I want to be a great nurse, but... rant

[*ac*]

but it's not about taking good care of my patients.

it's not about critical thinking.

it's not about intelligent, timely med administration.

it's nothing that I learned in nursing school, or any health care knowledge or experience at all, really.

it's about getting the TV fixed.

it's about finding a missing TV remote (where do these go?).

it's about getting the Disney channel/cartoon network/ESPN, whatever.

getting a tray when there's no diet order, the kitchen is closed, or there's nothing available that the paitent likes/wants, anyway.

toilet paper when housekeeping is gone and nobody has access to the supply closet.

taking vitals with machines that equipment that does not work, or only partially works or is missing parts.

taking vitals when the patient finds it so annoying

giving meds with pumps that don't, or that work some of the time.

going all the way down the hall to move an over-bed tray three inches closer to a patient who is ambulatory.

insects in the room.

providing game systems, and knowing how to operate/fix them.

it's about controlling the annoying behavior of a roommate.

Of course, I could go on and on and on. And on.

And I get that many of these things really are important to people, their well being, and ultimately their recovery.

But why does every, single, solitary thing fall on NURSING?? Yes, there is a dietary department, and TV repair people, but who must contact them, make sure they come, and make people happy without these things during off hours? NURSING. Who answers the constantly ringing phones when the unit clerk's on break, or not there? There is nothing in the whole hospital that does not, in the end, fall on the shoulders of the nurse.

And every single staff meeting means some new documentation that must be done for some kind of new compliance requirement.

The sheer burden of this, without adequate staff or support is just too much for me on more days than not.

[Altra, BSN, RN]

There's no denying the truth of what you're saying.

Some days it's tempting to say "look, I'm taking the best possible care of you that I can in this crappy-ass hospital with a shiny exterior & lobby that looks like an upscale mall, but a lack of basic equipment & supplies ... your disinterested MD ... way too many patients per nurse ... and no, I doubt that the work order for the TV repair has been put in because the unit secretary has the professionalism & social skills of a toddler and isn't off the phone with her ex-daughter-in-law's-cousin's-neighbor's-son yet."

Unfortunately, it serves no purpose because it doesn't make you look any better and would only make the patient feel worse.

We all need a certain amount of healthy emotional distancing from the things we truly can't control. Know in your heart & mind that you are correctly prioritizing patient care over less important conveniences like TVs. Know that some patients may be behaving differently than they normally would when they are not ill -- but a good many were difficult people before this illness, and will continue to be difficult afterward, and it's not a reflection on you. On your off time, rest, relax, do what makes you happy.

Hang in there.

[PAROPPY, BSN, RN]

I hear you on this. It's nursing's responsibility to make sure the DOCTOR has filled out the PREPRINTED anticoag orders, that the doctor has ordered ACE inhibitors for CHF'ers on discharge, that the phleb has come up on time to draw timed studies, that the NAs are actually cleaning the patients, that the maintnance guy is coming up for the broken heater for the most demanding patient in the hospital, oh and that the pharmacy is sending meds up on time, so on and so on. It's the daily grind. 12 hours of making sure everyone else is doing their jobs.

[webmansx, ASN, RN]

I hear you on this. It's nursing's responsibility to make sure the DOCTOR has filled out the PREPRINTED anticoag orders, that the doctor has ordered ACE inhibitors for CHF'ers on discharge, that the phleb has come up on time to draw timed studies, that the NAs are actually cleaning the patients, that the maintnance guy is coming up for the broken heater for the most demanding patient in the hospital, oh and that the pharmacy is sending meds up on time, so on and so on. It's the daily grind. 12 hours of making sure everyone else is doing their jobs.

I thought I was too new to feel this way. Gald someone "spoke" my thoughts out loud

[*ac*]

I hear you on this. It's nursing's responsibility to make sure the DOCTOR has filled out the PREPRINTED anticoag orders, that the doctor has ordered ACE inhibitors for CHF'ers on discharge, that the phleb has come up on time to draw timed studies, that the NAs are actually cleaning the patients, that the maintnance guy is coming up for the broken heater for the most demanding patient in the hospital, oh and that the pharmacy is sending meds up on time, so on and so on. It's the daily grind. 12 hours of making sure everyone else is doing their jobs.

Exactly.

The success of failure of a hospital, not to mention patient outcomes, falls squarely on the shoulders of nursing. Nursing. If there is any failure or breakdown anywhere in the system, you can bet nursing will have to deal with it to some extent. But we are NOT recognized, paid, or supported for this in any way, shape, or form. In fact, oppositie of that - constantly asked to do more with less.

[RNperdiem, RN]

Sigh.

Sometimes I envy my sister her Rad Tech job.

No paperwork, one patient at a time and strictly defined responsibilities.

This is one source of stress our loved ones outside of nursing have a hard time understanding.