help! i think i hate nursing!

"Minimum Data Set"

Medicaid (or medicare?) requires a certain amount of charting per patient for the facility to get paid.

In a long term care setting, that means that there needs to be a coordinator (chart nazi) to make sure these charting requirements are met.

That's where the MDS nurse steps in. Believe it or not, it is a full time job. Most facilities are more than happy to have an MDS nurse because medicare/medicaid is their bread and butter.

I might be a bit off in the description, since I've never worked in the MDS field. I do remember that the MDS nurse at my old job didn't do a whole hell of a lot except flip through charts and give innoculations to the employees every now and then.

I've actually seen MDS positions open at local nursing homes in the help wanted ads. I don't think it matters if you are an LPN or an RN.

At times I have wondered why there isn't a full time person on staff who just does charts -- even on regular units. I mean -- what IF we had such a person -- and you could do your job without having to be bogged down by so much charting? You could do the basics, of course -- but not have to check every single page to see if each one has a sticker, or that each form is on the chart, or that it has been DONE, 1,000 times over -- I mean -- I think there COULD be someone who could do that specifically for all the nurses on a shift.

I can only dream... can't I?

I will undoubtedly get out of bedside nursing at least 2 years down the road. I just cannot handle it physically, emotionally, philosophically, or any other way. I don't regret getting the degree, but I do wish I'd really investigated this career before I started it.

I'm off orientation here in about 2 weeks, and I'm petrified. There is NO WAY I have the wherewithall to handle some of our patient assignments on my own yet, even after this long 16 week orientation. There is so much critical thinking, so much of everything -- I just know that the next six months even will be pure hell and now I'll be on my own, begging these wicked nurses to help me and it will be ridiculous. I just don't look forward to it at ALL.

The way orientation is run, there is just no way -- there is no consistency -- no clear path. You are just stuck with a different nurse everytime and it's up to HER/HIM whether or not you are going to really learn something, or just learn to do charts, round, and give meds. I actually had a "teacher" for a preceptor the other night and she was so awesome -- if I'd had her the entire time, perhaps I'd be ready -- but I didn't. I've had chart nazis, stress mongers, anal retentives, as well as total slackers. Some prepared me somewhat -- but it's just the inconsistency of it all.

Oh well -- I just say to myself what I say everyday: "If I can't do it, I guess they'll just kick me out and that will be it - (and that may not be so bad!" )

Becoming a Nurse may not be for you for whatever reason, but most definitely you have a specialized type of knowledge that most people don't who are not in the medical profession.

Get your resume together and start circulating it. You might be surprised at what comes your way.

the doors are wide open for you to obtain work outside of a hospital setting.