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Essay

Let’s help them stay in nursing!

by Pamela R. Cangelosi

Nurses have all heard the phrase “We eat our young,” and some laugh it off. I don’t laugh. There is no excuse for the miserable treatment we sometimes give new colleagues. Nurses cry out for more help and then sabotage those who come. Is it any wonder why so many new graduates leave nursing?

The nursing literature has many references to the value of mentors. Reflecting on my own experiences and hearing the stories of colleagues have convinced me, however, that effective mentors are what make the difference between leaving nursing or staying and building a satisfying career. What would have happened if I had not had mentors? Most likely, I too would have left nursing.

The current nursing shortage is well known by nurses and the general public, and the recent rise in nursing-program enrollment is heartening. However, this increased interest in nursing by students is not a complete answer. The limited supply of faculty qualified to teach the swelling numbers of students and the retention of these graduates after successful completion of the licensing exam are major deterrents to reducing the shortage. Will these new graduates remain in nursing, or will they encounter such dissatisfaction with their newly chosen field that they leave shortly after they enter?

Rewards and frustrations of nursing
Most nursing students express a true desire and eagerness to “help others” and realize the potential rewards nursing has to offer. The actions of the nurse can be the deciding factor in the course and outcome of a client’s hospital stay. Acutely ill clients recover and go home, and even return to thank the nurses.

Camaraderie can transform relationships between nurses and other health care professionals, between faculty and students, and between nurses and clients. More mature students often cite prior life experiences—even pivotal moments—that led them to change course and pursue nursing.

Unfortunately, many become disillusioned before they even graduate. These students experience a lack of respect from many staff nurses and some faculty. They realize that their exposure to disease is real and that they have to be very strong physically and emotionally to withstand the rigors of clinical nursing. They also hear grumbling about low wages, long hours and unrealistic workloads. Is it any wonder their enthusiasm wanes?

What keeps nurses in nursing?
Reflecting back on those I have known who have left nursing for other careers, I contemplated what has kept my colleagues and me in the profession for so many years. We have found fulfillment in nursing, but how do we help students and novice nurses find satisfaction in nursing?

My entry into nursing began as a licensed practical nurse (LPN). As a neophyte LPN, I was “in charge” of the care of 60 residents in a long-term care facility. I worked long hours with no RN on duty, frightened and convinced that someone would suffer due to my inexperience. Is it any wonder that I left after a few short months?

I moved to a job on a busy medical-surgical unit in an acute care hospital where more experienced nurses were present. I thought I could learn from them. However, while many of the nurses were friendly, many more were not, and they offered little of their time to teach a novice. An orientation program was in place, but it consisted only of classroom learning. On the clinical unit, I received my assignment and the name of an RN who was “to cover my IVs,” but it was customary for the shift to go by and I would never see “my RN.” Until I met Maureen, I was not certain I would stay in nursing.

Maureen, a baccalaureate-prepared nurse, showed me how to care for a dying patient and how to be present for a family in grief. I learned from Maureen how to prioritize and juggle several tasks at once and not appear frazzled. From Maureen, I learned how to implement the true art and science of nursing.

As a result of Maureen’s influence, I returned to school for a BSN and eventually a PhD. One BSN professor, Robyn, patiently unraveled the intricacies of community health nursing. She listened to the problems I encountered on home visits and guided me in finding solutions. She even assisted me in designing a practical way to complete a family assessment. Best of all, Robyn never appeared rushed or frustrated with her students.

As a doctoral student, I received such complex and lengthy assignments that they seemed impossible to complete. I encountered foreign ideas, constant deadlines and projects that stretched me beyond former limits. I wondered if the stress of juggling career and family was worth it, until I met Jessica, an experienced nurse educator.

Jessica showed me not only how to conduct a research study, but how to enjoy the process as well. She patiently answered innumerable questions, and her interactions with me reminded me why I was doing this. As a new faculty member, I learned from Jessica what service, research and scholarship entail, and how I could balance these responsibilities with effective teaching, and even a family.

My students know what I mean when I advise them to find their Maureen, Robyn or Jessica. As leaders in nursing, we must mentor our students and new nurses. Only through our role modeling and mentoring will they decide to stay in nursing and find satisfaction in the multiple roles nursing has to offer. Maybe then the nursing shortage really will begin to ease.

I know why I stay in nursing. My mentors showed me the way. They taught me how to competently care for patients, other nurses and myself. I hope I have done the same for others. I want to mentor those who are trying to find their way, so they too will stay in nursing. RNL

Pamela R. Cangelosi, RNC, PhD, is assistant professor and coordinator of the nurse educator track in the MSN program of the College of Nursing and Health Science at George Mason University, Fairfax, Va.