Am I the only one who doesnt even have time to assess their patient's somedays?

Coffee Nurse, BSN, RN · Mar 2, 2010

I was drowning today. And, while nurses were willing to help, they were busy too and could only do so much. I don't feel like a safe nurse when I hardly even have time to regularly check on some of my patients. =0(

How long have you been on your own on the floor? You should take a look at the assignment you had today and talk to your charge nurse, because it sounds like you're not quite ready for that big a workload yet. Not to put too fine a point on it, you're not being a safe nurse if you aren't assessing your patients regularly, and it could cost you your license if something goes wrong and you're not aware of it. There's a reason why assessment is the first step of the nursing process, and it's because it should form the basis of all your other actions in regards to your patient.

Let your charge nurse know that you need a little more time before you're saddled with that kind of heavy assignment. And chin up -- that drowning feeling does go away (for the most part) after a while :up:

kkit · Mar 2, 2010

I'm embarrased to say that I've been off orientation for 3 months now! I usually can handle that many patients (6) but yesterday was just hell and it was with the same group of patients i had the day before when it was ok! All of these issues just came up and I got so caught up in trying to sort them out and play phone relay between doctors etc that I began to feel like I was neglecting my other patients.

What do you do when it gets to be too much and there's not enough available help?

JoeyGirlRNNYC · Mar 2, 2010

I hear you. Usually when I'm drowning, I will ask my patients questions about their breathing, pain, positioning, and ANY other issues they are having after their vitals and while I'm doing their meds. I'll come back and assess them if their Hx and current condition aren't life threatening (i.e. ABC's, bleeding out, etc) and take care of the patient that is more urgent.

Also, ask your head nurse if she can do any 'easy' things for you while you get your assessments done (i.e. Meds if you can't do them, discharges, hand-offs, etc). I always feel like I should be able to do everything myself and sometimes it's not possible. That's what the team is there for and they sure let me know it. :)

I hope this helps. :twocents:

kkit · Mar 3, 2010

yeah. i guess i DO ask those questions as I go but I hardly even USED my stethoscope that day =0(

libbyjeanne · Mar 4, 2010

Okay, so about using your stethoscope...

How long does it take you to use that stethoscope? I am guessing not very long. If you think about it, did you REALLY not have the time to use your steth and listen to your patients? Or were you so stressed that you just put it off?

When I was first starting out on my own (like the first 4 months) I would put the simplest things off until I got "caught up". Then I realized that it takes me longer to put things off rather than to just get it done right then and there while I was there in the room with the patient.

Just my :twocents: