How do you come to terms.....

[Curious1alwys]

......with the fact that you can't help everybody with everything all the time???

I am only a student but I am finding that I am helping my patients in ways that I shouldn't be (according to my preceptor) and it is dragging me behind. I talk to them too much I guess. If they ask for water or whatever, I want to get it. One guy had to be fed and I felt so bad for him because the aid wasn't doing it so I wanted to do it. My preceptor said in real life as an RN you won't have time for this so I better get used to it and learn how to delegate.

I see that as an RN you don't have more than two minutes to say "BOO" to your patients. No wonder they hate you sometimes!!! Probably the only reason I have the luxury of speaking to them is because I am a student! I know when I really have had to hustle and bustle taking care of multiple patients as a student I find myself watching the clock nervously when a patient is going on and on to me while on the pot or something. I am like, "yeah, yeah...." not wanting to be rude, wanting to listen, but just not being able to. It is so depressing for me.

How much involvement will I be able to have with the patients when I graduate? Is there any area I can go into where I will have more involvement. So far, most all I have seen is Med Surg. Would it be different in ICU? I guess then they are too sick to talk, lol:roll

What do you all think about this?

[jjjoy, LPN]

Oh yeah, that reminds me, maybe a children's hospital? The one I had student rotations in, the nurses there seemed to have the best ratios/acuity that allowed them to spend that little extra time comforting, getting to know the kids and family. Because of they were caring for this special patient group, this type of interaction seemed to get an overall higher priority than in adult acute care settings.

[nurse4theplanet, RN]

I'm in orientation in the ICU. Our unit has an all RN staff, no aides or LPNs which to delegate any task. It is a very fast pace, however, I am generally satisfied with the amount of personal attention I can pay to my patients and their families.

[Butterfliesnroses]

I'm currently an aide in LTC. I'm going to school to become a nurse (still taking pre-reqs)...As an aide I have to say I don't expect you to do anything that I can do...HOWEVER I am tickled when a nurse tells me she got a resident ice water...Tell me you took someone to the bathroom or fed them and I'm going to check your pulse!...With that said delegate, delegate, delegate like others have said! One of our rules is that if a resident is unable to feed themselves they generally go to the dining room...I've had to feed 2 people plus answer my call lights and not one nurse (or anyone) offered to help. It isn't expected of you (at least not where I work). And that is fine...Someday I'll be a nurse and I'll delegate delegate and delegate!