Knowing now what you didn't know then...

Nurses General Nursing

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When you wanted to become a nurse, did you ever think there would be soooo much paper work involved... so much so that you hardly have time to do the pt care you wish you could? Nursing has changed since I went to school in '76 and if I had to do it all over again, I'm not sure I'd want to be a "paperwork nurse!" Would you?

Specializes in Nurse Anesthetist.

In our hospital, we use very little "Paper". We chart everything on the computer except the care plan. The notes, vs etc are all on the computer. We have one computer for ea patient...sometimes 2 pts per computer. This makes it easy for the RN, the RT and the MDs all to get the information they need at a touch of the button. Simple things can be looked up by each member of the care team without always having to stop the nurse during her/his pt care. We are in Los Angeles, so I realize that the rest of the country is a little slow in following, but it does work well, so I see it spreading throughout our profession.

I would suggest looking at the specialty nursing: Informatics. They are nurses who specialize in setting these systems up. GREAT CAREER! 'Specially if you are aging and want to get off your feet.

GOOD LUCK

I didn't bank on all the BS but I still really can't see myself doing anything else. Despite all the crap, I know I make a difference and when I leave work, I LEAVE work. No beeper, no requirement to come in if they call and ask, no mandatory OT (oh yes there are definite perks to being union!!). I work 2 or 3 12 hour shifts a week and have the rest off. Now if the bene's and retirment plans would get better....

There seems no way around the paperwork in my area...some facilities went computerized but we STILL had documentation (mostly for other depts) we had to do.

We go back and forth here...seems like new forms every week....my last facility went computerized and the docs complained they couldn't read the rounding reports so we had to do color coded highlighting for the poor babies Then each group wanted different info printed out for them....grr....just more busywork for the nurses.:(

Then these wunnerful docs complained the nurses always had their noses in the computers and were not catering enough to the docs....so after installing an expensive computerized system, the hospital just chunked it.

What a waste of money...not to mention the nurses' time and energy spent...just another reason there's a nursing shortage...

I've found it hard to belive how "catty" and Back stabbing nurses can be to one another. But I did not choose to be a nurse to kiss other nurses a$$es. I am there for the patients and each time I try to soothe a confused elderly patient, the look in the patients eyes after I've spoken to them in a soft voice makes it all worth it.

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