I've been on my own on the floor for a whopping 1 year and 2 months. It really has been a sink or swim first year, and up until recently I honestly thought I was doing a fairly decent job at swimming. I haven't been counseled nor written up, I received a moderate raise at my first review a couple months ago, and my PCS often mentions how I "think outside the box" or am "a great resource for the team".
With that humblebrag out of the way, the past two weekends have seriously made me question my abilities as a nurse. I've been struggling with suddenly not having time for lunchbreaks, and just the last two shifts not only was I late getting out of work (after finally nailing down the time management to being out on time most shifts) but I had a doctor shred me to tears and a family fire me from their care.
I know my floor has had staffing issues and did just hire a bunch of new grads. I'm wondering if my new-onset inability to manage my time correctly and feeling overwhelmed with the acuity of my patients has to do with me getting heavier loads while we ease the new nurses onto the floor, or if I truly am just not trying hard enough.
I guess what I am wondering is, how do you know if your sudden suckiness is simply that you suck as a nurse, or that your floor is really screwing you over in the short-term?
I don't think this has anything to do with your abilities as a nurse. Client loads ebb and flow, Heavy to light, the same thing happens with Codes, sometimes you have lots in a month, others none. It sounds like a situational issue. This struggle will in fact make you better at your job. And FYI, the doctor has no rights to berate you. You should speak with the nurse manager.
Dear Country Momma, Where do you work? What floor or unit? What state? There are only a few good states to work in.
i have been a nurse for 40 years. The work gets harder and more complex with the advent of new drugs and treatment modalities.
Your floor sucks as do, 99%
With HCAP, we don't stand a chance in hell of being happy. Too much, ******** from the family. How would they like it if my whole familt showed up @ their job and screwed with them all day. I need water, a blanket. I am hungry, a pillow, and on and on and on and on it goes.
If i didn't make 60 hr, i'd tell them again after changing jobs like shirts, for 40 years ( i have had conservately 150 different nursing jobs.) I have had as many as 15 in one year because they tried to make me do the work of three nurses every shift i worked. Kiss my A--. twice and go to hell.
If we did not have selective amnesia and forget easily how we are over worked and mentally mistreated, we could not carry on.
considermebranded
7 Posts
I don't think this has anything to do with your abilities as a nurse. Client loads ebb and flow, Heavy to light, the same thing happens with Codes, sometimes you have lots in a month, others none. It sounds like a situational issue. This struggle will in fact make you better at your job. And FYI, the doctor has no rights to berate you. You should speak with the nurse manager.