I am so disappointed. I have done psych for the past 6 years and did 2 years of med/surg prior to. I did days, then nights for med/surg, and have done days for psych. We underwent a change in management about 3 years ago and it's been crazy ever since. Our manager leads with threats and about what is NOT being done rather than positivity and what we are doing right - things which are rarely mentioned even though we work our butts off for the most part. The management is beside the point though - I know that that is obviously going to be different anywhere you go.
We are being asked to do more, more perfectly, and with much less. We are being asked to max out patient assignments in terms of nursing and techs. We have to be budget conscious, which is understandable, but to a severe degree that we can't give out toiletries without the patient asking for them. This just creates even more for us to do as getting a bucket ready with toiletries was a huge time saver. The charting and documentation takes up ALL of my shift almost with most things having to be double charted. Flowsheets must be perfectly filled out and our notes must be detailed and document everything done on the shift. I am VERY efficient with the computer - I type very quickly and know what I'm doing. Even I am having a ridiculous amount of difficulty getting things done on time. That's another thing - we are being told we will be punished for clocking out late. Staying late is the only way we can get things done!! With all that is being asked of us - patient care is suffering. We aren't able to be with our patients who need us. I don't always have patients when I am working, but when I do I can spend an average of maybe 15 minutes with each patient per 8 hour shift. Are you kidding me????
I didn't get into nursing to sit at a computer all day. I get that we need to document and that is necessary but I feel like we are being pulled in 20 different directions and being barked at by 20 different people to do 20 million things perfectly and without a thank you. I am so disgruntled by this profession. However, it wasnt like this when I did med/surg. Is it just my unit? Or is it like this everywhere? I haven't worked anywhere else since the economy started to tumble, so I just want to know if everywhere else has been under such harsh conditions? Nursing is busy - I KNOW THIS. But there is NO reason that going 12 hours with no break should be considered the norm, as well as having to stay late to get things done as well. So do way more, with way less, and do it RIGHT.
I have done psych for the past 6 years and did 2 years of med/surg prior to. I did days, then nights for med/surg, and have done days for psych. We underwent a change in management about 3 years ago and it's been crazy ever since. Our manager leads with threats and about what is NOT being done rather than positivity and what we are doing right - things which are rarely mentioned even though we work our butts off for the most part. The management is beside the point though - I know that that is obviously going to be different anywhere you go.