Do you envy 1:1 sitters?

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I enjoy being a nurse but on some nights I am totally envious of the nursing assistants assigned to be sitters. I see them reading their books, magazines, surfing the web.

I don't know what the process is but I would love to come in and work as a 1:1 sitter one of these days.

I wonder if it would seem weird and if staffing would even accept me since I am a RN.

Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
before i got my c.n.a pull by the state. i did a 1 on 1 and i was working for agency. i got call lazy, i got call not being a team player. yea i got caught sleeping. did anyone bother to releave me to take a break during the whole shift, did anyone bother to get me some water or coffee so i could stay awake no they had me fired instead. i try to staying awake.

Why was your CNA pulled by the state? It is true, many think that it is an easy job. There are some that make it easy or more pleasent for themselves, but, it is hard to sit for a long time and not sleep especially, when it is nighttime and dark.

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Specializes in Adult and Pediatric Vascular Access, Paramedic.
That sounds responsible, in theory. The reality is that the human mind cannot sit in near sensory deprivation and not zone out. That's how we were designed. It's foolish and unrealistic to expect anyone, no matter how much they are paid, to sit for hours on end with nothing to occupy them.

Allowing sitters to read or do crosswords/sudoku puzzles or watch a TV turned on low will actually produce people who are more alert and certainly less resentful.

Management should try doing it before putting employees in such an impossible situation.

I dont mean that I agree with it, I am just giving the reason that I would not want to be a sitter, so you are preaching to the wrong person.

'tooth

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:angryfire:welcome:

I enjoy being a nurse but on some nights I am totally envious of the nursing assistants assigned to be sitters. I see them reading their books, magazines, surfing the web.

I don't know what the process is but I would love to come in and work as a 1:1 sitter one of these days.

I wonder if it would seem weird and if staffing would even accept me since I am a RN.

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I'm a CNA don't hate the player hate the game. :nono:

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Why was your CNA pulled by the state? It is true, many think that it is an easy job. There are some that make it easy or more pleasent for themselves, but, it is hard to sit for a long time and not sleep especially, when it is nighttime and dark.

yes its true i got my cna pulled for not going by a care plan and also trying to keep myself from dosing off.

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Originally Posted by rn/writer viewpost.gif

That sounds responsible, in theory. The reality is that the human mind cannot sit in near sensory deprivation and not zone out. That's how we were designed. It's foolish and unrealistic to expect anyone, no matter how much they are paid, to sit for hours on end with nothing to occupy them.

Allowing sitters to read or do crosswords/sudoku puzzles or watch a TV turned on low will actually produce people who are more alert and certainly less resentful.

Management should try doing it before putting employees in such an impossible situation.

I dont mean that I agree with it, I am just giving the reason that I would not want to be a sitter, so you are preaching to the wrong person.

'tooth

Not preaching to anyone. Just stating some realities that often get forgotten by the powers that be. I'm glad you raised the topic.

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Specializes in ITU and Critical Care Outreach.
No way do I envy them. And if you are an RN who is sitting w/ a patient, you can't *not* be an RN, you have to work to the fullest extent of your licensing. Essentially, that patient is getting a private duty nurse. If you are OK with that, and your facility is OK with that, then go for it.

I would not want to be at the beck and call of a single patient, all night long. Especially one that has the behavioral issues that would require a 1:1. Plenty of people enjoy that type of nursing. I prefer my patients intubated and on diprovan, but that's just me...

Blee

I think I agree Blee!

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Specializes in LTC, CPR instructor, First aid instructor..
I enjoy being a nurse but on some nights I am totally envious of the nursing assistants assigned to be sitters. I see them reading their books, magazines, surfing the web.

I don't know what the process is but I would love to come in and work as a 1:1 sitter one of these days.

I wonder if it would seem weird and if staffing would even accept me since I am a RN.

Honey, please don't envy them. They are there for 1 patient because they don't have the skills you have. Just be thankful for one less patient to care for. Hospital nursing is very difficult.
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Specializes in vent patients, oncology.

independent nursing may just be for you. I worked for many years in a hospital setting where I constantly felt the need to be in 5 places at once. Eventually, I became unhappy with feeling that I was failing my patients. I was unable to be the kind of caring and compassionate nurse that I wanted to be since I was always needed elsewhere and unable to get to my patients as quickly as I wanted to. I would often stay hours after my shift just to 'be with' the folks that I felt had needed more from me.

As an independent RN I focus entirely on my one patient and I feel great about being able to meet their needs each and every time I'm there. I work with vent patients so I'm still busy, but once again, I feel like I'm making a difference in a patient's life.

Another nice thing about independent nursing is, you could maintain a hospital job and also take on an independent case once a week or so.

Good luck!

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You can work at home health...You care for one patient..There is a lot of down time but you can chart at that time also..It also depends on the hours..

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i have done a lot of private duty can be very boring...

but i have seen cna, lpns and rns who do this on prn or long term basis if you have a quiet patient and you ae in school with stuging to do it can be a good source of income because private duty pays better than floor nursing

be careful if you do this, one nurse i knew was doing some private duty, the family paid her and took her license # to turn into the insurance company

insurance companies, at least at that time would not pay for an unlicensed person

anyway the family paid jer for a week and then let her go but they keep turning in her to insurance as being paid..the company turned their records into irs and she got into a lot of trouble when they were demanding taxes being paid on that income

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Specializes in ER/Trauma.

I think I tend to side with Blee O'Myacin on this one.

I respect all you folks who do this assignment - I for sure, could never do it! :eek:

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