I don't like my job...help!!

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · May 17, 2007

Your current job would be an absolute dream job for me! Right now, I am doing too many things at my workplace, and it is stressing me out. I do four med passes per shift (0800, 1200, 1600, and 2000), give IVPB antibiotics, flush PICC lines, dress wounds, obtain fingersticks, give injections of lovenox and avixtra, monitor CPM machines, get vital signs on all the patients, operate iceman machines, and so on. This is at the rehab unit of a large nursing home.

I have been seriously contemplating a night shift job on a LTC unit at a traditional nursing home, because I'd like to escape the stress of dealing with abusive family members. I attend school full-time, so I need a more 'easygoing' job.

Anyhow, you should go with your gut feeling. If you are unhappy with your current job, go ahead and accept a job elsewhere. There's no reason to have a strong loyalty to any one facility. Good luck!

mstouie · May 17, 2007

Third shift in LTC should be for people who have experienced the other areas of nursing, so that way you don't miss what you have already experienced.

feisty_lpn, LPN · May 17, 2007

ditto mstouie. Night shift for new nurses = loss of nursing skills.

It doesn't look bad IF you give your current employer 2 weeks notice. If you get the new job, tell that employer you will be giving your current employer 2 weeks notice. Don't burn your bridges and just "up and quit". You may need them for a reference OR you may change your mind a few years down the road and want this position back. Plus, informing the new employer you're giving the old employer 2 weeks notice, that tells the new employer that you are considerate, conscientous, and caring. To "up and quit" is the polar opposite.

As for explaining your current job on your resume, you can tell future employers that the position did not challenge you as a nurse.

Fiona59 · May 17, 2007

Right now, I am doing too many things at my workplace, and it is stressing me out. I do four med passes per shift (0800, 1200, 1600, and 2000), give IVPB antibiotics, flush PICC lines, dress wounds, obtain fingersticks, give injections of lovenox and avixtra, monitor CPM machines, get vital signs on all the patients, operate iceman machines, and so on. This is at the rehab unit of a large nursing home.

And this is why I don't believe in 12 hour shifts. When I worked LTC (8hours) we had 08; 12 PLUS odd time meds, including the other duties. There is just to much work in any continuing care setting for the staff level.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · May 17, 2007

And this is why I don't believe in 12 hour shifts. When I worked LTC (8hours) we had 08; 12 PLUS odd time meds, including the other duties. There is just to much work in any continuing care setting for the staff level.

Actually, I work 16 hour shifts on the weekend.

BigB · May 17, 2007

First of all, today I got my first nursing paycheck..I was very excited about that ....second of all...I really don't like the job that I just started.
I applied for this job in LTC and got it. It is a night shift position...8 hour shifts. I thought I would like it alright because my husband works nights, but now I realized LTC is not for me and neither is night shifts. All I do all night is some paperwork and then CNA work for the rest of the night until I do my morning med-pass. I feel like I am not really putting anything I have learned to use.
I have another job interveiw at another facility this Friday and it is a job that I really want, but I would hate to just quit this other job after they just trained me in!! I feel bad but I seriously don't like the job!! I should have looked around more before I just took a job. What should I do??

"All I do is some paper-work.." There are thousands of LVN's trying to get there RN that would DIE for your job!! Imagine all the study time you would have. I experienced the complete opposite in LTC. 47 - 48 patients and me responsible for them all. I had literally NO downtime and didn't finish charting until night shift got there. I could not sleep when I got home due to my body being so reved up from all the running around and stress at work.

This was a nightmare, plus I had to deal with abusive family members like the Commuter stated.

Now I work night shift in a Psych unit and I have much more downtime. I love it as it allows me to further my education (study at work). Something I could not do during a AM or PM shift.

flower2007 · May 17, 2007

Your current job would be an absolute dream job for me! Right now, I am doing too many things at my workplace, and it is stressing me out. I do four med passes per shift (0800, 1200, 1600, and 2000), give IVPB antibiotics, flush PICC lines, dress wounds, obtain fingersticks, give injections of lovenox and avixtra, monitor CPM machines, get vital signs on all the patients, operate iceman machines, and so on. This is at the rehab unit of a large nursing home.
I have been seriously contemplating a night shift job on a LTC unit at a traditional nursing home, because I'd like to escape the stress of dealing with abusive family members. I attend school full-time, so I need a more 'easygoing' job.
Anyhow, you should go with your gut feeling. If you are unhappy with your current job, go ahead and accept a job elsewhere. There's no reason to have a strong loyalty to any one facility. Good luck!

Abusive family members???? are you really putting up with that.

What do they do if i may ask???

I am an LPN student and hope i wont be dealing with that in the future

BigB · May 18, 2007

What do they do?

How about blame YOU for their parents condition..from dementia, bruises, skin tears, and thing that happen on different shifts. As charge nurse you take the blame. It is worse during the evening shift after the parents family get off work and come to visit. I even got blamed for having CNA's that didn't speak english in front of a patient.....it was MY fault LOL....according to the family members.

feisty_lpn, LPN · May 18, 2007

Abusive family members???? are you really putting up with that.
What do they do if i may ask???
I am an LPN student and hope i wont be dealing with that in the future

They are verbally abusive, run to the administrator if they think their family member is not getting priority treatment, etc etc etc. These are a nightmare... they have the mentality that their loved one is the only patient in the entire facility. If they say "jump", they want you to say "how high, madam?"

You may hope and pray, heck... give an offering to a pagan deity (I tried, it didn't work LOL), but you will encounter these kind of family members and patients.

WHEN (not if) you have this kind of patient and family members, document every single thing... cover your butt! But when you're speaking with them, just "smile and nod".

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · May 18, 2007

Abusive family members???? are you really putting up with that.
What do they do if i may ask???
I am an LPN student and hope i wont be dealing with that in the future

BigB and Feisty_LPN touched on a few things in previous posts.

Abusive family members will talk down to you, raise their voices, curse and swear, make impossible demands of you, blame you for dear mother's ill health, threaten legal action against you, threaten to call the state, threaten to report you to the director of nurses, and expect instant gratification without taking into account that you have other patients to care for.

msdobson · May 18, 2007

All I do all night is some paperwork and then CNA work for the rest of the night until I do my morning med-pass.

I think I would like your job...but then I'm inherently lazy.