Long Whine....

[weirdRN, RN]

Today was a really sucky day. First thing, during my med pass, the maintenance man tells me that a resident died in the night that I was particularly attached to. After that I just kind of felt like not being at work. I was really expecting her to come back to the Nursing Home today.

Then I got two readmissions. During which my ADON and a med rec person and another nurse got right in the middle of. I was grateful for the help but their chaos disrupted my organization. I had things ready to go and they were in the middle of it making a mess. I finally just walked away.

One of the aids was ignoring me when I told her Ms so and so needed such and such and so and so had to be positioned in such a way per PT.

There were bells and noise, screaming and yelling and accusations from another resident. I snuck into the med room and sat on the floor and cried for a few minutes. It didn't solve anything but it made me feel a little better.

I hate health care today. Right now today as I am sitting here I am trying to find a way out of this awful mess called nursing. I have No time to talk to the residents, no time to do more than a quick assessment, shove thier pills in them and keep walking.

My adon told me that I had to find a place within myself where I could be content with touching a few rather than all. I don't understand what that means. I want to be able to take the time to sit and talk with each resident at least fifteen minutes every day with out interuption. I want to talk to Mr So and so about the WV game that went into triple over time, and Mrs So and so about the new crosstitch book her daughter bought for her. I know she was trying to tell me that there is only so much time in a day and that other things have priority.

I am not sure that I am still nurse material, and I am considering giving it up.

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

I hate to say it, but your manager is right. You can't spend 15 minutes with each resident. It's very admirable that you would like to and that you try, and I understand that backing off is hard. I hate when during my day I have to make decisions like that, but there's just too much to do.

I feel your pain. I hope we don't loose you. Good luck!

[Kashia, ASN, LVN]

I feel you! And the reason is it this way is the system. we go into nursing to care for sick young and elderly and soon realize we are servants to the powers which control...namely money and corporations. What we do is support and provide the foundation upon which those enities become rich. Is is about profit and more profit. It is not about caring for human beings. That type of nursing does not pay money , it is found in volunteer work in mostly other countries like with Doctors Without Borders or the many other agencies around. Peace Corp provides your living and food and pays a small stipend at end of two yrs service I think about $6000 to help you reestablish back in the states. I'm sure there are other organizations I have not mentioned, also just going for it on your own. I know a nurse that went to Ghana, Africa with Peace Corp and soon after wished she had just gone on her own because there were many places to help she would have preferred. She worked her two yr and stayed on there...and living cost about $3000 yr.

Anyways..for those of us needing or wanting to remain in the states, I guess other options would be finding your own private care positions or with agencies that private pay, you can make money and enjoy caring for your patient. Good luck to us all.

[chadash]

I really understand your concern for the emotional and social needs of your patients. I am a big softy, and probably have to work faster and harder to compensate for that. But, you really don't have time to talk to folks this much and this long. If you are in LTC, you can plan some time over a week to touch base with your residents. Your kindness while you administer care goes a long way, and takes no more time.

I stuggle with providing consistant care to all my patients. I want them to all be clean, dry, hydrated, fed, plus keep the vitals and I+Os straight, assist the nurses, but while I am bathing Mr. Wiggles in 101, Mrs. Bum is pooping in 315, and some one is wondering why I havent cleaned her up (even though I just completed her bath and left her lovely), Such is life. Maybe we just have to get more realistic.