Today I started off my 7a-7p shift with 5 pts: 1. Pt on a trach collar tolerating PMV, with unsuccessful attempts to cap...very anxious and crying...high maintenance but, not too complex 2. unresponsive pt with hx of spiking temps, and a new PNA 3. Pt weaning from vent on PSV, who had chest pain tx to ICU 4. Pt with capped trach, with new onset seizures, hx of spina bifida 5. stable pt, hx of sepsis on 5week IV vanco...d/c to nursing home at the same time pt #3 is being transported to ICU...who got stuck in the elevator while being bagged. After losing these two pts, it was now 2pm...sat down to chart on all five of these pts...find out that at 3p, we have one nurse going home and the remaining three of us are going to split her assignment. So, I pick up a fourth pt...but now the 6th I've taking report on. But, things were still in control...it was 4pm, trying to finish up all my lose ends. At 5pm, supervisor starts shifting pts all over the building...I'm sure there was some rationale behind her madness but, had no time to figure it out. I ended up with a 5th pt at 6p...now the 7th of the day to take report on with no notice...while trying to wind up the day. While this is all taking place, she has CNAs cleaning up precaution rooms (no housekeeping available)...furniture and equipment going up and down the halls...CNAs not not available to do their own pt care. While trying to get report on my 7th pt and make sense of his orders and hx...my supervisor walks into one of my pts rooms and says that I need stop what I'm doing to give her a report. Is this crazy? or is it me? I have been working as a nurse for 9 months...so, I am still considered new. I have nothing to compare this to. Is this the way things are everywhere or is this crazy? BTW, while my vented pt was having chest pain, our doc on call was not available and when I called this same supervisor for help...she acted so annoyed that I needed help and kept saying "do you still need me???" We do not have tele on this floor; I put him on our portable monitor...he was having multiple PVCs...bigeminal, trigeminal...a run of 5...prolonged QT interval on his EKG and was a full code...I was scared that he would code at any moment and she was trying so hard to get back to whatever she was up to. Again is this crazy or is this me? I just need feedback.
