8 days shy of 1yr anniversary.. Will I make it?

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Specializes in NICU.

I really just need to vent.. No one understands what we go through. I try talking to my boyfriend.. but he just doesn't understand... So I'm going to vent here.. to whoever will listen.

So I'm 8 days away from my 1 year anniversary of being a nurse. Today made me want to give my 2 week notice tomorrow. I really think I need to find a new place to work. The stress from today was just so great that as soon as I exited the hospital I burst into tears. I left at 8:45 by the way (supposed to leave at 7:15)... (I haven't cried from work in a long time)

So my day started out really nice. We were staffed adequately and I only had 5 patients. Ended up getting busy after lunch by discharging 3 within the hour. That kept me busy for quite a while finishing up paperwork. I picked up at patient at 3 from the nurse who left at 3. So now I only have 3 patients.. You know what that means... My charge nurse tells me I'm getting an ER patient. Fine.... One of my patients gets back from dialysis... I have to give all his meds, assess, and chart on that pt. So then it is about 1730 and ER calls to tell me my pt is on the way... Charge nurse then tells me I'm getting a direct admit... pt is in the lobby.. on the way up....

So I have 2 admissions within 5 minutes. 1st pt has 3 pages of orders and I have to admit them.... 2nd patient isn't even supposed to be on my floor.. admission orders said admit to monitored bed.. pt was supposed to be on a cardizem drip and we can't do that on the floor.. pt is very sick and shouldn't be on my floor!!! Well there isn't a telemetry bed.. no ICU or CCU beds... Supervisor is trying to get him a bed.. So I have to admit him in the mean time... Well I was so busy.. I just don't understand.. Other nurses with 5 pts are sitting around drinking coffee.. why can't they get the admit? Why should I get 2 at the same time. It is impossible to admit 2 patients at the same time. My charge nurse just doesn't get it. And I try to tell her that I can't admit them both at the same time and she justs says I'm sorry.. you have 4 pts and everyone else has 5 or 6.. you have to take them. (my coworkers did try to help... but they had to finish up their day as well)

So pt is still on the floor.. His room on telemetry has a pt in it that is being tx to a different floor. We have to admit the pt.. then treat it like a transfer... which is stupid I think.

SO i finally get into the conference room to give a verbal report (we usually tape but I didn't have time).... And all of a sudden we hear a terrible crash.... booom... scream....

Yup my post dialysis pt just fell... busted his head open.... it is already 1930.... We get him back to bed. Dress his laceration and page the doctor.... And what does the doctor do? The doctor is mad... saying... "this always happens to me.. I've got 2 admissions and now my patient fell.. this is just great.. why does this always happen to me?" WELL I"M THE ONE TAKING CARE OF YOUR 2 ADMISSIONS AND THE PT WHO FELL....!!! The doctor wasn't even on the floor? How can he complain to ME??????

So then I had to stay and chart.. and fill out the incidence report... OH and not to mention we only had one CNA for 36 beds....

Ok thanks.. I feel better. :o

It never sounds as bad when you tell your day to someone as it really was...

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Specializes in NICU.

I guess I just feel really guilty about my patient falling. Like if maybe I wasn't so busy I could of checked on him sooner.. But i couldn't.. and didn't.. and he fell and busted his head open.. :o

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Specializes in Alzheimer's, Geriatrics, Chem. Dep..
It never sounds as bad when you tell your day to someone as it really was...

Well you feel better after you vent, but definitely your day was NOT good - and I don't understand why someone couldn't have helped you a wee bit - common sense says you can't admit 2 at once.

((((((((((( Tiger )))))

We all have days we want to give our notice... thank God we don't all do it at once!

But - it IS something you can savor and ponder leisurely, see where you are at after 1 year and whether, in general, you're happy, if you want to get a bit more solid before you wander off, or if you just have had it and want to go elsewhere. You are entirely free to choose!

I'nt that wunnerful?

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Specializes in NICU.

I'm sorry, what a tough day. When I worked on the floor, the same nurse wouldn't get 2 admits at the same time, even if he/she were running a bit short on patient load. I'd have cried, too. Better luck next time you work. Hugs.

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Specializes in Alzheimer's, Geriatrics, Chem. Dep..
I'm sorry, what a tough day. When I worked on the floor, the same nurse wouldn't get 2 admits at the same time, even if he/she were running a bit short on patient load. I'd have cried, too. Better luck next time you work. Hugs.

((((((( smooch )))))))))) hi hikernurse!

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I'm so sorry you had such a bad day. I have experienced the same thing. I was called in on a day off to help cover a busy afternoon and had five "new" patients given to me in as many hours. I had a very unstable ICU transfer and a ER admit that were being wheeled into their rooms at the same time! The ER admit was for chest pain and was supposed to be on the Tele floor - I work on a surgical floor! Fortunately I had a great CNA who saw that I was being dumped on and helped me settle the ICU transfer while I admitted the chest pain. I got two more fresh post-ops and 20 minutes before shift change was given a direct admit from a doc's office - who just so happened to literally have a grocery sack full of meds due to being HIV +ve. I had to stay two hours past my shift because there was no way I was dumping all the new orders and the admit on the next shift (I normally work night shift, so I'm a little protective). Meanwhile, the nurse assigning beds who did this to me left right on time - no offer to help, nothing.:angryfire I told them to never ever call me again to help cover a day shift because my answer will always be no.

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Specializes in NICU.
((((((( smooch )))))))))) hi hikernurse!

Right back atcha! I've missed you, Zoebs :).

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Specializes in Alzheimer's, Geriatrics, Chem. Dep..
I told them to never ever call me again to help cover a day shift because my answer will always be no.

I hope you will tell them WHY!!! That's just despicable! (sp)

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Specializes in Peds Urology,primary care, hem/onc.

Wow, that was a tough shift and your charge nurse did not handle it well. There is no way you can do 2 admissions at the same time. When I was a floor nurse (it was a LONG time ago) and we had a situation come up like yours.... the charge nurse gave the people that had more patients the 2nd admission (while you were doing the first one) and they can give you one of their stable patients (to make the #'s more even). IF she had been more proactive earlier in the day, she should have evened up the #'s prior to all of the admissions. In your situation, everyone (including your charge nurse) should have pitched in and helped you. As nurses, we are good at multitasking, but we cannot be 2 places at once! Sounds like you did the best you could and did a good job!

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