How do you do it?

[KStudentNurse123]

Hi all,

My username is misleading, but I am a fairly new registered nurse working in a hospital. Most of the time I enjoy the people and the work, but these last couple weeks have been rough. Rude, out of control patients who have been verbally and sometimes physically abusive with the staff, very needy patients and families, and very poor staffing. It's a very difficult floor to be on with the right amount of staff, and being short makes it so much harder. I knew some days would be rough, but lately it's everyday. I was close to tears at work the other day because I just couldn't handle it anymore, and I feel like am good at managing my time. Other coworkers feel the same way. I work with a lot of new nurses. We do our best to help each other, but many of us are regretting this career choice. How can I handle 8 patients, with 5 demanding pain meds, screaming at me, 1 telling me he wished he had a gun so he can hurt me.. I'm normally a kind, patient person, but this job is certainly testing me. Then believe it or not, the guy fires me as the nurse. Granted, I was very happy not to go in there again, but how does he have the right to fire me, yet I am expected to continue doing my job with this person who is so hurtful and noncooperative?

My question is: how do you do this?! I can't imagine doing this another week, let alone the rest of my life. I can't handle another person yelling at me for something of my control, or another night of short staffing. I'm just exhausted. I wanted to be on this floor for at least two years because I'm happy to the get the experience.. it's a great hospital.. but now I'm not so sure this setting, or career choice is right for me.

[floridaRN38]

It is the same in my hospital. Your floor sounds like my ER. I've been a nurse for 9 years. I just see it getting worse and worse with pt abusing staff and management not caring. It sucks sometimes.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

"it's a great hospital" no it is not. Your facility is choosing to make you work short staffed. Providing care to 8 patients is not do-able.

This is all about the facilities bottom line, the almighty dollar. There are better places to work, go find one.

In the mean time, whenever a patient threatens you, notify security and your nursing supervisor. You are a professional that does NOT have to put up with that.

Remember.. it's NOT you.. it's them. They will work you to death.. if you let them.

[LightMyFire]

Call security to deal with abusive patients and learn to stick up for yourself when someone is being rude just for the sake of being rude. Be thankful when a jerk fires you. Try to remember that you can't be in 8 rooms at once and everyone has to wait their turn. Prioritize. Try to head off requests for pain meds by offering them when you have the time if they can have them. You are one person. You can be a fantastic nurse but if you're overburdened by your employer, it's their fault you're not fantastic anymore, not yours. I'd say get out but I'm bitter and think it's the same most places. I'm in the same boat. I do think there are good places out there but nurses probably don't leave them.

[RNperdiem, RN]

I got stronger and more aware of my needs as a person. What I needed was a better job and there are better jobs out there than the one you have. As a new grad I was grateful to have a job, but I cannot imagine still working my first job.

I learned to delegate for my own survival(the nurse cannot do it all with 8 patients), I learned to make use of the charge nurse when sinking, and I plotted my escape when I reached one year of experience.

I suspect your department has a lot of turnover, right?

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

Just curious, what kind of unit is this?

[KStudentNurse123]

Thank you, everyone for the responses. I thought most would say to leave, and I agree. I just can't see myself leaving this early on. I would like to stay a year at least and then transfer. Yes, we do have a lot of turnover. My floor is about to lose a lot of nurses due to the staffing and growing expectations, and if I'm continually stuck with 8 patients I will leave earlier. On nights especially there's a lot of new people which makes it difficult at times. It's just not worth it to me anymore. I wish I never chose nursing as a career, which kills me to say after I just spent 4 years getting my degree. I work in a large hospital in a downtown metropolitan area on a neurosurgical unit.

[floridaRN38]

It is tough. Especially when u r a new nurse. Don't give up. There are better opportunities for you. Just get 2 years under your belt. You will eventually meet people they may be able to help u will a better and more rewarding job. Besides the crazy ER I work in. I also work doing sedation density for a wonderful doc. That actually treats me like a human being. Hang in there!! [emoji4]

[lovelyrn1]

I am in the same position. I worked for 7 months now. I don't know how I did this this long. My case.. some senior nurses bully you making your life way worse! I think I lasted long because of other caring coworkers but they are leaving next month...soI am not sure what to do here

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

My question is: how do you do this?!

I hung in there at the bedside for 10 years by placing my patients and their families in one compartment while ensuring that the people in my personal life ended up in another compartment. It's called compartmentalization.

Over the years I've learned to tune annoying people out. People want to see us melt down, but I'd rather not give them the pleasure of letting them see me sweat.

[Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN]

I deal with rude people by disengaging. Refuse to continue the conversation until they can behave like an adult. Do nursing tasks silently if I must be in the room. Actual threats, get security. I've never been physically assaulted on the job, but if it happened I wouldn't hesitate for a second to involve local law enforcement.

8 pt assignments, that's not so easy. The most I've ever had was 5 LTACH pts on days (worse than 7 neuro/ENT med-surg on nocs). On days where I've felt completely overwhelmed and like I wasn't providing good care to ANYONE, I would tell myself "You did the best you could, and at the end of the day nobody died."

[llg, PhD, RN]

Another thing is to learn how to use time off well. Make sure you are using your vacation time -- and not just saving it up for "some day." You need breaks to keep your sanity. Also be sure to use your time off wisely. Don't party too hard, drink too much, etc. Some social activity is great, but if you go-go-go all the time, it will contribute to your exhaustion and burn out. Make sure you have quiet time and rest, too. Balance is essential for emotional well-being. Eat well, exercise, etc. You need to treat yourself well in order to have anything to invest in your career -- no matter where you are working.