I am currently working in a ICU on a weekend package contract. Fri and Sat nights only, so that I can focus on my FNP school during the week and do clinicals. I graduate in August 2017. My current job is sucking this life out of me. I stay bc I love my co-workers and the pay is unbeatable (extra 7.50/hr for the contract work). I have been at this hospital for 7 years. Last year, a new mega company bought us out and moral has plummeted. I keep telling myself I will stick it out until I am done with FNP school. "I can do this. Its only a few more months."
The problem, is that I don't feel like I can do this. I feel sick thinking about going to work. I still love my co-workers but I hate going to that job every weekend. Hate it. So much so, that I have caught myself thinking that I don't even want to be a nurse anymore.... which is horrible bc I am on the brink of having a Master's Degree in a profession I am growing to despise.
I need out. There is a decent nursing home not far from me that I plan on looking into. They would have to honor my set schedule though. They appear to be in dire need of nurses right now, so I am hopeful they can work something out with me. But here are the things holding me back- I hold the insurance for my family. My husband does not work for medical reasons. I can only work part time and I fear there will be a lapse in coverage. I will take a pay cut of at least 10 or more dollars an hour if I take a job in a SNF. The pay cut is temporary- things will be tight. Is my happiness and overall well being worth the lesser pay? I have worked in nursing homes before and it was hard. But is it harder than what I already do now? SNF is not my ideal job, but I think it will get me by for now. I do not want to apply to another hospital bc of my impending graduation. I think a SNF would be better, as the orientation process is less and they typically have a higher turn over anyways. I am nervous. I do not know what I should do. My husband tells me to go for it. Am I just being a big baby about it? Should I just stick it out? Or should I give myself a breath of fresh air for a few months before I transition into the FNP role?
The new admins have changed things. They have taken away virtually all the small "perks" we have had for years. They are cutting costs in every way possible (I know every place is, but this is a bit extreme). I was going to be upfront and honest with a new potential employer about my schooling. The place I was considering uses agency nurses when they are short. I used to work for them for a very short time as prn.. I quit on good terms- but would need a good orientation again. My thought, is if they are short, it is cheaper to pay a staff nurse than an agency nurse, even if it is only for 6-8 months. Its all up in the air and there is a lot to consider. I would obviously ask all the questions and not just quit my current job without having the facts. I just wanted to see if anyone else was in the same boat or had been there, done that. I also think transitioning to a day shift would also help. The night thing is mostly do-able.. but it is starting to wear on me.
My only concern for you is that going from ICU to a SNF is going to be a massive change. Yes, you will know a *lot*. But, the ratios will be drastically different. There's a saying on our floor that ICU nurses could never work on a medsurg unit because of time management of more than 2 patients (and even CCU nurses have said this).
If you firmly believe you can do it and get your schedule, I say go for it.
Unless you plan on hurting yourself or someone else, I say stick it out. You're very close to completion and when you start applying for NP jobs, you don't want to show that you recently worked for another employer for just a few months. You definitely don't want to have to explain that. In your program, a good schedule is more important than having a few perks taken away. Study, graduate and take your boards as soon as possible, so you can be on your merry way. Hang in there and good luck.
Burnout is such a normal part of nursing. Just look out for yourself and find some other work until you finish your fnp. And try to find something lower stress (probably not a snf) that will keep things easy for you while you focus on school.
Do you know specifically about this SNF? Just make sure that you won't have a ton of patients which leads to more charting and more everything. I work on a ICU step down unit and I would not ever want to go back to a SNF. To each is own. Do what works for you, just think it through. It may sound like a better option but is it really? Do you know of anyone that works at this place? Can you work PRN at your current job or part-time?
As an LPN about to be an RN (so obviously my hospital experience is limited to clinical) and as someone who has spent a LONG time in LTC as an CNA and an LPN, I would definitely think this out.
Nursing homes are not what they used to be -- I just left my LTC job late last year because 1) the hospitals are kicking them out sicker and sooner than ever and 2) I still had 25 patients even though included in those 25 I had 8 rehab beds with patients that are very similar in acuity to patients I see on the med-surg floor at clinical.
I finally had enough when one night I had 3 patients who were all full code (and our full code is CPR - 911 essentially) one was septic, one w/ CHF on fluids and hypokalemic (that was fun), and one who was a few days post op, hemoglobin trending down and all other sorts of fun stuff. Oh yah, I had 22 other patients to care for with little back up other than my awesome aides but I really needed two other nurses.
I just suspect you will find the same environment. We are expected to keep ratios of 1:25 with patients who really need a nurse that is like 1:5. You do not have even a 1/4 of the resources you have in a hospital in LTC and administration is the first to kick you out on your exhausted ass if a mistake happens when you had no way to prevent it because you cannot be in two places at once. People call off more, burn out is high, and you mandated often because there is no one to cover.
Not trying to burst your bubble or anything just want to give you an alternative view so you do not leave one mess for another!! Good luck :)
The new admins have changed things. They have taken away virtually all the small "perks" we have had for years. They are cutting costs in every way possible (I know every place is, but this is a bit extreme). I was going to be upfront and honest with a new potential employer about my schooling. The place I was considering uses agency nurses when they are short. I used to work for them for a very short time as prn.. I quit on good terms- but would need a good orientation again. My thought, is if they are short, it is cheaper to pay a staff nurse than an agency nurse, even if it is only for 6-8 months. Its all up in the air and there is a lot to consider. I would obviously ask all the questions and not just quit my current job without having the facts. I just wanted to see if anyone else was in the same boat or had been there, done that. I also think transitioning to a day shift would also help. The night thing is mostly do-able.. but it is starting to wear on me.
I'm pretty sure everywhere everyone is feeling the effects of cost-cutting, and it feels extreme to anyone trying to adjust to the changes.
I'm an LPN in Upstate NY and that is a little less than our HHC (home health care) rate. I left LTC 11yrs ago. When FULLY staffed the nurse to patient ratio:
Days 1:23 & 4-5 CNAs days
Eves 1:23 & 4 CNAs
Nights: 1:46 & 2 CNAs
If you are an RN, you automatically were Team Leader/Charge Nurse. Oftentimes we were understaffed where a CNA or Nurse would float as a CNA to 1 or multiple floors. OR the nurse would team up with the CNA and help do their job & hers.
I just finally quit nursing after 32 years. I'd had enough and I knew it. But since you're still in the profession, I'm sure quitting isn't a possibility. Have you checked into agency nursing? Or private duty? Even psych, if you have a state hospital near you because they're always looking for nurses. I used to be a travel nurse and I was sent to some miserable places, but I always said I can do anything ffor 3 months. You could probably do anything for 8 months, but if it's that bad you need to leave. Agency nurses and private duty nurses are always needed on week-ends, because that's when people call off or just refuse to sign up. And if you're private duty and your patient is sleeping, you can study. Good luck to you.
Id say stick it out. you have 7 months left. 8 shifts/month = 56 more shifts. Look at it that way and countdown haha. Seriously tho, if the SNF you are looking into is "desperate" for nurses, there has to be a reason why. You may find yourself in a worse situation than you are in now if you move on to the SNF.
I had my interview today and have some info to guide my decision. I am not making a decision until at least Monday or Tuesday... The LTC facility is a non-profit Christian based organization. Typical patient ration is 1:20 for nurses, 1:10 for aides. The acuity is very low, they do not take very skilled patients (trachs, etc). The ADON that interviewed me said she is personally very happy with the benefits. She did admit that they are always working on staff moral and turn over. They did not seem desperate and she said it is very rare that staff has to stay over these days. They offer an employee match to contribution to a 403B, although she said health insurance for a family is pricey. She could not give me exact numbers on insurance or pay rate, so I am awaiting a call from their HR dept. It is all really going to depend on pay rate, cost of insurance, and when insurance would kick in. They are willing to work with my school schedule, and can do 4, 8 or 12 hour shifts. So we will see. I am not going to hold my breath- but it does not seem as bad as other LTC facilities. The staff all looked happy. I guess that says something too... Ill keep you all posted
rehric00
62 Posts
The new admins have changed things. They have taken away virtually all the small "perks" we have had for years. They are cutting costs in every way possible (I know every place is, but this is a bit extreme). I was going to be upfront and honest with a new potential employer about my schooling. The place I was considering uses agency nurses when they are short. I used to work for them for a very short time as prn.. I quit on good terms- but would need a good orientation again. My thought, is if they are short, it is cheaper to pay a staff nurse than an agency nurse, even if it is only for 6-8 months. Its all up in the air and there is a lot to consider. I would obviously ask all the questions and not just quit my current job without having the facts. I just wanted to see if anyone else was in the same boat or had been there, done that. I also think transitioning to a day shift would also help. The night thing is mostly do-able.. but it is starting to wear on me.