Are you a real nurse?

MrsK1223 · May 11, 2003

I have to say it isn't just LTC that gets the feeling they are not considered real nurses and thats office nurses and school nurses. What is it that you have to work in a hospital to be a "real" nurse. Nurses are needed in all types of settings. I work in a hospital in ambulatory care and I get that feeling from within the hospital sometimes from the "floor" nurses...nothing they say but how they act. I really don't care cause I don't have the stinking hours they have, a huge patient to nurse ratio. I'm doing work I like and I don't have half the stress as floor nurses....am I a real nurse? Sure I am. I just went for an area where I can be happy at for a longer time and I don't have to look down on any area of nursing to make myself feel better.

Rnltc · May 11, 2003

what matters the most is if you are happy at what you are doing no matter what area of nursing or any area of your life.

We soon forget that we all take the same boards. Boards are not area of work specified.

Nursing is tough no matter where you work. It doesn't matter what area you work in.....

We all need to stick together in these times of SHORTAGES....it is affecting all areas of nursing and all level's.

hey_nurse · May 11, 2003

Originally posted by Rustyhammer
To be a nurse in LTC one must have the assessment skills of an ER triage nurse, the ability to recommend tx's and meds to the most stubborn of docs, the ability to deal with families, other facilities like a social worker, the supervisory skills of a nurse manager, and the ability to work the floor like the most seasoned bedside nurse.
If you haven't worked LTC, it is difficult to understand all that goes on in a typical shift.
Not everyone can do it.
-Russell

well said...i agree:)

CoffeeRTC, BSN, RN · May 12, 2003

Wow, lots of respose! Rusty, you forgot secretary to aswer phones and make appts, Maintence to fix broken beds, restart the furnace in power outages, housekeeping to clean spills, laundry to wash clothes and dietary to make snacks. As you can see, I work in a small building and have sometimes have these added resposibility

ChainedChaosRN · May 12, 2003

LOL..Michelle, you made me laugh this morning. Don't forget hairdresser, manicurist, spiritual advisor, hostess for tours, central supply stocker, disaster manager, security officer, phlebotomist, and last, but far from being the least....staffing.

Personally I think the word "multi-tasking" is not quite adequate. It takes much more than good nursing skills to work in LTC and last. It takes someone with high motivation, initiative, excellent problem solving skills and I believe the natural born ability to lead. If you look back at your experience through the years, and remember a LTC nurse who has stuck it out and loves LTC....they wear these traits like an aura. They make you feel confidant just working near them.

Sometimes I feel they have taken nursing to a realm most would not believe.

My hats off to you who work in LTC...I know what you are made of.

MikeLPN · May 12, 2003

Staffing!

karenG · May 12, 2003

oh I get asked by my nursing collegues is I am practicing to be a nurse- cos one of my name badges says 'practice nurse' (going to have to lose that one!) seems like we need to respect what each other does. I take my hat off to those of you in LTC- its something that I could not do! guess I like the variety of general practice........

Karen

Tim-GNP · May 13, 2003

RNLTC... I know what you mean. When I was a DON, I recall having hired several nurses from local hospitals [our nursing home was giving RN's $25/hour at the time for per diem--- we're going back a few years, at that time, it was a good per diem rate].

I remember some of the interviews I did for the per diem positions... a handful of applicants appeared to be 'bored' with the interview, as I explained the differences between acute & long term care. I can relate... I remember one guy coming to the office on his first evening of orientation to tell me that if I thought he was going to pass medications to 32 'patients' I was crazy. He managed to make the shift, but never came back.

On the flip side, however, for every one like that, we had two that were a real asset to the facility. Their acute care skills were nothing short of unstoppable! Their assessment skills, IV therapy skills, etc. were exquisite.

I can also relate to other stories that others have posted regarding giving report to the E.R. nurses. I remember one night, when I was in charge [3-11 nurse call-off], a resident was being sent out with a severe nosebleed--- the worst I have ever seen to date. It was no wonder as the resident had an INR of 7.5--- I was giving the E.R. nurse report and she told me about 5 times... "I don't know why he's coming here... apply direct pressure." She wasn't very nice about the way she was saying it.... she was talking to me as if I were a first year undergraduate. I was calm, and polite, and I reassured her the first 4 times that we were applying direct pressure. Finally, after the fifth time she said it, I asked her "are you deaf... or just stupid?" She wanted to talk to the evening shift supervisor, and I introduced myself to her.

The next morning, the E.R. supervisor called the facility and wanted to speak to the Director of Nursing about the 'rude evening shift supervisor who was working last night.' Again, I introduced myself to her. Realizing that she was beat with the DON, she wanted to talk to the Administrator [who was also a nurse]. The E.R. Nurse Manager got absolutely nowhere with her, and then my Administrator turned around and wanted to talk to the hospitals Director of Nursing, and then the hospitals CEO. It was quite the 3-ring circus... all because one person tried to put another person down.

I guess the moral of my story is, with all things, people are people... some have deep seated feelings of personal inadequacy, and the only way they can make themselves feel good is to make others feel bad.

I think instead of lamenting over who is better or worse, that we should celebrate the unique contributions we each bring to the table of nursing.

Kayzee · May 13, 2003

Thank you to all who support the LTC nurse. We are all equally important in our patient's eyes. :) Nurses in every field deserve respect.

laci-rn · May 17, 2003

It has been interesting to read all these points of view! As an RN in LTC for the last 10 years I must say I have seen all of these sides. It has only been in the last 2 years that I have seen a change. With the shorttage of nurses in our area we have all taken turns at both the hospital and the NH, now we all know how "the other half lives" and have much more respect as well as a good working relationship with each other. That "walk a mile in my shoes" has made a big difference here. I also agree with Raphael, rude is rude no matter where you are.

bungies · May 17, 2003

I don't know how it is in the US, but here Oz LTC nurses have begun to tell their story and claim equal recognition (and equal pay). I now work in an acute ward setting, but have worked in LTC as a ... CNA (I think you call it) prior to and during my BN and have nothing but respect for good LTC nurses (as with good acute, office or other nurses).

LTC is a speciality, involving knowledge of any number of chronic medical illnesses as well as recognition of acute illnesses, and requires a special type of nurse who is able to combine this broad knowledge with the creation of a home-like atmosphere. I know many specialist acute-care nurses who couldn't cut it in LTC.

If you are as proud of your work as you sound, Michelle, I'm sure you manage this difficult job admirably. Keep it up, and don't pay any attention to people who don't have any idea what your job entails.

:kiss [[hugs]]

bungies · May 17, 2003

P.S.

Originally posted by Kayzee
Thank you to all who support the LTC nurse. We are all equally important in our patient's eyes.

More important, as you play a bigger part in your residents'/ patients'/ clients' day-to-day lives...