Just a change of pace.

3 In another thread dealing with ducks and microscopic hair splitting (lol) I mentioned I had decided to reread an article I wrote a long time ago about how I got into nursing. I read it, and don't feel any different.

Then I got to thinking about how, one time, I took a very long vacation from posting here and on nursing sites as a whole. Seemed the negativity was starting to go from the screen to my eyes to my brain to my heart.

I am so very sorry for everyone who can not find work right now. There is nothing I can do to help, but I wish there were. I also feel very badly for the people who had to find new jobs that is either a step backwards for them or in an area of nursing they hate. Then there are those too who are fortunate enough to still be in the same position they were in when the economy tanked, but the conditions of the workplace have changed, for the worse.

Isn't there anyone out there happy with nursing right now? Happy with something nice their employer did for them?

Me, as people said to me in the "duck" thread, nursing is like life, it is what you make it. So, I've quit focusing on the negative things for a little while and want to, if only for a moment, take a glance at what is right with my nursing career and current position.

I have remained full time, with very few cancellations, during the economic crisis. I got my first ever fully paid vacation this year, and it was two weeks back to back. I have more than a few co-workers who I enjoy almost like family. I am able to perform well in my current position and can confidently manage my team. We got a raise this year.

Because my job has been so steady for me, other things are going well for me. I have my two kittens, "Calvin and Hobbes" who I love and are perfectly happy living with me. I am spending a lot of real quality time with my parents and I am lucky I realized I needed to do so before it was too late. I go to a lot of ball games with my father and we have such a blast. I am in a apt. I never would have dreamed of living in before I was a nurse.

Anyone else happy today?
Wow. The silence is both stunning and very telling. lol

I'd have responded earlier, but I took a few family days off and had a complete blast.Yeah, I'm happy today. And that's because even before nursing school, I decided to take nursing as a legitimate spiritual vehicle, as some people take martial arts or flower arranging.So far as I know, masters from Yamamoto Tsunetomo to Gichin Funakoshi never got into a fight in their lives, never got to put the rubber to the road.But anyone who takes nursing as their spirit walk gets a real-world immersion. I think this is way better. Ye are the salt of the earth, ya know? Ya gotta get immersed in the soup of real life. Then you can really cook spiritually, and you get immediate feedback and make a real world difference.It must be hard to pursue any discipline for a lifetime, never knowing how it would prove out in reality. Fortunately, nursing is nothing like that.

Love my job on acute medical floor, love my facility. We're the only one in the area who hasn't (yet) laid people off or gone on a hiring freeze. I've been at this facility for 8ish years total, first as a CNA, then unit secretary, then LPN, then RN, now charge nurse. I've tried a couple of other jobs/units in the past, but I always come back to medical floor nursing at this facility. The ratio is great (on nights I start out with 3-4 pts with an aide or two on the floor to help, end the night typically with 5). I like my boss, but I would never want her job!When I hear people complain about nursing, it's hard for me to fathom. I always wonder, is it that bad, or are they the type of people who would complain about any position or facility? I've noticed there are a lot of negative, unhappy people in the world, regardless of their circumstances. If I hated a job, I wouldn't do it, I'd find something else. I guess I'm also the type who can be happy doing just about anything. Heck, I *loved* waiting tables when I was in college. I do honest work for honest pay, it challenges me mentally and physically, and I'm pretty happy with that. What more could I want?

Erik -- the other thread has taken on a life of it's own! So to this thread...I am happy when my patients state that are at ease because the care I give, and it pleases me when they ask if I will be caring for them the next day.I am happy when I've correctly anticipated for patient needs before the MD thinks about it, and I can advocate for my patients.I am happy that my employer values me enough to make scheduling accomodations so I can balance home life and work life.I am happy that nursing allows me great portability ~ during a crazy New England winter, it's nice to think about nursing in Bermuda or somewhere equally as warm and beachy. It's a fantasy, but really not a far-flung one!I am happy I chose nursing-- I work with patients hands on, I can choose my hours, change specialties, be constantly learning new things, and best of all -- I have NO debt. Now that last part is something our MD counterparts can not say ;-)

I'm happy to be employed.

I used to work as a manager in a very high stress job. I usually worked around 50 hours a week, more during our "busy season". I usually took a laptop home with me and worked from there as well. I had projects that weren't finished until they were finished. There were times when I took a day off or stayed home with a sick child, where I still had to call into conference calls, etc. If I took a vacation, I had to work like heck to get ready to leave, then work like heck to catch-up when I returned. The mess on my desk that I left the night before was still there when I returned the next morning, and my unread email list was even longer. All this for the same money, regardless of hours put in.Now I work 36 - 40 hours a week. If I work more than 12 hours a day or come in an extra day, I get paid extra for it! What a concept!! When I have to come in on my day off for a meeting or training, I get paid for that too. If I have to leave some work undone (as much as I try not to, but occassionally it happens), then someone else will usually get it done before I come back. I do not have to prepare for vacation or play catch-up when I get back. I just go! If I have a problem patient (personality wise, etc) eventually they just go home and I don't have to deal with them anymore. And when I come back to work after 3 days off, I usually have a whole new set of patients to learn about and take care of.Even though customer service is important, it's not like when my performance or management of a project determined whether we kept a client that brought several hundreds of thousands of dollars to the company. I don't bring work home with me. Now I might worry about a patient or feel bad about something I could have done better or differently (I tend to do that a lot) but this is self-imposed and my own fault. I'm reminded of these perks when I talk to my co-workers from my old job and smile.

I am happy that I still like going to work. Now, mind you, I would rather not have to work. The thought of being independently wealthy does entice me immensely, but it doesn't look like that is going to happen in my life time so off to work I go.I have been able to move around in my facility. I just attended a lunch at a very nice hotel for all the employees who have been with my hospital for 10 years. There were quite a few of us who have stuck it out for 10 years. Along with the nice surroundings and tasty lunch, we got to choose a nice gift (I got a portable CD player). I have recently left a charge nurse position on Tele to pursue an ICU staff nurse position. I am loving all the new things I am learning. There is such a team effort in that unit and most of the staff make you feel as though you are family. I felt this on my other unit too. Having to deal with management sucks. I think this is true of many jobs. In the end, we are there for the patients. Without them we would not have a job. I just try to keep challenging myself so I do not get stuck in a rut and become bitter. Life is too short.

I'm happy. Got a wonderful, loving wife. Three beautiful grandkids. A great NICU job straight out of school...the first job I ever had that I love and that I look forward to going to work. Just bought a huge, beautiful new home with a great pool and patio area, in a nice neighborhood...Way better than I deserve!

I've been a nurse for 34 years. In that time, I have worked in a lot of different specialties. Some jobs I loved and some not so much. But the real turning point came when I left bedside nursing. For the most part I have been happier since then. Currently I work as a school nurse in a small elementary school. It's a happy, calm place and the staff is very grateful that I'm there. I like working independently and I work best in a low-key environment, so school nursing really fits me. I work part-time, which enables me to spend time with my disabled husband, work on home projects, go to doctor appts, and run errands. My DD17 is a senior this year so her needs are more pressing than ever. DS15 is profoundly handicapped and needs constant supervision, and help with all ADLs. So, with the enormous load I'm carrying at home, my job is just diverting enough to make me feel competent but not all-consuming or demoralizing like it was in the hospital. Now I have time to do things I like to do instead of all-caregiving, all the time. Nursing has not been without its difficulties but overall it's been a very good career for me.

I'm happy! as I sit here with ice on my bruised leg and toe, lol. Made first dan-bo toward Black Belt in TaeKwonDo today. I like working in the ED, although we've been totally overwhelmed lately (sometimes more patients waiting out front than I have in the back.....). New director that is setting some good standards of care, and pushing people to stop being sloppy; been through so many directors and managers lately that people got little lax about stuff.I like my second (parttime) job teaching at the local community college, good colleagues, and some pretty good students as well!Ate at a great restaurant today, marvelous flavors! and some left over to bring home for laterand my ironing basket is empty!

Yay, a positive thread.

I start my first RN job in two weeks (Yay for moi!!) but it is true that most threads here have some sort of negativity in them and I didn't realize how badly it had affected me until I caught myself complaining about a job I haven't even started. LOL!Right now, I'm determined to be happy in that position (not my first choice but I'm uber-thankful I have a job), to do my best and always bring my best attitude to work. P.S: Thanks Eric for reminding us to count our blessings. Jobs are blessings, right?