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Original poster

Nurses - do you enjoy your job?

127 replies

DratThatCat · 17/10/2021 19:46

Im 41 and I really, really, really want to start my nursing training in a couple of years when both of my kids are at high school, but after reading the midwife thread on AIBU I'm worried about what I'm letting myself in for. I know nursing has never been an easy job, its thankless and underfunded, but is bullying common? Are patient lives being put at risk because of staff shortages? Do you ever regret being a nurse? Any insights are much appreciated!

OP posts:
Firesidefox · 17/10/2021 20:42

I have extensive experience - unfortunately- from the patient side and the nurses in the private healthcare settings seemed far happier.

I have had first class nurses in both sectors, but the ones in the NHS were just so so much more stressed. Through (obviously) no fault of their own.

RosesAndHellebores · 17/10/2021 20:51

Taking into account how rude I have witnessed nurses be to patients, I can quite imagine the workplace culture is one of toxic bullying. Some nuses are excellent but that is so outweighed by those who are rude and useless.

Beesmakehoney · 17/10/2021 20:52

There is bullying, unsafe practice and chronic short staffing in all areas of my trust. I've been nursing nearly 20 years as a band 5 nurse and I have missed out on lots of family events. I don't enjoy it but I'm not trained to do anything else so feel trapped. I'm lucky for the time being as I work on a day ward, so no nights or mandatory weekends. I would not advise anyone to join this profession, choose another role within healthcare.

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MonkeyPuddle · 17/10/2021 20:53

I love being a nurse, most of the time. My satisfaction varied hugely from job to job. I would never, ever, ever want to work on a ward. Apart from when I was training I haven’t worked on one, utter shit shows.
I currently work as a practice nurse in a GP surgery, the demand right now is just beyond imagination and despite what the media are portraying we aren’t just sat there drinking tea with the doors locked.
I’m leaving my role shortly and moving to twiglight community shifts, partly to save money (no childcare fees this way) and partly because I enjoy working with palliative patients.
Would I train again? Not sure, but I don’t know what else I’d be any good at, I am a good nurse, given the staffing and resources I can be a bloody good nurse.
I have had a colleague attempt to bully me, I documented, escalated via my band 7 and then HR. Fuck that.

CosmicComfort · 17/10/2021 20:59

I’m an RMN, I am ready to leave after 20 years and I honestly wouldn’t recommend nursing to anyone!

The risk, the level of accountability, the workload, the lack of staffing, covid on top. It’s awful and I really have had enough.

I don’t think there is a good experience to be had in mental health nursing these days, even community is tough as the caseloads are so high and people are leaving in their droves.

If I had my time again, I would train as an OT. They have a specialist role on the ward and don’t carry the responsibility or workload nurses do.

KILNAMATRA · 17/10/2021 21:04

I think you need to think about what sort of person you are. A and E noise, clatter, bang, busy busy, hell on earth for me..my friend loved it.. calmer 1 or 2 sick patient, medical support nearby, monitors on alarms set, more manageable for me.. Or community, see them 1 by 1.. also stamina, a 12 hour shift is a 13- 14 hour day. No way round it. You’ve I’m done at 47 after 7 hours, but I stopped nursing 3 years ago as I got vertigo. Would you be a HCA first in a hospice or community and see if it’s what you think it is? Then you could do apprenticeship Trainee nurse associate after doing level 3 health and social care..

Letsallscreamatthesistene · 17/10/2021 21:07

HATED hospital nurse. Love GP nursing.

notahappybunny123 · 17/10/2021 21:13

I qualified nearly 20 years ago and took a long gap of 10 years for various reasons- one of which was beginning to hate working on the wards. Did return to practice a few years ago and now work on the community. I love my job, caring for people in their own homes is a true privilege and I am in a well run and supported team. Nursing is a varied career with so many options once you qualify but the training and early part of your career will be brutal. As long as you go in with eyes wide open. And as for your age the oldest person on my course was 55 and when I did my return to it practice course the oldest in the group was in her 60s so that's shouldn't be a barrier

Steelesauce · 17/10/2021 21:13

I hate nursing, its my biggest regret. I'm only still in nursing as I'm well paid in my sector and I'm a single mum of 3 very young children so can't retrain at the moment. The management, the poor staffing, the stress levels. Its an awful way to work. I love my patients and will continue to do my best for them but the minute I get an opportunity to leave, I'm gone!

Stompythedinosaur · 17/10/2021 21:16

I enjoy it more now I have moved into a more senior role. When I was on the wards the crushing stress killed any pleasure I could find in doing a job I once loved.

Skysblue · 17/10/2021 21:18

I’m not a nurse, but my best friend is, and she’s looking to change careers because now she’s in her forties she doesn’t feel able to do the physical side of the job in a way that’s manageable for her. She has a bad back etc.

I have huge respect for nurses but for a career change in your forties I’d be looking for something that you’ll still be able to do once your back and knees begin to play up.

Ralph871 · 17/10/2021 21:19

I went to uni at 18 and after almost 16 years in nursing I always thought I would recommend it as a job/career but now I'm not 100%

Nursing has a lot of pros, it's very varied, flexible and you can do it anywhere you speak the language really. I worked overseas for a long time and it was nursing that allowed me to do this and get visas approved etc. I've worked in a lot of different areas, mainly critical care so ED and ICU and I'm now in a more senior management role so it's given me a lot of experience however what I will say is since returning to the UK I worry for the future of my job because the NHS really is on its knees and unfortunately it's nurses and HCA's who are really bearing the brunt of the horrendous staff shortages.

Without sounding too dramatic some of the situations at the moment are comparable to third world medicine, wards with only one trained nurse looking after 28 patients on a shift because they literally have no bank or agency staff to cover. I'm fortunate that I'm no longer a band 5 nurse working in these conditions although in my position I am expected to help where I can but it's hard to run a hospital whilst also assisting on various wards but I try my best!

I've never had another career or done any different job so I know regardless of how things go I'll stick with nursing but I can't begin to imagine how difficult it would be qualifying as a nurse at the moment and coming to work on wards that are chronically understaffed and where the morale is at the lowest I have ever seen it. Definitely get a HCA job just to get a bit bit of experience and overview of what it's really like. It can be a thankless job and you will always come across distasteful people, certain jobs attract it more than others and unfortunately this is one of them but ultimately if you want a job for life that's never at risk during a pandemic then nursing is certainly that 😂

sassafras123 · 17/10/2021 21:19

Don't just don't. It is a thankless career, highly stressful exhausting on all levels and wrecks your health. I would not recommend it to anyone.

Girliefriendlikespuppies · 17/10/2021 21:21

I've been a nurse for 20 years, did just over a year on the wards when I qualified and hated it!!

Have spent the last 19 years working in the community and I love it. I've been lucky with my team who are fab, I love caring for patients in their own homes and for all the stress it's definitely worth it.

For the last two years I've spring a more specialist role (still community based) and I'm very happy.

The nhs can drive you mad sometimes though with it's constant reorganisation!!

AliceinBorderland · 17/10/2021 21:23

@Letsallscreamatthesistene

HATED hospital nurse. Love GP nursing.
Awww. I love my GP practice nurse. She is so awesome.

How often do you get put on weekend shifts, if you're quite senior, say sister / charge nurse. Genuine curiosity about what it is like.

Letsallscreamatthesistene · 17/10/2021 21:29

Hi @aliceinborderland

Depends on the size of the team I think. There are 3 nurses in our practice and we share weekend work. Id say about one saturday a month, maybe two. Thats also only during the winter because we have flu and covid jab clinics to do. During the summer months we have no weekend work.

Bumblebee1223 · 17/10/2021 21:33

Is anyone on this thread a children’s nurse?

I have the same thoughts as you OP, but just don’t think I could as I am currently in a very secure family friendly job that is low stress! I’m 30 and the time to do it was 10 years ago but I do wonder what could have been.

I was in hospital with my baby girl for a week, and the nurses were just amazing. Being on the children’s ward felt so different from when I was on the maternity unit where they have no time to properly take care of you.

NocturneGmajor · 17/10/2021 21:34

The current staffing levels are dangerous. You cannot do the job you were trained to do. There’s a reason so many are leaving.
Those doubts you’re having are extremely valid.
It’s truly dreadful and some.

BabbleBee · 17/10/2021 21:37

Is it just my bias or are we seeing a trend of practice / community nurses saying they’re happier in their roles than hospital based on this thread?

ChuddleyCannons · 17/10/2021 21:38

I love my job but it's because of the team

willowstar · 17/10/2021 21:40

The scope of nursing is very broad. I am a nurse and have worked in research and education for many years now. Nurses can work in industry, occupational health, schools, nursing homes, community, primary care, teach at universities. Within hospitals many nurses don't work on the wards as such and may work in patient safety, quality, tissue viability, infection control, clinical education, recruitment, operations...very varied roles

AColdDuncanGoodhew · 17/10/2021 21:40

I'm 35, been a nurse for almost 13 years + 3 years as a student. I like my job now that I've moved back in to theatre nursing. I started in theatre, moved to ICU then back to theatre. I've found my niche (anaesthetics) and so I'm happier now but a lot of the time I wish I'd went into something entirely different.

Lots of red tape, lots of upper management calling the shots and most of them don't have a healthcare background but are looking at numbers on screens. Bullying is definitely around, the bitching is unbelievable and patient safety is compromised at times despite the shift we put in. It's normally down to understaffing and staffing with a poor skills mix. Lots of expected "overtime" because theres just noone to take over when lists run on, lots of politics, LOTS.

Everyone's hits back saying the pay is good but for what we do it's not. My 5 year old daughter says she wants to be a nurse like mummy but I'll be steering her away from that path if she's still saying it when she's older!

Letsallscreamatthesistene · 17/10/2021 21:43

@BabbleBee

Is it just my bias or are we seeing a trend of practice / community nurses saying they’re happier in their roles than hospital based on this thread?
I think so. I wouldnt go back to hospital nursing for any amount of money. Im annoyed at myself for taking so long to make the switch.
tailspin21 · 17/10/2021 21:44

I'm retraining out after almost 15 years. Bullying is horrendous, staffing is stretched beyond the knicker elastic. I can either care for my patients, not do the paperwork and get reported because if it's not documented it's not done, or I can do the paperwork to document that I was too busy documenting to look after patients and so they're now dead/dying/seriously harmed. I'm retraining in teaching; the number of people who advised against it is phenomenal but I can honestly say it's a walk in the park compared with my past life - and that's with zero offence to any teachers before the pile on!

AluckyEllie · 17/10/2021 21:45

I’ve just left icu nursing and am now office based. Don’t do, it’s going to get worse. The wards are hell right now, super short staffed of both nurses and doctors. A&E have to allocate a ‘corridor nurse’ which shows how usual patients lined up on trolleys in the corridor are. Care in the community is in crisis, they are so short many agencies aren’t taking on new clients which leaves the wards full of people medically fit with nowhere to go. This in turn means ICU/recovery can’t discharge to the ward- elective surgeries cancelled. Slandered in the press. Morale is low. Everyone looking to get off the wards and clinical areas.