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Discussion

BORED

Ok y'all, I have been doing private duty for 17 year old for a few months now. The case is really easy and after pushing medications twice a day I literally have nothing to do. She is immobile and we can use her chair to go outside some but she sleeps the majority of the day. I try to find stuff to do but there isn't anything sometimes. Its literally just sitting doing nothing for hours and I'm going crazy. I realize it's a blessing to have a case like this but I need to vent because I was thinking some of y'all had maybe experienced the same.

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    • Featured Replies

    I hear you. I actually completed almost my entire RN-to-BSN program online while working an overnight PDN case. (Vented preemie who slept all night) I also had friends overseas I could message and a netflix subscription to pass the time.

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    Yeah there were a bunch of cases I worked before where the patients just slept & I felt like a baby sitter.

    If the family isn't lenient enough to let you watch tv or Netflix, I brought homework, or read a book.

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    • Author

    Thanks y'all, I mean I really do feel like a babysitter but I'm about to go back to school so maybe I'll be less stir crazy come this fall. The days just go by so slow.

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    I like to play scrabble on my phone. Do you like crossword puzzles? Can you read to the baby? Watch movies on a laptop?

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    It's not a job for those who need to stay busy constantly. However, some cases are much busier than others. So the case may not be a good fit for you. You can find another case that is busier, float to keep skills up and have variety, or find a different area of nursing. I've heard parents complain about the "bored" nurses. So be careful.

    I have one case that is busy, one that is beyond simple even though it's a vent case, and I float when I'm not working those cases. It gives me stability, gives me at least one case with stable hours if the other goes in the hospital, and floating offers variety/extra money. Sometimes a dull case is a nice break, but I couldn't do it all the time. Same goes for the busy cases. It makes the time go by faster, but some days you just want an easier day.

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    • Experts

    Work on an online college class with your laptop or tablet to make your truly downtime productive. But do personal activities only after you have insured that everything else is up to snuff for the patient: clean surroundings, supplies put away and organized, field chart looking sharp, all follow-up doctor/DME calls made and acted upon if needed, medical equipment cleaned/changed as needed, etc. Only then do anything purely for yourself. And if you get any inkling that you will be observed by the family, keep your own amusements out of their sight. Even if they say it is ok to do for yourself, they will notice and you may get the heebie jeebies about their attitude about such. It would not be the first time a family told a nurse to help herself to any manner of self amusement, then they complain to high heaven to the agency that you are not paying attention to their patient. They will pull this nasty trick, especially at the time they decide it is time to see what new face the agency will send to the door.

    When you really feel you can not stand the boredom, think of this: how will you be able to stand sitting around the house with no job and no income? Food for thought.

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    I hear you. I actually completed almost my entire RN-to-BSN program online while working an overnight PDN case. (Vented preemie who slept all night)

    Haha, me too! I am not cut out for PDN but it was a good way to get my BSN done quickly.

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    Are you crafty at all? You could knit, crochet, embroider...

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    Write that damn novel!

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    Coursera is an awesome, free public education site. I've taken several courses, just ones that pique my interest. Some have CEU or continuing ed credits, and the range of courses is, well, wide ranging!
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    • Author

    You guys have been great! I just think maybe I'm not cut out to do PDN. I can't sit and do nothing for endless hours.I feel like I'm going to make a "Wilson" ball like on Cast Away any day now! Lol I'm glad I have so much support#

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    That's why I had to get out after 3 years- I don't have the personality for it. I gained a lot of weight, to boot.

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