Med pass..rant

[Forever Sunshine]

In my facility, 3-11 has 1 med nurse for 50 patients. Sometimes the charge nurse will split the floor if theres not much to do at the desk.

Saturday I ended up having to do the whole floor because there was alot going on at the desk. I've been working about a month and a half. I've been by myself for about two weeks now(4 shifts). I can do both med-passes within the allowed time(maybe a half hour over for some) for 25 patients(half of the floor) in one shift. I sometimes get a break depending on how early I started.

When I had to do the whole floor, I did most of one hallway and flagged the rest for later while I did the other hallway. Well again.. time took off and left me behind and it was 11pm and I finished the hallway that takes up the most time(g-tubes, patients on lots of meds etc). As I was finishing up the other hallway that I came back to the supervisor comes up to me and says "Why does it take you all shift to meds.. What time did you start??"..

Correct me if I am wrong ..It is a never ending med pass in long term care.

I tried not to take it personally what she said because I am going as fast as I can and I don't want to make any mistakes. Id rather be late with a med, than miss one or give the wrong one. I'm still learning how to speed things up. For some patients its fine but theres those who are on many pills, eye drops, supplements, vitamins, finger sticks, insulin, blood sugar.. and that takes time..

[DaniLPN2RN]

Dajulieness, are you a new nurse? LTC takes time to get used to. I started LTC as a new grad working weekends only. I'd say it took me a total of 3-6 months to really get the groove and feel comfortable with everything 100%. It's very difficult having that many patients; I feel for you. There have been a lot of great suggestions here. I hope you find a resolution that works for you. In the meantime, concentrate on the med pass. The rest will come!!!

[hotlpn]

What's talk about med nurses? From what I know they don't have those in Ohio. The charge nurse at my LTC facility is the nurse that does everything on the floor with 36 patients. She may be alone with just a supervisor and somtimes with one other nurse on the skilled nursing floor. Ha I wish we had a med nurse. It would make things alot easier.

[Bubbles]

I hear you. We all complain, but we are complaining to the wrong people. It feels good to vent but how do you get the message across to the people who control staffing levels. If we complain we're unhappy and unorganized. If patient or family complains we are questioned and deemed neglectful. We had a elderly sundowner lady who told social services that we were playing ball in the hall way. They questioned us like they believed it. They believe people with dementia when they say outrageous things, but they don't believe us when we say"WE NEED MORE STAFF"Ha- they don't even know about all the short cuts we have to take to make things look good on paper. And we do, all of us.

Thanks for the chuckle! Sounds like social services is out of it!

[Bubbles]

I will try that thanks. I just dont want anyone to think that I don't want to help them or hear them out. Another nurse told me to carry around a post it or note pad.. and write down things you can't answer at the moment or something the patient needs and when you finish the med pass deal with the problems that you wrote down.

But I had to stop and talk with a patients or families about meds that couldn't wait until later last night a couple times. I had a patient break down crying last night because shes so confused about the eyedrops she has to get and I had to explain it to her (shes a notorious pain in the tush).

The only positive about hectic nights is that they fly by. Which might be bad too lol

You sound like a kind, caring nurse - just what your patients need!