Today, I wanted to share the top nursing profession challenges and how you can handle them. There are far too many obstacles in nursing that no one tells you about, nonetheless teaches you about.
These challenges started back in the mid-1800s when nursing was born.
From sexism to undermining to false views of nurses’ power… there is a lot of misconception.
No one will teach you these things in nursing school, on the news, or in the media. They’re unspoken about.
They just don’t prepare you for the things you have to deal with as a nurse, and I really wish they did.
Nurses have to be there for their patients when they themselves could be feeling so frustrated from these challenges. That is one, giant mental tug of war that deserves attention.
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The Biggest Nursing Profession Challenges
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Meeting High Expectations
People love to complain. It’s really as simple as that. Maybe it makes them feel good or maybe it makes them feel in control. Patients are always complaining to nurses, and it’s exhausting to be on the other end.
Nurses can do their absolute best job, but if one thing upsets a patient, they will complain to the nurse. It could even be about their doctor, but the nurse has to hear it.
God forbid a patient actually complains about their doctor TO their doctor. (let me know if you felt this!)
This in turn can feel very defeating for nurses. It’s undeserving and not right, but it happens all the time.
Patient satisfaction scores are very important in healthcare because they help keep a business running.
However, things have become so corrupt that administrators just want to see high numbers and not put effort into maintaining employee satisfaction.
This was one of the first difficulties in nursing I learned about when I started my career 6 years ago!
What You Can Do: Keep your head high and kill them with kindness. No matter the complaints and negativity you face at work, stay kind.
People who want to make you miserable hate this, which is exactly what you want. Meeting high expectations is unhealthy and not sustainable, so put you first and do what you can.
If you feel like your license is at risk, find another opportunity. (hint: they’re out there waiting for you!)
Challenges in nursing will remain, but this particular challenge is moreso about perspective and mindset shifting.
Staffing Shortage
When I started nursing school over 10 years ago, I was told there was a nursing shortage and it was a great field to get into.
Naive, young me truly thought “Oh wow! What a great major I chose, I’m always going to be needed and valued.”
Now, over 10 years later, there is still a nursing shortage.
A shortage basically means the demand is higher than the supply.
While there are millions of nurses in the US, there are so many companies that cannot retain them. Nursing retention is so low because job satisfaction is not a priority.
This was something they never told me; it was a huge missing factor in the whole “Nursing is a great field to get into because there is a shortage.”
So many places do not put effort into satisfying their nurses. They’re okay with:
- having nurses quit
- replacing them
- not giving bonuses for good work
- shaming using time off
The quality of work or the loyalty does not matter in many nursing positions, and that is just outright sad.
It is so important to know the red flags of a toxic nursing work environment.
When it is short-staffed, nurses have to do double or triple the work for the same pay.
What You Can Do: Create gameplans on how to work with your fellow staff nurses. If you have a charge nurse, divvy up the work in a more manageable way.
Every nurse should have similar workloads at all times. And if none of your efforts are working and you feel like your health is worsening, leave. Leave what does not serve you and find a place that does.
Witnessing Death And Trauma
Nurses witness some outright sad, awful situations and it can really take a toll on their mental health.
You aren’t trained on how to handle some of the most terrible things that can happen to a human, so you are forced to learn on the job.
We are talking about death, abuse, trauma… all in front of our eyes. These patients are coming to nurses for help, and that brings on so much pressure. It’s a challenge like no other workplace has, and it takes a special person like a nurse to get through that.
What You Can Do: Talk it out. Literally, nothing helps as much as expressing your feelings and thoughts, just releasing them out into the world.
Nothing good comes from keeping it all inside. Release your emotions and you will find more peace and space for positivity in yourself.
Being Underpaid
With the amount of liability and responsibility a registered nurse has, they are seriously underpaid.
A registered nurse is not a senior role, and no one “reports” to an RN other than medical/nursing assistants.
In any other profession, senior-level roles get paid more than non-senior-level roles. I think we can all agree on that.
But nursing is not corporate. It is healthcare. Nurses make up the majority of the healthcare professionals in the country.
What doesn’t make sense is the demand and workload that are not appropriately compensated. Just because being a registered nurse is not a “senior role”, the base pay should be substantially more than it is today.
Nursing cannot be compared to a corporate role. They work differently. Sure, nurses get paid pretty damn well right after college, but there should be a substantial increase with every year of experience, and there isn’t. Bonuses and raises should be common…but it isn’t.
What You Can Do: There seems to be a theme to my solutions here, but it just goes to show how much I support finding your place in nursing.
There are hundreds upon hundreds of things you can do with your degree. If one place is not paying what you believe you are worth, find a place that will.
That’s right, explore new specialties, new challenges, and new territories until you find what you are worth.
Being Misunderstood
Nurses are frequently misunderstood. In fact, I feel like so many people still do not even know what a nurse really does.
That’s okay, as long as people educate themselves. Unfortunately, many don’t, and they still have views that nurses just clean people up and pass out medications.
In the mid-1800s, Florence Nightingale and a small group of women (nurses) were assigned to work at military hospitals. The work consisted of things like sanitizing the walls, letting fresh air in, passing out medications, and preparing healthy foods. In a few short weeks, death rates dropped and so many soldiers improved their health.
Why is doing healthy, normal things that are proven to improve someone’s health looked down upon? These tasks are LIFE-CHANGING, yet nurses are seen as “glorified maids” or “doctors’ helpers”.
We need to raise our voices louder because the misconception of nurses is still alive and very ridiculous.
What You Can Do: SPEAK. Yeah, I need you to share your concerns and feelings with anyone and everyone. If something isn’t fair at work, voice it.
If you like to use TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, anything…speak about your opinions on the challenges of nursing! A community makes changes and influences the larger mass.
Personal Health
Combining all of these challenges together affects personal health so much.
Nurses dedicate their careers to helping others, a very selfless, meaningful act. To add some avoidable challenges to a selfless career is just wrong in so many ways.
Nurses are needing more therapy than ever because so many working conditions are terrible.
In toxic work environments, nurses are overworked, underpaid, undervalued, and misunderstood. This affects their physical and mental health, and that is why the turnover rate at hospitals and other centers is so high.
Nurses are even leaving the entire field. Difficulties in nursing need attention and change if we want to see improvement in healthcare as a whole.
What You Can Do: There is only one thing to do here. Take care of yourself.
As the core of Nurse Bestie, I encourage you to always take care of yourself if you want to succeed and be happy in life. I have numerous posts on how to stay healthy as a nurse!
- 10 Effective Ways To Get Fit As A Nurse
- How Nurses Can Prioritize Their Mental Health
- Self-Care Ideas For Nurses So They Can Put Themselves First
- Why Being A Healthy Nurse Is So Important
QUESTION: What is the most challenging part of being a nurse for you?
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