Fed up!

Re: Fed up!

Goneriding13 — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 00:42:42 GMT

Having changed from a highly paid career 18 months ago to be a VN, showing enough enthusiasm, passion and determination to secure a much sought after trainee position at a Veterinary Hospital, due to start college next year, I have handed in my notice disheartened and disillusioned by the veterinary profession.

I had no problems with what the job entailed and instantly felt like this was what I was born to do. So, what went wrong?

As far as I can see, from my own experience and reading posts like this, it comes down to 2 things:

Firstly, whilst vets and nurses are really good at the main part of their jobs, they are not people managers. I moved from an industry where people management is the key to keeping people and, as such, keeping people happy. Any negative feedback was always sandwiched between positives, training and support was always there, etc. You can quite happily work for a pittance if you are treated considerately, with some respect and get a pat on the back every now and again. This is seriously lacking and I think the RCVS / BVNA should really focus on this as part of their training of future vets / nurses and in CPD.

Secondly, stress. Stress causes people to treat others disrespectably (not sure if that's a real word). Stress can be caused by lack of clarity on roles/procedures, lack of training, lack of teamwork, lack of communication, lack of consistency and always lack of time.

Noone should accept bad behaviour directed towards them. In my old role if you threw something at another member of staff, you would be dismissed and had the right to charge that person with assault. I was shocked when I heard that this happens. Why is this just accepted?

In short, I think the profession needs more people to stand up for themselves before anything changes. VNs do an absolutely essential job and work really hard. With a little more self esteem (also something I've noticed that can be lacking) and unity, I think VN's could encourage RCVS / BVNA, etc. to take people management and the causes of stress more seriously. Believe me, it's not that difficult a subject to master.

Going to try working for a smaller / closer knit practice before giving up on the career entirely.

Re: Fed up!

Robocop — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 20:14:02 GMT

I've been qualified for 7 years and I go through phases of feeling under challenged, undervalued and underpaid, but it is always after speaking to people who are not in the profession or who are out of work, that I feel very lucky to have the job/career that I have chosen.

I just need to keep reminding myself that I do do an amazing job and I wish I only remembered the good things that happened and not just the bad. I am saying this after only having one hour sleep out of 36hrs, so its probably coming from sleep deprivation.

I am currently doing the Advanced VN Diploma to help me stay up to date (as I have done very little CPD) and interested in my job. I am, however, going through a bad patch but thats not due to my career choice.

I want to say that the profession is moving towards a more positive change, but as the veterinary profession is confused on where we (VN's) stand, we can't be annoyed that the general public don't understand.

Re: Fed up!

molladog — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 09:04:43 GMT

Go for it, your post highlights what makes me mad, just coz something went wrong when a VN carried out a sc.3 procedure they stopped it. What about when a Vet cocks up ? Do they stop them from doing another op? I think not. I could write a book about all the mistakes made by Vets, several of which have been rectified by a VN stepping in to help.

Forensic Science sounds brilliant. Good luck.

Re: Fed up!

SmegSlayer — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 08:17:53 GMT

unfortunately money makes the world go round and us nurses end up being left behind coz we can barely afford to live. I would like a holiday- 4 days in Florence is my aim but won't happen. I haven't had a holiday away anywhere in 16 years

Re: Fed up!

therainyj — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 23:19:19 GMT

Hi all,

Thanks for your opinions so far, useful reading and interesting to see different ends of the scale!

I would like to clarify if I may...

- Nursing is ABSOLUTELY a vocation so please do not judge me for having a few complaints. I would not have been in the job for this long if I did not care about animals, or did not find some sense of pride or achievement when I see recumbant patients walking back to their owners.

- Money IS NOT everything, but I did not know when I started on this path that there would be so few opportunities for me to progress and make nursing a CAREER rather than a JOB. This, plus I barely scrape by every month on my basic nurse's wage. Nursing is a noble cause but I feel we should be paid fairly for the hard work we do (and the lack of social life due to this!).

- I think better paid nurses would be happier at work (and home) and be more productive for the company they work for.

- I was never shown a job description before I went into nursing; I doubt this would have included 'taking the flack from angry vets' and some of the other points I raised in my initial post.

- I DO NOT regret becoming a veterinary nurse. However, I will not shut out issues that are making me unhappy and if I cannot resolve or make peace with these issues, then yes I may reconsider my career choice (life's too short!).

Thanks for your support and posts

Re: Fed up!

Nick Shackleton — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 22:48:06 GMT

When I left nursing. It wasn't cos I was fed up. Far from it was working for a multi-discipline referral centre, which I enjoyed totally. subscriptions paid, decent wage, decent time off, good rota. and the people were amazing to work with! I'm glad I left when I did. on a high and not before the depression, resentment, boredom etc kicked it.

I had recently completed my Advanced Diploma and really enjoyed the radiography and yearned to learn more. No veterinary courses available. So looked at the human radiography degree, but just couldn't afford to give up a wage to study full time. I now work full time and study part time for a Foundation Degree. who knows where afterwards, hope to do the full degree in the future. Yeah its hard work but enjoying the new challenge.

I think if you are fed up you need to work out what is making you fed and sort it out. Whether it means changing practice, or changing career path whether still within vet industry: teaching, rep, insurance. Or a complete change and do something completely different. I think the reason why the human healthcare industry is so appealing due to the fact that there is more room for progression no matter which area of the hospital you decide to work in.

And just remember YOU WORK TO LIVE NOT LIVE TO WORK. If your unhappy do something about it and stop wallowing!

Re: Fed up!

SmegSlayer — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 22:25:45 GMT

I am giving up nursing in september to return to university to do a forensic science degree. I qualified in January 2010 after 8 years. I generally enjoy nurse clinics and medical nursing but I am so bored in theatre and that is unavoidable in general practice and I don't enjoy big hospital environments with lots of staff.

I am currently locuming and i do enjoy this. My current practice is closing at the end of next week. I was offered a job at the main hospital but declined as everyone there is always stressed to the limit and nurses are not allowed to do many Schedule 3. no stitch ups, no lumpectomies not even scaling and polishing (something went wrong years ago and since then nurses have not been allowed to do this). I worked to hard for too long with too much blood sweat and tears shed, not mention a near nervous breakdown to get my qualification to have what makes being a qualified nurse taken away from me.

Becoming a forensic scientist means that my nursing qualification won't be wasted.

Re: Fed up!

Fuzzyduck — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 22:22:25 GMT

[quote user="Sal the 1st"]

[quote user="Fuzzyduck"]

Maybe the VN qualification has evolved too quickly making us overskilled for some of the older Vets, however i do think that the new graduades and ones with some years post qualification know how to utilise nurses much better than those 'old school' vets who qualified 20-30 plus years ago.

[/quote]

I hear what you are saying - but look who is driving the bus in most cases both in practice and within the RCVS 'old school vets who qualified 20-30 plus years ago' .its not that common for a new grad vet to set up their own practice - they usually end up working for somebody else until they have the confidence and funds to do their own thing.

[/quote]

I totally agree Sal, which is why i have found for me personally im better suited to a larger practice where perhaps the partners are a bit old school but there are enough skilled newer graduades to utilise the nurses.

The good news is though the older vets will retire eventually and in time things will change, i hope anyway.

Re: Fed up!

Sal the 1st — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 22:08:54 GMT

[quote user="Michelle Lawrence"]

I also have times when I feel under utilised and undervalued but then I remember why I chose the carer. It wasnt for the glamour or the glory but purely for the love of animals. I get great satisfaction on seeing those patients recover after hard nuring and TLC, yes some dont make it but I know I have done the best I can to make them comfortable and show them love. I wish we could do more but all we can do is keep proving we are good at our jobs and that goes back to basics. Ensureing the place in pristine to stop infection, ensuring the records are filled in to aviod mistakes and giving those patients a good amount of TLC. I never went into this job for any other reason than the love of animals, I was under no illusion it would pay well or I would have a social life, the biggest reward I get is seeing those patients content and happy. I know its hard work and the pay is pants and that few of us get the recognision we deserve, but hang in there and remember why you signed up for it!

[/quote]

Re: Fed up!

Michelle Lawrence — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 22:05:42 GMT

Re: Fed up!

Sal the 1st — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 21:37:56 GMT

[quote user="Fuzzyduck"]

[/quote]

Re: Fed up!

Fuzzyduck — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 21:13:25 GMT

I think things have evolved from what VNs were intended to do in the past and what we are now intended to do in the present and future. The vn qualification has therefore evolved as well so that we are now more qualified and more skilled to carry out tasks that perhaps wernt expected of us in the past.

The thing that is yet to evolve to most of our satisfactions is wages, but until the RCVS make it illegal to empoly lay staff to do our jobs, ie i dont think lay staff should be placing i/v, taking bloods, monitoring anaesthetics or giving any medication other than by mouth.

There is still a long way to go with VNs but i hope things will continue to change and there are practices out there who do utilise nurses truely and do pay acceptably.

I know how you feel though therainyj in my first practice i felt stagnated, we were allowed to do pretty much nothing but i have moved to a very progressive practice where nurses are relied on massively by the VS and we are expected to do everything off our own back, i am happy in my work and do feel very much valued.

My advice would be perhaps try another practice, or maybe go in to referral, do your diploma if you havnt already, perhaps a university environment you would find more challenging?

Re: Fed up!

Sal the 1st — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 20:38:11 GMT

[quote user="molladog"]

I used to be able to do lots more years ago before they saw fit to deprive us of anything skillful and worthy of our Qualification. Why are they so paranoid that we want their jobs?

[/quote]

Maybe the veterinary nursing qualification has been turned into something it was never intended to be? Maybe the qualification IS now encroaching on the veterinary surgeons - when you think about it how many tasks are being carried out by veterinary nurses that have traditionally been the preserve of the vets? Have the vets actually agreed to this devolution of duties or has this been decided by a minority group?

Its ok teaching nurses this that or the other but if its not what is wanted/needed by the veterinary surgeons that are employing us it is little wonder a)nursing staff become disillusioned because they cant make use of the skills they have been taught and b) veterinary surgeons feel threatened by 'pushy' nursing staff.

I have never seen any careers info on this job that has dressed it up in glamour - anybody doing the job knows to expect poor pay and lots of cleaning - most people have checked this out in advance before embarking on this as a career. So knowing all this are some of the grumbles and complaints reasonable?

Re: Fed up!

Steph Worsley — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 19:54:27 GMT

I think its really sad to hear so many people disillusioned with being a VN. Yes I have my moments but in the end I cannot see me doing anything but being a VN.

Yes the pay is rubbish and we could get more stacking shelves but would you get any job satisfaction out of that, like you would do after nursing a patient back from ill health, or doing those ceasars and then seeing the pups/kittens before they go off to their new homes, or watching animals growing up in front of your eyes, being a sounding board for clients who talk to you about things they may not necessarily speak to the vet about,

I have been nursing 12 years this year (not including the 2 years volunteer work I did prior to getting my first job) qualified 8 years,

When I found the practice I was in hard work/ frustrating then I looked round and moved,yes the grass may not always be greener but I found I kept my love of the job this way, so maybe try some locumming. It all depends on if you are able to move around etc or try repping.

Re: Fed up!

loopylou711 — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 18:32:11 GMT

Everything you said kinda sums up why have given up on being a VN. I got half way there with the degree and then couldn't afford to work unpaid any longer. Did get 10,000 if debt in the process though woo! I have looked into and applied for svn positions.

But the thing for me is the salary, training is poorly paid and even when qualified I wont get much more. Put it this way I get £16,000 a year working for Lloyds not including bonus and staff rewards, to be a SVN then a VN it's a hell of a pay cut. And when you read all the stories on here of disheartened LVNS /RVNS ho have worked for 10 years been qualified for 2 years and bored - it really makes me wonder if it would ever be worth it!

I would love one day if I could get back into the frame of mind of wanting to be a VN but I just think now "whats the point?". Not saying I enjoy my current job as much as I loved being in practice. But well I can at least afford to live quite comfortably just now while I work out what i want to do and maybe even save a little incase I ever did want to do it.

I don't think my post will have been much use but I really hope you work out what do!

Re: Fed up!

emmadilemma — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 15:14:20 GMT

Not sure how much help i`ll be `therainyj` cause i agree with everything you say! However sometimes a change is as good as a rest and all that, so maybe a change in practice is in order?? I was very bored in daytime practice and now work for an ooh clinic and there`s never a dull moment!

Also, i know that not everyones in the position to go abroad, but i`ve always found that our nursing skills are much more appreciated out of the uk and you really feel that you are doing some good for animals....which lets face it is why we became nurses in the first place! You could take some time out and go and work for a charity nursing clinic abroad? The link i`ve posted below is a good organisation for short trips but there`s so many options out there for us

http://www.wvs.org.uk/

Re: Fed up!

The Pikachu_Collector — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 14:28:35 GMT

Hi all, I know exactly how you feel! I am now 33 eeek! and re-evaluating my career choice. I qualified in 2008 and have been nursing for 6 years, after completing the exotics cert, I have now decided to take time out! Currently i am working as a receptionist part time at a local vets and am about to start my 2nd year at Derby uni, studying a Bsc(hons) in zoology.

I hope to be able to use both my nursing skills and my zoology degree and do something with my career - to what that is - i really dont know right now, hopefully all will have changed by the time i have finished at uni

Re: Fed up!

julie cozze — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 14:10:48 GMT

Yep i'm also a fossil 30+ years God I feel old. I am currently training in canine Bowen technique in a bid to get out!!

Re: Fed up!

molladog — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 10:04:41 GMT

I am also in the fossil category as 30+ years in the profession, god help me + can not see any light at the end of the tunnel. If only I could afford my dream smallholding.............................................Euro millions ticket bought again.!!

Re: Fed up!

Sally Howe — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 09:38:45 GMT

[quote user="molladog"]

I agree with all of the above. Unfortunately until the fossils in the RCVS change their views on what they allow us minions to do , nothing will change.I used to be able to do lots more years ago before they saw fit to deprive us of anything skillful and worthy of our Qualification. Why are they so paranoid that we want their jobs? Hey ho, back to scrubbing and cleaning and tidying up after them again, really good use of my VN title. (Yawn !!!)

[/quote]

Yep, same here. Mind you I'm classed as a fossil myself

Re: Fed up!

molladog — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 09:19:51 GMT

Re: Fed up!

Anonymous — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 03:55:08 GMT

ME TO!

and i don't see anything changing which is depressing. There can be VN week and all this suppiort from VN organisations but at the end of the day the only people they are reaching are VNs. The public still think we are just silly little girls who hold animals and nothing else and the VS sdont care. I which I took a different career path. I'm trying to specialise in behaviour but I have a lot of concerns and difficulties with this. Have you looked into paramedic science. I think this looks like an exciting and appreciated role.

Re: Fed up!

rcookieuk — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 21:25:10 GMT

ditto to all of the above!

starting to think i should have gone down a completely different career path but I have spent so much time and money on vet nursing I feel like I have to stick it out a bit longer. I also cant think of another job/career that I want to or can do!

Feel completely disillusioned and fed up with vet nursing and ive only been qualified 4 years. Ive given myself a 2 year deadline to sort myself out a new job but for now I have no idea what to do.

Re: Fed up!

Emma Purnell — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 19:38:55 GMT

No help from me, but simply the addition that I am in the same boat. Good luck - looking forward to replies.