Hello, my fellow nurses. It's so good to be here. I need your opinions on this situation.
Okay, I currently work in LTC on a rehabilitation unit/skilled nursing facility. Before I came on, they used to do 12 hours shifts. Now they are doing 8 hour shifts. Anyone who has ever worked on a rehab unit in LTC knows that it is near impossible to get anything done in 8 hours. Well, when they went to 8 hours, no one made adjustments to the work load. I work 1st shift. So, therefore, all of the treatments are scheduled on 1st shift. In addition to the normal duties; 2 med pass, treatments, charting, dealing with various issues, we sometimes get 7 and 8 admissions on 1st shfit. I have 25 patients that mostly are post-surgical and need pain medication on a regular basis. And it seems that recently, we have been having to send a lot of them back to the hospital as soon as they get there. These people have been butchered and develop so many problems.
So take 25 patients, plus discharges and admits, plus treatments, 2 med passes that seem endless because you have constant interruptions, plus family member's concerns, and you barely have time to look up before the end of the shift has come. I often stay over to finish up what I couldn't on my shift. Well, as you know, I am getting the blues from management for staying over because I am going into overtime. I told my manager that I just cannot, with a clear conscience, leave without doing my treatments and my charting. It is not the patients' fault that we are inadequately staffed and overloaded. They came there for good and care and by George, they are going to get it from me. So, she said, cool, do that. But she is telling me that if I stay, i must clock out and work off of the clock. I don't think that's right, but I guess i have no choice. But it's really taking a toll on me, physically and mentally. And I have only been there for 3 weeks. I'm already burned out.
This is where I need your advice. What should I do?
My manager says that it's understood that I won't be able to do everything on my shift. But if I don't do it guys, it won't get done. The 2nd shfit nurses won't finish anyting because they feel, "Well, that's 1st shift's responsibility". And I don't want to always leave them something to do. They don't deserve that. Also, I fear for my license. If I never do my treatments and leave them everyday, I'm afraid somebody's foot may rot off. And you know that in a court of law, they aren't trying to hear that I couldn't get it done. All they will hear is that I didn't do it. So, I am sometimes leaving an hour or two past getting off time and that is without being paid. I don't know about anyone else, but my time is valuable. I have a child that needs me. If I am going to be there, I feel that I should at least be paid, right?
By the way, we have a treatment/wound care nurse, but she won't touch a patient. She never does any treatments, except when the corporation comes in or state comes for a survey. Even then, she lied about doing the treatments. And get this, management knows about her, but they want to jump on me for staying on doing my job. And the CNAs cannot be counte on. They are nowhere to be found when you need them. They all go on break at the same time They run the floor and will tell the nurse what they are and are not going to do. And they even will sometimes tell the nurse what to do. The situation seems hopeless. Besides leaving, what options do I have? What's a girl to do? I just started this job 3 weeks ago and with all humbleness, I can honestly say, i am a pretty good "floor" nurse. I have worked in the hospital setting and left acute care to "get away." But I can honestly say, I don't think the hospital is as bad as this. I am at my wit's end. I am so tired, physically and mentally. I feel like crying everyday when I finish. And they schedule you to work 6 out of 7 days sometimes 4 days in a row before you get an off day. Somebody help me before I leave the profession for good. I need some inspiration and some advice. And it will all be much appreciated. I'll be waiting to hear from you all.
