How dare you!

[sweetsleep28]

Tonight I worked my tail off. I had two people that I was suppose to orientating, plus I was helping out the agency LPN who graduated in September and thought taking a job with an agency would be a good idea for her FIRST job. So on top of trying to make sure that my two orientees didn't get thrown to the wolves, I was literally teaching this new nurse how to check G-tube placement, give PPDs, and insert foleys. Yes all of those things came up on my shift tonight. On top of also explaining to her that meds have two names when she said to me Pt. XYZ wants her dilaudid but the only thing I see for her is this stuff called hydromorphone. Things slow down for a few minutes. I send the two orientees to lunch, and continue helping the agency nurse. Because it's almost 7 pm and she is still passing 4 pm meds. At the end of the night I asked for a missed punch slip because I did not take a lunch. I didn't feel comfortable leaving any of them on the floor by themselves. She asks me why I need a missed punch form and I tell her. Her response to me is well I will sign it this time but next time you have to take a lunch. They are licensed so there is no reason why they couldn't have stayed on the floor by themselves. What?!?! What if something would have happened while I was gone, what if they had a questioned that needed answered and it couldn't wait till i came back from lunch. This supervisor is notorius for disappearing for extended periods of time and for not taking things that nurses report to her seriously. But she wants to get snippy with me over not taking a lunch! I bet if I would have taken a lunch and something would have gone wrong it would be a whole different story of why did you leave this trainees on the floor by themselves. This is not the first time this supervisor has given me crap. I dunno what her deal is. Being responsible gets you absolutely nothing and it's not fair. These people that run this building need to take a good look at themselves and realize there are more important things to get snippy over other than me not taking a lunch. They use and abuse their staff and then wonder why people don't last there more than a few months. I would have loved to have taken a lunch, but I'm willling to sacrifice what I want to make sure that these people who are my responsibility get taken care of the way they deserve. But apparently my priorities are out of order. Tomorrow they will be getting my two week notice. This was the icing on the cake tonight. I'm not putting license in jeporady any longer for this facility. I hope the people who run this building get their priorities in order. Because me not taking a lunch is by far the least of their problems.

[ktwlpn, LPN]

Facilities are moving away from full and part time staff as much as possible.It's so much cheaper to bring in agency and prn nurses that they don't have to give bennies to.We HAVE to realize that our own health and well being is as important as our patients. I would have told the three to call the supervisor immediatly with any questions or concerns and taken off for a few minutes..I would also contact the DON or admin and let them know directly that the agency sent a brand new grad and you didn't feel safe.-I'll say it again- We HAVE to realize that our own health and well being is as important as our patients.

[carolmaccas66, BSN, RN]

Yeh find a new job b4 quitting, unless u can afford to quit.

Next time, go on ur break & leave the other nurses. They will soon be screaming for the NUM & all hell will break loose. It is not your responsibilty to babysit these people on ur break. You are expected to orientate too many people. I'd be having a long talk with the NUM, if that gets u nowhere, then quit & tell him/her why.

And the one day at a time thing doesn't work. We all know stress accumulates - that's why in the end, people crack. It's too many days of cr*p.

[Kooky Korky, BSN, RN]

Don't you guys mean Lunch, not Punch?

guidAnce, not guidEnce

occurrEnce, not occurrAnce

Stand up for your people, don't throw them to the dogs. I think you sound suspicious to make it in Management, though. Sorry, just my take on what it takes to be a boss.

Esme, she already said she has a new job.

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

Facilities are moving away from full and part time staff as much as possible.It's so much cheaper to bring in agency and prn nurses that they don't have to give bennies to.We HAVE to realize that our own health and well being is as important as our patients. I would have told the three to call the supervisor immediatly with any questions or concerns and taken off for a few minutes..I would also contact the DON or admin and let them know directly that the agency sent a brand new grad and you didn't feel safe.-I'll say it again- We HAVE to realize that our own health and well being is as important as our patients.

In my last four facilities, agency nurses were NOT allowed.

[chevyv, BSN, RN]

Yep, we don't use agency at all. They even want to get rid of in-house pool. Wishing them luck with that!

[maelstrom143]

She signed the slip right? No harm no foul... I myself have people that dont take lunches (when policy states TAKE LUNCH) and it frustrates the help out of me! Especially when its people that should know better & get thier feelers hurt when I look at them all crazy. I have to answer for that at the end of the month and it may not seem like a big deal to you, but it is.

Making excuses for people so they get paid for the lunch they shouldve taken gets old!

Sweetsleep: I think you made it perfectly clear there was a darned good reason for your not taking a lunch. Patient safety comes first. The lack of respect and professionalism (issues are taken care of in private not in front of others) from your supervisor is appalling and that anyone would fault you for watching out for your patients is just plain wrong. There is a distinct difference between not taking a break due to a serious safety concern and not taking one just because you chose not to do so.

As to how the supervisor gets to explain it? She can well tell them precisely what you had going on. Were she any good at her job she would have come to see how you were doing and offered to help. That is what the worthwhile supervisors/charge nurses do. End of story. If they get tired of explaining, then staff better/safer.

You did the right thing. Wish we had more like you. Good luck in your new job. I hope they can appreciate what a devoted nurse they are getting.