Is this a crazy idea?

Specialties Hospice

Published

  • by Vtachy1
    Specializes in BNAT instructor, ICU, Hospice,triage.

I have been PRN for almost 2 years. Got a new manager 4 months ago and lost 80% of our employees. Yeah, she is a rip!

One of the only benefits of being PRN is that we don't have to do admissions. I do everything else that a fulltime nurse does, I just don't get benefits, PTO, retirement, insurance. So this is the ONE perk!!! I do work 40 plus hours a week.

PCC sends me an email saying I will now be trained to do admissions. They know I don't want to do admissons I have told them this before. Even handed in a resgnation, but the Director called and asked if I would stay at least until they got more employees hired. So I stayed, gave up my other job because Hospice is my true love, and its what I want more than anything.

Anyway, I emailed back and asked if it would be possible if I could only do admissions and no more regular patient visits. I would only do admissions in the mornings and none passed noon or 1. (so I can be home for my kids in the evenings).

She said the manager would talk to me on Monday.

I do have another job waiting if I am not pleased with the response. Admissions are hard, draining, emotionally exhausting. But if I am not seeing patients it may be okay???

Should I just be firm and tell her if I do admissions this is how its gonna be?

They are trying to get away from having more than one nurse see patients. Some of the full time nurses are frustrated when they don't get to see their patients. So this may help that situation.

Am I nuts for suggesting this?

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN

4 Articles; 7,907 Posts

Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

IMO, you have nothing to lose by asking, especially since you have a safety net in place should you not like the outcome of this. Just be prepared for the very possible scenario of her telling you a firm "No." Despite losing all of those employees, I'm sure they are not lacking for applicants.

Still, if you don't ask, you don't get.

Best of luck!

Specializes in ICU.

If you have something lined up I guess sure you can demand what you want, but in my opinion your sound like a pretty needy nurse. i Want this that, ect, but I wont do this and that. I mean come on. If I was your manager, Id be sayin bon voyage! But obviously theyre short staffed so they may put up with it. I just dont get how you want to refuse to do admissions, its part of your job, if its too draining go do something else.

Vtachy1

446 Posts

Specializes in BNAT instructor, ICU, Hospice,triage.

You can definitely say a lot of things about me, but needy is absolutely NOT one of them. I never ask anything of anyone. This job is not a job it is a way of life. It is all consuming most of the time. It never ends, the phone calls all night long from patients, the funeral visitations, the long long long 14 hour days we put in, the calls from supervisors constantly, the long phone calls we listen to families venting and grieving.

And so now they are asking even more of us PRN nurses. I was not hired to do admissions, and that was never a part of the PRN nurses jobs. We are to be the backup for the fulltime nurses. And we do take on some primary patients too. None of the PRN nurses were hired for this.

So I am asking to do only admissions partly because the fulltime nurses are complaining that they cannot see their patients enough. This would solve some of the problem if I only do admissions. And not all fulltime nurses are like that, some are VERY appreciative and ever so grateful when we have their back and cover when they are in a crisis with another patient or need a vacation or a day off, or whatever.

I'm a lot of things but needy is not one of them. My DH is sitting by me right now laughing at that one. I probably did sound that way when you don't see the whole picture.

Some hospices have nurses that do only admissions, so maybe its time for our hospice to try it. I don't know.

Specializes in ICU.

Haha, forgive me, I am not a hospice nurse so I know nothing about the area. I get where your coming from now so yeah I would definately ask, sounds like it would be a great way to run things to make all of the nurses happy and less burnt out.

rnholly

3 Posts

I work as a primary RN for a hospice organization. We have specific nurses for admissions because I'd how time-consuming they are. Not only is there a lot of paperwork, but this is when the pt's and families are in crisis. Lots if raw emotions to deal with. The job of admissions nurse is super important and it would be unfair to the pt and family for this nurse to not be burnt out by being stretched too thin. I agree that asking for what you want is best. You have to consider YOUR sanity!!! Needy. That's ridiculous. Obviously Creamsoda is unfamiliar with hospice nursing.

NursieDP

83 Posts

Specializes in ICU, hospice.

You should not even try to comment about a hospice nurse if you arenot one. that was in poor taste.

MissyWrite

193 Posts

Specializes in RN, CHPN.

The company you work for should have nurses who only do admissions. They are VERY time consuming and there's a TON of paperwork, and the family is usually in crisis mode, understandably. I can't understand how anyone with other responsibilities could fit this into their workday on a regular basis. It can take several hours to do an admission from start to finish. But if admissions are your only responsibility and you'll just do one per day, it can be a very nice job. I hope your manager will agree with your request. Good luck to you.

Red Kryptonite

2,212 Posts

Specializes in hospice.

You've got to wonder what is going on in the higher-ups' minds when someone causes EIGHTY PERCENT of their employees to leave, and they still keep them on. But then, I think maybe one commenter on this thread might end up being the kind of manager you are now dealing with so..... I guess they come from somewhere.

The hospice I work for has dedicated nurses who are admissions counselors....that's all they do. So no, your idea is not crazy at all.

PomMom65

105 Posts

The Hospice I work for also has dedicated admission nurses.

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