This morning truly (and unfortunately) made me realize how miserable I am becoming in my job.
My ADON has been on my case about editing this entire week. There has been WAY too much going on during my 11-7 shifts, and I barely finish my charting before day shift gets in, let alone try to finish my summaries and try to get more than 2-3 edits done.
The 3-11 nurse got a big chunk done last night, although I'm not sure how thorough a job she did on them.
Anyway, so I heard the phone ringing about 3 different times this morning. Couldn't get to the phone because I was doing the med pass and always in a room when the phone rang. On the 4th call, one of my CNAs picked up and handed me the phone as I was coming down the hall. The ADON asked me how a meeting went with a CNA tonight, then asked me how edits were coming along. I told her that the evening nurse got a good chunk done, and that I got 2-3 done. She asked how many altogther, I told her at least half (out of 32 residents) but that I wasn't positive.
She proceeded to GO OFF on me saying that she was relying on me and the evening nurse to do the editing, since day shift doesn't have time, and "I've told you this before, this is unacceptable. We are WAY behind!" in her flat, condescending tone. I told her that I did the best that I could with the time that I had, to which there was silence. I also said that I would try to get some more done before I left that morning to which she said "yeah, you should." After having her "yeah" me with banter about having to go, I finally I said to her, "I have to go finish my med pass, goodbye," gave it a second, and hung up the phone.
If I could afford to quit this job today, I would. I do not need to be checked up on on a Saturday morning, in the MIDDLE of passing meds. I do not need to be made to feel like an incompetent worker because I have no extra time during my shift. It's not as if I twiddle my thumbs and watch TV all night, I am go go go all night long. I especially do not appreciate this tone of hers, especially after I told her I would willingly come in Monday (my day off) to finish any editing that wasn't done by then (I wouldn't be in OT either, I only do 32hrs/week).
My work is a mess right now, and I am so livid that I don't ever want to see this woman's face again.
I don't care who she is getting heat from, the ADON should come to the unit instead of calling and see frst hand how hard you work and why you havent the time to finish your editing, I would keep a work diary to explain what you are busy with and why you havent finished the work she wants from you. Perhaps she can help you streamline your work and be more efficient....Good luck!
OK, you all have me scared to death. I start orientation for a LTC tomorow. I don't know what I've gotten myself into! I have asked the ratios, but who knows now.
OK, you all have me scared to death. I start orientation for a LTC tomorrow. I don't know what I've gotten myself into! I have asked the ratios, but who knows now.
My orientation today was so awful I almost was crying when I got to my car. The leader has a real attitude. Any question I asked she would answer "We'll cover that later". She got ticked off because I wanted to read a form before I signed it. "You'll hold the rest of the class up if you read that. It's not like you're buying a house." We were to be there at 8 am, she showed up at 8:10 then left the room until 9:30. then had the nerve to complain that we were an hour behind.
I think my problems are that I am accustomed to having more control of my situation, I am nervous about LTC, the leader is offensive and condescending. that covers it. HELP me!!!
Specializes in LTC, Rehab, Skilled Nursing, Management.
My orientation today was so awful I almost was crying when I got to my car. The leader has a real attitude. Any question I asked she would answer "We'll cover that later". She got ticked off because I wanted to read a form before I signed it. "You'll hold the rest of the class up if you read that. It's not like you're buying a house." We were to be there at 8 am, she showed up at 8:10 then left the room until 9:30. then had the nerve to complain that we were an hour behind.
I think my problems are that I am accustomed to having more control of my situation, I am nervous about LTC, the leader is offensive and condescending. that covers it. HELP me!!!
Hopefully this is not how the entire place runs. It may be just the person doing the new hire orientations....which sucks for the company, because that's a person that sets the stage for how new hires feel! I would stick with it and see how things get once you get out on the floor.
Long term care is known for having an extremely short orientation period. My employer orients 3 days with a possible 4th if the nurse just isn't getting it....but this also raises a red flag with our very non-understanding management! I think the best piece of advice once on the floor is to take quick notes through the day of tasks that must be completed, where to find different supplies, etc. Make friends with the other staff members so that once you're on your own you have people to ask questions of later! It's generally very busy so I have typed out "cheat" sheets on Word at home with places for names/times/blood sugar result, names of skilled pts with places to put it vitals, etc. This really helps. It allows me to go through the books and write down all the tasks I have to complete through the shift on one sheet of paper....my brains!
Anywho, best of luck and let me know how you're doing!
Specializes in LTC, Rehab, Skilled Nursing, Management.
And as an addendum, I actually did do a "time log" the other morning after work. I thought back through my night and wrote down everything I did. I might try to print that out and bring it with me to the meeting on Tuesday if they try to come down on me.
Gosh....your management sounds so much like mine....sure we don't work the same place?!?! lol I also work nights and am on the go constantly, which makes me wonder how the heck they do it during day shift with the same amount of floor nurses (2) I hate it, but I keep showing up because with this economy 1. there aren't many jobs out there 2. I'm scared to start a new job and have the least amount of seniority and therefore one of the first to be cut when budget cuts happen.
The expectations are unrealistic, but I constantly prioritize with patient care/safety being the top. I chart the patient info, orders, etc. At the last of my priorities is the paperwork management has had to come up with to appease the state due to deficiencies they've had.
Good luck and I hope things get better for you. Too bad we can't figure out a way to be 10-15 places at once! That'd solve it all.
Well, I didn't get chewed out today, but changeover took me ALL NIGHT to do. Plus on top of that, we had a fall at 1am. It was a time consuming night, and I really hate when my routine is thrown off... but I hope it will get better. My boss seemed ****** off and threw down a bunch of her paperwork when she saw the resident "event report sheets" but then after 10 minutes decided that the situation wasn't too bad. The woman was fine and I covered all my bases.
For some reason though, she wants "this floor to tighten up" and said that there'd been enough of the "loosey" stuff going on. I don't really know what she means, because I've been busting my balls trying to keep up on things at night. Apparently days/evenings have had some med omissions and other stuff. She wants us to begin doing report using the MAR so that we can see if we missed charting on giving meds. UGH. Way to make life more difficult.
In general I see where she is coming from (mostly because of our survey window) but I think her expectations are far too high for the type of residents we have, and the staffing available. We'll see what happens though... she told me today that my 11-7 shift will be responsible for MORE, which is madness. I think she is going to have me start looking through the med carts for expired meds. Joy.
evilolive, the lord bless you and keep you. the lord make his face to shine upon you and give you peace.
i only got ticked off twice today because she insulted the group's intelligence. "she" bought pizza for us today. give me a break. that money came out of the budget!
i have 4 days of general orientation and 2 more days of nursing orientation. aarrrrgggghhhh.
i would really like to know who my supervisor will be and talk to him/her about the apprehension i am feeling. today i felt the main message was that if anyone messes up even once they'll be out the door. really makes you feel welcome. dh says to hang on until orientation is over and see what happens. oh yah. we can't get our schedule until the end of orientation "in case something changes". like we get fired in the first 4 days?
i've only hated one other orientation this much in 25 years of nursing. the orientation was 2 weeks long. i didn't get on the floor until week 3. i spent the whole week filling out admission sheets. i was hired over the weekend by a pcu and quit that monday. :angryfire:smiley_ab:sleep::redlight::barf01: i think i got in all the smilies i am feeling!
We got the message today that our license is on the line if ANOTHER nurse makes a med error and we don't make an effort to fix it. So now I have to go through the MAR for 32 people and make sure everyone else did their job. UGH!
I can definitely feel you on those smileys, Johnst10!!
Specializes in LTC, Rehab, Skilled Nursing, Management.
We got the message today that our license is on the line if ANOTHER nurse makes a med error and we don't make an effort to fix it. So now I have to go through the MAR for 32 people and make sure everyone else did their job. UGH!
I can definitely feel you on those smileys, Johnst10!!
We recently had this added to our list as well. Each nurse has about 40 some residents and we must go through every MAR to ensure it is without holes.
I think it would be more effective if a QA nurse did this daily. It takes valuable time from the residents to have the floor nurse do this and other things similar to this. It gets to the point where you spend 75-85% of the shift doing paperwork and the other 15-25% with patients....and that is sad!
Gotta say I see things differently than many of the previous posters. Just some quick thoughts:
Of course sups can call us anytime during our shifts. That's they're job. They can even contact us when we're off.
If we're in the middle of a med pass when they telephone us, we need to so inform them, and state that we'd be able call them back at an approximate time.
OTOH, we also need to be proactive and contact them if / when the unit's work requirements are consistently unable to be achieved safely.
Certainly yelling at employees, except to alert them of some impending danger, is totally unprofessional.
:angryfire:smiley_ab:sleep::redlight::barf01: i think i got in all the smilies i am feeling!
achot chavi
980 Posts
I don't care who she is getting heat from, the ADON should come to the unit instead of calling and see frst hand how hard you work and why you havent the time to finish your editing, I would keep a work diary to explain what you are busy with and why you havent finished the work she wants from you. Perhaps she can help you streamline your work and be more efficient....Good luck!