I've been working as an RN since June in a 600 + bed hospital. My original plan was to go through a cardiac program, because I have always loved cardiac and have worked as a Tech on telemetry floor. For reasons I'm not going to spend my time on, I decided to work on med-surg for a year. I am on neuro-vascular unit with overflow from GI unit.
Right away I am finding myself not handling a 6 patient load. I am told I spend too much time with my patients. My assessments and documentations are very in detail. The goal is apparently to cycle from patient to patient spending only 10-15 minutes with each. At my last meeting with cords I received some constructive criticism, I got my stuff together, untill..last weekend.
Friday I got a right hemi CVA in hypertensive crisis. She had a video swallow, which cleared her for diet. She choked x 4 when I attempted to give her PO, cracles the next day in lungs, sats OK. BP out of control ( 190-200 sbp), no meds po. MDs notified continuously - no x-ray. no NG tube. Ordered her some vasotec and labetolol IV , which did nothing. Saturday I came in, the saga continutes. At this point she is vomiting, lateral pain in head and neck, bp 204/108, positive babinsky. Daughter at bedside freaking out, I am spending all my time with this pt, trying to convince MDs she is not appropriate for this unit. MDs kept increasing her doses, which again did nothing. 2 other nurses working with me felt i was overreacting and that since this pt already has a hx of HTN, I should just stop obsessing over it. Finally, at 6 pm daughter was crying, insisted to talk to MD. Said to him " if you don't get my mother some drugs, I will take you to court" Pt to ICU on nitride and another drip - HTN resolved in 1 hour ( after 2-3 days of us/me begging MDs for help). As for me, my coordinators are aware that I spent the whole day with this pt only handling 4 pts all together instead of 6. I'm going to have a meeting on friday to defend myself.
I felt that I was right in all respects and that I am probably not designed to be a med-surg nurse. I am considering asking my super to allow me to leave into cardiac program in January. What do you think?
MDs can't understand that we are profession with education and experience rate similar or, frequently, bigger than some MD. But I don't sure that this is belonging to ALL MDs.
dan_haifa
33 Posts
MDs can't understand that we are profession with education and experience rate similar or, frequently, bigger than some MD. But I don't sure that this is belonging to ALL MDs.