Got written up AGAIN

[icandoitLPN2RN, ASN, RN]

So today, I get written up AGAIN!!! & for what this time....

Here's my story, I have been working at this LTC facility for 8+ yrs (3 yrs as an LPN & 5 as a CNA), so I work 80 hrs biweekly on 11-7 shift. I have 60 residents all to myself.....yes 60! But I don't let that stress me out, I have great time management skills, my meds are always passed out in a timely fashion, my notes are completed, my patients are kept safe, etc. But no matter how great of a job I do my best still isn't good enough.

When I have off a day, and then I go back to work, the nurses are always complaining about the nurse who filled in when I have off because my co-workers and patients appreciate me is what I can say. However, over the weekend, when I'm getting report from the previous shift, it's like they are always passing something on to the night shift, like I'm just sitting on my ass all night. Mind you, with 60 patients, the CNA's are always calling out, bad enough they are always working short.

So with all this being said, as I got report, it stated that 5 different resident's needed UA C&S (urine specimen)....again they're working short, plus I have a ton of high-risk fall patients.....so as the aides were doing their rounds, I delegated to them the "pee samples" I needed, and out of my 5 patients I was able to retrieve 3, 2 attempts on the other 2 residents were unsuccessful, but many attempts were made. so I had to pass it on to the next shift.

So while leaving work, the Unit-Manager called me into his office and wanted to know why I wasn't able to obtain all 5. I kindly explained to him how my night went. All in all, he started shouting and wasn't trying to hear anything I had to say. He's telling me abt my job description and how I am responsible for checking labs (which I did) and I am responsible for obtaining urine samples (no excuses!) I explained to him that a bed pan cannot side under a resident for a whole shift or a urinal between someone's legs...but every two hours my aide attempted again (and they may have wet the brief in the time between, but an attempt was made), so since I continued to explain myself instead of just agreeing with him, he then writes me up and tells me to sign the write up, I said NO, and refused to sign.

He said to him, that he's always coming to me telling me about what I DIDN'T DO, what about all the things that I DID DO, it's never good enough, he then says "Oh well, if you tell as though you aren't appreciated, then take it up with HR!" ......the thing is he has no idea how my night goes, I come into my nursing station looking a hot mess, trash filled up to the top, meds are all over the station that they didn't put away, papers everywhere, their work incomplete, then I gotta do their work and mine.

When I vented to him in the past, it went in the ear and out the other. I just have this confidence, because I know that I work harder than the other shifts that he always takes up for. When I receive report, the nurses be like, oh well, they have 30 patients each, so they didn't have time to do so and so, and just pass it along, but what about my 60 pts I had, I did the best I could.

So after I refuse to sign the paper, he just kept saying I MUST get this and that! So I kept asking him, what on the other shifts, the pt don't pee? He just said worry abt your shift. I make attempts whereas day and evening shift don't make any.

So I made a copy of the write up paper and went downstairs to speak to my DON about the situation. the DON and I spoke for abt 30 minutes, I explained to him the situation, and long story short, I feel as though he sided with the Unit Manager. the DON was explaining to me that the UM has a stressful job position (but like my position isn't stressful), I gave an example to him that on day shift that pts have toileting schedule...why wasn't the urine obtained then or on evening shift, they have toileting times, why wasn't it obtained then? They don't make any attempts that's why, they just pass everything on to night shift, I was so upset that I cried in front of the DON (and it takes a lot to make me cry) but I was pissed, especially when I go above and beyond!

I normally don't take my problems home, but I thought about it all day that I only slept for one hour after working night shift, and it's now evening, still haven't slept, I just feel as though right is right and wrong is wrong, they have their picks with coworkers (when I know who the horrible nurses are - sorry to say) but since I'm not in the IN crowd, oh lets write her up again!

Someone told me along time ago that "A Piece of Mind has No Price!" - so with that being said, I just finished writing my 2 week notice (it's really a month notice)....since my best isn't BEST enough, I'm going to step down from my full-time position and go part-time (I be missing my bed anyway).... I'm the best nurse to ever run that floor! but lets see how that floor runs without me....

Sorry to vent for so long, just had to get this off my chest.... this just gives me more motivation to focus on my studies and be well rested while doing so.

[ritit123]

I'm sorry about your situation but do you think going around and getting a cath sample would have made the whole thing easier? I would never attempt to get a clean catch from an incontinent patient. With all that said, no shift should take responsibility for getting all the samples, in fact, at my facility if you received the order you get the sample.

[Jules A, MSN]

It sounds like you made the right decision. I hope your next job is a better place to work. Take care.

[tyvin, BSN, RN]

I hear you loud and clear! Your situation is really quite typical in many LTC and SNFs across this country. Good for you; go part-time if you can afford it because you know darn well your phone won't stop ringing from them requesting you to come in. Pick and choose and get back that piece of mind that is so very precious.

On the collecting urine; I always get a prn straight cath order just in case. If they already have a foley, you know you can't collect from a foley that's been there...it's got to be a first stream from a new line. Be careful, those lines colonize really fast.

[NursesRmofun, ASN, RN]

Well, I, for one, am impressed with you! 60 patients IS a lot...and I know how that "pass it on" mentality goes. Hate that! Hope you enjoy part-time!

[VANurse2010]

Your manager is a straight up idiot. Unless they gave orders to straight cath these people, they have no business getting pissy that you couldn't get them all.

[toomuchbaloney]

So I guess both the DON and the UM wanted you to call the docs in the middle of the night to obtain straight cath orders because the earlier shifts were too busy?

You are smart to leave them in your employment history, where they belong.

Good luck to you.

[martymoose, BSN, RN]

Your manager is a straight up idiot. Unless they gave orders to straight cath these people, they have no business getting pissy that you couldn't get them all.

No pun intended? :)

[Libby1987]

I'm just so mad for you to have 60 patients. I don't care if they all sleep like babies all night, that is just too many.

[VANurse2010]

I'm just so mad for you to have 60 patients. I don't care if they all sleep like babies all night, that is just too many.

It's not too many if your job is to pass meds and keep them safe. It's too many if you're expected get all of dayshift's labs.

[LittleCandles]

This makes me grateful for my 15 patients during 2nd shift. (Night shift usually has 25). When we can't obtain an UA, usually we pass it along to another shift until it is done. I wouldn't have signed the write up either. Good for you. I probably would have given my 2 weeks notice and find a new job, not just go part time.

[Libby1987]

It's not too many if your job is to pass meds and keep them safe. It's too many if you're expected get all of dayshift's labs.

The only difference between not and too many is 5 UA's?

i just cannot imagine, I'm ignorant to this side of nursing.