Preaching to the choir girlfriend! I think if the management cared about the actual patient...think of this...all the time you're waitressing, how much time are you available for actual nursing? Families have a knack of stealing time from patients, and maybe somehow you can tactfully make them aware of that too. Good luck, we all understand.
You either like / love working with demanding old people and their families or you don't. Personally, every shift I work, I get something out of being there. The shifts I just don't want to do, those are the shifts that someone asks me to tuck them in and...oh, can I have a hug too?...those times melt me. Here are people that, for the most part, have worked all their lives, have lost their people through death usually, and just want to feel a good heart near them. I do agency nursing, I only do LTC. I have adopted grandparents around me every shift I work, and sometimes I am so touched by them I could burst. In most cases, their annoying families don't know how to care for them but to be a squeaky wheel. To those PIA's I just deal with them as someone's daughter and granddaughter, and remind them that I understand their concerns and whatever I can do for their loved one is what I am there to do. That's my job.
In some cases, control freaks can just be PIA's. I try to remember that I'll be them soon...For better or worse, I'd hope someone will be there to speak for me too. Aside from all the politics and paperwork is a heart you need to share, jokes you need to have laughed at, hugs that need to be given....none of these people were perfect when they were younger, and they are not close to perfect now, but they do need you. They hate needing you, but if you're there for them they'll love having you around, even the tough ones.
Mineee45 - If your heart is in it for the right reason...if you're willing to make a difference, put up with all of what you read here, take comfort in knowing that the one "thank you" you get an hour is worth all of the trouble, then what you've started is worth the time. Never stop in mid stride of any journey and have to ask yourself..." what if? " Nursing opens a lot of doors to places you could never foresee, to people you'd otherwise have missed knowing, to challenges you can handle, or not, but think of what you'd do if you knew you'd never fail. My Mom once told me that nothing worth having is easy getting. You should be nervous, it's all new to you. Get your license, give yourself time, see what you can handle.
This is how we, as experienced nurses, feel about what hinders our perception of what we want to be as nurses, and we are entitled to that. In your own time, you will come to an opinion of what things affect you both negatively and positively, and weigh those things on their merit in YOUR life and career. Good luck to you, and remember, no one can stop you from touching someone's heart. That's who you are, not what license you hold.
As to the comment about supporting newbies I say, in nursing school they teach you how it should be....should be done, should be said...should be whatever. I say here in this forum, we should be able to state how it is. I think it's time school taught newbies exactly what they're in for in order for them to decide realisitically, if they're up for the challenge. I wish I'd been dealt a dose of reality prior to getting into down this 21 years. I'd have done it anyway, but I'd have felt a lot stronger just out of school. A tip of the hat, again, to all of you hospital RN's.
Considering that facilities run staffing according to their state provided requirements and not acuity of care needed, I wonder if there is really a shortage of nurses, or are there enough nurses and are they not being utlized? Given the level of dicontent I read in some posts, I also wonder if nurses are leaving the profession due to their stated reasons regarding disillusionment? Statistics can be manipulated, and are those numbers really representative of nurses available to work versus positions available? What are your thoughts with regard to these ideas?
Although I work in LTC, I have many friends that work in hospitals, one with whom I reside ( a 30 year oncology veteran), and I hear the exact same comments from them. Please know that my heart goes out to all of you wonderful RN's on "the front lines" and know that most of you do touch lives....most of your patients appreciate you and what you are able to accomplish...most of the doctors that know better know you do your best each and every shift...
Unfortunately with the insertion of lawyers and insurance companies into the framework of nursing, it will never totally be what we signed up for, but at the heart of the matter is why we went to school.
Although what I say here will NEVER make up for those lousy shifts, the butt kissing that is expected of you from administration and some patients, not to mention not having what you need when you need it, maybe remembering why we did this to begin with might just help make a few minutes of our work lives a tiny bit less heavy.
I wish you my sincere best and want you to know one LPN thinks the world of hospital nurses. I couldn't do what you do, but I respect the hell out of your fortitude for doing it.
Would have been nice to go but the date of this email is 5/20/09. How disappointing...could have taken off work and had a Hand Grenade
Preaching to the choir girlfriend! I think if the management cared about the actual patient...think of this...all the time you're waitressing, how much time are you available for actual nursing? Families have a knack of stealing time from patients, and maybe somehow you can tactfully make them aware of that too. Good luck, we all understand.
You either like / love working with demanding old people and their families or you don't. Personally, every shift I work, I get something out of being there. The shifts I just don't want to do, those are the shifts that someone asks me to tuck them in and...oh, can I have a hug too?...those times melt me. Here are people that, for the most part, have worked all their lives, have lost their people through death usually, and just want to feel a good heart near them. I do agency nursing, I only do LTC. I have adopted grandparents around me every shift I work, and sometimes I am so touched by them I could burst. In most cases, their annoying families don't know how to care for them but to be a squeaky wheel. To those PIA's I just deal with them as someone's daughter and granddaughter, and remind them that I understand their concerns and whatever I can do for their loved one is what I am there to do. That's my job.
In some cases, control freaks can just be PIA's. I try to remember that I'll be them soon...For better or worse, I'd hope someone will be there to speak for me too. Aside from all the politics and paperwork is a heart you need to share, jokes you need to have laughed at, hugs that need to be given....none of these people were perfect when they were younger, and they are not close to perfect now, but they do need you. They hate needing you, but if you're there for them they'll love having you around, even the tough ones.
Mineee45 - If your heart is in it for the right reason...if you're willing to make a difference, put up with all of what you read here, take comfort in knowing that the one "thank you" you get an hour is worth all of the trouble, then what you've started is worth the time. Never stop in mid stride of any journey and have to ask yourself..." what if? " Nursing opens a lot of doors to places you could never foresee, to people you'd otherwise have missed knowing, to challenges you can handle, or not, but think of what you'd do if you knew you'd never fail. My Mom once told me that nothing worth having is easy getting. You should be nervous, it's all new to you. Get your license, give yourself time, see what you can handle.
This is how we, as experienced nurses, feel about what hinders our perception of what we want to be as nurses, and we are entitled to that. In your own time, you will come to an opinion of what things affect you both negatively and positively, and weigh those things on their merit in YOUR life and career. Good luck to you, and remember, no one can stop you from touching someone's heart. That's who you are, not what license you hold.
As to the comment about supporting newbies I say, in nursing school they teach you how it should be....should be done, should be said...should be whatever. I say here in this forum, we should be able to state how it is. I think it's time school taught newbies exactly what they're in for in order for them to decide realisitically, if they're up for the challenge. I wish I'd been dealt a dose of reality prior to getting into down this 21 years. I'd have done it anyway, but I'd have felt a lot stronger just out of school. A tip of the hat, again, to all of you hospital RN's.
Considering that facilities run staffing according to their state provided requirements and not acuity of care needed, I wonder if there is really a shortage of nurses, or are there enough nurses and are they not being utlized? Given the level of dicontent I read in some posts, I also wonder if nurses are leaving the profession due to their stated reasons regarding disillusionment? Statistics can be manipulated, and are those numbers really representative of nurses available to work versus positions available? What are your thoughts with regard to these ideas?
Although I work in LTC, I have many friends that work in hospitals, one with whom I reside ( a 30 year oncology veteran), and I hear the exact same comments from them. Please know that my heart goes out to all of you wonderful RN's on "the front lines" and know that most of you do touch lives....most of your patients appreciate you and what you are able to accomplish...most of the doctors that know better know you do your best each and every shift...
Unfortunately with the insertion of lawyers and insurance companies into the framework of nursing, it will never totally be what we signed up for, but at the heart of the matter is why we went to school.
Although what I say here will NEVER make up for those lousy shifts, the butt kissing that is expected of you from administration and some patients, not to mention not having what you need when you need it, maybe remembering why we did this to begin with might just help make a few minutes of our work lives a tiny bit less heavy.
I wish you my sincere best and want you to know one LPN thinks the world of hospital nurses. I couldn't do what you do, but I respect the hell out of your fortitude for doing it.