Frustrated at work

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Specializes in RN- Med/surg.

I've been working at my job now for 9 months. They hired me in as a new RN..and trained me to work CCU and med/surg. I work mostly nights with the occasional evening. WHen I work the unit...I'm almost always with 1 charge nurse when I work nights. We're a small unit with only 4 beds. Because she's been a nurse for 30 years..and I'm young..she always gives me the light assignment..even when I ask for more difficult pt's.

WHen I work with anyone else (evenings, or her nights off)...They always assign equal loads..OR based on what I need experience in.

The last 2 weeks I've learned more than I have in the past 9 months..because this charge nurse was on vacation. I had difficult pt's, drips, BiPAP, and much more. When she's here i always have the pt's either ready for discharge..or ready to move out to the floor.

I'm just frustrated! I'm her backup! If we had a code elsewhere in the hospital how can I manage the unit while she's gone if she never lets me experience anything!

Our hospital is on 8 hour shifts..and tonight I picked up part of the evening so I was working a 12. I had 2 GREAT pt's. When she came on she had a student..first night back from vacation..and this student's first night with us. She tried to have me give up both my patients and take 1 pt (stable pt on suicide watch) to her. I gave up one, and said no to the other one.

Anyway..this is getting long..sorry. Now she's watching my 1 pt as closely as if she were assigned to him. He certainly survived the first 4 hours of me!

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Specializes in Critical Care, Capacity/Bed Management.

If I were in your position I would talk to her about challenging you a bit more... and when she asks in which way tell her you want a more diverse patient assignment.

If things do not shape up in the next two weeks bring the matter to your Nurser Manager and discuss with them your concerns about handling the unit if there were to be an emergency in the hospital. Inform them that your patient load is relatively light and you wish to sharpen your nursing skills and intellect.

Good Luck... I'd love to work in ICU after Nursing School.

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Specializes in RN- Med/surg.

Another thing...it's the student's first night. She's spent the last 2 hours orienting her to the unit..where to find things..how to chart etc... She certainly could have used a light load tonight.

I have mentioned heavier assignments. Every other nurse in the unit..we get report..and the 2 nurses comming on decide together what the assignments will be. She's the only one who "assigns"

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Specializes in Critical Care, Capacity/Bed Management.

Then I would consider discussing the situation with the nurse manager.

In our hospital the previous shift's coordinator/chard RN makes up the assignment so the shift coming on cannot change it. I think it is fair since you are assigned on acuity not by room number...

Also would it not be dangerous of her taking on "heavy" ICU patients while orientation a student. She may just have a superiority complex, but again definately talk to your NM and discuss a way for you to get more experience, maybe going to the MICU or SICU

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Specializes in RN- Med/surg.

She wants to make sure she has good assessments for the student. WHICH..I understand- really. All students want good experiences. BUT- when you're new..they're all experiences..the good and bad...are all times for learning. I shouldn't have to change assignments for a student.

Either way...they aren't really heavy ICU patients. We're a small hospital..prabably equivilent of a stepdown unit. Which is my point I guess. If the "hard" ones aren't that bad...the easy ones make for a LONG night.

She's a great nurse really. VERY intelligent and tons of experience. But- that shouldn't always effect my learning. I've started checking other dpts in the hospital because I'm so frustrated..but love our unit.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Capacity/Bed Management.

Oh... I recommend moving to a different hospital. If you say your ICU is equivalant to a step down unit then you need the real ICU experience. I mean the Hardcore stuff. lol.

I work in an urban hospital and our ICU has 22 beds and its awesome, when I float there I just sit follow the nurses and ask everything because everything is new.

I recomment finding a part-time job to help you broaden your horizons.

An RN i work with did just that and she loves it.

Eitherways do what you think is right, it isnt a bad thing to want to spread out and learn new things and no one should hinder that, who knows one day she might need your help.

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Specializes in RN- Med/surg.

No- I wouldn't change hospitals. First of all..it would require moving. Second..I LOVE my facility. Great pay, great benefits, and (usually) great attitude among the workers. Staffing is good, ratios are good etc... It's a mid-level rural hospital. We have occasional vent pt's- just not too frequently.

Really- I love my job..just want more experience. I LOVE nursing..live for it..rediculously so. I LOVE busy pt's and crazy shifts where I hardly have time to eat.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Capacity/Bed Management.

Im glad you feel so strongly about where you work. But seriously you seem really driven to be a smarter and more skilled nurse so talk with her and maybe butter her up. Tell her how you want to have her knowledge and how you wish she would give you more challenging patients....

BTW... vents arent frequent??? We have like 70% of our ICU patients on vents.. I know its not a good thing but I like watching the intubations and seeing how it works and everything.. I also love to learn

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Specializes in RN- Med/surg.

We only have RT here 8-4 M-F. If we have a vent..it is short term..must be extubated before the weekend or shipped.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Capacity/Bed Management.

ooo wow thats no good... so what do you guys do in case of a code... We have 24 hour RT so they do the intubation and respiratory stuff during the code

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Specializes in RN- Med/surg.

We do it.

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Specializes in ICU.
We do it.

Have you tried talking to the other nurse?

How about writing down some learning objectives that you want to meet, then ask her to help you to meet them.

If she feels involved in developing you as a nurse it might help. Just a thought.

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