Introduction
Nursing is a very challenging profession with a lot of difficulties and other issues. It should be mentioned that when people choose the profession of a nurse they orient to some particular vision of this occupation. However, when the people’s expectations are not met and nurses face many difficulties they become frustrated. Thus, the lack of inspiration motivation and professional challenges play a great role in the nurses’ desire to leave their profession. The purpose of this paper is to dwell upon the main reasons why nurses leave their profession and to comment on them. Focusing on the results which MacKusick and Minick provide in their research “Why Are Nurses Leaving? Findings from an Initial Qualitative Study on Nursing Attrition”, it is possible to note that the main problems nurses can face are the unfriendly workplace, emotional distress related to patient care, fatigue, and exhaustion. Each of these points will be highlighted in the further section.
The Role of the Unfriendly Workplace Environments
As it was mentioned above, many nurses are inclined to leave their profession because of such reasons as the unfriendly workplace, emotional distress related to patient care, fatigue, and exhaustion. Speaking about the unfriendly workplace, it is necessary to exclude the issues connected with the nurse-patient interactions. The problem of relationships among employees is discussed. This issue is rather urgent concerning young and inexperienced nurses. According to MacKusick and Minick’s findings, nurses pay attention to such aspects associated with the unfriendly workplace as the “sexual harassment”, “verbal or physical abuse from co-workers, managers, or physicians in the workplace”, and/or “consistent lack of support from other RNs” (MacKusick & Minick, 2010, p. 337). Nurses often suffer from the constant pressure at the workplace, and this fact decreases their performance. Brown concentrates on definite examples of the unfriendly workplace environments which are based on the abusive treatment of new nurses, lies about the work which is done and not done, refusal in helping, the public correction of some nurses’ mistakes, and other similar issues (Brown, 2010).
The Problem of the Emotional Distress
The emotional distress related to patient care is the second reason why nurses leave their profession. Nurses are inclined to think that the patient’s and relatives’ desires and interests are often not met, and their task is to provide high-quality care. Nurses discuss such problems which cause additional emotional tension as the “overly aggressive treatment, lack of collaboration between physicians and staff, and lack of respect for patient and family wishes caused recurrent emotional distress” (MacKusick & Minick, 2010, p. 337). All these factors affect the nurses’ desire to leave.
Nurses’ Fatigue and Exhaustion
Finally, fatigue and exhaustion can also become the reason for leaving. Nurses are to be available for 24 hours and 7 days. Nurses’ schedules are often too strict (Brown, 2010). Nurses have an opportunity to spend free time with their family and friends, but they should be available in case of emergent situations. It is especially discouraging when a nurse comes home after the 24-hour working shift, and some emergency makes him or her go to work again.
Conclusion
Therefore, emotional pressure is one of the main reasons why nurses leave their profession. Being exhausted emotionally and physically, many nurses are unable to bear stressful situations, and they leave their profession. Nevertheless, the profession of a nurse has many advantages, but many problems at the very beginning of the career can discourage young nurses concerning further professional development.
References
Brown, T. (2010). When the nurse is a bully. Web.
MacKusick, C. I., & Minick, P. (2010). Why are nurses leaving? Findings from an initial qualitative study on nursing attrition. MEDSURG Nursing, 19(6), 335-340.