When I started my first nursing job-which was as a nursing assistant(before being certified was required), gloves were an unecessary expense.We used our bare hands to give bed baths, clean up vomit , feces, etc.Granted; this was before AIDS was a big issue......Soap and water was enough.It was the norm to have about 10-15 nursing home residents(confused,combative, and total care)to take care of on the day shift, more on eves and nights.When I later became an LPN, my first job was in a hospital float pool.It was not uncommon to have anywhere from 10-14 med-surd, peds or tele patients on the night shift, and since the RN's had to hang all of my IV antibiodics(LPN's couldn't do that in Illinois)I would generally do all of their accu-checks and dressing changes in exchange because I thought the poor things were terribly taxed having to hang my IV meds!(now I know, I really gave them a deal!)Back then, laparoscopic surgeries were not done, so the post-op cholecystectomy pt. had the works-sterile drsg changes, T-tube, NG, foley.....these were heavy patients ! I guess I am living now in an area that must be so totally removed from what I hear so much about here on this BB that it is difficult for me to understand.I am now an RN.At our little hospital here, we usually do not have more than 7 patients on med-surg, and some are "swing bed" pts just waiting on LTC placement.I dont find this number at all difficult.Dressing changes are not nearly the taxing event they used to be-no montgomery straps or big retention sutures or open, packed wounds on a regular basis.Not only is OT not mandatory here, but discouraged-somebody else might be short hrs this week that could work the extra shift !I dunno-I must truly be far removed from the real world here in Aurora,Mo. !
