So, a little over 4 months ago I took a RN position at a long term care facility close to my home and my children...littlest just started kindergarten. When I was looking at this position and then had agreed to it, I had an understanding with the DON that I was interested in using the RN education that I worked so hard for. She said she would work it out so that I could do some QA type work, which I am doing and that I would really have to work very little on the floor. Okay, this much is true. I have really nice hours, can come and go if I wish during the week though really haven't taken much advantage of that and I work on the floor every 3rd weekend.
So, you may be wondering what the deal is??? This is what's up. I am enjoying the challenge of doing QA. It is a new experience for me and I'm learning alot, however I am extremely overwhelmed. I am supposed to be taking on infection control at some point. I do the employee health stuff, the monthly med sheets, the incident investigations etc...the list goes on and on. Oh, and I am like the medical records person including typing out dictation. You name it, I do it. It is way plenty. I have written policies, made flow sheets on and on. The thing that bothers me the most is I feel I get nothing done partially because I'm still figuring out what is going on and part because of constant interuptions. I also do all of the weekly skin assessments. We are small potatoes compared to some places. I wish I could feel real good about things, but I don't. I want so bad to do this job but get irritated about being overwhelmed and I feel like I am always having to play back up for the nurses on the floor. The DON comes to me to ask me to get an order for this or an order for that, or check this res. O2 sat, or assess this res. or make sure this nurse did this or that. I hate that! I ask myself when are these nurses going to be accountable for their practice? Because I feel that is what it amounts to. I don't mind pitching in when stuff is crazy on the floor, don't get me wrong, but I feel I am caught between the DON and the nurses she doesn't feel she can trust.
I am all about education. I have offered to do some education, but have been encouraged yet shot down in making this happen. The DON feels that the majority of the nurses are beyond help she says. Big things keep getting missed and I have to go pick up the pieces. I am no stranger to long term care. Have been in and out of it many times in the past but most of my experience is acute care.
I don't know what else to say, I think I bantered on long enough.
....nothing more.