From PCT to RN, does it get better?

[Xlorgguss]

Hi all! Just wanted to prick some minds for a second. I was feeling pretty down after an awful shift. I work on a busy PCU floor as a PCT with 18 beds. I work both evenings and overnights. During the evening shift we get two techs (each gets 9 patients) and all is usually fine and dandy. Well a past overnight they cancelled the other overnight tech saying that we didn't have enough patients to call for 2 overnight techs and we should only have 2 if all 18 beds are filled. Well through the night of course we had admissions and by the end of the shift I was working with 17 patients. Nearly all of of patients are incontinent, need q2 turns, q4 vitals, and at least 4 needed oral care d/t being on vents or NPO or comfort care or whatever else. I guess my point is that it was completely unreasonable to think that I could take adequate care of these patients alone. It literally burns me to know that I am not providing adequate basic care to someone because there simply isn't the time and the company wants to save $100 by cancelling the other help. I'm not sure what to do it what I can do. Does it get any easier after making the transition to RN? Please by no means take that I think the RN job is "easier" as we all have different tasks and focuses. I just feel like I am burning out. Maybe I just care too much and expect that I can accomplish the impossible? I feel like it's a big safety issue but I also know management isn't likely to do anything since I am 100% replaceable. Any thoughts? Sorry for the lengthy post.

[johsonmichelle]

There are good days and bad days. I worked this past weekend and to be honest it was awful. I work work day shift on a tele unit and I had 4-5 patients on Saturday (1 was discharged halfway through my shift) and 5 on Sunday. Saturday was the worst of the 2 days. We had very needy and heavy patients (workload and assist wise) and only 1 aid on my unit for the day. There simply wasn't enough time to get everything done. I kept up with turns and did them on my own when I could, but wasn't as spot on as I usually am. I did oral care and a partial bed bath for my patient with a peg (who required time consuming bolus feeds) and needed turns. I did as many vitals on my patients as I could to help out the aid, including all of the 8am ones- my unit is q4. I wish I could have gotten certain patients up and walking more, but I at least got them OOB to their chairs and up for 1 walk if appropriate. I missed a couple of bladder scans and ortho BPs (I don't think it made a difference in care for the day and I made sure they were done the next day). Overall I'm satisfied with the care I provided- I ran my butt off and truly did my best- but I am not happy that I feel like certain aspects of care were compromised d/t short staffing.[/quote']

I think you did more than enough, working as an aide I rarely see nurses do any of patient care unless I work on a icu unit. I have worked with some very lazy nurses, the nurses would rather look around the whole hospital for the aide than attend to the patient needs. For example, when a patient is truly a 2 person assist, some of the nurses would not help at all throughout the shift. Then they will complain that the patient is not being turned enough. Since I'm now nurse, I can see both sides of the fence. I obviously won't be able to do as much patient care as I would like, but if I see that the aide is very busy I will help.

[KJoRN81, RN]

I would agree with the poster who mentioned that the pay makes it MORE worth the struggles.

And it also depends on where you work, what kind of floor you're on, etc. I worked on a busy tele floor and it was hell. I just recently transitioned to hospice, and I love it. It can be busy but it's a different kind of busy. You'll find somewhere that fits for you.

[Kungfupanda212]

My nursing school start next January. However, I was offered a job at a rehabilitation hospital, but they require me to have CNA license or at least finish my first semester of nursing (it's state law and they can't make exception). The nurse manager that I had talked to suggested that I should get the license which gonna take about a month or so. It will be quicker rather than waiting half a year to step foot in the work force. They will reimburse my education and have flexible schedule that will fit my schooling. Everything sounds good but I don't want to go through the CNA traning+test+background check again (I already did my background check for nursing school but they require me to start it over?!?!!!). HELP! any advice helps! I've just done with the Hesi, I'm employed and go to school full time. It is hard to take on another test right now.