Last night was my 2nd orientation day at this LTAC. When I walked in, the supervisor couldn't figure out who to team me up with coz there were 2 other orientees, and a couple of agency nurses. Finally she pairs me with this nurse and tells me 'she's a good nurse, only I have to tell you she's a little bit negative". So ofcourse in my mind am already dreading the night.
I meet up with my nurse, and the first thing she straight up tells me is "I have been here for 4 years and I can tell you am the best nurse they have here. They take advantage of my goodness and want me to do extra work, which I don't mind doing" Then, she tells me "they want me to give you all 5 patients by yourself, while I supervise you, but am not going to do that. You and I will work together. Ok?"
So, we take report and she tells me to do the initial assessments on the pts. then set up meds before 2030, because pharmacy leaves @ 2100 and 'we' have to get any missing meds before then. I do my assessments on all patients and sit to transcribe mental info into my 'brain'. I find my nurse sitting at the desk drinking coffee and as soon as I sit down, she says "see you don't listen. I told you to do the assessments quickly and then set the meds otherwise we'll run behind" I look at my watch and it's only 1945 hrs. I continue writing on my sheet and then she says 'you need to face me when am speaking to you' and I tell her that I can hear her just fine. The space is (II) that close and there's no way to turn around without being in her face (or her being in my face:devil:) I turn around and smile then ask if we shouldn't go get our meds. She says "I don't set my meds in the medroom, I have been here so long, I want to avoid the chaos of the medroom, so I just take my trays out here to the table and set them up. She tells me to go get the trays one at a time. on her request, I read out the med name and dose, she pulls it and puts it in a cup. I return the meds and I get to set up all the other pt meds by myself. ( I sure hope that coffee tasted good).
3 of our pt have peg tubes and were getting meds and flushes. I turn of the feeding and do the placement check and then get ready to do the medpass. I unhook the tubing intending to use the bigger port. She stops me, tells me to reattach the feeding and use the side port pass my meds and flush. I say, isn't it easier to do it my way? and she says it has to be done the way she ways.
I could go on and on and on about just how bad the night was, but I survived it. I took care of all her 5 patients all while she sat and talked on the cell phone or went outside Q15 for breathing tx. She said 'we' were working together, but not once did she ask if I needed help. I bit my tongue and did what I was supposed to do and none of the patients were in danger. At about 0300 when I had everything pretty caught up, I said I was taking my lunch and you know what she asked me "why do you need to take a lunch?"
The thing is, there were 2 agency nurses and one was barely floating all night. No one asked how they could help! No one. She kept asking questions and getting half a** answers as if she was bothering them. When in the morning she was running waaay behind, and still had 5 lab draws and all kind of medpasses, no one helped her and everyone was just complaining how slow she was and how she did not know what she was doing. I felt soooo bad for her. I am sure she will not be back to that facility.
Personally, I don't know how I feel. I know for sure if I get set up for another orientation with last night's nurse, I will refuse. (did I mention that in the middle of the night, she got into it with one of the CNAs coz she felt he wasn't doing his job and he felt she wasn't doing her job, and the CNA feigned illness and left. So for 8hrs, we had 1 CNA for the whole place!).
On one hand, I am proud of my self knowing that after 1 orientation day, I could hand with the boys, but also pissed off about the going ons last night. I don't think I can fit into that environment. I would probably be at odds with everyone all the time.
At the end of the shift she had the nerve to me if I liked her???? My answer.."What does that have to do with anything???. She told me that she had talked to the superviser and had given an excellent review,, she had also requested that she orientate me tomorrow night..................like heck she is:angryfire.
Sorry I had to vent,,,,and it always feels much better after expressing my feelings. I can now reflect on what what happened and see what I can do differently next time.
