Am I worrying too much?

Specialties Geriatric

Published

Hi...

I have a question. How do other small facilities ie less than 50 residents staff the floor with CNA's and TMA's? And is the charge nurse required to cover a med cart,in addition to taking care of all the documentation, take care of blood draws, the normal stuff a charge nurse is to do?

The reason I ask is this... I am the day charge ( and new to the position also) for a facility with 42 residents. Tomorrow I am scheduled to work as charge, and also do a med cart along with the usual Monday stuff. I also have a TMA on a med cart and 5 aides on the floor. I just started in the day charge position a week ago. I was the night charge nurse previously. I'm just not sure how I'm gonna get all the things done that I need to get done in addition to doing the med cart! Since I am the only licensed staff, I will also have to do all the insulins, the feedings and dressing changes too!

Am I being too uptight about having to do this, or am I worrying over nothing? I'm nervous about it, and knowing the staff I'll be working with, I'll hear about being short staffed all day long..... heard it already today!

Thanks... a frantic nurse!

Frankly you have every right to feel Frantic. I'm feeling a little overwhelmed and scared right now just reading the post! It won't take much of anything to throw a wrench into everything.

Hi...

I have a question. How do other small facilities ie less than 50 residents staff the floor with CNA's and TMA's? And is the charge nurse required to cover a med cart,in addition to taking care of all the documentation, take care of blood draws, the normal stuff a charge nurse is to do?

The reason I ask is this... I am the day charge ( and new to the position also) for a facility with 42 residents. Tomorrow I am scheduled to work as charge, and also do a med cart along with the usual Monday stuff. I also have a TMA on a med cart and 5 aides on the floor. I just started in the day charge position a week ago. I was the night charge nurse previously. I'm just not sure how I'm gonna get all the things done that I need to get done in addition to doing the med cart! Since I am the only licensed staff, I will also have to do all the insulins, the feedings and dressing changes too!

Am I being too uptight about having to do this, or am I worrying over nothing? I'm nervous about it, and knowing the staff I'll be working with, I'll hear about being short staffed all day long..... heard it already today!

Thanks... a frantic nurse!

Wow...5 cnas for 42 residents? Thats great in my area. We have 48 residents and on a 7-3 shift we have 5 cnas, one RN and one LPN. They each take a med cart and do meds and treatments for thier hall. The RN has 26 pts and lpn 24. The RN also takes charge. Its so much better now that in our state the LPNs are doing verbals.

I'm not sure I could be the only nurse and doing meds and treatmets and etc for 42 residents. I too would be frantic.

Update on nutso day! I ended up having only 4 on the floor, and did a med cart and charge myself. Was a good thing that I had to go in at 4a instead of the usual 6a, 'cause I wouldn't have gotten some other charting done and been somewhat prepared for the day! I had one person that was scheduled but didn't show, 'cause she's taking TMA classes and the administrator and DON both knew! When administrator walked in, I told her the situation and she did call other staff in. DUH..... they'll always come in for her!!!!!!!!! :madface: Fortunately, things did eventually work out, but talk about steaming before...

I told the DON that I was gonna quit... wasn't gonna keep putting my license on the line for that place! I can find a job somewhere else where they actually care about the residents!

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