Emotional breakdown and nurse frustation

Nurses LPN/LVN

Published

Just need some words of advice from LVNS out there......

I graduated and passed the LVNs boards last month and was searching for a job in the Bay Area. I found a job just 10 minutes drive from my house (a SNF)..So I applied and was hired on that same day even though I was wearing sweating pants and t-shirt. I was just there for an application.

1. So far I'm a new grad with no real hospital experience whatsoever except for school.

2. Oriented on the floor just to learn the system for 3 days and been put alone by myself on the floor the 4th day. I was oriented with 25 patients but at night I have 50 patients.

3. I have 50 patients with meds between 5-10 each. (half of them needs to be crushed).

4. Here is a typically time frame from a current LVN who works there.

a. Arrive to work at 2:30pm...check the treatment book for all 50 patients.

b. Fill the 20 feeding tubes with the correct amount.

c. Count the narcotics....check to see if all the meds are there

e. Waited for the summary report from the previous shift (some of them are not even completed).

f. Check the blood sugar of at least 20 patients (mind that some of the patients are combative when they get prick so they are fighting you and giving U a hard time.

g. Assess the patients

h. Pass out meds to all 50 patients at 5:00pm....Some patients at least 15 of them wants it exactly on time....and I do mean on time.

i. This according to them takes at least 3-4 hours (crushing meds, giving insulin shots, checking ID band, checking BP). The bad part is that you have to look for them because there are activities going on in the louge and they wander on the two floors.

j. So by this time it is 9:00pm.....(they won't let you pass out the 5pm and 9pm meds at the same time.

k. Now you pass out the 9:00pm meds (there are at least 20 and they also have to check the blood sugar for 10 patients)...

l. The time to finish this is around 10:30pm...Now you have to do the treatment book (putting medicine ointment, dressing change, flushing tubes, colostomy bags, etc....)

m. Now the time is 11:15pm and I get off work at 11pm...I didn't take a 15 minute or lunch break.

n..Paperwork time.....(count out the narcotics for the next shift, give 24 hour report, document and chart the findings, document treatment book that you completed, fill out the I/O sheet, reports)

I have 4 CNAs working under me and still this is suppose to be a 3-11pm shift but ends out being a 3pm-2am shift because this is the usually time I get home around 2am and start the whole process again.

I get off work feeling depressed and sad.I didn't feel like I want to work there anymore...I'm having emotional breakdown after shift and my whole attitude is "I don't care"......

What can I do???I'm a new grad and this is my very 1st LVN job...Should I quit and look for another job or should I give sometime to adjust...

I was told the turnover rate is high....They were desparate in hiring me on the spot....NEED ADVICE PLEASE:o:o:o:o:o:o

I just feel like I don't want to do LVN anymore...:o:o:o:o:o:o

Specializes in Knuckle Dragging Nurse aka MTA.

maxcrx...did you get out of that hell-hole?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
I am on 11p-7a and have 40 pts.
Actually, 40 patients to 1 nurse is an excellent ratio for the 11pm to 7am shift. The average for that shift seems to be about 60 to 66 patients per nurse. I know of people who must care for 40 or more patients during dayshift (7-3) and evening shift (3-11). Nurses who work days and evenings have compounded stressors, because they must deal with rude doctors, abusive family members, and managers who care about saving the almighty dollar.

I would actually love to have only 40 patients on 11-7 without being bothered by hateful family members and physicians who have the God complex...

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Knuckle Dragging Nurse aka MTA.
Actually, 40 patients to 1 nurse is an excellent ratio for the 11pm to 7am shift. The average for that shift seems to be about 60 to 66 patients per nurse. I know of people who must care for 40 or more patients during dayshift (7-3) and evening shift (3-11). Nurses who work days and evenings have compounded stressors, because they must deal with rude doctors, abusive family members, and managers who care about saving the almighty dollar.

I would actually love to have only 40 patients on 11-7 without being bothered by hateful family members and physicians who have the God complex...

I was thinking the same thing. The night nurse at my last facility had about 80 - 85 pts. on the night shift. I would love to have 40.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Just need some words of advice from LVNS out there......

I graduated and passed the LVNs boards last month and was searching for a job in the Bay Area. I found a job just 10 minutes drive from my house (a SNF)..So I applied and was hired on that same day even though I was wearing sweating pants and t-shirt. I was just there for an application.

1. So far I'm a new grad with no real hospital experience whatsoever except for school.

2. Oriented on the floor just to learn the system for 3 days and been put alone by myself on the floor the 4th day. I was oriented with 25 patients but at night I have 50 patients.

3. I have 50 patients with meds between 5-10 each. (half of them needs to be crushed).

4. Here is a typically time frame from a current LVN who works there.

a. Arrive to work at 2:30pm...check the treatment book for all 50 patients.

b. Fill the 20 feeding tubes with the correct amount.

c. Count the narcotics....check to see if all the meds are there

e. Waited for the summary report from the previous shift (some of them are not even completed).

f. Check the blood sugar of at least 20 patients (mind that some of the patients are combative when they get prick so they are fighting you and giving U a hard time.

g. Assess the patients

h. Pass out meds to all 50 patients at 5:00pm....Some patients at least 15 of them wants it exactly on time....and I do mean on time.

i. This according to them takes at least 3-4 hours (crushing meds, giving insulin shots, checking ID band, checking BP). The bad part is that you have to look for them because there are activities going on in the louge and they wander on the two floors.

j. So by this time it is 9:00pm.....(they won't let you pass out the 5pm and 9pm meds at the same time.

k. Now you pass out the 9:00pm meds (there are at least 20 and they also have to check the blood sugar for 10 patients)...

l. The time to finish this is around 10:30pm...Now you have to do the treatment book (putting medicine ointment, dressing change, flushing tubes, colostomy bags, etc....)

m. Now the time is 11:15pm and I get off work at 11pm...I didn't take a 15 minute or lunch break.

n..Paperwork time.....(count out the narcotics for the next shift, give 24 hour report, document and chart the findings, document treatment book that you completed, fill out the I/O sheet, reports)

I have 4 CNAs working under me and still this is suppose to be a 3-11pm shift but ends out being a 3pm-2am shift because this is the usually time I get home around 2am and start the whole process again.

I get off work feeling depressed and sad.I didn't feel like I want to work there anymore...I'm having emotional breakdown after shift and my whole attitude is "I don't care"......

What can I do???I'm a new grad and this is my very 1st LVN job...Should I quit and look for another job or should I give sometime to adjust...

I was told the turnover rate is high....They were desparate in hiring me on the spot....NEED ADVICE PLEASE:o:o:o:o:o:o

I just feel like I don't want to do LVN anymore...:o:o:o:o:o:o

:oPlease do not give up. The job you have now is a very extreme example of nursing. Please try to get a hospital job. You need some experience on a med/surg floor. This will be hard, BUT then I have heard that it is hard for an LVN to get a hosp job in CA. I have been a LVN IN TX for 26 years. It seems that they are not hiring us here much anymore. Try for home health, it is alot of paperwork, but the rewards are better. Take Care. mary
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Just need some words of advice from LVNS out there......

I graduated and passed the LVNs boards last month and was searching for a job in the Bay Area. I found a job just 10 minutes drive from my house (a SNF)..So I applied and was hired on that same day even though I was wearing sweating pants and t-shirt. I was just there for an application.

1. So far I'm a new grad with no real hospital experience whatsoever except for school.

2. Oriented on the floor just to learn the system for 3 days and been put alone by myself on the floor the 4th day. I was oriented with 25 patients but at night I have 50 patients.

3. I have 50 patients with meds between 5-10 each. (half of them needs to be crushed).

4. Here is a typically time frame from a current LVN who works there.

a. Arrive to work at 2:30pm...check the treatment book for all 50 patients.

b. Fill the 20 feeding tubes with the correct amount.

c. Count the narcotics....check to see if all the meds are there

e. Waited for the summary report from the previous shift (some of them are not even completed).

f. Check the blood sugar of at least 20 patients (mind that some of the patients are combative when they get prick so they are fighting you and giving U a hard time.

g. Assess the patients

h. Pass out meds to all 50 patients at 5:00pm....Some patients at least 15 of them wants it exactly on time....and I do mean on time.

i. This according to them takes at least 3-4 hours (crushing meds, giving insulin shots, checking ID band, checking BP). The bad part is that you have to look for them because there are activities going on in the louge and they wander on the two floors.

j. So by this time it is 9:00pm.....(they won't let you pass out the 5pm and 9pm meds at the same time.

k. Now you pass out the 9:00pm meds (there are at least 20 and they also have to check the blood sugar for 10 patients)...

l. The time to finish this is around 10:30pm...Now you have to do the treatment book (putting medicine ointment, dressing change, flushing tubes, colostomy bags, etc....)

m. Now the time is 11:15pm and I get off work at 11pm...I didn't take a 15 minute or lunch break.

n..Paperwork time.....(count out the narcotics for the next shift, give 24 hour report, document and chart the findings, document treatment book that you completed, fill out the I/O sheet, reports)

I have 4 CNAs working under me and still this is suppose to be a 3-11pm shift but ends out being a 3pm-2am shift because this is the usually time I get home around 2am and start the whole process again.

I get off work feeling depressed and sad.I didn't feel like I want to work there anymore...I'm having emotional breakdown after shift and my whole attitude is "I don't care"......

What can I do???I'm a new grad and this is my very 1st LVN job...Should I quit and look for another job or should I give sometime to adjust...

I was told the turnover rate is high....They were desparate in hiring me on the spot....NEED ADVICE PLEASE:o:o:o:o:o:o

I just feel like I don't want to do LVN anymore...:o:o:o:o:o:o

Welcome to long term care in the San Francisco Bay Area...I been there and done that..You are experiencing understaffing..You are lucky that managment, lets you stay overtime..Where I worked, overtime was not allowed so you would have to be superman or superwoman to finish on time...

Short cuts...Well the reality is that many nurses will have to do this in order to survive LTC or unless they have super human powers and can zip through thousands of meds and treatments in a couple of hours..

Up Vote Up Vote ×

OMG!!! I feel so sorry for you, I have asked around some of my friends and some instructors and I was told LVNs can work in hospitals and doctors offices. Maybe you could find a job in a doctor's office or at a community hospital. I hope that everything works out for you, don't give up being an LVN, don't let one hospital ruin it for you!!! I cannot believe the work and patient load they are giving you, it's wrong and they should be called out on that, you and the patients do not deserve that!!! keep us posted, I wish you luck, keep your head up!!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LPN-Geriatric.
Just need some words of advice from LVNS out there......

I graduated and passed the LVNs boards last month and was searching for a job in the Bay Area. I found a job just 10 minutes drive from my house (a SNF)..So I applied and was hired on that same day even though I was wearing sweating pants and t-shirt. I was just there for an application.

1. So far I'm a new grad with no real hospital experience whatsoever except for school.

2. Oriented on the floor just to learn the system for 3 days and been put alone by myself on the floor the 4th day. I was oriented with 25 patients but at night I have 50 patients.

3. I have 50 patients with meds between 5-10 each. (half of them needs to be crushed).

4. Here is a typically time frame from a current LVN who works there.

a. Arrive to work at 2:30pm...check the treatment book for all 50 patients.

b. Fill the 20 feeding tubes with the correct amount.

c. Count the narcotics....check to see if all the meds are there

e. Waited for the summary report from the previous shift (some of them are not even completed).

f. Check the blood sugar of at least 20 patients (mind that some of the patients are combative when they get prick so they are fighting you and giving U a hard time.

g. Assess the patients

h. Pass out meds to all 50 patients at 5:00pm....Some patients at least 15 of them wants it exactly on time....and I do mean on time.

i. This according to them takes at least 3-4 hours (crushing meds, giving insulin shots, checking ID band, checking BP). The bad part is that you have to look for them because there are activities going on in the louge and they wander on the two floors.

j. So by this time it is 9:00pm.....(they won't let you pass out the 5pm and 9pm meds at the same time.

k. Now you pass out the 9:00pm meds (there are at least 20 and they also have to check the blood sugar for 10 patients)...

l. The time to finish this is around 10:30pm...Now you have to do the treatment book (putting medicine ointment, dressing change, flushing tubes, colostomy bags, etc....)

m. Now the time is 11:15pm and I get off work at 11pm...I didn't take a 15 minute or lunch break.

n..Paperwork time.....(count out the narcotics for the next shift, give 24 hour report, document and chart the findings, document treatment book that you completed, fill out the I/O sheet, reports)

I have 4 CNAs working under me and still this is suppose to be a 3-11pm shift but ends out being a 3pm-2am shift because this is the usually time I get home around 2am and start the whole process again.

I get off work feeling depressed and sad.I didn't feel like I want to work there anymore...I'm having emotional breakdown after shift and my whole attitude is "I don't care"......

What can I do???I'm a new grad and this is my very 1st LVN job...Should I quit and look for another job or should I give sometime to adjust...

I was told the turnover rate is high....They were desparate in hiring me on the spot....NEED ADVICE PLEASE:o:o:o:o:o:o

I just feel like I don't want to do LVN anymore...:o:o:o:o:o:o

I can relate. I know how u feel.

Before I graduated from PN school I worked in an ALF as a medication tech. 40-45 residence and 1-2 CNA's per shift. It was crazy and I didn't have to do feeding or accuchecks. Just PO meds, dressings( in AM), creams, eye drops, inhalers and Nitro patches. The residents and their families are very demanding. No supervisors on the premises especially 3-11 shift just by phone if u need guidance. I was basically running the place everytime I'm on duty and working as a Nurse. That's why I resigned and never looked back. No job is worth all that stress.. I am now studying for my boards and that's the only thing that stressing me out now.. Hope this helps.. I hope you find something better.. Be strong..Good luck or you can move to Florida ;)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment