i need support with my bad experience as a new nurse...

[angiefaye]

I am a new grad; I graduated in November 08 and started orientation for my new job in January. I just came off my 8 week orientation period with my preceptor on a cardiac/telemetry floor. I have had two days on my own so far. Last night I had the worst experience in my nursing career (which i do realize is quite limited--just school and these few months). I started the night with 4 patients--which I can handle. By the end of the night I was assigned two new admits so I ended up with 6 patients by the end of the night. Between one really sick patient, another non-compliant patient, and various other complications that just sort of throw my still-developing routine, I had a meltdown starting about 4 hours before the end of my shift. I know this is probably normal for a new nurse, but I can't help but feel like there could have been better planning on my charge nurse's part. I guess I need to know if anyone else with more experience can tell me if this was an unfair experience...or if new nurses are just thrown to the wolves often and I should just get use to it! I feel so discouraged. I was told that my floor is a 4:1 ratio and 6:1 critical ratio. There were other nurses that had fewer patients than me, although I'm not sure of their acuity and I am feeling cheated out of having a good attitude about my new career. Any thoughts? Feel free to be blunt...my feelings won't get hurt!

[singingtothewheat]

I'm so over the constant discussions about productivity. I have been a nurse for 18 years. I work my hind end off. I don't slack. I am a good nurse with outstanding critical skills. Meditech came to my hospital network. It's a time eating mamoth. I thought computer charting would be fantastic but the way our system is set up is a nightmare. We have to call our boss if we are going to be late. Now, tell me. When you are trying to get an etoh to stay in bed, while giving report, finish charting, is your first , second, even third thought "I need to call my boss?"

So.... you know I was never one to suggest nursing unions were a good idea but I am as frustrated as frustrated can be. If the union comes it would serve the carpet walking management right for doing NOTHING to help us, only pounding pounding and pounding some more on how we are supposed to make it all work and have happy patients who are well cared for.