Too Many Patients

[NickiLaughs]

I'm gonna be honest. I've been a nurse(LVN) for about 6 months and almost already ready to forget it. I've only got 2 more classes to get in an RN program too. But I'm so frustrated.

My first job it was 38 patients for one nurse. Often I would find out that the previous nurse did not do the dressing changes, or they'd leave all kinds of paperwork and i'd get swamped trying to get it all done.

I tried to work at a prison for a bit, it was very easy, but scary, so I left.

Now I'm going to work at another long term care, and this place I would have closer to 50 patients.

Doesn't it bother anyone else that the ratios are that high? I mean, to get treatments, meds, charting, all the lil incidents done. How is it possible?

I handle it ok, but it's frustrating.

I'd appreciate any advice. Thanks

[rouqie]

I know that in our LTC facility. We have state mandated miniums and our facility currently works about those miniums. We have good staffing usually the most a nurse has to take care of is 42 and that is on my unit. On the night shift it has a potential of of being 60, but its mostly and independent unit and a dementia unit so not a lot of meds or treatments during the night. The treatments and all but a few meds are done during the day hours. I actually have no problem handling the stress. most nursing only have about 25 patients and most of them are stable and need only about 5 minutes of your time. The problem with other nurses not getting their dressings changed and proper treatments done, I don't think it depends on number of staff. Many things are not done when I get on and there is double the staff on the previous shift. I think the "top dog" or administerators need to give the floor nurses more encouragment. I sometimes feel like I am a only nurse working. I tend to get corrected and written up because I am the youngest nurse and I have only been a nurse for 3 years so the stress is more for me then the more experienced nurses. Do you find that true that the things that you get in trouble for not donig the other nurses never do and don't ever get yelled at:nono:

I hope it gets better for you.

[RNadvocate]

well management definitely needs to value nursing care more than they do now, but I'm sure staffing ratios makes a difference. Fewer errors, more assessment time. But you shouldn't be mistreated because you are new. And we have to stick together! are your co-workers supportive?

[ltcrn1997]

We have an LPN on 7-3 who can do no wrong. She continuously changes med times to nights if she doesn't like the residen. Our staffing is for no more than 40 to 1 nurse. I have 2 halls and when they are full, I have 32 residents. Some nights I have a lot of free time and other nights I run all night. Fortunately right now there are no peg tubes, IV's or dressing changes. I give 22 residents medication in the morning out of 32. I have to start between 445 and 5 am. I have been there 6 years and there is a lot to deal with but it can be done. The other nurse and I on my unit work together and she helps me when she is finished. A couple of reasons are work nights: my husband snores too bad and I can't sleep, and when I graduated from RN school at 44, I figured I couldn't hurt anyone who was sleeping.