i hate med-surg

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i've been in med-surg now for several months (started as a new grad). i liked it at first, and then started to dislike it, started to like it again, now i'm hating it. it's getting to the point where i dread having to go into work. the majority of work is just endless paperwork. at the end of the day i'm exhausted, my back hurts, and i really want to quit and just not come back again. having to remember everything for each of my 5 patients is tedious (who's going for what test, doctors assigned, new/changed orders, meds to be given, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc). I'm thinking of switching to ICU. Even though they're much sicker, at least you can only be maxed out at 2 patients and there's always a doctor within reach. Anyway, I just needed to vent!

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Specializes in Critical Care, Capacity/Bed Management.

I completely understand where you are coming from because it seems that every week RN's have to fill out a new paper before their patient is sent anywhere. Even though I am not an RN yet I completely and totally understand where you are coming from.

I currently started working in an ICU as a tech and I love it. It is a whole different world down there. I wish you the best of luck.

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Specializes in Hospice, Critical Care.

Five patients in med-surg? That's a great ratio. My telemetry unit has a 5 or 6 patient assignment.

I did the med-surg to ICU trip a few years ago and I loved ICU. But it's not just that "hey it's only 2 patients" kinda deal. It's called *intensive* for a reason. And the two ICU's I have worked in...there is NOT always a doctor around. We did most things ourselves and told the doc what we did.

Certainly give it a try. Maybe see if you can shadow for a few days (one day is not enough) to see how you would like it.

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Specializes in Acute Care.

Yea, 5 isnt bad. I've had up to 8 on Med Surg and I know other nurses have said they get 12 on occassion :banghead:!

I had 5 yesterday and we only had 1 aid on our unit of 19 pts and we were doing primary care (we just switched over from team nursing :crying2:), so all 5 pts needed to be bathed on my shift.

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I would never and could never do med surg. Consider this a learning opportunity which has come to an end. Please consider other types of nursing, out patient clinics, anything else. I take my hat off to you for even trying - not all of us are cut out for med surg.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
Yea, 5 isnt bad. I've had up to 8 on Med Surg and I know other nurses have said they get 12 on occassion :banghead:!

Five patients in med-surg? That's a great ratio.
Keep in mind that the OP (original poster) practices in California, the only state that has this legally mandated nurse/patient ration. No RN in California can legally receive a med/surg assignment of greater than 5 patients. Those of us who live and work in other states would absolutely love to be guaranteed only 5 patients on a typical med/surg unit.

To the OP: I can feel your frustrations, since med/surg can be a nuthouse!

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Yep, I have been in your position. I found myself dreading going into work on Monday from Friday after work.

I do know what it is like to have your interruptions interrupted. I remember being discouraged that even coming in early, leaving late and rushing through lunch, I couldn't give my patients care I could be proud of.

I have enjoyed ICU very much.

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Specializes in Emergency Room.

i take my hat off to all med surg nurses, because i can't do it. i did alot of my clinicals in nursing school on med surg and knew immediately that wasn't the kind of nursing i would like. but on a positive note, it is good experience to build your skills.

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Specializes in LTC, med-surg, critial care.

I was in the same boat as the OP. I loved what I learned on my ortho/med-surg floor but I was drowning every night. I loved my co-workers but I hated going to work.

I wanted to go to ICU but didn't have enough experience so the director of critical care suggested step down ICU. The floor is mostly ICCU with some med-surg overflow beds that open up when the hospital is full (uh, pretty much every day). We take turns doing med-surg so not to get burned out. I love my floor. The ratio is 2-3 patients max and med-surg is 5 to 1. I get to learn critical care and keep up my med-surg skills. Plus, it's nice to have patients who are well enough to carry on conversations every once and a while. :D

Try ICU or a step down unit if your hosptial has one.

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Specializes in ED/trauma.
i've been in med-surg now for several months (started as a new grad). i liked it at first, and then started to dislike it, started to like it again, now i'm hating it. it's getting to the point where i dread having to go into work. the majority of work is just endless paperwork. at the end of the day i'm exhausted, my back hurts, and i really want to quit and just not come back again. having to remember everything for each of my 5 patients is tedious (who's going for what test, doctors assigned, new/changed orders, meds to be given, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc).

when i read this first part of your post, i had to stop for a moment and see if i had posted this in my sleep or something! i've been in for six months, and i've noticed this has become a pattern for me. working in med/surg has become a total love/hate relationship for me! fortunately, the length of time for the "hate" cycle has decreased and now there are "dislike" and "it could be worse" and "ehh, it was ok" cycles. those help break up the monotony.

oh, and i have six patients!

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Specializes in med surg, telemetry, stroke.

Boy this all sounds like what I am going through too. I am an LVN, 50 yrs. old and have worked med surg/telemetry for 2 l/2 years . It is overwhelming for me most of the time. We work team (RN, LVN and Nurse Tech - if we're lucky). I have 8 patients, but used to have up to 15. I am completing my RN and just did the LVN to RN bridge and will start 3rd semester in August. I'm not sure my body can take many more years of med surg. It's hard on us 50+. Some days I think what have I gotten myself into. But I have to admit I have learned alot. I'm hoping I can find a slightly easier spot once I get my RN, maybe clinic or something else. It's definitely hard work. Especially on those days I have 8 accuchecks, 6 dressing changes and NG/G tubes everywhere. All I can say is God Bless us All. :yeah::nurse::bowingpur

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Med-surg is not for everyone. ICU is not for everyone. OB, cardio, neuro....is not for everyone. Seeing a pattern yet? ;)

The beauty of nursing is that you have a wide variety of areas in which to practice. Doesn't mean you're qualified for any and all of them, but with determination and drive, you can and will get wherever you want to be.

I work in a State that doesn't recognize maximums on patient assignments, so the very idea of having no more than FIVE patients seems like a gift to me. But, perspective is everything.

Now, about that ICU assignment you are envying because it's "only two" (even if they are sicker): be careful what you wish for. Perhaps where you are, there's also a maximum of a two patient assignment, in which case, fine. But elsewhere, two can become three, and three can become four in crisis situations--which seem to be cropping up more and more these days. For what it's worth, the doctor is not any more "in reach" for the ICU than for our med surg floors: either the doc is there or isn't, and if not, the phone works the same no matter what floor we're calling from. And from a paperwork perspective, on my floats to ICU, I have MORE paperwork to do than for my med-surg patients! That's right: usually more test results and more labs to review, more progress notes in the charts to "know every little detail about". And more intensive charting goes with more intensive care patients. So instead of charting on seven people, I'm charting on two or three, but spending at least as much time on it, if not more. Just things to think on ;)

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