I need some professional advice on this situation

[monicanurse]

Hi all,

I just took a job in a general inpatient oncology floor. I missed working with oncology patients and wanted to work with those kinds of patients again. I had been working on a surgical floor previously.

Im sure some of you have had this situation. You interview. You think you have asked all the right questions. Then....two weeks into orientation....this is what happens: No nursing assistant at all on weekends....nurses do everything. changed beds, give baths...6 patients per nurse, by the way. Then first day of orientation, we get one patient on restraints, one getting blood, one patient who is a high fall risk ( has fallen in the hospital 5 times), and the other fresh admits. I have even seen a nurse cry the other day after one day of a bad assignment. She left home crying.

I wish I had know this but I was never told they were so short staffed in the interview. I was never told they dont have Nursing Assistants , except one nursing assistant every other weekend. From what I hear , they are hiring new people , some RNs and one NA to fill in some gaps.

I just dont feel very safe in the way they make assignments here......oh...and I forgot to mention.....on top of all of that....there is the constant bickering between night and day nurses.....who didnt get what done...whether a sticker was missing from such and such.

IM just so FRUSTRATED. I dont know what to do. I feel like getting out of this job and not staying. I feel somewhat trapped right now. I feel awful because I just took this job and hate to disappoint my boss by giving up on it. SHould I wait and see if things get better? or Should I be looking for another job NOW?

Please help! I dont know how to handle this situation.

[monicanurse]

That is exactly right! It is my license. That is why Im concerned. Ive worked too long to get a license and then you are put in precarious situations where you can lose it.

Im putting together a list for my manager of things Ive observed and how i would improve them. This might be more positive . Although, I dont know how well this will go.

[marielina85]

That is exactly right! It is my license. That is why Im concerned. Ive worked too long to get a license and then you are put in precarious situations where you can lose it.

Im putting together a list for my manager of things Ive observed and how i would improve them. This might be more positive . Although, I dont know how well this will go.

thats a good idea i think i will do the same give it a few and wait to see if things improve and if not i will start looking...but hope things get better for you=D

[monicanurse]

Thanks marielina! You too!

I think hospitals , especially right now, are all in crisis. Unfortunately, they are cutting back on nurses and wanting nurses to do more work than they are capable. It makes me want to get out of bedside nursing, eventhough I truly care for people and want to make a difference in my so called life.

[marielina85]

haha yea but im in LTC...yea i like my job but its the same way very understaffed and they wanna cut hours and pile on the work:mad:

[marielina85]

Thanks marielina! You too!

I think hospitals , especially right now, are all in crisis. Unfortunately, they are cutting back on nurses and wanting nurses to do more work than they are capable. It makes me want to get out of bedside nursing, eventhough I truly care for people and want to make a difference in my so called life.

THATS A SHAME AND AT THE END OF THE DAY THE ONLY ONE THAT SUFFERS IS THE PATIENT:crying2:

[nursel56]

If you are working on the type of unit you want to, and you feel that your boss would be disappointed if you quit (which tells me they also want you on their team), and they are working on shoring up the staffing situation, I think it'd be worth giving it some more time. Best of luck-- oncology is a very interesting and rewarding specialty!

[softstorms]

What did you think nursing would be? I have worked in hospitals and nursing homes. I never knew what it would be like. No matter what job you look for, all will have some of this in it. You have to define...what is better! All jobs you seek will have something you don't like.

[RNperdiem, RN]

Yes, the situation might improve, or it might not.

It couldn't hurt to keep your resume updated and regularly scan the jobs available for nurses(not at work, of course).

If I was in your situation, I would set a deadline of maybe three months. If staffing does not improve, then the staff problem is chronic, and it is time to look for another job.

[monicanurse]

Thanks for all the advice. I actually went up to my supervisor and gave her specifics of some things Ive observed and provided possible solutions.

This didnt go over very well. Maybe because Im the new person on the block. My manager tried to address things by talking at me and not to "me" necessarily.