Frustrated and burned out rookie nurse. Please advise!

Specialties LTAC

Published

I'm overwhelmed with the things that go on at my job and need to know...is it me? Do I need to change my thinking? Bis this what nursing really is?

Everytime I walk in the door for my shift I say ok..I won't get stressed. This will be a good night. But I get two hours in and I'm jumping through hoops dealing with orders the dr drops in my lap (we don't have a charge nurse), answering call bells (no ward clerk), phone calls bc office staff only does it half the time! And I have to pass my meds, do my wound care, note the orders etc etc all while trying to do the standard nursing duties.

There is ZERO time to do a proper assessment on a patient! ZERO! Paperwork is more important to my facility than the patients themselves.

They allow the patients to speak to us like crap. I don't get it. Any other type if job, the offending person is removed...ex: restaurant or store.

But ithen I also have to deal with nurses who truly do not give a crap about their patients. I am the only one in the facility that uses a stethoscope. That's right. The only one! Which means there is a lot of blind charting going on and NO assessments what so ever. Begat about the pt with right lower love pneumonia? How are her lung sounds? Do u asses peg tube placement through auscultation as you chart that you do? What about bowel sounds on the patient with a hx of fecal impaction??? I am the ONLY one.

My fellow nurses would rather talk about getting a manicure than the patient who's abdomen is firm an is c/O abd pain. What if this person has a bowel obstruction? Am I the only one who cares to do proper nursing in this entire place???!!!

My coworkers tonight are posting pics of themselves on FB, having fun at work. All I can think is "what about my patients? Why aren't u doing that 8pm med pass instead of building making snow angels?? Who is watching the facility while y'all are outside for Christ sakes????"

I cant deal. I can't. I hear 20% of new nurses leave the profession all together bc of stressors. I may soon be in that 20. Please talk me off this ledge. I have no one I can share this frustration with.

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Specializes in Peds, School Nurse, clinical instructor.

Maybe it's time to look for a new job. Most places have issues but not any where near as bad as you describe. Have you thought about home care or private duty nursing? You can provide complete care to 1 patient at a time. I loved doing home care.

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Specializes in Pain, critical care, administration, med.

I am sorry that as a new nurse you are so frustrated. I work per diem in a LTC and can attest to what you are saying. Residents constantly complain about the nurses and aides that don't respond to their calls. They are made to wait as long as 2 hours for their pain medication. Some sit around and discuss inappropriate things while bells go off! Staff I have witnessed as being almost abusive in their approach. There are a few that care but can't give their all because of the load they carry. I feel the sorriest for the resident.

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You're right. I see plenty of that. I actually just had a melt down an started crying cuz I don't know I I can take this job anymore. The final straw was the other nurses talking the NP into prescribing a sedative to a patient just bc he is getting in their nerves. They don't care at all about this man. And the nurse practitioner agreed to it!

He won't eat when he is so heavily sedated and we all know what happens when someone doesnt

eat! He isn't even on hospice! He just bothers the evening shift. Well I'm sorry u have to pull away from posting your FB pics to do your job. I'm seriously thinking about turning them in

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I would love to do home health. I have applied at every. Single. One. Within my area. No one will hire me. You usually have to know someone to get on home health around here in this small town.

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Specializes in Geriatric Psychiatry.

Wow sounds like its time to find a new position. Don't get me wrong LTC is difficult and challenging but my colleagues take care of our pt and we are a team. In the future when you apply at a job ask to shadow, its beneficial to see what you will be dealing with. I would like to remind you that even though you are a new nurse the actions of the other staff can effect you license too. Keep doing your best but I hope you take with you that it isn't nursing but the enviroment your working in!! You sound like a wonderful new nurse!!

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Specializes in Acute Mental Health.

I love the fact that you carry a stethoscope too! There are only a few that do where I work as well. I actually asked one of the more seasoned nurses and the reply I got was....."well the pt is breathing, not coughing so lungs are clear, pulses are present. They aren't complaining of stomach pain or constipation so bowel sounds are active".

I just looked and for once in my life was speechless. I make sure to listen and ask questions, but you are right paperwork is so much more important these days! How sad hey.

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Oh wow! I can't believe she said that! That is truly sad. I got told tonight by a fellow nurse that I think I am a doctor and she didn't mean it in a good way. ((Facepalm)) it's called basic nursing care! I'm surrounded by idiots. Fml

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Wow sounds like its time to find a new position. Don't get me wrong LTC is difficult and challenging but my colleagues take care of our pt and we are a team. In the future when you apply at a job ask to shadow, its beneficial to see what you will be dealing with. I would like to remind you that even though you are a new nurse the actions of the other staff can effect you license too. Keep doing your best but I hope you take with you that it isn't nursing but the enviroment your working in!! You sound like a wonderful new nurse!!

Thank you for your positive feedback. It means so much to hear someone tell me I am good nurse. I work so hard to be but feel like I keep getting pushed back down.

I just...I mean like an hour ago...got off the phone with my relief. She called me and cussed me out. A patient told on her bc she pressed the call light and went ignored all night! When I gave her report her bp was stroke level and was supposed to be checked in 1 hour bc I had given her a Clonidine. Well this nurse ...of course! ....didn't do her job and ignored the patient who had a head trauma!

I didn't want to make waves so I just kept it to myself. Well the patients family reported her. When I was asked by my admin what happened I told him what I knew. She's a horrible nurse. Makes up blood sugars. Rude to patients. And I didn't feel comfortable leaving my patient in her care.

Well she chewed my butt. Called me racist and told me I wasn't a doctor and also told me that after I clock out I have no right to worry about the patients bc they are hers.

I disagree.

This job. I don't know what to say. Driving me nuts.

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Is there an Ombudsman you can contact? Sounds like there is a lot at this facility that needs looking at and based on your posts I agree w/the others, find another job. If you aren't comfortable contacting the Ombudsman while working there I encourage you to consider it once you leave - I would be mortified if my loved one were in a facility like that and nothing was done.

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Is there an Ombudsman you can contact? Sounds like there is a lot at this facility that needs looking at and based on your posts I agree w/the others find another job. If you aren't comfortable contacting the Ombudsman while working there I encourage you to consider it once you leave - I would be mortified if my loved one were in a facility like that and nothing was done.[/quote']

I never heard of Ombudsman before but I looked it up. Te website seems to pertain to education/schooling. Would it help with this?

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