I had no idea... med/surg vent

anotherone, BSN, RN · Apr 24, 2012

I am a new med/surg nurse and just wanted to say I hate it. It's been 4 months so far and I have never been more stressed out in my life. I applied for everything BUT med/surg (at first) because I had a feeling that this wouldn't be for me, but as everyone knows, jobs are slim pickings for new grads. My primary complaint is that this is an environment in which you are expected to lie incessantly. Late med administration? Lie or be written up. Couldn't make the pain reassessment in time? Lie or be written up. Stuck with a pt who is tanking for 3 hours until the transfer to ICU? Lie for the rest of them or be written up. Almost every night at the end of my shift, I spend between 2 extra hours charting my lies because there is no time for charting during the shift. Even the experienced nurses are having to stay late with me. And this floor is so busy, it's not uncommon to turn over almost your entire team of patients in one shift. It's insane.

Yes, this is the same reason other people hate med surg. But i think most jobs in nursing will be just like this, whether they are icu, er, or anything else is an extension of med surg.neuro, tele, ortho etc is all some sort of med surg. how are night shifts where you work? I would try to get as much experience as possible than look for hospitals/floors with smaller ratios if there are any around.

BonnieSc · Apr 24, 2012

I sympathize, but I don't quite understand, why are you having to lie so often? What is your nurse/patient ratio? Do you think the other nurses on your floor have the same problem? This has nothing to do with med/surg and everything to do with your hospital and/or your unit.

I don't think I've ever "had" to falsify charts... but I've also never worked in an atmosphere where the threat of being "written up" for fairly common nursing situations was held over my head like that.

all4ofus, ASN, RN · Apr 24, 2012

I really hope it's not the same everywhere, otherwise there is nothing to look forward to. I know that much of it has to do with the fact that everything is still so unfamiliar, which slows me down. But I have a sneaky suspicion that our manager is more stringent than others. I will have a better idea how we compare when I start floating. On the upside, most of my coworkers are incredibly supportive and have the same complaints, so we laugh together a lot.

Lauryen828 · Apr 25, 2012

I am also a new grad and I work on a med surg unit. I am 3 months in and I agree it is horrible. While I do not have to lie about charting I do have unsupportive mean and bitter :argue:coworkers, and a lazy and absent :sleep: Nurse manager. My nurse manager is never there I have seen her 6 times (yes I counted) in the past 3 months. My coworkers take hour to 2 hour lunches. They do not answer call ligths and the list goes on. I NEVER wanted to work in med surg, but jobs were few and far between. While I know that my floor is the problem, the staff, sometimes lack there of and absent management, Med Surg is still last on my list of ideal places to work. I cant wait for my 6 months so I can start looking elsewhere... :down:

I am a new med/surg nurse and just wanted to say I hate it. It's been 4 months so far and I have never been more stressed out in my life. I applied for everything BUT med/surg (at first) because I had a feeling that this wouldn't be for me, but as everyone knows, jobs are slim pickings for new grads. My primary complaint is that this is an environment in which you are expected to lie incessantly. Late med administration? Lie or be written up. Couldn't make the pain reassessment in time? Lie or be written up. Stuck with a pt who is tanking for 3 hours until the transfer to ICU? Lie for the rest of them or be written up. Almost every night at the end of my shift, I spend between 2 extra hours charting my lies because there is no time for charting during the shift. Even the experienced nurses are having to stay late with me. And this floor is so busy, it's not uncommon to turn over almost your entire team of patients in one shift. It's insane.

elprup, BSN, RN · Apr 25, 2012

I agree. I do not like Med Surg either. But congratulations to you for surviving! You really should not "lie". But I totally understand how you feel like you are lying. Make sure you are safe and following your nurse practice act. Also, Be very wary of going into Long Term Care because with 25+ patients, I felt it was worse than med surg. if you can hang out and do med surg for a year, you will be golden for any position you choose. But only you can make that choice. My health and sanity is worth more to me than selling my soul for a paycheck.

BostonTerrierLover, BSN, RN · Apr 25, 2012

:yawn:This is why Boston is creature of the Night.

Vespertinas · Apr 25, 2012

Med-surg doesn't have the market on chart falsifying. Your particular floor is just one of the many environments that fosters that habit.

westieluv · Apr 25, 2012

I have worked Med/Surg, long term care, and hospice. You won't find a nursing job that isn't stressful and where you don't feel underappreciated and overworked at least some of the time, I'm sorry to say. It's the nature of the beast and unfortunately, money will always be the bottom line, not excellent patient care. The best that you can hope for is that you find something that makes you feel like you're making a difference in people's lives so that it is at least tolerable. I never felt that way in Med/Surg, marginally in LTC, and more so in hospice than anywhere else, but hospice is extremely stressful as well and the burnout rate is higher than in many other types of nursing.

Good luck. I'm over the 20 year mark as an RN and just awaitin' retirement...; )

jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B · Apr 25, 2012

I am not sure I would be lying. Could come back and bite you on the butt. Just sayin.....

MarRN2012 · Apr 25, 2012

I am a new med/surg nurse and just wanted to say I hate it. It's been 4 months so far and I have never been more stressed out in my life. I applied for everything BUT med/surg (at first) because I had a feeling that this wouldn't be for me, but as everyone knows, jobs are slim pickings for new grads. My primary complaint is that this is an environment in which you are expected to lie incessantly. Late med administration? Lie or be written up. Couldn't make the pain reassessment in time? Lie or be written up. Stuck with a pt who is tanking for 3 hours until the transfer to ICU? Lie for the rest of them or be written up. Almost every night at the end of my shift, I spend between 2 extra hours charting my lies because there is no time for charting during the shift. Even the experienced nurses are having to stay late with me. And this floor is so busy, it's not uncommon to turn over almost your entire team of patients in one shift. It's insane.

Yesterday, I interviewed for a med/surg RN position and this post is really scaring me. I Don't know what to expect, but for some reason i feel like i will be able to handle it in dew time of course with God's help. I worked as in LPN in LTC for 5 years up until i got my RN license a month ago. I'm still working in one of the LTC that i used to work as a LPN, but with better pay. I know working in the hospital will be more beneficial for me as a new RN because i will be able to use my clinical skills more and learn new things. I understand that you are frustating and you need to vent, but i just hope that is not going to me in 2 or 4 months. lol :uhoh3: :crying2:

psytbs87 · Apr 25, 2012

i'm not even going to sugar coat it...med surg is the most depressing place to work. ever. this has nothing to do with the patients, more with the staff and EVERYONE always being snippy and having an attitude. I completely understand we have a lot on our plates, but most of my other coworkers pass all their work off to the poor techs, who bust their ass more than a lot of the nurses I work with. The atmosphere on a med surg unit isn't a very comforting one too. Remember always hearing how nurses like to eat their young? well, this is what they were talking about.

They don't care if you succeed or not, and even when I brought this up to the supervisor she dismissed my claims as just being nervous to get to know everyone. Little did my staff know, I come from a very strong psych background of about 10 years with at an inpatient penitentiary as well performing all the initial assessment for patients being admitted into the psych ward. So, you kind of just have to keep acting polite and cordial, make sure the supervisor is aware of how hard you're working.

And as for the meds not being passed on time, either deal with it or become that patient's advocate and make your voice known that you actually care about the people in the hospital, and are making them your first priority rather than denying them their scheduled medications that the Doctor ordered to be given at certain times. I would first make anonymous complaints to another supervisor in human resources or call over to patient rights and responsibilities. At least make it known that people aren't charting accurate information, and you don't want to put anyone in danger by disobeying the rules because the nurses are too busy lounging around ******** how hard their career is.....when ironically, most of them do them do bare minimum to get by each day.