Hello I need advice I am in a terrible situation. I have been a RN for 3 years now just transitioned from hospital for a long term care position. It wasn't my choice but I am per-diem at the local hospital and couldn't get full time. I only work there one weekend a month but they keep hiring new grads instead of giving me more hours
I started skilled LTC position 2 months ago evening shift. And it is not full time but 3 days a week and no weekends yet. I only got orientation for 2 weeks and it wasn't enough im afraid. Its too busy and Never slowed down at all. I get everything done really late and I don't have time to follow up on every single thing that day shift didn't do so then I give report to the night nurses and they give me attitude because I didn't get everything done. I don't understand because night shift isn't busy at all they don't do much so should that shift be the ones to follow up on left over stuff?
They do not ever follow up on anything either. I feel like I am drowning and being a target. 2 of the night nurses went to my manager when I was just off orientation and said that I leave things out of report all the time and thats a lie. There was only one time that I left out information but I was honest. My boss said to me "even just the one time was dangerous." I think it was a honest
mistake but not dangerous. It was a patient's endo appointment changed to be the next morning and I forgot to tell the night nurse to pass onto the day nurse. So the patients transport came and no one got the patient ready so the patient did not have time to eat and they are a diabetic. They got a snack to bring with them so they were ok. I apologized to my manager.
I got a verbal warning for that and begun to do better but then a week later the same two nurses said to my manager that I always leave the cart a mess, that they find pills in the cart all the time. They told her they found 1 unused syringe with insulin in it that I signed for. I should not have signed before I gave it. I was going to give it but it got too late and I got sidetracked. and then the night nurse came and she wanted the cart keys. I said "I just have to finish something" and she insisted I give her the keys and said "last night I waited 15 minutes"
My manager asked me if I am giving all of my medication or if I am just signing that I did. I told her I am giving everything and that I must have left refused pills in there. Then yesterday my manager called me and said that a patient who is AAOx3 told her that I gave all her 5pm pills with her 10pm pills. Yes I had to do that because there's not enough time!!! I have 18 patients!!!
Maybe if they had more staff or made some of the 10pm pills to be given after 11pm the night nurses could give them and there would be more of a balance! I used to work nights as a sitter in the hospital before I was a nurse! It was so easy that it was boring. My manager is siding with the 2 other nurses and even my evening nurse coworker said its notright! These night nurses are a clique and if you make one angry they all hang up like its high school. We are going into the next schedule period and I called my manager and asked why I am not on the schedule and I am meeting with her tomorrow. I asked if I am fired and she said no so I don't know what this means. I am scared and I feel betrayed and horrified. Has anyone been through workplace bullying before?
Meridian, from my personal experiences there are nurses out there who are willing to give you advice while not, at the same time, try to cut you down. Frankly I do see it here: don't think you're that subtle.
Speak cordially with upper management at your facility. If 18 patients per nurse is too much it may be a better option to find a facility that offer 6-8 patients per nurse. A facility with a safer ratio will help you, and put your license at less risk. If I were you I would speak with people and see if there are facilities within range with safer ratios.
Respectfully, I would need to be certain she knows what she is doing.
I wouldn't bash her when she's going through a low point and asking for help.
Sorry, but when people on this thread tried to help her by educating her on safe time management and the possible consequences of her decisions, she proceeded to whine about catty do-nothing night nurses. So who's eating whom, here?
I'm 66 years old and pushing a med cart around is hell on my arthritis so that I'm in pretty much constant pain at work. That makes my energy and ability to cope with crazy somewhat limited and is reserved for residents and family first. So, when I try to help a young'un here or at work and get met with this kind of reaction, I'm pretty much done with her/him early on. I am not paid to be her therapist.
There are dozens of SNF's out there. There is no need to stick to any particular one. Just leave, they don't need you. There are great SNF's to work for and there are rotten ones. Just find one you fit in and these kinds of things will not happen. Somehow, someone or more than one didn't like you for some reason, don't take it personally just let it all go. SNF's are hurting right now and they are scraping for find RN's so the power is with you.
Another thing I would like to point out, is that they maybe hiring new grads, the fact that they aren't giving you more hours to a seasoned and experience nurse on that unit is confusing to me. Any department much rather hire a trained nurse from there unit than a new grad. There may be some job performance issues, I would talk to your manager to get some feedback.
I am still trying to figure out how is 18 patients too much. I work 12hr shifts. On the first part of my shift, I have 22 sub acute rehab patients. Then after 10pm, I am the only nurse with 4 CNAs for 82ppl.
To the OP: There is so many things in your original post that you admitted that you did wrong; I wouldn't be surprised if you were fired and brought up to the BON. Maybe going back to ALF is the best option for you. If you feel that you can stay in SNF, then you need a good routine. There are several threads about routines, just do simple search. If not, let me know and I will send you one. Having good cheat sheet and routine is a very important tool . If I were you, I would go to my DON and ask for medication administration review class, have a plan in action (that you will create a routine ect).
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
I did LTC. We had at least 25-30 residents per nurse and 1 CNA. It IS tough. So much so, I could not hack it. But I realized that and moved on to a specialty that I could handle.
Know when you are beat and move on already. No excuses, no whining, no defensiveness, for there IS no defense for your actions, none whatsoever.
Move on. And learn from this or you are doomed in your career.
I have been bullied in the workplace. I have relatives and family friends who were bullied in the workplace, some who were nurses themselves (side note: It is part of the reason why I did not consider nursing as a career as a undergrad).
From my experience and that of others, I realized that when I start my first job as a nurse, I am going to be like "Ace Attorney" and have my handy, dandy "Fool Book" by my side, to keep track of the who, what, where, when, how, etc. when interacting with a trouble-making colleague(s), or just any colleague, really. You do not really know a person until you find yourself in a difficult situation.
Keeping detailed track of ill-mannered colleagues will help you (whether it be to dissuade your manager, or his/her superiors, from firing you or getting a settlement for being forced out).
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Whether you choose to take this tip or not, you will remember it the next time you find yourself in the manager's office and the manager is asking questions like "Who was there?" or "When did it happen?" Keeping notes and being able to answer in so much detail would make the manager go "oh, sh**"
It differs from facility to facility. Night shift RNs and CNAs do NOT do as much as dayshifters do. It may be different at other facilities. I would need more information. Do they get anyone up for therapy? Does anyone need to be fed? Do they have to make phone calls to set up vital appointments? Do they need to speak with various doctors or family members? It differs.
Thank you for pointing that out b/cno one else believes me and I think whaaat are these people looney? They dont see how much more busy I am? The day shift nurses and the evenings nurses know how busy I am and when they find my mistakes they say ITS OK I UNDERSTANDS b/c day and evening shifti do so much more than night nurse. The night nurses complains about everything but does the least every time there is a follow up on reports the night nurses give the task back to day shift!!!
I called my boss to ask what is going to happen to me and she said she has a meeting with her bosses. If they were gnng to fire me they would have already. I am suspended and that doesnot mean fired it means I go back to work when they ask. If I am so bad at everything Like so many people here make me look out to be then they wouldnt have a meeting with all the administration to talk about me. I am gng to stay positive even though most you think im a horrible nurse I will prove you all wrong
heron, ASN, RN
4,632 Posts
Would you want her taking care of your mother?