I'm just curious as to how many patients other nurses have. In my last semester of nursing school, during preceptorship, I had 5 patients, which would be reasonable except that these patients were difficult. Because I have chosen to work in a community hospital, most patients are very sick when they finally get care (because sadly they're uninsured) and have additional health issues other than the reason for admission. Here, in the southwest, we have ALOT of diabetic patients (fingersticks, insulin, dialysis and wound care, especailly on their feet). Often, I'll have an isolation patient. A couple of patients usually have critical morning lab values (that means calls to the MD's before I can even start assessments). And often I'll get one of those patients whom you can set your watch by because they're on their call light wanting their pain meds. And in the afternoon, I usually get a fresh post-op or an admission from the ED. Also we don't have computer charting (all paper!).
I love nursing and I love the hospital I'm at because everyone (from the doctors to the housekeepers) is wonderful. We really feel we're being of service to God. But, as a new nurse, I always feel I'm so far behind in my work. I often eat while I chart or skip lunch all together (and eat a protein bar on the fly). It's not usual for me to stay until 8 pm to catch up on charting. When I was in clinicals (at a different hospital where I got plastic surgery patients and "easy" patients), I had all my assessments done and charted and morning meds passed by 0930
Am I whining or are my patient teams as heavy as they seem? What kind of patient ratios do you all work with? Thanks for your feedback.
