Do you feel like you do enough?

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Hi all. New grad here and haven't been on orientation that long. I know my problem has more to do with time management and such, but I feel like I am never going to be able to provide the type of care I want to with the time I have each shift. There's always something I've missed or wasn't able to do and I am always late getting out. I don't even have that many patients yet. I have a hard time delegating to the aides because I feel like if I have the time to go find one then I have the time to perform the task at hand. I am finding a hard time doing the bare minimum, let alone devoting to my patients the time I feel they deserve. And it's all the little things. Helping them get cleaned up. Putting lotion on a pair of dry feet. Finding an extra pillow. I find myself going to do something for them and being told by others "don't worry about that." But I do worry, because I told my patients I would do something for them and then feel horrible when I cannot. I know this can also come down to staffing issues and pt ratios and all that, but is it even possible to take really excellent care of your patients? Without cutting corners? Just feeling a bit overwhelmed and am open to any advice.

Thank you.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

You said that you are open to advice. Here's my advice to you: learn to delegate, because you cannot possibly do it all.

Rubbing lotion on a patient's feet is a basic task that can be delegated. Finding pillows? Delegate it. Getting a patient cleaned up? Sometimes it is easier to do it yourself, but this is also something that can be delegated.

Until you start delegating more of the very basic tasks, you will continue to fall behind, stay late, and feel overwhelmed. The real world care of patients is nothing like the way it is depicted in school textbooks.

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Specializes in L& D / GI NURSE.

Delegate, Delegate, Delagate, if you have the time for rubbing lotion do it, but if you know that you have 6 pt's all with nine o'clock meds you need help! this is an example when to have for help... I love pt care but there will never be enough time for me to do everything i always want to do to help. good thing i have a great team of people around to help,, when people help trust me you are not staying to late in charting... if you have trouble delegating practice asking little things first. .... ask for the car. last... scary how easy it is for me now... just remember if the person you ask for help needs alittle help and you have time... it doesn't hurt to help them too. aide, tech, lpn, rn ... it pays at the end.

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the aides are there to help YOU, use them. they know what needs to be done, they're just taking advantage of you right now.

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I left med-surg after the first year because I didn't feel like I gave patients the care I would have wanted them to have. I wanted to be proud of the care I gave, but no matter how much I tried, it never happened.

I now work in an area where I do not have to depend on CNA's.

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

A lot of us leave nursing school with that "I have to do it all!" mentality because in NS, most of our CIs made us do it all :) We were SN and CNA rolled into one...and we also only had 1 or 2 or 3 patients assigned to us so it was doable. But now we're in the real world and our patient loads have doubled and tripled...and you really can't do it all! Ask me how I know ;)

So prioritize and delegate. Start focusing on what only you can do. If it's something a CNA/tech can do, let them do it or have them help you with it.

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Specializes in icu/er.

remember maslow...given meds, going over labs & vs, making sure swanz function and trouble shootin vents with rt take front seat to foot lotion. you may have to do the same and like the others posted..delegate.

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Specializes in Emergency, CCU, SNF.

Were you an aide prior to becoming a nurse? That was my problem, I felt the same as you, finding someone to do it could take longer than actually doing it. I had also worked in an e.d., so we pretty much were used to doing everything all at once.

Actually being on the floor and responsible for a specific group of patients and all that it entails, you need to delegate. That's why they employ aides and techs. Not to say that doing some of those things isn't appreciated, it definitely is...but they can't do your job, let them do theirs.

When I left the hospital for a SNF and had 27 residents, I was thinking....."Oh holy crap! I'm never going to get done!" And yes, I worked late for awhile, but it did get easier. Once you learn the basics for that floor or particular unit (routines), things fall into place.:)

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Specializes in Med-Surg Nursing.

I agree with the others. Learn to delegate tasks to the CNA's. You just cannot do it all no matter how badly you want to do it. You've got meds to pass and charting to do. It stinks that you can't give the care you want to give and patients DO deserve better but it is what it is and that's the reality of nursing nowadays. Don't feel bad.

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Specializes in Infusion Nursing, Home Health Infusion.

You are there as RN so you can give advanced high tech nursing care...so ask yourself on the little tasks...Can someone else do this and achieve the same results? and that is as long as they allowed to ,of course....so yes let the aide or tech lotion the feet...clean up the bedside table..make the bed...you have to let it go and delegate it

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Come on guys...everyone keeps telling her to delegate.

At my hospital, the aids have TEN-ELEVEN pts.(med surge ONC floor:crying2:) So sometimes you just can't delegate. And ya, there isn't time to do those nice extra things we would all like to do. Heck, sometimes people even have to sit in urine or wait to get OOB for their post op walk. Sad but true...This is the reallity of hospital nursing today and it kinda sucks. So ya, even after five years, I sometimes go home wishing I could have done more or spent more time with a sick cancer pt and their familly. This is how it is and all the delegating skills in the world won't help you.

To the OP: The good thing is, as you get more experience you will get faster and delegating does become easier. You will also become more confident in prioritizing. So basically, as you get more experience you sort of find a balance and you can live with yourself after the workday is done. Now some people just can't make peace with it and leave the bedside. Keep your chin up. All you can do is the best you can.

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Specializes in Cardiology, Psychiatry.

Zo- Our techs at night have 13 patients a piece if we are fully staffed- if not they have 18. So I can completely related to having to do things for your self.

Overall, pretty much everyone has said it. It's hard to let go and trust someone else to do what you're asking, and expect to get results as though you had done it yourself (that might just be me). Delagation is something they try to teach you in nursing school- but it doesn't really happen til you're out there working. I find it silly to track down my tech to put a patient on a bedpan when I'm standing right there, but I will put them on the bedpan, head out of the room and let me tech know to keep an eye on them they're on the bedpan... or something. It does take time, and you'll get better at it.

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