Now I understand why there is a nursing shortage

Nurses General Nursing

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I am a new nurse and I am on orientation now for almost 4 weeks at the hospital. I work on a med surge floor.

I am given 8 patients to give medications, assessments, etc etc.

The work is overwhelming and from what i am being told, its like that every where.

i work 12 hour shifts and i cant even eat my lunch for 30 minutes in peace , some one always needs me

I some times feel like walking out

i am starting to question my self.. what the hell did i get my self into

I personally like pt care but my god, you cant give good pt care with so much overwhelming paper work and every one pulling and tugging on you at the same time and try to be accurate about giving medications.

they want me to be the nurse, the secretary, the Aide, and much more.

when the pts need to be cleaned up and you try to find a nurses aide, they disappear so I clean up the pts my self.

what has nursing become

I see why nurses quit so fast

Good for you, Kendal. Let us know how it goes.

Is it still a nursing job?

well, maybe to some nursing can't make them rich but to some it did.

But it's up to us actually on what we want to think about nursing........

Glad that you have a husband helping you... I hope you will be happy in your new job...

God bless you then...

Is it still a nursing job?

well, maybe to some nursing can't make them rich but to some it did.

But it's up to us actually on what we want to think about nursing........

Glad that you have a husband helping you... I hope you will be happy in your new job...

God bless you then...

Jacklady,

Of course its a nursing job.......i busted by behind in nursing school i worked haarrrrrrd .....

The new job is at a hospital thats closer where the nurse pt ratio is 1 nurse to 6 pts. I know for sure because i have a friend that works there.

also I get 1 hour mandatory lunch off the floor

it has a union which told us that a new contract is going into effect in 2 wks and every one automatically get a 3% raise even the new nurses like my self.

unlike the other place i worked, i was lucky if i got a 10 minutes lunch break they kept calling me while i am trying to eat. also i had to stay extra after work and did not get paid for it and the nurse pt ratio was 1 nurse to 8 pt

at the new job.... you are paid for staying over your time whether its one hour or two hours or what ever

Specializes in Geriatrics and emergency medicine.

Good Morning,

I too tried acute care. Failed miserably. Had the regular 8-10 patient roster, thank goodness for the ones who were able to do most for themselves and 23 hours observations. But, that was long ago in my nursing career. I now have matured, and work agency in LTCF. I could regale you with hours of horror stories where you walk in, given no patient roster, do a narc count and you are on your own. CNA smirk as they know "fresh meat" is on the floor and they calculate and scheme how much they "think" they are going to get away with. I have learned to take a take charge attitude, set ground rules as I give them report, (which most say they never receive.) Handle things as they come down the pike with authority, yet never give them an attitude. Give it time, it will come. God bless

by the way .. to update you all

I found another job closer 5 minute walk from my house

Good for you! Let us know how this job goes. A person can only take so much, your health and sanity is more important. :up:

i never post on here. i joined and don't even know why. then i got a message in my email and somehow ended up here. i read your post and altho this is quite a few months since then, i so understand!

i taught nursing to lpn's in fl. i am now 67 and have been disabled with polyneuropathy for around 15 years. when i last worked, i also had 6-8 patients and as an rn had full patient care on a cardiovascular floor in a large hospital. i was only working part time but it about killed me. i had fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue and had to give it up.

i felt overwhelmed because i always cared about my patients whole person. how can an rn on days (7-3) keep up iv sites, start iv's, give iv meds, give baths, make beds, make rounds with docs, do the paper work, etc. etc. and handle an emergency with capable hands? it isn't even possible so why try?

i hate nursing now. i wish i had gone to school to be a journalist and done medical journalism instead.

you r right........no wonder there is a nursing shortage and i have 2 granddaughters going in it. one is in school now but i told her! my son's wife is from the philippines and came here to nurse. she loves it!????:bowingpur

Back to work myself after reaching my snapping point.

Worked med/surg. First place seemed to have the right concept. Old fashion call light system where it is answered at desk. Then the call is referred to the appropriate person. It was so nice not being interrupted for things that the aide could tend to. Nurses do nursing and aides do aide work. Still carry 5-6 patients but not as crazy.

Then, the next facility was out of control. 5 heavy patients down 2 different halls with the med rooms further down each hall. You can say I covered the length of 2 full halls for my care. Couldn't get anything done. Then had a witch for a nurse to report off to. They are on my list of places NOT to return to. At least with agency, I can refuse to go.

I refuse to participate in this unsafe practice any longer. I don't agree with all the nurses that are allowing it. Something needs to be done. I am doing my part. I am refusing to be a part of it and I am signing every petition and will continue to contact the politicians.

Unfortunately I feel like nursing programs are forced to keep people who may not be "good nurses" under the threat of the ever popular " I'm being discriminated against for .........fill in the blank"

As another poster stated, most of it is the fault of the nursing programs themselves. Not enough clinical time to show students what it is like in the "real world" When I went to nursing school I knew EXACTLY what I would be doing when i got out and worked in a hospital setting. I went to a diploma program and we had almost every aspect of nursing from community health to intensive care. So for programs to minimize the clinical aspect and push the pencil pushing is doing NOTHING for the nursing shortage.

Specializes in Med-Surg, Psych.

I have never had more than 7 med/surg patients, and don't know how others take care of more. But 8 patients for a new grad?! You could look for a hospital that is easier on new grads. I personally know of hospitals where new grads on med/surg floors are given only 4-5 patients. And when I worked with them, it seemed they also got the easy ones. I also know of hospitals where nurses have 4-5 patients on med/surg floors on both days and nights.

Specializes in Ortho, Case Management, blabla.
I am a new nurse and I am on orientation now for almost 4 weeks at the hospital. I work on a med surge floor.

I am given 8 patients to give medications, assessments, etc etc.

The work is overwhelming and from what i am being told, its like that every where.

i work 12 hour shifts and i cant even eat my lunch for 30 minutes in peace , some one always needs me

Find a safe spot an leave the floor for your lunch. I often go to the surgical waiting room. It's always empty at night, has a large screen TV, and comfortable chairs. Alternately, if there are people in there, I sit in my car. I actually get bored on break though, so most of the time once I've eaten I find myself wandering back to the floor to see what's happenin..

I some times feel like walking out

i am starting to question my self.. what the hell did i get my self into

It will get easier once they let you work on your own. You'll find better ways to do things, and you won't have a preceptor breathing down your neck.

I personally like pt care but my god, you cant give good pt care with so much overwhelming paper work and every one pulling and tugging on you at the same time and try to be accurate about giving medications.

Some nights, depending on my patient load, I might see an "easy" patient twice at the most. To pop in and introduce myself , do the assessment. And then to pass meds. Sure I feel bad but I've just learned to make every minute with the patient count.

they want me to be the nurse, the secretary, the Aide, and much more.

That's pretty much status quo everywhere. Again, once you get the routine and operations it gets way easier. Sometimes I even tell the secretary not to bother doing the orders if it is something important because I can take care of it faster than she can most of the time.

when the pts need to be cleaned up and you try to find a nurses aide, they disappear so I clean up the pts my self.

That can be difficult situation, but you'll learn to prioritize and make it easier on yourself.

what has nursing become

That's pretty much the way nursing has always been, I think.

I personally love med-surg for the reasons you listed. I've never dreaded coming to work. Our top workload is 7, and I've actually been pushed up to 9 on one occasion. It was difficult, for sure, but you figure you get to punch out at some point.

I'm a pretty decent multitasker..on my days off I often find myself reading a book, playing a video game, making dinner, and making a phone call all at the same time. So I guess the constantly changing patient needs don't really phase me too much. A few weeks ago I had a patient code while I was in charge...I simultaneously got a phone call from a family member, and then the phone rang and a doctor was on the line. I had a phone in one ear, a phone in the other, I was typing a note to pharmacy to send a bag of fentanyl stat, taking a telephone order from the physician to get the patient to ICU, and also updating this family member on their mom's status. Whee...

The constant "tugging" used to unnerve me, but I got used to it after several months. I'd probably say it took about 9 months to really get used to. Sometimes I still get a bit annoyed by it but it really truely doesn't bother me.

I guess I just enjoy variety, and in my point of view, with a 7 patient load, you figure one or two will be "heavy." The other patients in the team often more than make up for it, especially if you get some sweet old lady to take care of or one of those people that try to give you candy everytime you go in their room. Love going from one room with a very difficult patient, across the hall, and suddenly you've got the most wonderful patient in the whole building. I wish I had more time to spend with them, but I often don't. Most of the time I feel like I'm in a pinball machine, but I love pinball too.

Having a good sense of humor and workers that are willing to joke around is REALLY helpful. I've made some great friends amongst my coworkers because we all really kind of know what each other are going through each night. Plus we're all around the same age and I think that helps a lot. Most of the older nurses are really nice but they just don't get it when we start quoting South Park or lines from the Dave Chappelle show

edit: I know this is an old post but I answered it to benefit all the other readers

Hang in there. Switch around a little, different floors/units. Try the doctor's offices, school nurse, home health.

Don't wine so much we all just need to be brave and feel as miserable as possible and don't stand up for yourself and your HEALTH. YOU just need to be BRAVE. Those who are that brave I some how feel they are eating the young and watching a good nurse try her best and instead of being helpful sit and crack jokes about it.

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