Disapointed about new job

ocb_dave_ocb, LPN · Aug 13, 2008

So, I got a position at the VA hospital and I am trying to conceal how upset I am about the position. I won't have any "real" LPN experience during this job. I feel like I am going to be a high paid CNA. I will be working the night shift and we don't do much. They have 2 RN's who do most of the "nursing" and I have just paitent care. I really wanted to work at this place, and now I feel like I might have made a mistake. I know there is always the option to go into day shift after a few months, but I am just dissapointed.
I guess I almost feel jelous of all of the people who are working in LTC and have to pass meds, and do all of these interesting things. Then there will be me, who has nothing...
Oh well....I guess I need to start somewhere..
Angela

Maybe that job isnt for you, Have you applied to any LTC facilities? You will definately be used there, You will have anywhere from 20 - 50 Pts at a time, have to pass 100 or more pills per night, don't forget your treatments, NOC shift filing.. It will keep you on your toes.. Keep your head up and try not to get discouraged.. REMEMBER YOU ARE A NURSE.. You have came a LONG WAY

Fiona59 · Aug 13, 2008

Those are the realities of nightshift nursing even in acute care hospitals. It is also the reason that many nurses want to work nights, far fewer meds, dsgs, and almost never any family on the unit.

Jules A, MSN · Aug 14, 2008

Its a shame that you aren't able to do as much as you are qualified to do right now but I would be very hesitant to quit a Federal job. These are the cream of the crop, imo, when it comes to benefits and pension security. Hopefully as you put more time in they will increase your tasks or as Fiona59 mentioned it could be more of a shift thing and if you switch to days you might be busier and happier. I'd say hang in there but go with your gut and if you are really miserable there isn't anything wrong with moving on. However, imo, LTC isn't all its cracked up to be. Good luck!

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Aug 14, 2008

Since I'm inherently lazy, I'd love to do only patient care on night shift. In addition, the health insurance and retirement benefits of the VA cannot be beat anywhere. It seems as if you have a low-stress gig, which I'd absolutely love.

When I worked nights at a typical nursing home, I had 70 patients to care for by myself. I had to pass all medications, vitalize patients prior to sending them to dialysis, complete a mountain of paperwork, change the feeding administration sets on 10 different feeding tubes, do Foley catheter care, flush IVs and PICC lines, flush feeding tubes, do narrative Medicare charting on 20 patients, obtain midnight blood sugars on certain people, supervise CNAs, deal with disruptive residents, check the crash cart contents, obtain fridge temps, calibrate glucometers, and so much more.

I had to create the CNA assignments every night. They would argue among each other like children about the assignments while 10 or 15 call lights were blinking. If a patient's condition starts to deteriorate, there was no other nurse to help. Recall that I had 70 patients by myself. My shift ended at 6am, but I never managed to leave before 7:30.

I freely admit that the less I do, the better it is for my stress level. More is not always better.

morte, LPN, LVN · Aug 14, 2008

any job is what you make it.......you will be the eyes and ears of the RNs, and will be getting a lot of experience of what is important and not....try to develope a good relationship with the RNs and pick their brains....if your intent is to continue on up the nursing ladder, i would check on educational benefits efore i gave moving a second thought

AngelaLPN08 · Aug 14, 2008

I doubt I will be leaving this job any time soon! I do know how lucky I am to have this job that starts at more money than any other job in the area. I guess I have been there during the day and I really enjoyed it. When I applied I was really hoping to get days and was just a bit surprised i got the night shift. I know it will be okay since it has to be! It is the only job I have! I have not started the job yet so I should try and stay positive!

pagandeva2000, LPN · Aug 14, 2008

I also believe that less is better. I work in a clinic, and there, the LPNs and RNs have almost identical responsibilities except that we don't triage patients, can't take charge and a few other minor things.

On the floors in my hospital, most of the LPNs just administer medications and do bedside care. To be honest, I LOVE it when I work per diem (the only hard part is getting there). I don't have to call the doctor (unless I really HAVE to), I get no phone calls, not many interruptions from supervisors looking for the charge nurse, doctors making rounds, calls from radiology (and goodness knows who else), no paperwork, no notes, just my MAR and me. I wouldn't change it for the world, to be honest! I get to learn, observe and interact at my own pace. I write notes on my pad about what changes to report to the RNs, write down their responses and have more time with the patients. Maybe it is just me, but, they can have the rest of that madness.

Will you at least be giving medications or treatments? Are there any CNAs on the floors? Do the LPNs that work other tours have more to do (and if so, will there be an opportunity to switch over, eventually?).

I am with others. Civil service positions (especially the VA) with decent benefits are very hard to come by. I also hear that the VA pays better than most other hospitals. I'd keep it for now. You may see the difference between how stressed out you may be compared to others and be a happy you have less to deal with. Good luck!

pagandeva2000, LPN · Aug 14, 2008

Since I'm inherently lazy, I'd love to do only patient care on night shift. In addition, the health insurance and retirement benefits of the VA cannot be beat anywhere. It seems as if you have a low-stress gig, which I'd absolutely love.
When I worked nights at a typical nursing home, I had 70 patients to care for by myself. I had to pass all medications, vitalize patients prior to sending them to dialysis, complete a mountain of paperwork, change the feeding administration sets on 10 different feeding tubes, do Foley catheter care, flush IVs and PICC lines, flush feeding tubes, do narrative Medicare charting on 20 patients, obtain midnight blood sugars on certain people, supervise CNAs, deal with disruptive residents, check the crash cart contents, obtain fridge temps, calibrate glucometers, and so much more.
I had to create the CNA assignments every night. They would argue among each other like children about the assignments while 10 or 15 call lights were blinking. If a patient's condition starts to deteriorate, there was no other nurse to help. Recall that I had 70 patients by myself. My shift ended at 6am, but I never managed to leave before 7:30.
I freely admit that the less I do, the better it is for my stress level. More is not always better.

Are you still working at nursing homes? I haven't seen too many posts from you lately expressing some of the horrors you experienced (getting physically sick while thinking about going to work and so forth), so, forgive me...I'm just curious.

Like you, I am a bit lazy. It doesn't show, because I do keep busy by getting annoying things done as soon as possible, so that it doesn't haunt me, later. More importantly, I don't like to have a constant adrenaline rush, so the less, the better for me as well! :yeah:

pagandeva2000, LPN · Aug 14, 2008

Its a shame that you aren't able to do as much as you are qualified to do right now but I would be very hesitant to quit a Federal job. These are the cream of the crop, imo, when it comes to benefits and pension security. Hopefully as you put more time in they will increase your tasks or as Fiona59 mentioned it could be more of a shift thing and if you switch to days you might be busier and happier. I'd say hang in there but go with your gut and if you are really miserable there isn't anything wrong with moving on. However, imo, LTC isn't all its cracked up to be. Good luck!

I also wonder if it is a shift thing. Or maybe a unit thing. When I work per diem, I occasionally go to Step down. This is a 7 bed unit next to ICU, and I can be finished giving meds there quickly. Many times, ICU and Step Down share their PCAs, so, if she is on the other side, I may have to change patients in addition to giving meds. I just had to get back to that CNA mode where I remembered how to make an occupied bed, how to change the briefs and turn sheet without soaking the entire bed, etc. But, that was fine with me. The most patients I have medicated were about 12 (NOTHING compared to the madness of a nursing hoome), but there may be 5 piggybacks per person, some has to be reconstituted, etc.... Not bad, though. It is a pace I can handle.

pagandeva2000, LPN · Aug 14, 2008

Those are the realities of nightshift nursing even in acute care hospitals. It is also the reason that many nurses want to work nights, far fewer meds, dsgs, and almost never any family on the unit.

My initial intent when I started working per diem was to do nights for that very reason. Dayshift on med surg is a circus with constant orders changing, patients having to go down for tests, administrators, familes, volunteers, etc... On the 7p-7a tour, an LPN may be assigned to medicate about 17 patients, but, most of the time, the 9pm meds are PRNs (pain, sleep), statin drugs or antibiotics, an occasional fingerstick. 1 and 3, again, same thing...the rush is about 5am, when you have to be sure that all medications and insulin coverage is given by 7am. It didn't pan that way, because most of the call ins were during the day (where there are more headaches and aggravation).

Fiona59 · Aug 14, 2008

On our worst day ever (and I mean unsafe reports were filed with two nursing unions) we had seven patients each. Most were fresh post-ops. I believe we would have hurt the bed manager and the staffing manager if we could have found them. Beds should have been closed until the shift changed because believe it or not there were more staff on the B shift (19-07) that day.