Complaints

imanedrn · Apr 3, 2008

Well all - I have had my first complaints registered against me by my co-workers.
I retimed some medications (abx) b/c I had 6 patients, two admits at the same time and one discharge. The meds were retimed by about 3 hours and one of the doses overlapped to the day shift. In addition, this same patient's blood sugar was checked, insulin given, but not documented on the MAR.
Yesterday evening I was called into work from 11 p to 7 a. When I got there, one of the patient's was on restraints, NG tube not secured and coming out and IV access was unavailable. I spent most of my night with him.
I thought I did pretty well...
I've been told I cannot work past 8 am and get behind on my charting... so, this morning, I thought I would pass my work onto the day shift - as they pass their work onto the night shift. Not good.
The two nurses coming on during the day were upset that I passed my work onto them.
I am just not cut out for this. I am not good at this work, particularly time management. Nurses are a special breed of people and I am not it.
Thanks for listening.
Shawna

It's backwards in my hospital! Night shift ALWAYS passes stuff on to day shift -- even stuff that the PREVIOUS day shift should have done. But god forbid I pass even ONE task on to night shift... There's one night charge that LOVES to scold me in front of co-workers and patients!

ilstu99 · Apr 4, 2008

Why not research another area of nursing? There are SO many things you can do!!! At least look for another department before you give up!!

It sounds a lot like you aren't getting the support you need from your management, and you work with some crabby nurses. Work gets passed to other shifts all the time! You absolutely cannot just give yourself a task list and assume it will all get finished on your shift. That's just how nursing works! Admits....discharges....altered/acute patients....difficult families....you name it and it eats up your time.

What are you supposed to do? "I'm so sorry boss, I know I shouldn't have let that guy fall out of bed/die/yank out his tubes/stuff 4x4's up his nose....but I had some charting to do." Please. That's absurd. I'd MUCH rather see someone running their orifice off to give great care than to see them sitting on it all day so they can chart.

I hope you decide to stick with nursing, and find some place that appreciates you and the work ethic you bring to the unit.

Miami NightNurse · Apr 4, 2008

Don't give up Shawna!!! Nursing is hard. We are all stressed out and tend to be a bit crabby because of it, just ignore that. You do your best and that's all you can do!!!! And ignore the crabby ones. Usually when I am crabby at work it has nothing to do with what someone is leaving me, it's because I was in a nasty mood to begin with!!!! Usually with me it's because my blood sugar is out of whack. Just remember it probably isn't you they are really mad at and then again some nurses are lazy and don't want to work so they get upset if you leave them something. Ignore them!!!!

turtletyme · Apr 4, 2008

Shawna your not alone. I feel the same way. I have been a nurse for a year now. I struggle with time management. I am always staying over finishing up work. I am really sick of it. I have tried different ways to organize and get finished on time, but I can't seem to make it work. I have only worked with medical surgical patients, because that seems to be the only place that really wants new grads and most people say this is a good place to start. Personally, it has just beat my self esteem to pieces. I feel like I should have some kind of system by now and it should be working.Staffing is not good, but I look at the other nurses and they are leaving on time, so what is my problem?I have tried to save myself by looking into other areas of the hospital, but the area I feel I would really like... it is hard to get on.. it almost like these positions are already spoken for before they are posted. I am looking into primary care clinic. I hope that I can get this job and see that surely nursing can't be this bad.Really, I had do idea that nursing meant putting your license on the line daily, really, really short staffing, being responsible for everything. It is so unrealistic, that is crazy. I feel defeated before I even start my shift.Please tell me that it is not this bad in other areas of nursing!!! I have dreamed of being a nurse most of my life and have given my everything to get through school... and this is what I get.My heart is shattered. Now, I feel stuck in a job that I feel I am not capable of doing, in debt and my dreams shattered. Tell me if this is staffing in most places. 2-3 RN's, 1-2 aides, 0-1 lpn(passes meds) sometimes another rn to pass meds or maybe a lpn-VERY RARE, the lpn passing meds usually will have 14 patients then the rest we have to pass meds on our pt's that are left. Our floor has 28 patients at all times, if we discharge someone then to follow is an admission or we are always moving beds to make room for someone else.Lpn's in our hospital cannot do pushes, assessments, central lines. Everything we do is on computer,sometimes I feel this can slow things down. Most of the pt's are elderly men, confused,alot of substance abuse. So, tell me is this typical for medical surgical and is it like this in most areas of nursing.If so, I cannot cope. Please give me some tips for making this work. If others can do it I should but nobody really has the time to guide me and tell me where I am needing to improve. Everyone has said it will get better.. I have not seen any improvement just working my butt off to get the necessary things done and hoping that I have charted everything to cover me.NO time to really put your whole heart into it. I am not really that type of person. I was taught if your going to do something do it right the first time or don' t do it at all. Well, thanks for listening. I have to work tonight my shift is 3-11 and 8 hour shifts. I am dreading it. I have already looked at the schedule and the staffing looks terrible. :cry:

jjjoy, LPN · Apr 4, 2008

Each person must make their own choices. I decided that, for me, it just wasn't worth it to voluntarily jump in to that figurative deep end without strong swimming skills in order to develop the strong swimming skills I needed... While I might have the potential to be a good nurse in certain areas, I don't want it badly enough to do what I have to do get to that place. If staffing were better and the general culture more supportive, I might choose differently. So after trying enough for my own satisfaction, I pursued more adminstrative-type work in relation to health care. I got funny looks and sometimes rude questions for not making direct use of my nursing license. Potential employers had a hard time believing I wouldn't soon quit to take advantage of a clinical nursing opportunity. But I found myself more motivated to make something work outside of direct patient care than I was to make direct patient care work for me. And I'm quite happy in my office job (which is related to health care) now. My admiration and appreciation goes out to all of those nurses who do want it badly enough to make it work despite the tough conditions they face each day.

november17, ASN, RN · Apr 4, 2008

Nursing is hard. Time management is a major factor in it. Stuff like this is why I recommend every nurse should spend at least a year as a full-time CNA before heading to nursing school. I'm not talking about doing an externship and then a twice a month CNA position... Being a CNA is like being an "RN Lite" - Getting the basics and time management down before you get into the complex RN stuff. I've observed that the pretty common theme that a lot of new RNs feel like they're drowning with the problem solving on top of the routine nursing care activities.

Even if your coworkers complained, if you are following what your manager told you then there is no reason you should get in trouble. Don't think of an extended orientation as a bad thing, though. I have a coworker that failed the NCLEX x2 and ended up on extended orientation and honestly I don't think anyone thought of her badly for it.

nursemike, ASN, RN · Apr 4, 2008

The bottom line is that I am not good at this work and I am strong enough to accept that.
Shawna

Only you can decide whether this position, or even this career, is right for you, and if what you decide is valid for you, it's valid. I don't know many nurses--even very good ones--who'd argue with the premise that you have to be a bit of a lunatic to stay in this field. I take you at your word that you aren't good at this work. I wouldn't expect you to be. But even at a distance and over the Internet, I beg to differ with "washed up." There may be some nurses out there who hit the floors ready to roll and sharp from day one, but there are a LOT of nurses who got off to a rough start and are very good nurses, today. Heck, I myself struggled in my first year, and now in my third I'm actually sorta kinda marginally competent, at times.

From what you've posted, it sounds very possible that your present unit may not be a healthy environment for you. Maybe that constitutes some element of failure on your part, but it's at least as much a failure for the unit. I occassionally joke, "If they wanted a good nurse, they should have hired one." In truth, I'm deeply appreciative that my management and co-workers were willing to take a chance on making a good nurse, rather than finding one, and I'm willing to work hard to make that decision pay off, but they knew from the start I was a lump of coal, and I'll never become a diamond on my own. If you're heart is still in nursing, I hope you'll find a place that's ready to nurture that.

Honest self-evaluation is a very important skill for a new nurse, but berating is not evaluation, whether someone else does it or you do it to yourself. If you look at yourself and don't see strengths as well as weaknesses, you aren't being honest with yourself. It seems typical of human nature to tend to minimize our shortcomings, but I guess I think nurses, if not outright crazy, may be a tad bit neurotic, because I think we all have a tendency to be overly self-critical. Of course it's right to strive for perfection. Even little mistakes can lead to big problems. But to expect to achieve anything close to perfection, especially early on, is just not realistic. The best you can do--the best anyone can do--is work hard, be careful, and learn from your mistakes.

RiverNurse · Apr 4, 2008

Sigh... groan...

Yes, I admit it - in response to Nursemike's post - my heart is in nursing. However, it is NOTHING like the idealistic theory I learned in school.

It is also the nursing activities that are still more of abstractions for me at this point that throws me for a loop - the routine tasks - how to handle admissions, procedural paperwork - all things I know on the surface but are difficult to recall when I am up to my orifice in alligators...

I have decided to accept the offer of going back into orientation - and during the day instead of at night (where I am currently). I think it will make a huge difference.

Thanks all...

Shawna

xoemmylouox, ASN, RN · Apr 4, 2008

I hear from everyone that Med Surg or Family Practice is the way to best start a nursing career, but I don't know if I agree. In that type of setting you never know what kind of conditions you are doing to encounter. In a specialty you can at least get comfortable with conditions, treatments, medications, etc. But thats just my :twocents: .

nursemike, ASN, RN · Apr 5, 2008

{{{Duh!}}}

That which does not kill me makes me stronger, and that which does not kill my patients can probably be fixed.

NeoNurseTX, RN · Apr 5, 2008

When things are tough, just remember that night/day is NOT the end of the world and you are NOT superwoman. You are new and learning and yes, you are limited right now. You shouldn't be expected to function as a seasoned nurse..

now if only I could remember that when I'm on the verge of tears at work. Gah, it is SO stressful and I'm a perfectionist/control freak, too. Must be a nurse thing.

RiverNurse · Apr 5, 2008

In retrospect, I think that if I'd worked as a nurse tech before going back to school and getting my RN license would have been the best route. Of course, at the time, I had no clue and the program advertising was very enticing. The other part was simply naivte on my part. I've never been in a hospital environment - never had to stay in hospital long term... so I really didn't know what I was getting into. All I had was the idealistic version of nursing perpetuated by advertising and television programs.

So - now - I am contending with the dichotomy of the idealistic version I have in my head with the reality I encounter on a daily basis. Somehow there has to be a convergence of sorts - and that will only happen in due time.

Take care,

Shawna