PCT/job straight outta hell!!

[freepct]

Ok.....so this is my first week as a pct (orientation) on a thorasic stepdown......so first of all im following the tech around and helpning her ..she is the only tech on the floor WTH!...w/14 patients!....i did all of the two o'clock vitals which took me two in a half hours bcuz the techs on my floor are required to travel w/ pts. w/ chest tubes xray etc and no one is covering our work bcuz she was the only tech scheduled!!!!!!!!(and since im in orientation i had to go w/ her)..and since there were only us two on the floor we were constantly helping the nurses lift and turn patients when they asked...i was extremely overwhelmed w/ just the 2 oclock vitals i can't even imagine being the only tech scheduled on the floor....and there is also an observation unit that i can be scheduled on ..so i was asked by a tech over there to help turn a pt. w/ a new trach,rectal tube,cath,and wrist restraints, when i was turning her she pointed to her head and said "shoot me" omg! i just acted like i couldn't understand her bcuz she couldn't talk(i did report it to her nurse though)....so now its nine oclock and i am venting and drunk with exhaustion as that miserable lil ladies face telling me she doesn't want to live anymore flashes in my head....i have to work tomorrow so i guess back to hell i go..... ps. i was also appalled at the lack of empathy for the patients from the staff ....there was a pt that stayed 5 hours away and was being dc and was not sure if his ride was coming so i asked if he wanted to get a social worker to talk to him and when i asked the unit sec to call the sw she went off on me and said "he's not homeless why would we help him w/ a ride"....then another instance i had a nurse tell me "is she dying?" i say "No" and she says "Well she'll be alright"...is this normal hosp business .....it just makes me want to finish nursing school more and more...ok im done .....comment and goodnight:redbeathe

[azcna]

Just so you know, not all hospitals are like this! I have worked at some really bad nursing homes that are better than how you describe this hospital. Sounds like a lot of stressed out nurses!

Hang in there, though. Maybe after a couple of months things will start to get better. It is always hard to start a new job in a new hospital where you don't know anyone. If it doesn't get better, transfer to a different floor. After that if it still doesn't get better, leave! You don't need job stress on top of nursing school stress :)