New nurse getting dumped on. Ready to switch.

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  1. Should I stay longer and try to tough it out for a year?

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Hello all. I would love some advice for what I should do. I really want to find another job but I do not know how to go about it. I work on a night shift 7p-7a on a cariac med surg floor.I graduated in December of last year with my bachelors in Nursing. I accepted a job in January (which I was working as a PCT longer than that on a different floor). I took my NCLEX in February and failed. I had to wait 50 days and then passed my second time in the end of March. For this one position I've technically worked for 9 months here. And in that time I have learned a lot of things.

In a summary the other night I worked so hard that I almost fainted in the hallway because I did not have enough time to eat and I've been fighting a sinus infection. I started working at 7 and had not even sat down until 0139 to eat because I felt my blood sugar was low. (I still needed to run and do other stuff but I knew I needed food.) I had 7 patients. When I came onto the floor 2 were screaming out about to throw up. One had a RR of 35 with SOB (prev nurse left his o2 off). One was a chronic pain med requester and it was time for their meds. One had a BP of 90s/50s and one had a bp of 170s/90s. I started my med pass for 2200 meds at 2230. I told charge I was just about to start my med pass with all my meds on the computer and she just looked at her watch. (The other two nurses had finished their pass at 1000 on the dot). I felt like I was thrown at with the hardest patients. At 0100 I finished my twelves then had to call ER for report on my 7th pt. Then the seeing stars happened and I had to eat. Then at 0530 my patient with low BP had to be transferred to ICU because it was decreasing. Another one of my patients I also almost had a rapid for absence seizure at shift change. I charted until 1000 into day shift. I wanted to cry. I know I only had a bad night because of the lack of help I got from the charge and it does not help there was only 3 of us. I know with the other charge it wouldn't have been so bad.

Other cons:

-Half the time there are 3 nurses with 21 pt beds and we get assigned 7 patients for the night. (If the floor is empty like 16 pts on our floor we will literally get 5 admissions in one night.)

-When certain charge nurses work you will not get any help. Even when you're drowning.

-The er sends you patients no matter if they've given you report on the patient AND if you don't answer after their first call they just send them up. (and you get admissions any time at work and we always only have a unit clerk that leaves as 11pm or none at all)

-With 21 pts we will usually have only 2 techs and on some nights one.

-Nurses get pulled practically every night. We are the most staffed floor and yet get our nurses and techs pulled the most often.

-We receive the sickest patients than all the others floors. We also are the only ones who can run cardiac drips (but we cannot titrate).

I am looking at other positions and will probably submit applications tomorrow. I am nervous because my dream job is within the same hospital which means, I believe my manager will be contacted if I submit one. I wanted to tell them about my night but I was so sick feeling and frustrated that I felt explaining what happened when I am calmer would the best. Anyone felt this way? I am tired of being the new nurse who gets dumped on with hardest patient load and then I look like I did nothing for day shift when all I did was try my hardest.

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Hello all. I would love some advice for what I should do. I really want to find another job but I do not know how to go about it. I work on a night shift 7p-7a on a cariac med surg floor.I graduated in December of last year with my bachelors in Nursing. I accepted a job in January (which I was working as a PCT longer than that on a different floor). I took my NCLEX in February and failed. I had to wait 50 days and then passed my second time in the end of March. For this one position I've technically worked for 9 months here. And in that time I have learned a lot of things.

In a summary the other night I worked so hard that I almost fainted in the hallway because I did not have enough time to eat and I've been fighting a sinus infection. I started working at 7 and had not even sat down until 0139 to eat because I felt my blood sugar was low. (I still needed to run and do other stuff but I knew I needed food.) I had 7 patients. When I came onto the floor 2 were screaming out about to throw up. One had a RR of 35 with SOB (prev nurse left his o2 off). One was a chronic pain med requester and it was time for their meds. One had a BP of 90s/50s and one had a bp of 170s/90s. I started my med pass for 2200 meds at 2230. I told charge I was just about to start my med pass with all my meds on the computer and she just looked at her watch. (The other two nurses had finished their pass at 1000 on the dot). I felt like I was thrown at with the hardest patients. At 0100 I finished my twelves then had to call ER for report on my 7th pt. Then the seeing stars happened and I had to eat. Then at 0530 my patient with low BP had to be transferred to ICU because it was decreasing. Another one of my patients I also almost had a rapid for absence seizure at shift change. I charted until 1000 into day shift. I wanted to cry. I know I only had a bad night because of the lack of help I got from the charge and it does not help there was only 3 of us. I know with the other charge it wouldn't have been so bad.

Other cons:

-Half the time there are 3 nurses with 21 pt beds and we get assigned 7 patients for the night. (If the floor is empty like 16 pts on our floor we will literally get 5 admissions in one night.)

-When certain charge nurses work you will not get any help. Even when you're drowning.

-The er sends you patients no matter if they've given you report on the patient AND if you don't answer after their first call they just send them up. (and you get admissions any time at work and we always only have a unit clerk that leaves as 11pm or none at all)

-With 21 pts we will usually have only 2 techs and on some nights one.

-Nurses get pulled practically every night. We are the most staffed floor and yet get our nurses and techs pulled the most often.

-We receive the sickest patients than all the others floors. We also are the only ones who can run cardiac drips (but we cannot titrate).

I am looking at other positions and will probably submit applications tomorrow. I am nervous because my dream job is within the same hospital which means, I believe my manager will be contacted if I submit one. I wanted to tell them about my night but I was so sick feeling and frustrated that I felt explaining what happened when I am calmer would the best. Anyone felt this way? I am tired of being the new nurse who gets dumped on with hardest patient load and then I look like I did nothing for day shift when all I did was try my hardest.

Leave if you can find something better. It doesn't sound like anyone on your unit has it good, although it may feel extra horrible to you as a new graduate. Your "dream job" may not be as dreamy as you think if it's in that same hospital. It might be better to cast a wider net.

Also, I learned early on to CALL IN SICK when I'm not feeling well. No one's going to care how you feel. They'll expect 150% from you, even if you show up with one arm severed and a bleeding head wound.

Good luck and I hope that your next experience is a much better one.

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I'm pretty sure every new nurse thinks they are being dumped on. I know I did. Unfortunately, you usually aren't. It just feels that way because you are new, learning and (like everyone else) have too many patients.

If you want to transfer, do it. Just know that the learning curve starts over. In other words, the little groove you do have will be mostly gone. It'll be better than new, new grad, but it'll be tough.

Good luck.

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Specializes in Adult and Pediatric Vascular Access, Paramedic.

Hi,

First of all, you have to get rid of this poor me, everyone is against me attitude. It won't help you at all, and believe me everyone is drowning with their hands full, not just you! Unfortunately this tends to be nursing (mainly because nurses allow it to happen and put up with it), and there isn't much you can do but take it one task/patient at a time. I know when I am backed up with IV calls I used to get totally stressed out and try and rush (which leads to mistakes), thus I have learned that I will get there when I can and they will just have to wait. They will still be there in a half hour when I can take care of whatever the problem is. You are also a new grad and are learning how to multitask and prioritize, this will improve with time, as will you ability to decrease some of your anxiety and stress related to the sometimes overwhelming to do list.

I would wait it out, as the hospital may frown upon you changing areas so soon, especially as a new grad. Give it time, be patient, and again no more "poor me attitude".

Annie

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A good bit of this involves staying calm, prioritizing, and taking control - which does get easier with experience, but you can still consciously practice these things. Considering "what should I do first" is, in itself, a measure that helps work against panic and helps combat the tendency to spin in circles according to signals from too many different sources, when what is needed is for the nurse to stand in the middle of it all and decide what is going to happen.

In your hellish scenario: The two patients who feel like vomiting can be medicated by the off-going nurses, if appropriate. As can the person who needs pain medication. Put the oxygen back on the person who doesn't have it on and instruct a few deep breaths/make sure that issue is resolved. Forget the 170/90 b/p for the moment and you're left with the remaining significant problem: the hypotensive patient. So, I would say that within 5-15 minutes you should be able to attend to the two highest priority patients.

It's counter-intuitive, but you probably need to slow down a little, mentally. Try not to let your mind get into a frenzy. Prioritize according to what you were taught and go from there. Be kind, but don't be afraid to make requests: [To off-going nurse] "I have a hypoxic patient and a hypotensive patient that I need to attend to right away. Would you be willing to medicate Pain Man before you leave so I can focus on them?"

Also, envision yourself not becoming incapacitated by emotional reactions to what others are or aren't doing (such as a less-than-helpful charge nurse). This is super difficult - but it's a worthy goal. If you can mentally get to the point of systematically putting one foot in front of the other to handle the situation you've been given, you will be ahead of the pack. MUCH time can be wasted on emotional responses to others' actions.

Lastly - In your "spare time" ;) remember to cultivate relationships with your coworkers. Usually there is someone who is willing to step up and be a mentor and resource.

I'm not a cheerleader for the idea that new nurses should "tough out" situations where they aren't getting appropriate help. These are professionally risky because in unsupportive environments one may be faulted regardless of choices made. Only you can decide what to do in this situation, but always be willing to learn what you can whether you're staying or going...

Best wishes ~

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A good bit of this involves staying calm, prioritizing, and taking control - which does get easier with experience, but you can still consciously practice these things. Considering "what should I do first" is, in itself, a measure that helps work against panic and helps combat the tendency to spin in circles according to signals from too many different sources, when what is needed is for the nurse to stand in the middle of it all and decide what is going to happen.

In your hellish scenario: The two patients who feel like vomiting can be medicated by the off-going nurses, if appropriate. As can the person who needs pain medication. Put the oxygen back on the person who doesn't have it on and instruct a few deep breaths/make sure that issue is resolved. Forget the 170/90 b/p for the moment and you're left with the remaining significant problem: the hypotensive patient. So, I would say that within 5-15 minutes you should be able to attend to the two highest priority patients.

It's counter-intuitive, but you probably need to slow down a little, mentally. Try not to let your mind get into a frenzy. Prioritize according to what you were taught and go from there. Be kind, but don't be afraid to make requests: [To off-going nurse] "I have a hypoxic patient and a hypotensive patient that I need to attend to right away. Would you be willing to medicate Pain Man before you leave so I can focus on them?"

Also, envision yourself not becoming incapacitated by emotional reactions to what others are or aren't doing (such as a less-than-helpful charge nurse). This is super difficult - but it's a worthy goal. If you can mentally get to the point of systematically putting one foot in front of the other to handle the situation you've been given, you will be ahead of the pack. MUCH time can be wasted on emotional responses to others' actions.

Lastly - In your "spare time" ;) remember to cultivate relationships with your coworkers. Usually there is someone who is willing to step up and be a mentor and resource.

I'm not a cheerleader for the idea that new nurses should "tough out" situations where they aren't getting appropriate help. These are professionally risky because in unsupportive environments one may be faulted regardless of choices made. Only you can decide what to do in this situation, but always be willing to learn what you can whether you're staying or going...

Best wishes ~

This is excellent advice for all new grads! (and any nurse, actually)

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
-The er sends you patients no matter if they've given you report on the patient AND if you don't answer after their first call they just send them up. (and you get admissions any time at work and we always only have a unit clerk that leaves as 11pm or none at all)

This is not likely to change wherever you go, if you receive patients from the ED. The ED cannot control when a patient is ready for admission, and they likely have many, many more patients vying for that bed space.

I always brought protein shakes to work with me for those days where food wasn't going to happen.

It will get better, OP! It feels "dumpy" because you are probably just getting your stuff prioritized when suddenly something else hits, which totally screws up your prioritization. Just remember your ABCs, and that is going to help you work it out.

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Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant.

My first job was on a thoracic surgery floor that had both a step down (SD) unit and a "regular" telemetry unit. You could be assigned to either one on any given day. On the SD unit, you had 2 or 3 patients. Usual flow was that in the afternoon, stable patients were transferred to the telemetry unit and new patients came up from the PACU or the ICU to SD. I was only off orientation for a couple of shift when I had my first day on the SD unit. Of course both of my 2 patients got transferred off and I got 2 new patients. I obviously made sure both were stable, etc., but for the one I could not get to his admission assessment--the demographic questions, living situation, initial skin assessment, etc. as I ran out of time. The nurse who followed me at night was one of my preceptors. She was an excellent nurse, and had no issues with the fact that I could not get to that assessment, and she said she would do it. Well, she had a hellish night, and she never got to it either. Well, the day shift nurse told the NM that I didn't do this assessment for my admission. The NM brought it to my attention--she was very supportive, told me that I needed to learn to ask for help, etc. Looking back on it, approx. 10 years later, I would probably have had time for the assessment. I would still look at it as a busy day, but it would have gone way better for me than it went on my first month on my own.

Point of this story--it gets better. The unit I described was a busy unit; sounds like yours is too. You will get better with time management, but there is basically no hospital unit where a new nurse will not have some struggles. Work through it. Some days will be busier than others. Not going to lie--there are going to be a few flat out 'bad' days. As you go on, there will be fewer and fewer bad days. Busy days will not decrease, but you will handle them better once you gain more experience.

Hang in there! Oh, and find some good 'eat on the fly' snacks, and make sure you drink plenty of water.

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I feel your pain, and I am sorry you are having a such hard time. At the same you should be proud that you're trusted to take care of patients that sick. As a psych nurse I can't even get into non acute specialties like med surg or tele, and was told that I am a "liability" even when I applied for bedside jobs that require no experience. As someone that regularly changed assignments working for a staffing agency, there will be problems everywhere you go and it's completely up to you to decide which workplace place has a facility that you can work with. Being a younger minority male I am competent at my job but I always had run ins with law enforcement I work with. So even when everything related to patient care go well something else can happen and make you dread work. Hope you tough it out, otherwise best of luck to you.

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This is pretty normal if you are in certain geographic areas. Call in if you are not 100%. Always assume you will not get a break and prepare accordingly. There are those applesauce squirt containers that have various ingredients that don't need refridgeration and can basically be squirted in your mouth on the go. I always carried snickers bars, and lately I've been using those frozen beef and bean burritos. Beef jerky is also good. These types of units is why there's a "nursing shortage"...

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At any given point, a nurse could have an unexpected task taking anywhere between 5-20 minutes, Whether it is a small emergency, incontinence, whatever. We regularly field these issues, and get through a shift.

Treat eating and drinking on the same level. In three minutes, you can easily have a 250 calorie snack and 8 oz of water, which is a big deal, and well worth the time investment.

Alternately, think of it as being as important as pooping. Lest's say you are super busy, and have to poop. Would you just do it in your scrubs, and continue working, or would just realizing that pooping is one of life's necessities, and go drop the kids off at the pool? Eating and drinking is just as important.

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It is so hard to be a new nurse much less one on a very busy unit. I would just like to add please try to drop the "dumped on" feeling early. It makes for a miserable career, will burn a hole through your soul and your co-workers will be less inclined to help you sensing this attitude, although it may truly be happening to you! If you need help, ask! Find a trusted co-worker and ask if she can advise you on prioritizing and getting some tips on how to handle your shift. with experience you will feel better but trust me, we have all been there. Just be careful and protect yourself because in the long run, you are responsible for your license and actions. Does your hospital allow you to submit for other jobs before one year? that is something you will need to look into Good luck.

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