Nurses - remind me of the good bits!

[DizzyPurple]

Have been a paediatric nurse for 15 years in a variety of roles. Have recently become quite disillusioned with the job, in particular the support from higher management, and have had doubts about continuing in the profession. Most likely it's just because I'm a bit fed up with the world at the moment because of lots of things including some health problems but work is the biggest part of that. Have been off work for a couple of months which is not helping!

So... Why do you love your job? Remind me why I should continue!

For me it's the service-user, I will continue to support them to reach their maximum potential (LD)..

I love the day to day life but continue to struggle with the "value for money"; "something for nothing" , money saving blah, blah that comes with the role. Oh, and everything that is computer based! I have so many passwords that I can't remember them. Let me get back to the face to face role and I'd be in my element!

DH and I regularly discuss what we would do if we won the lottery and despite all the negatives, we'd both still turn in to work the next day (agreed we'd be attending with a resignation letter in hand though!) But even so, we'd use the money to invest in nursing care and probably in direct competition.

When I have a bad day, my mantra is: this is infitely better than being stuck in a hospital all day.

Plus, the good bits:

• the palliative care - what greater privelege is there to make sure someone has a peaceful death, at home, surrounded by their family as they wanted.
• keeping people at home (rather than them going into a residential home)
• being able to provide proper holistic care because you can assess someone in their own home (not just having to go by what patients tell you in the hospital, but being able to see what's going on).

Sorry, read that you were a district nurse (now seen paediatric) - have you thought about doing something in a different setting related to your speciality? Maybe health visiting or childrens continuing care or children's community nursing?

I'm in mental health. For me it's the whole recovery process, that some one can come in so unwell, and (hopefully) leave again, well. In our hospital, we only have something like a 14% readmission rate so the vast majority of people do just that.
I also like the fun we have with service users, the funny way they have come to view their various issues, and the frankly amazing coping strategies they have.
My grandad always told me "it's nice to be important, but it's fucking important to be nice" which I try to keep with me when dealing with bull shit from higher management.
I know at the end of the day, we all want to provide the best service for service users, my role being frontline, theirs policies to protect us all and budgets which are steadily decreasing from an already paltry sum making all our roles harder.

I'm in mental health. For me it's the whole recovery process, that some one can come in so unwell, and (hopefully) leave again, well. In our hospital, we only have something like a 14% readmission rate so the vast majority of people do just that.
I also like the fun we have with service users, the funny way they have come to view their various issues, and the frankly amazing coping strategies they have.
My grandad always told me "it's nice to be important, but it's fucking important to be nice" which I try to keep with me when dealing with bull shit from higher management.
I know at the end of the day, we all want to provide the best service for service users, my role being frontline, theirs policies to protect us all and budgets which are steadily decreasing from an already paltry sum making all our roles harder.

Thanks, that's helpful. Am considering health visiting but not for another year or two for family reasons. I like the idea of community nursing but there's not much about! In an acute hospital setting now but it's definitely time for some kind of change.

Nursing offers a daily reminder that someone else is having a harder time than you - kinda puts things into perspective.

I loved that sense of deep satisfaction to know you've made a difference in someone else's life, even a small one.

I hadn't realised how much nursing was a part of who I am after almost 20 years, and when I was forced to take ill health retirement in my 30's

Its been a while and I still miss nursing to this day.

All sounds good but I think I'm in need if a spark to get my enthusiasm back. Any ideas??

Help me find some motivation please!

It's a tricky one. I've been nursing for nearly 12 years now in cancer services and the job has changed so much.

It's so much busier, more chemo, loads more paperwork etc but very single shift without fail I feel like I have made a difference. It might be something small, but it's still there.

I'm not sure what to do to help you motivate yourself but maybe a slightly different path in nursing would help. A change is as good as a rest? Maybe look into doing some additional training in an area of interest. I think the NHS is just a hard place to work now for everyone so good luck.

If in doubt, head down and keep plodding on.