New grad too stressed about the job- Is this normal?

[sail2boat2002]

Hi guys! This is my first time posting something on this section of the allnurses. Nice to meet you guys!! Currently I'm working a double weekend shift at a LTC facility and I care for 34-37 residents depending on the admission and discharges. At first, I considered myself lucky because I only work weekends totaling 32 hours a week but I get pay for 40 hours. Sounds great right? Here is a problem. I am always overwhelmed by amount of work that I have to do and feel like throwing in my towel every time I'm at work. I can't never get med pass on time and people are putting on their call lights screaming and yelling for the PRN pain meds and also have to do cluster call, incident reports, supervise aids in between. I often try to skip my lunch breaks working straight through 16 hours often 17-20 hours. It has been about a month and a half since I worked there but I haven't gotten down everybody's routine down yet since I only work weekends. Well... tomorrow is my 6th time working weekends and I have this massive anxiety coming through my head thus, I'm venting here.

I like this schedule since I'm starting school next year (Jan/2013). But I feel like having this anxiety even through my time off is not worth the benefit. What should I do? Should switch to night shift? I'm totally lost Please experienced nurses or new nurses give me some advice. Pretty please...

[Nurse glam]

Anne36 omg I'm in the same situation. I work 6am til 2pm most of the time I'm there until 330 I can't get all of the charting done and my hall has the most critical patients. Not to mention I'm a brand new nurse fresh out of school! I feel as if I can't keep up and I only had three days of orientation off for a week and back on the weekend alone!

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[benegesserit]

2) If your diabetics are hanging out in the dining room, go do your sticks in there. Then do the ones hanging out at the nurses station. Then go to rooms. If you can do one person's meds and stick at the same time - bonanza!

But be aware that doing fingersticks in communal spaces like the dining room is likely to be considered a dignity issue by your facility/state.