Nursing setting you up for failure?

[nrsman1]

Just wondering what you all think; with all the policies, patient loads, and sue happy people, it seems it is impossible not to mess up on a regular basis. Care is being cheapened by forcing more patients on one nurse, and having new orders, new admits, discharges, I could go one. I'll put it simple......does the mere volume and complexity of nursing tasks set the new nurse, and even experienced nurse up for failure. It seems to me no matter how organize, or skilled you are as a nurse your care is minimal at best.

[chacomom]

I agree with you. I have been a nurse for over 35 years and in a variety of settings . In my last job at a VA hospital on a med surg unit the rules for nurse patent ratios seemed to change often. The hospital wanted to achieve magnet status and wanted to change to primary nursing, which really meant we would have less LPN's and aides and we got to do all of the tasks, which may or may not take time away from the bedside. We already had no administeative support staff on the weekends, There were definitely some times I felt I was not practicing safe nursing.

[Maebell1925]

I have been an rn at a hospital and have been hating my job although I need the job to get out of debt. I thought I'd like nursing but am rethinking this career change. The senior nurses, I assumed would mentor the new nurses. Boy was I wrong. Some senior nurses appear disconnected with new nurses (at my facility) so I hope to meet competent and caring nurses wanting to see new nurses succeed.

[caliotter3]

I agree with you. It is a wonder that any new nurses even enter the nursing working world, much less stick around for any length of time. But then, with the economy the way it is lately, seems there will be some who flip off nursing for a steady job doing something else.

[Up2nogood RN, RN]

I am fortunate enough to work where I don't feel that way but I do know that there are many places, from what I've heard on here, that I wouldn't feel safe working. I also know with the economy the way it is that it's not possible for a nurse to have their pick of jobs like it used to be. I really believe that unions need to be stronger and nurses unite to make a change for everyone otherwise the CEO's are always going to get theirs while the nurses who bring in the money will ALWAYS get the short end of the stick.

[KParkerRN06]

It has become very common in the hospital I work at to have one nurse to three patients in the ICU! This is progressive care...not intensive care! Just to save a few dollars.

[ellakate]

I agree with you. It is a wonder that any new nurses even enter the nursing working world, much less stick around for any length of time. But then, with the economy the way it is lately, seems there will be some who flip off nursing for a steady job doing something else.

It isn't just new nurses who have difficulty with the working world, I think that it is all of us. I wish that I could say that I am new, but that would be a lie. I am old and candidly too intimidated to even approach the working world.

Nrsman1, your assessment is correct, in my experience. I haven't gotten positive job feedback since some time in 2000. Of all the thousands of things that I must have done well, only criticism is leveled. It just isn't that much fun any more.

I still believe in miracles, but I am training in tax preparation.