So I just started my nurse externship this past weekend.. saturday and sunday were my first days on the floor. The first week or two (not sure yet.. since the shift supervisor seems to have no idea what is going on and I have yet to see the manager) I'm supposed to be following a tech and doing what she/he is doing and helping her/him out. So I get there at 650 (supposed to be there at 7) and no one knows what is going on.. of course neither the manager nor the shift supervisor left any instructions about who I'm supposed to be following or anything.. so then finally they figure out who my preceptor is supposed to be.. and we come to find out that this poor woman has 15 patients!!!!!!!!!!!! The floor has 36 patients and there are only 2 techs!!!!!!!!! 1/3 of those patients were total care! I swear after working these two days I don't know how techs convince themselves to get out of bed for their shifts and do what they do.... if the shifts for most techs are like what I saw my preceptor do then truly all techs deserve some kind of medal and hugeeeeeeeee pay raises!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HERE COMES THE VENT!
How is it that the nurses think that it's okay to sit on their butts reading newspapers and chatting (probably) gossiping while the techs are running around with their heads cut off barely getting all of their work done in a professional, and decent manner... the nurses on this floor manage to find time to sit in the hall outside of the patient's room on the hospital computer researching nursing schools where they can get their masters degree but can't seem to find the time to come in to turn THEIR patients, or to help clean up after an incontinent patient, or to help do anything that they deem is TECH WORK!!!! Honestly... I know I sound like a nursing student who has never been on the floor before but I don't remember the other nurses on my rotation floors being this horrible! The nurses would all take their breaks together, take lunch together... while me and my preceptor and maybe one nurse is left to take care of 15 patients!!!!!!!!! I am absolutely dreading going back to work because I know the majority of these nurses won't be able to teach me anything about being a team player or being a good nurse... all I know is that in the 2 shifts that I've worked.. all I've learned what to do and what not to do on the floor... such as... it's not okay to call yourself a R.N. with 8 years of experience and to leave a needle (thank god it was still capped) in between a patient's legs... (total care... totally not oriented) and then the next day be on the verge of tears because another patient and his/her family were rough with you... Maybe if you weren't sitting on your high horse and so concerned about getting an advanced degree and were actually paying attention to your patients and the job you have then someone wouldn't have to send you patients and families like that to give you a figurative slap in the face to bring you back down to earth.
I understand no one likes to clean up poop and change a diaper and do all the dirty work, but all I know is that as when I become a nurse.. I will definitely do my part to make my tech's job easier.. because a tech, CNA, PCT, whatever title you want to give them... they truly do make a nurse's job easier or harder... and when you treat them like a maid or your servant... then you can expect to be the nurse that everyone hates!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I just feel sooo disappointed with the experience I've had so far. I am definitely going to make each day a learning experience and do my best to get what I can from the program, but I just feel so dejected and am really not looking forward to going back to work tomorrow and the next day because I don't want to work with these people when I know what they are like.
I'm not sure if things will be better or worse, since it is a weekday.. and hopefully someone will have some sense of authority or management and that will encourage the nurse station guardians to get up and lend a helping hand.. but I just hope that things will get better... things are just weighing heavily on my heart because I was sooo excited about working with this particular patient population but now that excitement has turned into dread...
Hopeful2011
49 Posts
Thank you all for your replies and wise words!
I just feel sooo disappointed with the experience I've had so far. I am definitely going to make each day a learning experience and do my best to get what I can from the program, but I just feel so dejected and am really not looking forward to going back to work tomorrow and the next day because I don't want to work with these people when I know what they are like.
I'm not sure if things will be better or worse, since it is a weekday.. and hopefully someone will have some sense of authority or management and that will encourage the nurse station guardians to get up and lend a helping hand.. but I just hope that things will get better... things are just weighing heavily on my heart because I was sooo excited about working with this particular patient population but now that excitement has turned into dread...