Day 8 and I'm expected to take 4 patients?

Nurses New Nurse

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Hi-I am working my first RN job on a med-surg floor and had a preceptor for 5 days. The past 3 days I was on my own but was encouraged to ask lots of questions of anyone, "everyone will help you". Well these 3 days this week, 2 of my 3 patients had between 12-14 9am meds and with checking the dr's orders with the MAR on those, doing assessment, charting, running around for each of them, dressing changes, I am swamped and find myself about 45 min behind each morning on my meds. I didnt grab a bite to eat until 6.5 hrs into my shift. Well one nurse, the one who precepted me last week said when I turned down the offer of a new admit this morning when I was bogged down, said "you gotta take four sometime". Well is "sometime" being day 8 and trying to keep my head above water, enough time? They sure are pushing me to be as good as the rest of them in only 8 days!

Specializes in PeriOp, ICU, PICU, NICU.

Welcome to the site. Seems like you have a handful. Hope everything gets better and good luck. :)

Four patients is not a full load in lots of places. You cannot learn to manage your time until you are in a situation where time is of the essence. Just remember to call for help when you need it. Remember too that nursing is a 24 hour job and if you cannot get it all done then someone else will pick up, just as you do when you come behind another nurse. Plan your work then work your plan. This too shall pass!

Specializes in OB.

I'm sure they aren't expecting you to be as good as the experienced nurses or in any way perfect, but it's true, "you have to take four sometime." You have been training for over a week and you do need to learn how to manage your time on a full assignment... in some departments, you'd have to take more patients. The other nurses are still there to answer any questions that may arise or help you if your hands are too full. All you have to do is ask. I've been at my current job for over 6 years and I still need to ask questions or ask for help sometimes. BTW, Welcome to all nurses.com and good luck, it does get easier.

Specializes in Behavioral Health.
Hi-I am working my first RN job on a med-surg floor and had a preceptor for 5 days. The past 3 days I was on my own

Am I the only one who finds it a bit troubling that only after 5 days this brand new RN is taking her own load???? What ever happened to adequate orientation??? Heck, my first job when I was an LPN was as a med nurse and I got a 4 day orientation...just to pass meds all day!! :uhoh21:

Specializes in peds, peds ICU, OB, Cath Lab,home health.
Hi-I am working my first RN job on a med-surg floor and had a preceptor for 5 days. The past 3 days I was on my own but was encouraged to ask lots of questions of anyone, "everyone will help you". Well these 3 days this week, 2 of my 3 patients had between 12-14 9am meds and with checking the dr's orders with the MAR on those, doing assessment, charting, running around for each of them, dressing changes, I am swamped and find myself about 45 min behind each morning on my meds. I didnt grab a bite to eat until 6.5 hrs into my shift. Well one nurse, the one who precepted me last week said when I turned down the offer of a new admit this morning when I was bogged down, said "you gotta take four sometime". Well is "sometime" being day 8 and trying to keep my head above water, enough time? They sure are pushing me to be as good as the rest of them in only 8 days!

A five day preceptorship for a new grad is ridiculous...These are things we need to look for when applying to hospitals - ie do you have an internship, how long is orientation, when will you expect me to be counted as full staff -i know i'm just dreaming... find a mentor fast,help her as much as you can and hang in there. (They're taking 6-8 at my hospital)

Specializes in Med/Surge.

And I thought my orientation time was not enough :uhoh21: Five days, are they crazy? Where you an LVN in a previous life before becoming an RN? Was that all the orientation that you were scheduled to have? Oh My Gosh!!! I find this a huge problem you only getting 5 days of orientation :devil: !! Was this the plan when you accepted the position? I would be mad as heck if that happened to me. Not only would I be mad I would so scared of jeapordizing my license.

It's true that you will eventually have to take four patients, but, give me a break please. IMHO they are setting you up for disaster. Now, if you had had a good amount of time for orientation then yes, that should be expected but not like this. You need to talk to someone and quick-how bout your nurse manager. I see huge warning flags going up. Even if you have nurses their to ask questions, this is not the same as having a decent orientation. Girl, I would be running from that place as fast as I could if this was all of the orientation that you are to get. You worked and sacrificed way too hard to earn that RN degree. You should really think of an exit plan if at all possible!

BTW-welcome to Allnurses and keep us posted on what you do. Heck, I've been on my own now for about 1 month and I am still "bogged" down!! Good luck and keep us posted how it goes for you!!

Specializes in OB, ortho/neuro, home care, office.

I have been on the med/surg floor about 11 days now. The first day I followed a nurse. By the end of that day I picked up my own patient. Second day (remember I float to med/surg - so this was about 1 week later) they gave me two patients. I'm not sure who my preceptor was supposed to be that day, but if I had one I didn't know it. I'm up to 3 patients and seemingly the worlds worst patients on the floor and I'm drowning. I'm told when I go to nights (next month) I will be expected to take 7 - 8 patients. Who am I kidding? Am I truly able to do this? I will likely only be in med/surg 2-4 more times in the next month. I sure hope I become supernurse in that period of time!

Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN.

Can i ask a stupid question how many patients should an experienced/non experienced nurse take on a med/surg ward? Just trying to understand, also would you have or do you have any help with these patients? ie a nurses aide

Specializes in Community Health Nurse.
Can i ask a stupid question how many patients should an experienced/non experienced nurse take on a med/surg ward? Just trying to understand, also would you have or do you have any help with these patients? ie a nurses aide

madwife.......no question is stupid. You ask a very honest question because bedside nursing here in America is atrocious for the most part, especially on the wards where there are 30 beds or more. Med/Surg is a tough area to work nowadays, and it is always treated as if it's "just general nursing". :stone There's NOTHING "just general" about it.

Med/Surg units typically have anywhere from 4 to 8 patients per nurse depending on the shift (ie...day, eve, night). New Grads should NOT be given a full load during the first half of their orientation. That is a learning time for them, and they are not supposed to be utilized as "staff"........YET........it happens all the time -- especially today when hospitals have deliberately cut back on hiring nurses "in secret", but advertise that they are always "short staffed". Nurses know the truth about how that works. :rolleyes:

There are CNAs, Patient Care Techs, or Patient Assist working on the units, but they are scarce as well. They take on a huge load of patients, and are very under appreciated.

I for one won't work where I have to take more than five patients. I tried working where the nurses each had 7 patients.........that's crazy, and the patient care was lousy. It's not safe, and too much is required of each nurse in doing so. I'm not a robot, and won't be treated as one.

Original Poster.........you should be looking for another job. Sounds like you are being dumped on due to lack of staffing where you work. It's unfair to you, and you need to step up and protect your nursing career by not starting out by allowing yourself to be abused on the job. :)

Specializes in OB.

I have a few questions for the original poster... what is your nurse patient ratio for your unit and did you know before hand what kind of orientation you would be getting and how long? I'm not by at all means saying that 4 patients is appropriate for a new grad/new hire to have alone after 1 week, but I'm just trying to understand the situation. It seems to me, if you're not even getting the breaks you should be getting, clearly, no one is helping you out. Something is very wrong with this picture... and you do need to speak to your manager about it.

I have a few questions for the original poster... what is your nurse patient ratio for your unit and did you know before hand what kind of orientation you would be getting and how long? I'm not by at all means saying that 4 patients is appropriate for a new grad/new hire to have alone after 1 week, but I'm just trying to understand the situation. It seems to me, if you're not even getting the breaks you should be getting, clearly, no one is helping you out. Something is very wrong with this picture... and you do need to speak to your manager about it.

What is the usual expectation regarding orientation for a new grad? I am just starting to look into jobs and if they gave me 3 pts after 5 days ...yikes !!!! I don't think i could handle that.

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