For about a year now I have wanted to be a nurse. My previous career was in finance and I hated the hypocrisy/duplicity, and after a few subtle changes in my life I decided I wanted to be in a career of caring and compassion, plus the fact how it is modest to high paying doesn't hurt.
Recently I joined up as a resident sitter at a nursing home. After the educational videos during orientation the HR manager took a liking to me and asked me to work on the more administrative side of things i.e matching employee records, filing, standard HR stuff, etc for the first couple weeks until he'll be able to find me sitter's hours; he was very kind to offer me proper sitter shifts for the next four days eventually this Thursday.
The sitter shift however was a disaster; every time the resident (who I was sitting for) needed help, CNAs or Nurses would hardly respond to the call light, and when I will leave to fetch them I was reprimanded for 'encouraging' the use of call light. I was refused my ten minute break, and not allowed to have my unpaid meal until six hours of the shift had passed despite my informing them how I suffer from low blood pressure if I hadn't eaten in awhile and how California Law insists on a 30 minute unpaid lunch after four hours of service unless turned down by the employee) I wasn't even allowed to consume a snack. To even go to the bathroom I was to fetch a CNA to sit for me, and every time I tried to flag one for me, they would either disappear or refuse to lend me an assist whilst I can clearly see they were all sitting at the Nurse's station either chatting or using the internet/computer. To make matters worse, when I finally got my 30 minute meal break I heard the CNAs rebuking me for not having taken it within the first two hours of my shift. Is it really fair for me to be expected to do so when everybody else is doing as they please?
I understand perhaps sitters are not the most important people but I believe some of us are trying to make it in healthcare for the first time. During our orientation the administrator of the facility came over to us and explained how he firmly believes how each of us should receive three times the amount we are offered, but healthcare if about selflessness. On my first shift as a sitter I saw a Nurse walk in to give meds to a resident; he turned the lights on to wake her up, offered her the meds and then left without turning it off despite her calling for him to do so. I helped her, and feared for the next hour if I will be reprimanded for turning the lights off for a resident. I saw a senile woman on a wheelchair who kept asking where she is and how she needs to go home, yet nobody offered her any help, consolation or assurance... heck didn't even speak to her! Anytime I will come over to the nurse's station they would hardly look at me, and with their eyes on the computer screens they will ask "what do you want?"
What about the lessons of selflessness and compassion and how we deserve so much more in compensation our administrator went on and on about at length during the orientation, isn't that hypocrisy/duplicity? That was the whole reason why I left my previous career!
Is this what it is about? I know there are good and bad people everywhere. I have been a part of this Allnurses community for some time now so I understand that, but my resolve has been wavered; do I really want to be a nurse, should I be a nurse? I do not understand.
I will gladly appreciate your input, thank you very kindly for reading through this rant.
Before I was nurse I can remember being in a hospital and seeing a confused pt always asking the same questions over and over again. Nobody did anything.I thought it was awful.Then I became a nurse and I have done the same as those nurses did. When a patient is confused and no amount of explaining and reassuring will help you end up doing nothing.If I had all day to sit with the poor dears I would but I can't.
loriangel14, RN
6,933 Posts
Before I was nurse I can remember being in a hospital and seeing a confused pt always asking the same questions over and over again. Nobody did anything.I thought it was awful.Then I became a nurse and I have done the same as those nurses did. When a patient is confused and no amount of explaining and reassuring will help you end up doing nothing.If I had all day to sit with the poor dears I would but I can't.