does anyone else feel like a glorified maid?

[smileysenior]

I've been in orientation about a month on a med surg/tele floor. I have worked up to five patients. I'm working days on weekends which I like.....but many days I come home from work too tired to even move and crying from stress. Demanding patients who don't appreicate anything u do. bitchy critical threatening family members, smart ass doctors, catty annoying lazy coworkers, and I think "THIS is not what I thought nursing was". I am really frustrated.......my preceptor is great but I am beginning to think I have made a career mistake. I cant believe the amount of stress! And 90% of my coworkers on on meds for depression and anxiety and tell me how in a while, I will be too.......they arent trying to be mean, but they say the job has taken a toll on them. I am so frustrated. I feel like I was decieved in school, I knew nursing was tough but this is hell......I like caring for patients and I am faster, more efficient, more confident and have learned so much but I am just.......let down. Plus I take NCLEX tomorrow. So I am stressed about that. I just feel like throwing up. Nursing isnt what I thought it was.....half the time I feel like a glorified maid......

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Nursing isnt what I thought it was.....half the time I feel like a glorified maid......

Well, sometimes I feel like a glorified medication aide at my PRN job at a psychiatric hospital. They pay me decently to pass medications to patients with mental illnesses and chemical dependency issues. I am not expected to chart, do admissions, take orders, or utilize any type of nursing judgment at this place. I can do so much more, but this facility is basically using me as a glorified medication aide.

[nsnapres]

mt33133...

they recommend a year of med-surg for new grads. i'd say out of my graduating class of 24, about 3 will actually work med-surg. i live in phoenix and pretty much all the hospitals in town are now hiring new grads for icu, labor and delivery, nicu, e.d. i plan to jump right into the nicu once i'm done. i sure as hell don't want to be anyone's maid/fry-salter.

when you're out and about at clinicals, ask about extern positions in icu's, e.d.s, etc and see what the trend is in your town...most likely you won't have to start there though...

thank GOD!

[husker-nurse, LPN, LVN]

Well, sometimes I feel like a glorified medication aide at my PRN job at a psychiatric hospital. They pay me decently to pass medications to patients with mental illnesses and chemical dependency issues. I am not expected to chart, do admissions, take orders, or utilize any type of nursing judgment at this place. I can do so much more, but this facility is basically using me as a glorified medication aide.

Not to offend, but do you work 8hr shifts? Does your job description state "passing meds only" or "and work as directed"? I'm just curious, I've never worked alongside a med-aide before.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Not to offend, but do you work 8hr shifts? Does your job description state "passing meds only" or "and work as directed"? I'm just curious, I've never worked alongside a med-aide before.

I have a primary job at a nursing home where a medication aide is often utilized to pass meds to 40 residents. Therefore, I have worked with medication aides previously. I work 16 hour shifts at the nursing home.

At the psychiatric hospital where I described feeling like a medication aide, I work 8 hour shifts. My job description is five pages long and includes such filler stuff as:

1. Maintain awareness of patients' individualized plan of care including goals and interventions...

2. Accurately collect data needed for the appropriate portion of the integrated assessment...

3. Participate in the quality assurance program...

4. Collaborate with other team members on a continuous basis during shift...

5. Organize and provide care to assigned patients...

6. Monitor unit activities and encourage patient participation...

7. Maintain a safe environment by use of room checks...

8. Recognize and establish limits on medication-seeking behaviors...

9. Maintain confidentiality of facility employee and patient information...

10. Collaborate with other chemical dependency staff professionals in planning for discharge and follow-up care...

[husker-nurse, LPN, LVN]

So,number five states "organize and provide care to assigned patients", does that not include helping out with patient care? I'm confused........

[rnccm, RN]

My mouth fell open when I read your post. It was as if I had written it!!! Spooky! I just graduated in May, already passed the NCLEX and started to work as an RN on a surgical telemetry step-down unit. I'd said all along that I was going to keep on going to school to get my BSN, just taking the summer off. I'm so dissatisfied that I'm going to school this fall....but not for my BSN, but rather a bachelors in health science (classes in management). Hopefully I can get a job after I get that degree in some type of management position, not necessarily in health care either as far as I:chair: 'm concerned. I'm disgusted every day when I go to work, feeling like I should tell the patient's to RUN as fast as they can out of that hospital!

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

So,number five states "organize and provide care to assigned patients", does that not include helping out with patient care? I'm confused........

The psychiatric hospital utilizes mental health technicians who take the vital signs and perform all patient care. All I do is pass medications.

[husker-nurse, LPN, LVN]

Just out of curiosity, if the new grads don't do any med-surg, who do they expect to do it? It's the major population of the hospitals that I'm aware of....

[nsnapres]

just because we are new nurses doesn't mean we have a defined obligation to serve 1 year on a med-surg floor. it's still recommended but with the nursing shortage, new grads are much more able to stake a claim as to where he/she prefers to start. a lot of new nurses are beginning in community health, private practice, and critical care. from what i've seen at mayo and other hospitals 'med-surg' isn't necessarily basic. it's becoming more and more specialized anyway.

[anne74]

I totally feel like a waitress at IHOP. I work on a progressive care unit, 4:1 ratio. The whole concept of developing nursing diagnoses and care plans for patients is totally unrealistic in a med/surg type unit. Who has time for that? And forget doing the little nice things for patients. I'm too busy making sure pharmacy sent the right med or figuring out why transport never showed up to take my pt to xray. But patients have no clue what goes on behind the scenes - all they care about is you didn't immediately bring them their apple juice cocktail (half apple juice, half water, with the cup being 2/3 full of ice, please. ---Am I a bartender?) And family members can be outright abusive. I realize that they're upset and worried about their loved one, but why do they take their aggression out on the nurse who's trying to help? I've had several family members sit in the corner of the room and take notes on my performance, timing how long it takes me to bring them stuff. I'm really fed up and hopefully moving to a unit with a lower patient ratio. I much rather use my brain than run around crazy making apple juice drinks.

[happytobehere]

hi guys,

I wanted to say hello, I have so many things to say about the shock of nursing and those "stages" we learned in nursing school. I missed the honeymoon phase:uhoh3: and went srtaight into hell!

Man I hope nursing is really for me,, cause deep down inside I know I can do it and I really want to be a nurse, just now it is horrible:o

Us newbies need to stick together to form some sort of supprt group! Or set up a chat link.

[DarlinNurseRed]

I work Med/Surg, and it is frustrating. I had an instructor tell me in six months after graduation I would go thru a depression, then I would become more confident and start feeling better. My sis says it takes a year at least to feel good about it all. When you have choices though, it is easier to go to work. Tell yourself that you have choices, you are valuable, and after you learn some good skills,,,change if you want,,,its nice to have choices.