Leaving a new orientee RN on the floor alone

[georgie3]

Hi all. I'd really appreciate any feedback regarding this issue that happened last night at work. I'm a new graduate nurse, just off orientation for appr. 1 week. I work on a pediatric/adult med. surg. floor. Yesterday I worked the day shift with one other nurse, (who happened to be "in charge" b/c of another nurse who called off) Anyhow, I had 5 pts. she had 6. My one pt. was a "sickler" who required q 2 hrs. of pain meds. Another pt. was a full dnr who needed his meds. crushed through his peg-tube. My other 3 pts. required iv antibiotics every 6 hrs. and decub. ulcer dressing changes. Yes, some meds. were late, but I administered them as quickly as time allowed. I was asked to stay over for 12 hours b/c they were short a nurse and I agreed to. However....I did not get 1 break, nor did I get a lunch. I was there a total of 13 hours. I know some of you are probably thinking, get used to it, but what irritates me is the nurse who was "in charge" was able to not only finish all of her charting on time, she gave me a new admission AND she was able to leave the floor 2 times for a smoke break. COME ON!!! Leave me, the only RN on the floor w/ all that was going on, for a SMOKE BREAK! :angryfire:angryfire And I didn't even get one bite to eat for 13 hours! Much less a smoke break. I won't be PALS certified until May and I know that the "charge" nurse should not have left me alone on the floor. :uhoh21: Like I said, I'm fairly new to nursing and would appreciate any feedback regarding this situation. Thanks.

[litbitblack, ASN, RN]

Its true that no one is going to help or remind you to take your breaks. As for that, smokers take there breaks because they are entitled to a break. It just so happens that they smoke. sounds like the place you work at needs to have better staffing. You do have resources with the house supervisor other floors. You may be off orientation but that your off orientation. Tell her your not comfortable. does she have a cell phone just in case. Thats what I do and I am not the only nurse. I am usually the charge nurse. So if someone needs me I am still only a call away...Speak up. And take your breaks. Your the one that loses if you don't

[maolin]

I'd like to add that aside from the smoker issue you have, you are upset because you were drowning and hardly able to keep up, while this nurse was caught up, done charting and had the gall to take a few breaks.

This other nurse has been a nurse longer...she's had time to master time management and charting and caring for a full load. She had 6 pts AND charge - that's a lot.

It is frustrating as a new grad nurse the first year or so. You feel like your drowning and this other nurse wasn't there to help you stay afloat. As others have said, perhaps because she was selfish, or she was oblivious to your needs. You'll learn the time management, you'll learn to make taking a break a priority (the routine work will still be there when your break is finished...and some things can wait until after you've breaked), you'll learn to speak up and ask for a hand when you need one. It won't be long before you will manage to stay caught up, chart and exercise your breaks & lunches and be out of there on time.

I heard when starting out that you learn the best time management skills from the smokers. They usually aren't cutting corners or doing less work so they can go smoke...they generally aren't negligent, thoughtless people. They just have more experience and have learned efficient time management.

Good luck to you!