I hate being a tech. will I hate being a nurse too? - Page 4

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  1. Aug 1, '11 by
    Quote from K nurse-one-day
    Its surprising that I would have to deal with this as an RN b/c the ones at my work dont help me one dang bit with any of the things I listed above
    And please dont get me wrong. I know theres an insane amount of paper work and charting with nursing. I see it every day. But when Im running my rear end off all night and you're just sitting at the desk chit chatting about a vacation and dont even offer to help me, thats what I have a problem with
    That could be a reason why you don't like it- the hierarchy has made sure you feel like the bottom of the barrel, when you're a huge part of the unit functioning.

    No nurse should be 'above' getting their hands dirty- I don't care how long they were in school. Patient care is not 'below' a nurse- it's part of the job
  2. Aug 1, '11 by
    Quote from K nurse-one-day
    I really think that me being floated all over the hospital has a lot to do with it too. When I was hired on, the manager told me I would float "occasionally". Fast forward to now, I haven't worked on my floor in a month. I dont know anyone, and I haven't been able to get a good relationship w/ any of my co workers, I haven't been able to establish a routine, theres no consistency...
    I dont want there to me any doubt about my pt care. Im a good tech, and my pt's are cared for. I just hate going to work
    YES !! Being floated like some disposable person has to have an impact. Floating is part of nursing, but unless you are in the float pool, you should be able to get some stability on a floor....

    Is there any chance of getting a job in another facility, to see if you like it better (ie- not being shipped all over the building) to actually be part of a team?
  3. Aug 1, '11 by
    There are two examples of RN to CNA interaction that I've never forgotten. They happened in 1991 at a really nice LTC/SNF facility.

    The first: I was orienting with the ADON (to be weekend sup- 2 16 hour shifts on the weekend). One of the CNAs was coming up the hall after lunch with 2 trays- one in each arm. She very politely asked the ADON if she would open the door to the food cart that was about 2 feet away from her. The ADON VERY rudely said "put those trays down, and open it yourself". I was stunned.

    The second: One of the CNAs was coming up the hall looking around- I asked her if she needed anything. She said she needed to turn someone. I told her I'd be glad to help. She got a look on her face like I'd just put her foot in a pail of water and finger in a light socket, and nearly yelled at me "but you're an RN". I was once again stunned. i told her that I would be glad to help...she looked at me like I might be some psychopath, but "let" me help her.


    While there will always be some degree of task separation, it should never be to the exclusion of just getting the care done- no matter who has to help. A CNA can't help with calls to docs, checking orders, or giving meds (among some things), but they are the backbone of a good unit.
  4. Aug 1, '11 by
    Being a tech can really suck at times....

    When I started I worked on a 30+ bed medsurg unit which constantly had 1:1's. The night shift nurses treated the techs like pure garbage!

    I can't tell you how many times an RN would come all the way accross the unit from a pt's room while your siting for a 1:1 and goes. "I'll sit for you, go put ptX on a bed pane"

    Are you SERIOUS???? it drove me up the wall!!!!!!

    and one day I walk into a patients room to do a blood sugar and the patient was unresponsive... alerted the nurse, who proceeds to run out of the room screaming bloody murder that the patient is coding... they call the code and I get the code cart... the doctors and ACLS RN's are in the room doing their thing... I stand outside the room by the nurses station incase they need me to run and get something (like I was told to do during a code when I started)

    The RN at the station tells me "what the hell are you doing, dont just stand there go work or something"

    OMG!!! I hated that floor! I was full time nights and switched to PD float because I could see myself blacking out on an RN....


    Now I'm a PT eve tech in ICU ad LOVE LOVE LOVE it! ofcourse there are things about my job I hate doing... but in ICU they know a good tech when they see one and they appreciate it.... they know my job sucks sometimes and I know theirs does to...so we help each other out. If the RN sees me running round like a maniac... they will do their own blood sugars or empty their own foleys (not all of them but most).... there is great teamwork on my unit

    being a tech really does suck sometimes and it's easy to feel unappreciated...but put yourself in the nurses position. They have peoples lives in their hands... especially in ICU... it's stressful, and while I wish sometimes I could get off my feet and do a crap load of paper work.... I'm working my way up the later...
    Mochachild likes this.
  5. Aug 1, '11 by
    Ahhh...yes. Your feelings are justifiable and warranted. You are not bitter or disgrunted; just simply HUMAN and need a BREAK! I do empathize with you as I have been there, done that and continue to do it! I will not reiterate what's already been stated, but instead would like to share some lessons that I have learned as a CNA on my journey in becoming a nurse:


    • the labor is bitter, but the fruits are sweet- There will be some patients who have never set foot into a hospital and are now faced with insurmountable diagnoses, just as those who are always in the hospital. At one point, these individuals were independent and now have become dependent, because of medications, surgery or the illness itself. It is embarrassing to have lost control of bodily functions when you're used to controlling. Yeah...it's disgusting and labor intensive. But remember, it takes courage to submit- for both the patient AND the caregiver. Think about it. (...which brings up my next point)
    • attitude is EVERYTHING- Patients have a keen sense of perception in determining whether you are genuine or not, the minute you walk into the room. Your response (i.e., what you do next) will either make or break their spirit, trust, etc...and will either make your shift heaven or a living hell. How YOU handle a situation has a trickle down effect on EVERYONE after you, regardless of the environment.
    • it's all a process- The good, the bad, the ugly- it's all a part of going through the process. In this you will find out your strengths/weaknesses, likes/dislikes, what you would put up with/deal breakers. For me, had I not gone through the process, I would not have ever experienced the JOY of seeing a patient recovering, the JOY of a family's gratefulness that you cared for their loved one, the JOY in knowing that you did the best that you could during your shift. There's healing in going through the process...and it's all a process.

    Good luck, my friend! Hone in to that wealth of knowledge that you acquired and worked so hard to attain. Stay the course and be the example of what TO do. I have no doubt that you will be awesome!
  6. Aug 1, '11 by
    Quote from K nurse-one-day
    I dont need any judgement with this, b/c it truly is a deep concern. I am a 1st term nursing student, and a tech at a well known hospital in my town. I can say with all honesty that I hate my job. My floor is a small med-surg floor with only a handful of rooms, which isn't so bad, except all they do is float me. Its rare that I work on my floor more that 2 times a month. I get floated everywhere, including areas that I have not one ounce of training in. ICU is the bane of my existence. Ive never had any training in ICU and I get sent there all the time. The first time I floated there, I was so scared that I cried on the phone to my husband in the break room for 15 mins. I hate bathing people, Im so sick of cleaning up feces, Im tired of being bossed around and treated like a waitress, Im tired of pulling elderly people out of bed by myself to get them on the toilet and throwing my back out b/c no one will help me, spending 45 mins in one pt's room just to get them to the bathroom and back, getting run ragged every night...
    I actually threw up in a pt's bathroom the other night b/c she sprayed diarrhea all over the toilet and I had to clean it up. Everytime I have to work I dread it the whole day, and I cry the whole drive there. It breaks my heart to have to leave my husband and kids to go to a job that I hate. My back hurts 24/7 and Im contently exhausted. Ive begged my manager to let me cut back my hours but she wont
    So my question is this: If I hate being a tech, does that mean I will hate being a nurse? Im almost done with term one and Im just scared Im wasting my time and money.
    Work on Peds. I LOVE IT. Never saw myself there, EVER! But I LOVE IT. I love my unit, the adult overflow we get we are very picky about. I just can't ever see myself ever leaving now. Maybe to a Pediatric ER or something but I absolutely love where I am at and my unit. The family sometimes is difficult but most times they are very appreciative. A balloon and a Popsicle gets you a smile and a thank you. It's not all roses, but it's been great 95% of the time.
    K nurse-one-day likes this.
  7. Aug 1, '11 by
    Quote from ~Mi Vida Loca~RN
    Work on Peds. I LOVE IT. Never saw myself there, EVER! But I LOVE IT. I love my unit, the adult overflow we get we are very picky about. I just can't ever see myself ever leaving now. Maybe to a Pediatric ER or something but I absolutely love where I am at and my unit. The family sometimes is difficult but most times they are very appreciative. A balloon and a Popsicle gets you a smile and a thank you. It's not all roses, but it's been great 95% of the time.
    I loved the kids, just not several of my co-workers, or the time cut in the summer from low census- make sure you can keep enough hours to pay rent !! I always wanted to work peds in school, and ended up getting to TX and finding out that they didn't have specific pedi floors back then- working neuro, I got the neuro kids... but kids are a lot better to deal with (if the family isn't nuts).... and nights on peds, they're more likely to fall asleep after being assessed.
    K nurse-one-day likes this.
  8. Aug 1, '11 by
    My co-workers have been great. It's very rare we are called off (even with low census, we shut the unit down last night) but they will float us to NICU, PP, Surgical if they must (big boss runs Surgical, Oncology and Peds) or we go oncall and can pick up another shift. But having more days off in the summer (after this summer) is more perfect for me. I have 4 kids and we like to camp and stuff, so my summers I will be able to do stuff with them and I can work lots of OT in the winter when I don't want to be outside here. So I love that part too. The night shift crew is my same personality so we have a lot of fun. Chair races in the hall is always a good time. lol
    K nurse-one-day likes this.
  9. Aug 2, '11 by
    I would love to try peds! Did you get hired there as a new grad? Any advice?
    I have 2 babies myself so I thinkId be good at it
  10. Aug 2, '11 by
    Quote from ~Mi Vida Loca~RN
    My co-workers have been great. It's very rare we are called off (even with low census, we shut the unit down last night) but they will float us to NICU, PP, Surgical if they must (big boss runs Surgical, Oncology and Peds) or we go oncall and can pick up another shift. But having more days off in the summer (after this summer) is more perfect for me. I have 4 kids and we like to camp and stuff, so my summers I will be able to do stuff with them and I can work lots of OT in the winter when I don't want to be outside here. So I love that part too. The night shift crew is my same personality so we have a lot of fun. Chair races in the hall is always a good time. lol
    The bunch I worked with would NOT float to any adult floor (NICU and PICU was it....maybe newborn nursery), so the unit cut staff to the tune of one month of hours during the summer (most had husbands or s.o.'s, and didn't understand why I was so upset not getting hours). I couldn't survive the cuts (the way they did it was very fair- just needed consistent hours). Plus it was a very cheesy sorority type atmosphere on days, and it sometimes carried over into nights (most of them were fine- but one would not let me have one place on the unit where I could tolerate the temps- I pass out if I get overheated from the dysautonomia). I was getting more sick anyway, but it wasn't a pleasant environment- too bad, because the kids weren't a problem for the most part- a lot of Level III NICU kids who were always going to be frequent fliers The manager talked to an adult floor about me picking up hours- I called and never heard back.... so had to work someplace where I had consistent hours. Unfortunately, I ended up on disability 8 months later.