Nurse or Nanny?

HappyGo1 · Jan 5, 2011

LOL

The only way I can run is if there is another job to run into. I am stuck because at the end of the day I am getting paid. When and if I ever get a chance to interview for a new job I wonder if they will appreciate my work ethic when I tell them my 7day work week. hmmmmm, maybe they would love to hire me.

DoGoodThenGo · Jan 5, 2011

This is my first job as an RN. I work in NYC for a homecare agency.
They told me there are no RN cases so I would be getting paid
as an lpn at 20/hr. Some of my lpn friends are getting paid 23/hr
as a new grad. so, already not too happy but beggers cant be choosers.
The only homecare case I have is a 14 month old boy.
My job says that I work 7days a week, no days off, no holidays,
no benefits from 8am-4pm. When I received my first paycheck I also noticed that they
didn't take any taxes out. The baby doesn't really need much of my nursing
care. Just g-tube feeding, diapers,meds and bath. The rest of the time
i feel like a babysitter.
In the beginning the mom would ask me to do some laundry and
vacuuming and when she noticed that I would ignore her requests she
got the message. But, when I had mentioned it to my boss, the boss
told me that its not a problem to help her with a little bit of house work.
what the h#ll!!! I did not go to school to clean homes and to be a babysitter!
Where do I draw the line? The economy is terrible and no one is hiring new
grad RN's. I am sooooooo tired. I just don't know how much longer
i can do 7days a week. Once in a while I request a couple of days off, but
I only get 1 day off a week, if possible. It also takes me 2 hours to get to work and 2 hours to
go home because of nyc traffic.
So I need input and advice from people who know how to handle
this situation. I am obviosly desperate for work. I have a 2 year old son at home
to support who i barely get to see. I feel like Im being cheated by the
agency and a bit taken advantage of by the mother of the baby i take care of.
I was never given a job description. There is just so much playng I can do with
a baby. I feed him, bathe him, diaper change n play. But god help me if the
mom hears her son crying. She thinks im not doing my job
Please help me,

Know several RNs who work as priviate duty infant nurses, and not one to a woman does drudge/housework. Mind you they all work for "Park Avenue" familes (but their charges/families live anywhere from Soho to Tribeca to the Upper Eastside, and so on), however there is always a "nanny" or " child minder" who takes care of any other children in the household, and a maid/housekeeper to keep house.

My dear woman you are a licensed professional, not a drudge. If you continue to allow this sort of thing to go on unchallenged, no good will come of it I promise you. Also when your current employer recommends you to her friends/family she will let them know you "come cheap" so to speak, and are willing to work at anything, not just health related areas. Where will it all end? Are you going to be asked to serve dinner and answer the door?

If you have to show up for duty in whites and a cap, reinforce to your employer that you are fully licensed *Registered Nurse*, not Hazel or otherwise her "girl".

Also NYS recently passed the first laws in the country giving domestic/child care workers rights regarding days off, pay and so forth. Please look them up and make sure your employer and or agency is in compliance.

One other thing to keep in mind, operating outside your scope of practice (by doing housework for instance), can expose you to liabilities that *could* threaten your license, and or at least your insurance. What happens if you are injured or injure someone else whilst operating "household appliances/equipment"?

For a bit of historical background, whenever a *trained* then later *registered* nurse was engaged for priviate duty within a household, she was *never* expected to perform duties outside her practice, such as housekeeping. Laundry, even that of her charge was the responsibility of someone else. The nurse however *might* have done her own uniforms, but that should have been the limit. The only reason for any licensed nurse to take on any sort of laundry or housework is when the lack of it would threaten the patient's care. This is the same as in hospital work when something needs to be done and housekeeping is either no where to be found, or perhaps there was a strike.

In closing I remind you again that aside from the patient, your primary concern is your license. Yes, things are tough around NYC at the moment, but you will not do yourself any favours in the long run to become known as person whom can easily be taken advantage of.

JStollRN · Jan 5, 2011

I agree with everyone else. Please leave that job...it hurts me just reading it!

NurseAdida · Jan 5, 2011

LOL
The only way I can run is if there is another job to run into. I am stuck because at the end of the day I am getting paid. When and if I ever get a chance to interview for a new job I wonder if they will appreciate my work ethic when I tell them my 7day work week. hmmmmm, maybe they would love to hire me.

I say run because you are being taken advantage of big time:eek:. Have you considered looking for a job in upstate NY? Am not even sure how this job will look like in your resume, like what nursing duties do you do exactly? Why does this child need home health?

I understand you need a job but this is sad...I hope everything works out eventually:redbeathe

ventmommy · Jan 5, 2011

Wow, that pained me to read your post and I am not even a nurse (yet!). But I am a mom that relies on nurses for caring for my child. He is vent-dependent, has a g-tube, severe brain damage, is blind and has frequent desats.

The nurses that work for me do not do laundry. If my son has had a diaper emergency, they will throw his sheets/blankets/outfit into the washer and start it if I am not home or if I am sleeping. One of them vacuums his bedroom and sometimes the family room when she is bored. All of them rinse out things that he uses (syringes for meds, containers for feeds) and leave them in the sink.

They are all paid by the agency and the agency provided proof of Liability Insurance for the nurses.

You are being used and abused!

HappyGo1 · Jan 5, 2011

I wish I could move to upstate ny. My husband is a nyc firefighter so our home is nyc.

I would like to give more details of medical issues with baby, but to be safe the main concern

is his g-tube. baby has no life threatening issues. The mom lives in a beautiful duplex apartment with many bathrooms and many bedrooms in nyc. she knows she is playing the system. she told me this herself. she is on medicaid (idk how!)

But as my agency told me, its not of my concern why she has a nurse.

So I start my day off by preping babys meds(simple meds such as vitamins, prilosec etc)

in syringes PO.

Mom is usually sleeping in her bedroom. She leaves house door open.

Baby is crawling around the house. no baby gates (not even for the stairs), no electrical outlet covers n she leaves all doors open all day. One morning I walked into the aprtment n found baby playing with the toilet water while mom was sleeping!!!!! n i somtimes walk in apartment n find baby on staircase. just hanging out. mom says "baby is too careful to fall". ive told her to get gates n safety stuff. but.....she blows me off.

ok....well anyway. then i take baby, change diaper, clothes , meds n feed breakfast.

then we play games. then i prep gtube feeding n take baby in for nap n run gtube feed.

baby naps 1-2hrs. then change diaper, play n then oral feed. then bathe baby, dress n prep meds to leave by moms bedside to give to baby at night.

sometimes i watch her other kids while she goes out shopping n errands.

I am contemplating on telling my agency that I wont go into work until the mom gets a baby gate n baby proof that home.

klone, MSN, RN · Jan 5, 2011

IMO, this job is a HUGE liability to you. I really think it's in your own best interest to quit.

coast2coast · Jan 5, 2011

LOL
The only way I can run is if there is another job to run into. I am stuck because at the end of the day I am getting paid.

I have made a similar commute in and out of the city - what a pain it is :cool: At $20/hr, and with the expense of a kid at home, I seriously wonder if you are turning a significant profit with this job ? Unless your car has super fuel efficiency, you pay zero tolls, and have free childcare ... ? Have you figured out yet how much you are going to owe the IRS ?

HappyGo1 · Jan 5, 2011

I do have a good car, the commute isnt far. its the traffic. its only less than 25 miles away.

i do have free childcare and i have no idea as to how much i will owe the irs. this is my first real job ever!

This is my only opportunity to vent bc baby is out with mom seeing doctor n she wanted me to come along, but I opted to wait in apt for her. Im sure she wanted me to carry baby so she wouldnt have to. In the end IDK if its worth it this much, but I need something for that resume. I want to put down rn experience. even if its not much, but i figure its better than nothing.

Gosh I know this sounds bad. This is purely out of desperation.

Mulan · Jan 5, 2011

Why are you paying $45 a month for Liability Insurance?

Nurses liability insurance can be had for around $100 a year.

Professional Liability Insurance for Nurses

mentalhealthRN · Jan 5, 2011

I would run and call CPS on my way out!!! Seriously though. You should apply to some places here in upstate and just see if they call. We have firefighters here too.....really you need to find a place where you can both work. And let me tell you.....yeah I live in the county with the highest taxes in the country (Monroe) but overall upstate is significantly less expensive then downstate to live. Or have you thought about NJ or CT? or PA? I think you are really risking your license and it's so not worth it--you worked hard for it.

NurseAdida · Jan 5, 2011

I wish I could move to upstate ny. My husband is a nyc firefighter so our home is nyc.
I would like to give more details of medical issues with baby, but to be safe the main concern
is his g-tube. baby has no life threatening issues. The mom lives in a beautiful duplex apartment with many bathrooms and many bedrooms in nyc. she knows she is playing the system. she told me this herself. she is on medicaid (idk how!)
But as my agency told me, its not of my concern why she has a nurse.
So I start my day off by preping babys meds(simple meds such as vitamins, prilosec etc)
in syringes PO.
Mom is usually sleeping in her bedroom. She leaves house door open.
Baby is crawling around the house. no baby gates (not even for the stairs), no electrical outlet covers n she leaves all doors open all day. One morning I walked into the aprtment n found baby playing with the toilet water while mom was sleeping!!!!! n i somtimes walk in apartment n find baby on staircase. just hanging out. mom says "baby is too careful to fall". ive told her to get gates n safety stuff. but.....she blows me off.
ok....well anyway. then i take baby, change diaper, clothes , meds n feed breakfast.
then we play games. then i prep gtube feeding n take baby in for nap n run gtube feed.
baby naps 1-2hrs. then change diaper, play n then oral feed. then bathe baby, dress n prep meds to leave by moms bedside to give to baby at night.
sometimes i watch her other kids while she goes out shopping n errands.
I am contemplating on telling my agency that I wont go into work until the mom gets a baby gate n baby proof that home.

Sweety...I repeat...RUN!!! The above is not safe for your license at all. What if the baby crawls down stairs while you are using the bathroom or prepping meds or something of the sort??? Like I said I understand your need for a job but your license is in jeopardy and that's not worth it. I wish you all the best.