Having difficulty working on med-surg, telemetry unit

beemax079 · Jun 22, 2016

I've spent the last two years in psych and that is how I feel most days as well. I have interviews this week for med/surg jobs and I am curious how it's going to compare!

guest825264 · Jun 24, 2016

I don't know how much help my post will be, but I sure understand where you are coming from. I work the same type of unit and it's brutal. Every time I think I have it figured out then I have a bad shift and go home not wanting to be a nurse anymore! I have often said that 12 hours goes by like 15 minutes on med-surg! I think that 7 patients is too many and that I can only safely take care of 5-6. I also think that nurses can not be successful without the support of patient care techs, other hospital departments and nursing supervisors. Teamwork is definitely key to surviving this busy schedule. I wish you the best, let us know how it goes.

tinybbynurse · Jun 26, 2016

That's totally normal. I especially feel like at least the first few months are more task oriented and less big picture because you're still getting the hang of performing your job.

emorales2010 · Aug 1, 2016

Thanks everyone :) i would also like to point out the craziness I deal with on a daily basis.

I am not sure if this is a staffing issue, work ethic issue, or both, but it is really starting to piss me off so badly that I don'r know how much longer I can take it.

I am not the most assertive, bossy, or extroverted nurse. I would say that I am rather quiet and calm. However, I believe this is getting in the way of me doing my job efficiently: I have a hard time delegating tasks. If there are tasks that I can delegate (toileting, vitals, bed bath, peri care), then I would try do it myself before asking my aide who I can see is busy too. I just feel like this is the best way to promote teamwork....

But I still need to do my assessments, chart, pass meds, and initiate maintain orders that sometimes accidentally get overlooked because I am trying to do everything for everyone all the time! And if I don't them I am "lazy" or they say, "man why is he just sitting on that computer?"

Please help. I am dying lol

annonymouse · Aug 1, 2016

Oh OP, Hear you loud and clear!

I worked on two very busy med-surg-tele floors within my career. One was in AZ where there is no limit for pt ratio. One was in CA where the ratio was 5-1; but during NOC, NO NURSE ASSISTANTS AT ALL, EVER. Both were ridiculously busy, and at times overwhelming. Believe it or not though...the unit in AZ, where I usually had 8 pts.; was much more doable because of the amazing assistive personnel and our teamwork ethics. The 5 pt, no asst. personal unit was a complete mess, no matter how much order was attempted. Thank God, us RNs didn't have any petty problems, and worked together as if all of the patients were all of our patients...none of that " oh thats not my patient, sorry, I just saw YOUR patient fall out of bed".....

But yes; in general, that kind of floor is a chaotic mess inherently; will always be, and within that dynamic, it's up to you to find some way to create order and sanity. In time and with experience it will be easy to integrate the "whole picture" with each patient...but you are still going to be putting out immediate fires constantly.

Some people love this challenge....I kinda did : ).....but sometimes its just time to transfer to a different unit.

Good luck and may you find your sweet spot. Critical care is obviously a great place for a nurse who is super focused and wants to use the whole picture.....although just as wild and chaotic at moments..there IS a sanctity to it and most staff seek order in the ICU. So usually teamwork is always the norm there. : )