It's Time To Hang Up My Cap

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Specializes in LTC.

Well Ladies and Gents,it's time to hang up my cap.. After too many years in the profession I decided to retire . That was 5 years ago. I missed long term care and my profession so much that 3 months ago I went back to long term care. I am absolutely in awe of the young nurses who have come up. I realized very quickly that they are stronger than me ,faster than me, and know a whole lot more than I do. I always considered my self a damn good nurse,but these kids leave me in the dust. I was given a 32 patient load and it took me 2 and a half hours overtime to pass the meds and I hadn't even started tx. or charting. It took me 2 days to recuperate from the physical exertion of the day.And i felt I couldn't be a Nurse. Didn't have time to sit with a patient or hold a dying residents hand.. What has happened to this nobelest of professions????? I felt like a robot.... I admire all of the Nurses who have chosen long term care. Pleasr don't become that robot...You all have so much to give..As for me I'm moving on to teaching. Seems there is just as much shortage in Nurse Educators. Look out soon to be Nurse Aids, it might just be me teaching you hospital corners.........ALOHA!!!!!!:redbeathe:redbeathe:redbeathe:redbeathe:redbeathe

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Specializes in ICU/ER.

Congrats and God Bless---by teaching you will impact health care professionals for years to come!!!

What an honor to be an influence over young minds!!!

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Specializes in Developmental Disabilities, LTC.

I promise I'll do my darndest to never become that robot. As a new nurse working in LTC, sitting & holding a patient's hand, or giving them a massage, or just asking them how their day is going is my favorite & most rewarding part of the day.

Good luck with the teaching!!!

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Specializes in Neuro ICU and Med Surg.

I have no idea how the LTC nurses do it. I surely couldn't. However I like the crazy ICU.

I bet you will be a wonderful teacher. You have so much knowledge you can pass on. Good luck to you with the teaching.

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Good for you for staying in the game and moving on to teaching! We really do need more quality teachers. The instructors I had for CNA were almost all very intimidating and the few who I was comfortable around I valued very much.

Be one of those who I was not afraid to ask questions of--I'm sure your students will love you. :)

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Aloha, the new nurses don't know more than you do. The reason that newer nurses may be able to get out of work on time is because they don't do all the things that us "old" nurses were taught to do. And for the most part, they don't chart nearly as well or as much as experienced nurses do either.

Times have changed and it is a sad day when good nurses can't do their jobs because employers put money before people's lives. The load that you had is way too high and I guarantee that there are nurses that are fudging their initials on the treatment records. I've been in LTC and I've seen them do it. It impossible to do all the treatments, meds, and charting on that many patients without something being shoved to the side.

You have not failed as a nurse. You have failed to become an indifferent nurse who cannot ignore the pleas from an elderly person desperate for someone to care.

This world could definitely benefit from you as an educator. I say go for it and teach some of these people what it means to be a true caregiver.

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