Do you feel like a glorified babysitter?

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Specializes in LTC.

Both my clients are pretty stable. Sometimes the parents leave which is fine but for the most part I just see myself as a glorified babysitter. The four year old is very high functioning so he loves to play games and etc. That is great and I certaintly don't mind that all. I don't know, I guess I just want others opinions or advice as this is very new to me.

Well I don't mind getting paid to play, I'm a big kid myself.

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Better than getting paid to play is getting paid to watch a baby sleep at night, or even get told to sleep yourself, you are not allowed to have the light on. You do get somewhat used to it. That is part of the nature of extended care home health.

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Specializes in LTC.
Better than getting paid to play is getting paid to watch a baby sleep at night, or even get told to sleep yourself, you are not allowed to have the light on. You do get somewhat used to it. That is part of the nature of extended care home health.

I agree. I was offered full time nights. I declined. There is NO way I could stay over night in the dark and not be tempted to sleep. Heck, its hard not to dose off in the day time to the subtle noises of cartoons and pumps. Well I'm still looking forward to my new line of work. I was sure to bring books with me to read on down time. :yawn:

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I'd rather "baby-sit" one person as opposed to 30 or 40 or 50 persons! :lol2:

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Specializes in PDN; Burn; Phone triage.

At least your patient likes to play with you! I have one kiddo who will only minimally interact with me. (Or anyone else, really.) So I'm sitting there next to this kid for 8 hours. The parents/family are buzzing around constantly. God forbid I flip through a magazine or stare at the TV -- dirty looks from EVERYONE except the kid that I'm watching, because she's totally not interested. I end up staring at her for the majority of the time while she does her own thing.

At least the family isn't there to stare you down during night shifts.

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At least your patient likes to play with you! I have one kiddo who will only minimally interact with me. (Or anyone else, really.) So I'm sitting there next to this kid for 8 hours. The parents/family are buzzing around constantly. God forbid I flip through a magazine or stare at the TV -- dirty looks from EVERYONE except the kid that I'm watching, because she's totally not interested. I end up staring at her for the majority of the time while she does her own thing.

At least the family isn't there to stare you down during night shifts.

Some family members like to make sneak attacks on night shift in order to catch a night shift nurse sleeping, or to scare the bejezuz out of her. Especially creepy to look up from what you are reading to see the man of the house in the doorway staring at you. This is also what makes hh interesting.

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