedup and left.

[@ebonybliss6504]

So true

[@the_arewin7310]

Absolutely agree with that break no bed call alarms💕.. I thought it only happens in a 3rd world country .... Sigh

[@BriaT96]

New grad here, literally almost at a month at the bedside and I am leaving, well dropping to PRN... I’ve been battling with my feelings about how it’s so early and I’m quitting, but my peace of mind and my choices are MINE.

[@Katherine_Ann]

It's okay to leave bedside! It's not for everyone! Dont feel bad about leaving if it is toxic.

[@matcha.clouds]

What are you going to do instead?

[@BriaT96]

@@matcha.clouds community health such administering Covid 19 vaccines etc to scheduled clients

[@erickajamel6805]

I left at six months!! I wasn’t happy I was miserable and it just wasn’t for me. Don’t feel bad!! Now I’m working in pediatric home health and I love it

[@BriaT96]

@@erickajamel6805 girl I’m getting out of this place, it’s just really not for me. If I gotta question whether I wanna go or not, it’s not for me

[@poodledaddles1091]

My husband will ask me how my night was at work, I'll say " I don't want to talk about it". It's too exhausting to explain and I just want to forget about it, but it is always on my mind and I'm always dreading the next shift.

[@Katherine_Ann]

Hi Poodle! I use to do that a lot, but it really took a toll on me. I eventually started sharing my feelings and just talking with my husband about it and it helped so much. I really encourage you to do that!

[@poodledaddles1091]

@@Katherine_Ann Thanks for the suggestion;)

[@MissRachelMarie]

I relate to this on such a deep level

[@romaniiiguerrero7905]

Damm i feel you.

[@saramoran3961]

Time to look for new opportunities. There are so many areas of nursing. I remember dreading my next shift and I wouldn’t wish that feeling on anyone.

[@Secular-Serenity]

I am shocked. The few times I was in a hospital, I loved, admired and respected my nurses. I respected them more than the doctors because I know they do most of the work. Shame on patients!!

[@MzJust1girl]

I left bedside nursing in 2005 after 10 years working in both skilled nursing and acute care. I found there is a complete lack of concern from management that nurses are overworked. Then add co-workers who refuse to help when you have an impossible load. Couple that with patients who yell at you, swear at you, etc. Family members who are so convinced of their "rights" that they also abuse & yell at nurses. One man (not elderly) would throw his urinal on the floor & tell the nurse that it is their job to clean it up. Or the man who expected me to lift his 400 pound, non-weight bearing wife up to the bedside commode. The emotional toll was too much. I left the hospital and never went back.

[@mellow338]

Wow. So sorry!

[@kati1017]

Bedside nursing is very hard! Due to corporate greed, shifts are ALWAYS understaffed while hospital execs make millions.

[@Times_to_Relax]

I’m really glad I’m not the only one who has the balls to say it. We are literally making ourselves sick so they can make themselves rich. Healthcare and education being for profit institutions is what’s destroying the ENTIRE COUNTRY

[@s.p.baughman7885]

True

[@AnthonyGarcia-wb8xv]

Nonprofit

[@mbwilson8592]

Totally get what you're saying, but there are more factors than just that.

[@MaddieBlakeley]

I left the bedside in December 2020 as a Med/surg nurse on a Kaiser floor. it was more like a step down unit with the acuity but we were still 5:1. I got so mentally and emotionally exhausted. Now I’m a home care hospice nurse and think I’ve finally found my niche. It’s such a rewarding job with so much autonomy and flexibility.

[@John-sk8cm]

I am a nursing assistant leaving the profession due to the stress, injury, physical/verbal abuse & impossible demands. Day after day I'd help people that punched me in the face, called me the 'b' or 'c' word, when I was just trying to help them. Gossiping coworkers. Always having to watch my back, in danger... There were 'gems' too whom I loved. But not enough of them. I used to think nurses & nursing assistants were so in demand because of an increase in the aging population. While that's true I see that the shortage is also due to the mass exodus of nurses/ assistants leaving because it can be such a horrible job. I have watched valuable heroes like you get treated like garbage when they should be grateful to have a sweetheart like you caring for them. Nurses do have options so they can try different areas! As an assistant I'm just a punching bag most of the time, so I'm done. Very helpful video, thank you.

[@Katherine_Ann]

Wow, yes Oksana, I can 100% relate to everything you just said. I'm sure it hard for you to feel valued and taken care of by your employer when stuff like that is happening. I use to relate the short staffing to the increase aging population but like you said it's now because of working conditions I see that are shorting the units.

[@John-sk8cm]

@I Lang Thank you for the supportive, informative feedback.

[@kitelouma2721]

@@Katherine_Ann o

[@nursingwithfaith3967]

@Oksana Jones I worked with nursing assistants in the Pre-Op/PACU department who genuinely liked their job, low stress, and job satisfaction. From my experience, unlike the floor, the majority of the staff wasn’t burnt out or short-staffed, helping to increase overall job satisfaction, which in turn, created a positive work environment where communication was healthy among one another. I’ve worked med-surg before and then jumped into perioperative nursing after and man, the work culture is insanely different in my opinion. When people genuinely enjoy their jobs and are treated fairly by other staff and management, a toxic work culture cannot thrive for long. Good luck!

[@jansmith8048]

This video was spot on I so resonated hen you said “we live in a sinful world....and people are not always going to be thankful”

[@louellenstevens501]

It resonates with me too.

[@lindasmallwood7242]

The real sin is that big business along with big pharm and greedy insurance companies have taken over our U.S. healthcare. It's the money changers that help drive many of us away from our beloved bedside nursing. The bottom dollar pressures make it very difficult to have the time to critically think and intervene for safe and effective patient care.

[@lauraelise5095]

I left bedside nursing after 2 years. Actually in 2017! I was a psych nurse and moved to community mental health. It was a grueling job and I was on call for a week at a time per month. Definitely burnt the candles at both ends. Now I work for a large insurance company doing clinical review. I’ve learned so much about insurance and how it may differ from our preconceived notions. Also, I have a 9-5 job, can work at home and don’t have to work many holidays or weekends plus the pay is excellent. There are so many things out there you can do as a nurse. Don’t lose hope! I was afraid of the whole “you’re not a real nurse” thing but who cares as long as you are happy 🥰

[@SongofaBeach2012]

Can you do clinical documentation review as an LVN/LPN?

[@lauraelise5095]

@@SongofaBeach2012 there are some! A lot of them definitely require a bachelors degree but there are ones for LPN/LVN too 😊

[@michellev2005]

Is the pay better than bedside?

[@lauraelise5095]

@@michellev2005 probably depends on where you live and how much overtime you are doing but I’d say yes

[@michellev2005]

@@lauraelise5095 I’m a PCA and I thought I would like bedside nursing but after working in the hospital and watching the stress nurses go through, I’m not sure I still want that. So I will keep legal nursing in mind. Do you need a lot of experience prior to the job?

[@shalmaratrethewey9618]

I've been a nurse over 35 years. I have been an ICU nurse and a medsurg nurse and can tell anyone who has the nerve to say working a general medsurg floor isn't real nursing is full of crap. The skill sets required in general medsurg as well as the level of hard work, ability to prioritize and juggle more than an ICU nurse ever has to juggle is insane. I challenge any ICU nurse to spend just 3 months on the floor and they will be crying to go back to their unit. Nurses need to stop cannibalizing their own. It takes a special type of person to handle being an ICU nurse and they deserve props for what they do but they don't deserve being bitchy to other nurses. The skill sets are different but they are still skills no matter the setting. We need to support and encourage one another not use putting other nurses down to boost our own egos. If we stand together we could force changes that would benefit us as well as our patients. There should be alot more ancillary staff to pull busy work off of nurses. I'm never to good to bath, feed, fill water pitchers or help someone to the bathroom but is that really what hospitals want me to focus my time and efforts on? When something new comes up to do its always thrust onto the nurses with no regard for the level of the workload we already carry. I am at the end of my career but fear for the young nurses coming behind me. Over the years the increase in technology has added to our jobs in wonderful ways but it hasn't decreased our workload just added more tools to our toolbox. It has also increased our need for more advanced training and responsibilities. Be good to each other. We really are all we have in this fight.

[@Katherine_Ann]

love this!

[@shalmaratrethewey9618]

Ty sweetie

[@annemoulder3683]

My thoughts exactly!!

[@hdudley1]

Home health nursing is insane, you are on your own out in the field, many times with no co-worker back up if you run into a skill that may benefit with assistance from a team member.

[@al6901]

Thank you so much for this

[@mirandaalexis]

I feel like most nursing students and new grads go into nursing thinking it's not going to be a lot of manual labor work then reality hits for them and they realize its too much work.

[@Katherine_Ann]

I think I was right there as a new grad. I was not aware of how much help people would want or need when completing ADLs.

[@tl9585]

Personally, as a pre-nursing student who’s applying for nursing school. Manuel labor is what drew me to the bedside nursing. However, I wonder how exhausting it truly is. I would greatly appreciate it if you could tell me or anyone who is an RN your experiences as a bedside nurse, if you wish of course

[@autumsoul23]

Take a job as a Cna in a skilled nursing facility.

[@kloatlanta]

Four nurses quit my med-surg floor recently in the same week. It’s not fun.

[@Katherine_Ann]

I feel ya Kyle! I believe we had about 15 nurses leave the ER all within a month of each other (one including myself) and it just keeps going.

[@LivingMyBestLynnzy]

My biggest, BIGGEST, tip for people wanting to work in the medical field, try to become a nurse aid or volunteer at your local hospital to see the everyday of patient care. I felt like working as a CNA allowed me to appreciate how hard they work, and getting an overall better perspective now that I am a nurse. 🥰

[@Katherine_Ann]

ABSOLUTELY! I could not agree more!

[@erickajamel6805]

Hey I guess it’s different for everyone because I was a CNA for 5 years before becoming a nurse and that still didn’t prepare me to be a nurse. We as nurses has a lot more responsibility. It’s definitely different and I definitely still had a shock starting as a nurse even with the experience as a CNA😩😩

[@taylorlee2315]

I completely agree with this! I plan on becoming a PA after graduating undergrad. I’m working as a CNA right now and I feel like I’ve learned so much about medicine. But I’ve especially come to respect and understand the hard work that goes into bedside nursing.

[@Katherine_Ann]

@@taylorlee2315 Thats awesome Taylor! I can tell you, you will most likely be treated much better by nursing staff since they can see you understand the bedside (not that that is how it should be).

[@kayyykay]

Becoming a CNA helped me to realize that nursing is NOT what I wanted at all. I ended up choosing rehab (OT) and I absolutely love it. I’m so glad I decided to do that before I applied to nursing school.

[@bimbou3725]

Nursing is garbage filed , there is no appreciation whatsoever from the staff or the management; it is a toxic environment filled of discrimination , nepotism and favoritism. I hated becoming a nurse for the bottom of my heart. Thank GOD I QUIT THIS FIELD AFTER I WORKED AS AN RN, BSN FOR 5 YEARS AS A FLOOR NURSE.

[@Katherine_Ann]

I'm so sorry to hear you had such an awful experience.

[@ashleyguzman0614]

May I ask what you did after nursing?

[@bimbou3725]

@@ashleyguzman0614 I did case management but it is not steady job. i will use my bsn to get a general MBA degree not healthcare management

[@monikatk2546]

Could you please tell me any good career after BSC Nursing? I don't want to continue working as nurse.I have started as new grad nurse since 4 months.This job is really mentally, physically n emotionally draining job.Patient side continuous rant,unit manager continuous monitoring,..I can't explain everything but wat I know is I won't be able to continue this job for my whole life..It's toxic for my health 😭

[@Katherine_Ann]

@@monikatk2546 Hey Monika! Try the outpt setting! I am now working in the outpt setting and absolutely love it! It is very refreshing and exactly what I needed at this time in my life!

[@SylwekGrega]

I left bedside nursing and I’ve been much happier ever since.

[@mela995]

I’ve been a nurse for six years now. Within the first year of my career I started realizing that this profession is very different than I had thought it was going to be. And within the past two years I have decided that I will no longer be working at the bedside. I have been fortunate that I’ve been able to find opportunities to work in public health nursing and community health nursing and I’m now pursuing opportunities to work remotely. My goal is to work for a global health organization.

[@andygarcia4412]

The very first time I stayed in a hospital, I shared a room with this dude (He was pretty much a male Karen) and he was physically and verbally abusive towards the nurses. After one night of him screaming, kicking and acting like a 5 year old, I told my nurse that I needed to switch to another room because I wasn’t getting any sleep because of him. He was the perfect example to me on how you DON’T mistreatment nursing and hospital staff. That night showed me the reality of what you all go through with bullcrap from abusive patients. I formed a great bond with some of the nurses who took care of me, and I’ll go back and visit once in awhile to see how they’re doing.

[@stephaniecampbell6811]

I've been a bedside nurse for 42 years. Many ups and downs over the decades. But I'm glad I'm at the end of my career and not the beginning; because healthcare and nursing have dramatically changed since I started as a new grad. And unfortunately, it hasn't changed for the better. When I started it was about the patient. Now it's all big business. Very disheartening.

[@joharilarosa6230]

I'm a Nurse Assistant and a nurse told me she wished she stayed a cna. I don't want to ever be a Nurse.

[@MmRR11484]

Yeah but nurses assistants work really hard too. I have so much respect to all of you because your job is very demanding. Thank you for all you do!!!

[@edgregory1]

"A preceptor can make or break you." So very true!

[@ifelov]

Here's a tip: if your preceptor is toxic, ask to switch! I actually told my manager I was leaving my new grad program. She let me take a break for a week. When I came back, I had a different preceptor. Literally night and day. You don't have to "suffer through". Nursing shouldn't be like hazing. And bullying shouldn't be tolerated.

[@shelleyroman255]

I’ve been doing bedside for 3 years. Idk why but leaving makes me nervous and anxious. But I am shadowing for a derm clinic Thursday and I think I’m ready now. Thanks for the video!

[@Katherine_Ann]

Hi Shelley! I hope your shadowing experience goes well! It makes me nervous still and anxious but remember you can always go back!

[@lateblossom]

I don't work in nursing; I have a desk job that involves calling and speaking to the nurses. I can tell you that about 85% of the nurses we talked to sound like they have had their soul drained and that they no longer care about their job.

[@Katherine_Ann]

I've encountered many nurses like that too unfortunately:(

[@shelbydavis-wiemers457]

Left the ER after my first year as a nurse and went to inpatient Endoscopy and it was such a relief! I now work in outpatient pain and Endo procedures! It is easy to feel less “important” but I agree that ALL nursing comes with its own unique set of skills.

[@DD-si1gv]

I knew in nursing school I wanted to be a hospice nurse. I'm definitely a real nurse. Lol. Have been a hospice nurse for five years.

[@thecosmogirl171]

Me too! I graduate in June and hospice has been my passion from day 1 ❤️ it’s where I feel I am doing the most good

[@elisabethmichalko284]

36 years as a bedside nurse. There are NO WORDS!!

[@rexmatt417]

Thanks for this. Felt that I was abandoning my unit to become a case manager but now I feel better that I’ve made the right call.

[@susanoliver1971]

I've been a vocational/practical nurse for 40 years and recognized early on (thankfully) that bedside was not for me. I went to clinic nursing and love it! Working with doctors and taking care of patients who we saw regularly was so rewarding. I built friendships with so many patients as well.

[@breklein3338]

Yayy :) this is my goal!!! Do we need bedside nursing before getting these jobs :(?

[@Katherine_Ann]

Hi Bre! I recently talked with a new grad who accepted a position in an outpt OBGYN office. So clinic positions are possible even if you don't have bedside experience!

[@MNP208]

You will sacrifice some pay if you move to a clinic. Also, you will be spending a huge amount of time on the phone triaging patients. Make sure that's something you want to do.

[@susanoliver1971]

@@MNP208 I was paid very well as an LPN and stayed for 22 years. I worked with an Internal Medicine physician for 15 years and then was promoted to a supervisor. We had RN's who took triaged calls. Depends on the clinic.

[@MNP208]

@@susanoliver1971 Hi Susan, where I work, MAs and LPNs are under the same cost consideration for staffing (by upper management). Yes, clinic LPNs are paid well for LPN pay, however, clinic RNs are paid much less than hospital RNs. The longer you stay at a facility, the higher you will be on the pay scale, but the top of the RN pay scale is at least $10/hr less in the clinic than the hospital.

[@nicotinedietcoke]

I’m so happy I am not alone, in thinking bedside nursing is a tireless, thankless job.

[@PositiveMommaLife]

It’s hell on the body

[@maithao7940]

I left bedside nursing 1 year ago and now work for hospice... best decision ever!

[@bently629]

I appreciated this video so much! I am a new grad and started a job on a MSPCU Neuro/Cardiac floor. I’ve been there for exactly 4 months and I hate it. My co workers are super supportive and friendly, the unit has all the supplies I need to be successful... but I’m just NOT happy. Its not at all what I thought I would be doing. And I dread going to work each day. The day before I start my 1st of 3 shifts, I begin getting really bad cramping in my stomach. The morning of, I cry. All the nurses on my floor tell me this is a normal feeling and to keep at it, it will get better. It still hasn’t. I am planning on changing. I feel I would fit in more in a clinic setting. But I’m also afraid of letting down my boss and my co workers who have encouraged me that I have what it takes to be this PCU nurse. I have technically made up my mind that I have to leave. For my sanity, my peace and happiness. And although it’s only 3 days a week.... the toll it takes on me mentally and how unhappy I am each morning at 6am. It causes me to realize that I really am not happy with what I’m doing. Before I leave nursing as a whole... which I do not plan to do because I worked so hard for this license! I want to see what else is out there. That’s why I chose nursing, because the opportunities are endless. Im still looking for my passion 💕 Thanks again ✨

[@MIZK0NG]

Thanks for sharing your experience. I worked the floor for 2 years and realized it brought the worst out of me. I changed to endoscopy within the hospital, and I can’t love it enough. 3 shifts, Mon-Fri, weekends off, some call. If bedside doesn’t work for you, try a specialty!

[@Katherine_Ann]

So happy you found a job that works well for you!

[@nopenope2951]

I work at a hospital ( not as a nurse but involved with patient care) and I don’t think people really understand what the environment entails. I had a patient make me cry and told me to get the “f” out of his room.....I am sure nurses have had their share of that. Anything from getting food trays thrown, being called names, and working 13 plus hours on top of that. We need to take better care of our nurses and aides.....because they are the backbones of our healthcare system.

[@Katherine_Ann]

100%%%%%%!

[@jellybelly111]

seriously, we have the kindest hearts deal with the rudest, worst patients.... it shouldn't be like this

[@user-pe9qg3hg3k]

You are eloquent and speak really well. This was a fascinating video, thank you

[@SimpleFitNurse]

This is great. A nurse is amazing no matter what they pursue.

[@melissahahn4779]

Best wishes in your next adventure!

[@karlaandbrad631]

Hi, I did med surge/tele and post surgical unit for 6 years. Every year I became unhappier. I finally got to move to the er and training currently and I’m so happy so far. 2020 really took it over the edge.

[@Kaitybardot]

In block 2 and I’m really grateful to know this now. Thank you!

[@pinkpixiecakes]

I started as a psych nurse. Had to leave because I was tired of getting physically and verbally abused. I had to actually run out the unit because the patient was yelling “I’m gonna kill you” as he charged at me. All this because I told him to not throw the chairs please. Detoxers can be mean 😭

[@Katherine_Ann]

Sounds about right :/ the job can be scary that's for sure!

[@fabianadavien]

I agree. I am a nurse of 17 years and seriously wanna say goodbye. I hate the fact that patients can be rude just because they are sick.

[@katie12ericson]

Thank you, Katherine. I am a new grad and needed to hear this! I feel stuck on my unit and patient population and am really looking forward to applying for L & D!

[@Katherine_Ann]

Never feel stuck! That's something huge I have learned!

[@sayitaintso56]

When I had my 2 babies-my nurses were my lifesavers! I had cesections both times and OMG, you guys are angels for helping us and looking after us. I always said thank you to my nurses-people need to appreciate you all more.

[@Katherine_Ann]

Thanks for your comments, David. I'm so glad you had a positive experience with nurses!

[@Wrvck3]

New grad here. Thank you for posting this video! I am seeing a lot of my fellow new grads struggle with issues you talked about. I am in med surg and struggling with high ratios and finding enough time to do everything while still trying to learn. It is just difficult to discern the difference between learning a difficult job while in a pandemic and if bedside just isn’t right for me. I feel like the learning curve in nursing is very big and with pressure from the pandemic it has been truly crazy. I’ve been working for about 6 months. I have heard from multiple new grads that they would feel like a failure if they left bedside and yet they are stressed to the max. If anyone has advice I would be very glad to hear it 😁🙏

[@Katherine_Ann]

Hi Josh! Thanks for checking out my channel. FIRST thing I want to tell you is Nursing is a 24 hour job! Don't think you have to complete everythingggg before the next shift comes on. If someone gives you slack just keep telling yourself its a 24 hour job and you are trying your best! The learning curve is huge in nursing and its sad it is not talked about as much in school. Never feel like you are not a nurse because you leave the bedside and make sure your friends know that too! There are so many avenues in nursing and bedside is just one of them.

[@erickajamel6805]

And I forgot to mention so if you don’t like where you are it is plenty of work in the nursing world. Don’t feel bad to try something else new. The opportunity is limitless as a nurse. I lived it, I felt all the ways you felt. You are not alone. Be happy.

[@albalaplace9165]

Josh I have been a Med/ Surg nurse for 26 years. Hard to believe, but it’s true. I always loved the aspect of making a real difference in someone’s life. Most patients I’ve met are grateful for the care they receive from their nurses. Some aren’t, but that’s the world we live in. Many are aware of our situation and are empathetic towards us. I’ve heard things like, “I’m so sorry, I know you’re busy… or “ I don’t want to bother you…but I always remind them that I am still there for them and that they are in good and capable hands. They don’t have to be afraid because I will do my best to care for them while they are in my care. Its scary being a patient. Knowing that you’re sick, the hospital is understaffed, and the RNs are over worked, but yet you pray that you will be ok and get the care you need. I try to look at it from both sides. Some day we all will be patients and hope to get that excellent care. We hope to find that star nurse at our bedside. Do what you physically and mentally can for yourself and your patients. Exercise, eat healthy, take time off and don’t work more shifts than you are physically able just because of money. Protect your mental health and do things that empower you, uplift you, and remind you of why you became a nurse in the first place. Love ❤️ yourself and find like minded positive people that encourage, understand, and lift your spirit up. Be wise and protect your license that you worked so hard for. Don’t lose sight of your goals or who you are and what you are capable of accomplishing. Research other areas of nursing, and see what other options you have beside bedside nursing. If you can find a like-minded buddy to pair up with that helps. I understand that nurses sometimes “eat their young” or are not as empathetic as they should be. With the current pandemic, tight budgets, and understaffing, high acuities, out of patient ratios, nursing feels like grueling work and our staff feel stressed, overworked, and under appreciated. It’s visible with the constant sick calls, the physical ailments, workplace injuries, early retirement, etc. What we do as nurses is not easy. If it was everyone would be doing it. Many downplay our nursing profession by saying all we do is “ clean butts” and pass meds. We know better and we know different. It is our responsibility to show others who we really are and what we are capable of. To balance the care of 5 or more patients; provide education on fall prevention, pressure injury prevention, infection prevention, etc. plus any diseases your patients might have…CHF, diabetes, etc.; perform various procedures like putting in foleys ( remember your first time?😊), or inserting a nasogastric tube, doing continuous bladder irrigation, PICC/ Central line dressing changes, wound care dressings, etc and the list goes on…all the while having to complete a never ending list of required education, plus keep your certifications up to date. Let’s not forget keeping up with all the new technology and being the pilot unit to implement new studies are not easy tasks. Unless, one has been an RN and walked in their shoes it’s difficult to know what we have to go through. Once we do know we should provide support and understanding to one another. Josh , do what you must do for your own piece of mind. I wish you all the luck and blessings in whatever path you choose. Take your time and make your decisions with a clear mind and not when you are burnt out. 🥰🙏

[@63616361cam]

I love when I’m giving or getting report and we say “they are like a normal person” 😂😂 when they are polite and realize it’s as much on them as it is on us for them to get better.

[@Katherine_Ann]

It is great to have cases like that where is also depends on the patient to do their part in the process!

[@rnhim2072]

That's so rare to hear lol

[@murphydude21]

I want to like this video 100 times. Spot ON! Just started a clinic job after 4.5yrs of bedside nursing. Did medsurg/ tele and ICU. This past year BURNT ME OUT! I’m was so nervous of taking this step and getting out of my “comfort zone” but mannnnn bedside nursing is tiring as hell! I stayed PRN at my ICU, that way I still get a bit if the rush but only once a month hehe

[@DabidRobinson]

Thanks for sharing this

[@nicolebeck1269]

The best thing to do in nursing is to get some experience and move on to a higher degree or get advanced training like wound care, or move to sales. Nurses are treated like they’re expendable. They’re churned out. The younger girls get hired because they’re cheaper. If you leave to raise a family or whatever, forget about coming back. Your better off ladies going to Med school, PA school or just go to business etc.

[@74the_magpie]

I have to wonder why? I worked in a couple of hospitals , one a Catholic hospital in the east and a teaching hospital in the Midwest. Nurses were always well treated, and their work were respected. Now, it’s all different. Why?

[@am8614]

Did bedside for 3 years: great experience bc now I have great respect for those nurses and learned alot in the process. I did nuclear medicine (stress tests) for 2 years and loved it! It was a very repetitive job which I valued, bc having ADHD is tough and scary when you have such a vast amount of tasks like you do in bedside. I moved to a different state and couldn't find a nuclear medicine job. So I wound an outpatient wound care position. I have been doing that for 8 years. It is rewarding seeing patients improve. It can be pretty nasty, sad, and hard on your body, but I love a M-F 8-5 schedule. I encourage everyone to listen to Brene Brown if you haven't already. She has made me become a better human and nurse. Change is scary, but it is typically worth being vulnerable (vulnerability=courageous).

[@jennyhan1613]

I love your personality. Thank you for encouraging!

[@Katherine_Ann]

Thanks so much for your support!

[@al6901]

New December 2020 grad here. I am 3 shifts in to my hospital job on a Med-surg floor. It’s urology and bariatrics. I LOVE the floor that I work on and I am grateful. My coworkers are great. We all get along and respect the PCTs. I have a wonderful preceptor helping me to get started and the manager is great and there is no bullying. I have a privileged and fortunate working situation, so I definitely DO NOT want to sound ungrateful or whiny. But what had been so hard is my fellow new grad nurses I went to school with with their blimp size egos bragging because they went straight into the ICU or ER. As I was excitedly telling one person about my new job, she literally scoffed and says, “I will be unemployed before I take Med-surg.” It was hurtful. Now, I did originally want to be an ICU or ER nurse not for ego reasons, but because I hyper focus on details and like having complex situations do deal with. Having 2 patients would allow me to maximize my critical thinking skills. I love to learn to deal with hard cases. As far as ER, I like the adrenaline. Yes, it’s stressful and chaotic, but I’ve had a hard life to get to where I am today so I can handle the crazy situations. Ultimately, My dream nursing job is to become a trauma specialized nurse. I am disheartened by the constant one-upmanship. It’s like I made major life sacrifices to do this career. I left a previous career of 10 years. I had to get a 4.00 to make it to my nursing program, and kept a B average throughout school. Then had the gauntlet of finding a hospital job (which was harder than I expected!) Ive been through all that to get where I am. I am extremely proud Of myself and I know I shouldn’t care what others think. This is a weakness of mine I have as no matter what I have accomplished, I’m “never enough.” My family even is like this; they brag and embellish BS stories always make tons of money, having rich boyfriends, and are even “models on the side.” Thanks for listening to the longer than intended rant, but I busted my ass (like we all have had to do) so the next “I’m better than you attitude” nurse is gonna get a piece of my mind. I wish the constant one-upmanship in nursing would stop.

[@Katherine_Ann]

I would love for that one upmanahip to dissipate as well, but I really don't know if it ever will :/

[@saramoran3961]

I am an on call hospice nurse. I left bedside nursing due to under staffing. I worked a med surg unit and then a cardio unit. We were so busy we didn’t have time to go to the bathroom. Since then I have worked in telephonic nursing, prison nursing, long term care and hospice. I love hospice! I can focus on one patient at a time and I am not the primary caregiver. Every area of nursing has challenges. I have found hospice to be the most rewarding.

[@Katherine_Ann]

Hi Sara! It's so great to hear you found a spot of nursing that suits you so well!

[@RNVIPs]

Wow, talk about a divine youtube video. This video was meant for me. Thank you Lord for new chapters.

[@alejandroxan]

As an ER nurse I agree that I couldn't do medsurg/tele nursing nor ICU nursing. When holding several patients in ED I am so over it lol

[@Katherine_Ann]

Exactly how I felt too Alejandro and made me never want to go back to Med Surg 😂

[@pamelab424]

I am an RN and I too am tired of being at the bedside and I am looking for my niche so I can have peace when I go to work. Many come and so quickly are leaving and guess what department Mother Baby. Things on my unit has gone from bad to worse. It is the most uncaring and demanding position I have ever held and I know why I came into nursing I don’t know where to go from here. I’m tired of working nights holidays and weekends taking me away from my family. God has a plan I just need to know what that is.

[@gonurseyourself__]

I just discovered your channel !! I was loving your energy & then you said “we’re all sinners” & I was like YAY A FELLOW SISTER IN CHRIST !! 😍😍😍

[@Katherine_Ann]

So happy to have you here Drea!

[@gonurseyourself__]

@@Katherine_Ann 🥰🤍

[@heidievans1046]

I've told you my story before but just for anyone reading this later:. I'm a 32yr old mom of two who dropped out of LPN school 10 years ago to marry a Marine. He was injured, so I have worked with the elderly in their homes as an HHA/CNA & nanny to make ends meet ever since, but need to do better at supporting myself and my family now that the kids are older, so now I've returned to school to complete my RN-ASN. I'm not really going into this with my eyes closed. I have a pretty good idea what the job will entail.

[@heidievans1046]

I know mentally I am smart enough to do the work required for passing meds, charting etc, I am just concerned (low grade) that I will rub people wrong and/or that misunderstandings might cause issues, because I've become very self-conscious about how I am perceived ever since covid began and several people "attacked" my style of communication. Also (medium grade) concerned that because I have not been able to take off the "baby weight", & am heavier than I'd like to be, & have chronic pain... that I'll struggle physically. HOWEVER I have been praying about this right along, asking for guidance and support with clear messages and indications what the Lord would like me to do, and I keep getting very clear messages that this is what he wants me to do. That my going back to achieve my RN somehow plays a big role in God's plan. I'm trusting him, and except for the "C" I was forced to accept in the "Life application mathematics for nurses" class I just finished, (because I couldn't connect with the material), I have consistently gotten higher grades than ever before & praise him for them, because I've said from the beginning that if I am able to do this, it isn't me. It's the Lord working through me.

[@faithhopelove001]

Soo needed to hear this! Thanks so much!

[@Katherine_Ann]

So happy it was helpful!

[@MrDenisedora]

I am nurse 20 years now. Was bedside nurse during 1 year. Did my master in nephrology and being there since then. Today i am supervisor of a dialysis unit and i dont regret. I am a preceptor for new dialysis nurses and is a complete different world.

[@Katherine_Ann]

That is awesome Denise! Would you say you enjoyed bedside nursing when you started?

[@marsha2875]

@ Denise Aparecida Silva Louis Could you share a little about your journey in completing your master in nephrology. I am a dialysis nurse and it is my desire to complete my master in Nephrology .

[@lizzy5437]

I have been a nurse for 3 years. I’m considering going into Dialysis. What would you say are the Cons of Dialysis Nursing? I hope I like it!

[@MrDenisedora]

@@lizzy5437 I enjoy dialysis. Always did. If you like routine dialysis is your place. The same patients, same machines. But every day is unic. In the end you get yourself involved more than only relation patient-nurse. They make part of your life. The cons can be if you work in a acute setting maybe you dont have a regular time. My nurses in the chronic dont work on sundays or night shift, but in acute they rotate.

[@MrDenisedora]

@@marsha2875 i did my master in my country, Brazil. Today I work in the french caribbean. But back the 90's after 5 years of university i got my bacharel in nursing and then started my master in nephro for more 2 years. At that time I already worked with it so was not so difficult to follow and do my tesis. 5 years ago i did my master in health management what prepared me to be a better supervisor and give classes. As i said is being more than 20 years but i do not regreat.

[@X3GibbleX3]

Yea just keeping it real bedside nursing is horrible. That’s the honest truth. Some days are better than others but it’s a very thankless job and you’re overworked and underpaid

[@julieromley]

I've been contemplating what to do. I've been an RN for about 2 years now all med/tele. I dread going to work and being overloaded and stressed to the max. I miss the days when I was a caregiver and could actually be present in the moment and feel like what I was doing made a difference rather than being so task oriented. Just so unsure what area to go into...

[@katherynne8241]

I'm leaving bedside nursing after 14 years to become a nurse practitioner. I'm tired and we're constantly overworked and Americans get more and more entitled with every single year that passes. It's not surprising at all that people don't stay in this profession -- we are treated incredibly poorly, all the time, by patients, administration, doctors, and co-workers. It's sad, honestly.

[@Katherine_Ann]

Hi Katherynne! What type of field do you plan on specializing for your NP?!

[@katherynne8241]

@@Katherine_Ann I finish dual FNP/AGACNP this May! :) I'll probably do critical care or hospitalist work initially, as I've been in CVICU for almost my whole career as an RN. But we will see! The job market is a mess.

[@mom756699]

I will say I left as well bedside after 5 years and became a family nurse practitioner and the amount of joy that I have to be able to do my job and not go home with my back or whole body hurting due to the physical labor, the joy of not getting cursed out by patients, the regular hours, and better pay is so worth it. Good luck in school and I hope you find happiness. ❤️

[@luvlove92]

Hey katherynne, where are you doing the dual program

[@janetvanantwerp8899]

I’m grateful to be resting….work my last bedside nurse 12 hr shift this week! I’m going to work in the clinic, prn…..for almost $9 less an hour. But hey, I saved a lot in my 401k all my years in the hospital so I will get by. I feel truly sorry for those who have high hopes for their nursing career and then hate it. It has changed since I started, and not for the better!

[@benjaminspeer848]

I left the bedside within 6 months of becoming a nurse. I never wanted to do bedside but all the nursing jobs I wanted required nursing experience.

[@benjaminspeer848]

OR nursing as a circulator

[@tinayangzom2579]

Venting is good lol. Fortunately, I met all good people in these two and a half year of my nursing career. I love and enjoy everything about nursing. Manager, supervisor, coworker and preceptor have been great a supporter. Regarding the pt. I never expect them to thank me for my services during their most vulnerable time. Most importantly, at the end of my day, I feel satisfied and accomplished as I made some difference in people’s life. I enjoy nursing only because I can be a bedside nurse. Congratulations for your family nurse practitioner degree.

[@Briemerald]

It was taking a toll on my body and mental health. I’m a former CPCU RN and I moved to Non Invasive Cardiology RN . I’m so much happier.

[@meganrodriguez1922]

Megan Rodriguez So true. I was an ER nurse for the first 5 years of my nursing career. Switched over to outpatient nursing just under 3 years ago and absolutely love it. I was worried about leaving the ER because of the judgment about not being a “real” nurse. However, it has been so great for me mentally and I’m able to enjoy weekends and holidays off with my family. And bonus... I love my job. :)

[@Katherine_Ann]

So encouraging reading your comment Megan! Thank you for this!

[@ashleyrocco8007]

What type of outpatient nursing are you doing? I left my first bedside job ever after a year and a half. I have 2 outpatient options- infusion center (4 10 hour shifts) with every 4th weekend or Endoscopy center (M-F) no weekends and no holidays. I’m so torn!

[@meganrodriguez1922]

That’s a tough pick for sure! I’m working in Primary Care at a VA. I love having a panel of patients and getting to know them both as a patient and personally over the years.

[@ashleyrocco8007]

@@meganrodriguez1922 that sounds good too! I love how we have so many options in nursing, if we get bored with one thing we can switch easily

[@Pllm30]

I wouldn't really care if ppl thought you weren't a real nurse. You have a nursing degree, you are a nurse. People come and go in your life, stop worrying about what they think, and do what makes you happy.

[@Nevyana89]

I work with people with intellectual disabilities it’s called developmental disability nurse and I love it ❤️ some may say I’m not a real nurse because I don’t work in hospital but I know I serve my community and that gives me joy 🙌🏻

[@Katherine_Ann]

I hate that term of "not a real nurse", it makes me so sad :( what a rewarding job!

[@1purplerose]

🙏💜🙏💜🙏💜🙏

[@NurseBaks]

proud of you!❤️

[@lydwinaofschiedam2685]

I graduated a while back, but I don’t remember anyone teaching me the difference between a “real” nurse and, what?? A “fake” nurse? If you work in healthcare using the skills and abilities learned in RN school, you’re a “real” nurse. I thank you for your service! 🙏

[@Katherine_Ann]

Hi Gibby! It won't be something you learn in school (normally) or hear in school. A lot of the time you will hear this in your place of work unfortunately.

[@alfaalex101]

Bedside is rough, but it makes you a stronger person. I smile a little inside when a patient starts showing me attitude because ima shut that shit down fast before they think they can verbally abuse us. As for family constantly wanting updates - you get better over time giving quick run downs that are easy to digest. With hospitalits that constantly are putting new orders in - you learn to just cluster your care and prioritize essentials. Some nurses are traumatized by all the death that goes on (especially with covid) but I found it made me value life more and happier to just be alive, even if I’m over worked. And a lot of times - people come to the hospital to die (they ain’t getting fixed) and you need to chill and accept that. You need to accept that there’s only so much you can do to save someone. You also learn to watch out for common complications with various diseases and be on the look out for them: like your AKI dude with ECG changes as his K keeps sky rocketing. Knowing what to look for and the interventions brings anxiety down immensely. On the flip side, knowing random complications may also occur and understanding that you may catch some and miss others is another thing you need to accept. Having great PCTs also is a huge plus as well as great mod buddies that you can laugh and vent with. You can have the worst day possible but great co-workers will turn the day over and you can laugh together as you fight the tears back lol. I think nurse to patio ratios are really a problem though, and if administrators/managers are OK with higher ratios then they need to understand that you can’t reasonably expect textbook nursing to occur, stack the unit with ICU level patients (but they DNR so you got em) and every call light to be answered within 2 minutes, that’s just insanity. Finally, if bedside is stressing you out - try some ICU nursing as vented patients generally don’t give you much attitude or pester you with small requests every 5 minutes. As for bedside nurses leaving - it’s a brutal awakening I agree, but the pay reflects this as we get compensated pretty well. Let’s not forget the ability to pickup shifts as well.

[@Katherine_Ann]

Hi Homer! When you stated the part about death making you happier I can actually resonate with that idea. I remember sitting with a patient while they took their last breath listening to gospel music and just thinking how precious life was and how happy I was to experience that endearing moment with that patient.

[@fearlesslife5109]

What do you do with your verbally abusive patients to keep them in line?

[@Katherine_Ann]

Hi Maria! Personally I would "shut it down" but in a respectful way. Most of the time I would change the tone of my voice and be very stern with my patients. I often would tell them I am going to come back when they are ready to talk to me in a productive conversation.

[@churchofpos2279]

@@Katherine_Ann that's exactly what I do with verbally abusive patients and family members. If, I am on the phone with them, then I provide them my number and invite them to call me back, when they can be civil to me.

[@saramoran3961]

I would gladly take less pay to have more staff!

[@jagjitvirdee1515]

I also left the bedside after 13 years and joined a wonderful organization as a care coordinator/case manager. Best move I could have made.

[@Katherine_Ann]

So happy to hear that Jagjit!

[@Jesus.saved.me.]

I made the exact same move for the exact same role. Wonder if we work for the same organization 😆🙌🏽

[@heatherk6000]

Can you tell me your day to day as case manager/care coordinator? I've been looking into changing fields.

[@ShandyLov]

You're so wonderful, I like the way you talked make everyone here you clearly, thank you 😊😘♥ .

[@EstyNistor]

What a great video!! So helpful

[@gunlovingurls9200]

I have ten years critical care exp. It was the hardest ten years of my life. Never again. Im in school to be a paralegal.

[@jessicachiasson9059]

This is so crazy that I came across this video and comment! I've been a nurse for 7 years and I honestly just don't know if I'm happy with it anymore. I recently started thinking about paralegal work so seeing this comment makes me wonder lol

[@gunlovingurls9200]

@@jessicachiasson9059 I think you would be a valuable part of the team. I have had a few law professors tell me that.

[@kati1017]

Hell, yeah, bedside nurses are real nurses! They ROCK. ICU nurses can't keep up with you! Especially since patients on the floor are much sicker! It's unbelievable what you do!

[@nurselife6296]

Plus the "nurses eat their young" culture in some places - aka nurses that want to complain about a newer and/or less experienced nurse on their unit/facility behind their back rather than help them to learn and/or bully a newer and/or less experienced nurse. I really wish that dynamic would go away, but like you said we live in a sinful world. I have been a nurse a little over 2 years, the whole time in bedside nursing, my first job I worked for a big hospital with a lot of training/resources for their nurses, and all employees, which was wonderful but I struggled as I had never previously worked in healthcare so I took a night shift position on one of the rougher med-surg units, and was burnt out 6 months in and put my resignation in just shy of being there for 1 year, partly due to not wanting to be fired and not outright quitting, and had the opportunity to move to a dayshift position at another facility which had the BS nurses eat their young dynamic and I struggled - I really wished one of my team mates would have told me where I could have improved rather than talk behind my back which resulted in write ups, and in trying to stick it out to become a better nurse and a better person overall, my efforts weren't enough and I was terminated. That being said, I realized from the experience that I'm one of many nurses who literally just can't take the stress of bedside nursing, which there is NO shame in. I loved caring for the patients I had, and I know that there are so many areas that a nurse can go with and without direct patient care so now I'm looking into non-bedside nursing roles where I know I can be successful. That being said, to all of my other nurses who can't take the stress of bedside nursing - You are NOT a bad nurse, you are just meant to be in another non-bedside nursing role which is perfect for you and the patients you serve! And, if you are unfortunate enough to end up working for a facility that has employees that want to bully newer/less experienced nurses PLEASE DON'T PARTICIPATE - Be the change you want to see.

[@amandabrynn6853]

I am 22 and been a bedside nurse for a year and a half. I’m getting so burnt out. 6 months into my career I worked so hard for, Covid hit.... I often sit and wonder where I would be mentally if Covid hadn’t happened. I used to love my job, now I dread going to work Thank god for grad school. Thanks for this video!! Very informative:) xoxo

[@jeanbackus5694]

LOL that's literally the right amount of time for health care to break new grads in... Where you're not squeaky clean and by the book anymore. But you had it hard with this pandemic. I'm sorry.

[@josanchez19991]

Bedside nursing is exhausting even before the pandemic hit been at the bedside 12 years. Long days, no breaks/lunches, always short, poor mgt with high turnover, disrespect from other staff members and doctors the list goes on. Leaving bedside nursing this year. I can still do what I love but from a different capacity.

[@ST-fh2vd]

I left bedside nursing this January after 5years to become a FNP. The stress and the back pain are overwhelming. I'm happy about my decision.

[@Pllm30]

Wow, I didn't think of the back pain. Looks like your body would get used to it.

[@coupleofnps1667]

This video was spot on! Love the content!

[@Katherine_Ann]

Appreciate it!

[@LADYDRVN]

I’m in the same boat. I work for one of the biggest and most reputable healthcare organizations in WI, where every nurse is replaceable. In the past year, I have seen so much turnover in all of the departments at the 2 hospitals I work at. In 6 months, I witnessed one of our medsurg floors lose 9 nurses and one of our MCU floors lose 6-new grads & seasoned nurses. It’s very disheartening. No one to replace them, no agency/travelers forcing them to work in unsafe conditions. I’m a rapid response & vat nurse, and even though I no longer work at bedside it’s still acute care nursing and very stressful. Covid really messed us all up and wish leadership supported their staff more. I don’t blame people at all for leaving bedside nursing or nursing at all. I learned in the past year, you’re nothing but a number and hope one day I can leave acute care :)

[@wdeemarwdeemar8739]

Although I have been a nurse for over 15 years I left the bedside after 3 years due to a severe back injury and went into case management then a manager then a director. One thing is is a lot of our fellow nurses take a lot of shit from the docs and the other nurses you know those bitter angry ones. I never have or will. We don’t always act as professionals. I was recently a patient and I asked the nurse for my labs and she told me the doctor will be in later, I was like why do you need a doctor to give me my labs? She had no idea I was nurse which is unfortunate. Be clinical competent and take charge of you assignment and don’t get involved in the gossip or those that gossip and prop up your spine even if you have to tlso brace it.

[@jeanbackus5694]

That's exactly what I do now. I used to get involved and hang out with co-workers and connect on social media but I've been burned too many times... So many that I literally cut everyone I work with off social media and stopped seeing everyone outside of work. Just go in, work, and get the fuck out of there. It's not worth the drama. We're not in high school anymore. My priority is providing for my family. None of those people are responsible for my paycheck so, bye.

[@renamck6054]

So glad to see that I’m not alone because I was starting to feel like a failure. I decided to work on a Med Surg Floor. The worst decision ever. I leave work mentally and physically exhausted. 7-8 pts is absurd to give a nurse. After 10months I’m so over this job. And I see what they mean by nurses eat their young!! Some of the old school nurses are complete ass holes. They don’t know the meaning of team players

[@albalaplace9165]

So true. Where do you work? A hospital or nursing home? Or somewhere else.

[@lucymakes]

I’m graduating this may and was lucky enough to secure a position in the operating room as a circulator. I always feel bad that med surg nursing never worked for me (preceptors I didn’t click with plus the pandemic) but I’m so happy I was able to find my niche and can’t wait to get started

[@Katherine_Ann]

That is so exciting!

[@guitarsinger1231]

I am a new grad nurse BSN, and have been working for 9 months in a psych hospital with the pediatric/adolescent population mostly and also the geriatric, acute psych, long-term (more stabile), and detox patients. Honestly I love it, it can be "boring" at times because I feel like a medication nurse mixed with a school nurse, and the management and co-workers definitely need some work. I truly aspire to be a NICU nurse, so I'm going to apply for the FLEX/PRN at my local hospital, just hope I'm not in over my head. But this video is definitely insightful!

[@Katherine_Ann]

Hi Ebony! Your current job sound really interesting, but really hard! LOL! That's exciting about your future plans! Thanks for tuning in and watching!

[@victorianorman440]

I have been in hospital nursing, homeschooled my children, been a nurse sonographer and now am a school nurse. I wanted to have weekends, holidays and summers off with my children. There is a lot of teaching that goes on in school nursing if you choose to teach (basic personal hygiene, dental presentation-my principal is my tooth fairy, puberty, healthy eating, getting enough exercise, vitamin D, building your immunity, diabetic care, asthmatics, allergies). You also take care of routine first aid, diabetics, children with spina bifida, special needs children, seizures, muscular atrophy, genetic issues, etc. Currently, we are dealing with teaching masking, hand washing, distancing and having to quarantine as necessary. I like being the medical resource person on campus. There are a lot of vaccine questions, and I send out resources as to how to take care of yourself if you are exposed or covid positive. Some teachers have chronic health conditions that they come to you for help interpreting their labs or asking about medication. We enter a lot of data on immunizations and complete the hearing and vision and spinal screens as well. I don't feel terribly stressed. My staff respect me.

[@Katherine_Ann]

This was such a refreshing comment to read! I often think about school nursing one day :)

[@MartyGEEE]

I’ve been an RN for about a year now at two major hospitals in my area. I think a huge part with nursing that makes me still very happy is the people I work with. It makes a world of difference. I work on a Neuro PCU and in the PICU. I absolutely love the PICU and everything about it but I don’t particularly care for the neuro floor but I stay because I have so much fun working with my coworkers

[@retiremepls]

What an awesome experience. Having unsupportive coworkers really did it for me

[@VLVR4]

I am a new grad nurse floating between Step Down Unit and Tele. TBH, it was SUPER overwhelming when I first started in Nov. 2020, during the 2nd wave of COVID-19. But, just today during my shift, I had a sense of hope that things are getting better and that I am finally adjusting to my role as a new nurse. I can see myself trying to be a different kind of nurse, like pediatric RN, someday... 🙏🏼

[@TheGenerations1]

Interesting to learn a little more about nursing! I know some nurses but didn't think about certain aspects. I wasn't even really familiar with the term "bedside nursing"

[@Katherine_Ann]

Glad I could help a bit!

[@ThatsWhatPamSaid]

I work as a nurses aid and I've seen a lot of aids and nurses leave. I've been doing it for 2 years now. Definitely covid is making things worse, but through it all I still love my job. I work 13 or more hours each shift and it's tiring but I still feel really thankful. And I think that's because before I went into the hospital I was in a memory care unit where I'd have 12 to 20 total care patients so when I got to the hospital and started working on the covid unit I was like what there's self care patients 😂😂 And it definitely took time but I've learned to stand my ground with patients, management, other aids, and nurses. I got tired of having people asking me for things and wanting them immediately, yes some things I can do right now others I can't. I just got tired of explaining it to people. It's made me stronger but I've learned to better prioritize and manage my time. I had a nurse who constantly asked me do you have so so vitals etc and I'd say no shed get huffy and ask why. I said ma'am you have 5 patients, I understand that's a lot but I have 15 and I've spend the last 8 hrs non stop on my feet in this ppe not able to sit, eat, drink, pee, or get a drink so if you need it that damn bad then either get off Facebook and help care for these patients or get them yourself. I don't think I've ever had an issue with that nurse since then. I definitely get where you're coming from. I don't want to be a nurse on the unit I work on but as an aid I still love it but I will not stand for the guilt tripping from management. If you want all these patients bathed then properly staff, if you want more shifts filled then properly staff, but don't make people feel bad for not picking up shifts or getting things like baths or linens changed if you won't get on the floor and do it yourself.

[@Katherine_Ann]

Hey Pam! Thanks for your thoughtful comment! I enjoyed reading your perspective and I'm sure others will too!