and people WANT to do this????????????

Specialties Emergency

Published

I have to vent. . .I thought I would LOVE ER nursing - but now it leaves me frazzled, dismayed, overworked, sad and sometimes even feeling like a failure. I work in a hospital where it's not uncommon (in fact almost a given) that you come onto a shift with 20-27 patients to yourself - YES. . . . and 20 patients is a good day. I laugh when people complain about 10 patients. You spent 10 hours running your tail off and then realize that you have had to pee for the last 3 hours and that you haven't eaten anything or gotten a break for the last 10 hours. Quality patient care?? LOL, what the heck is that. . . . .

I have done this for a year and I feel dismayed with the entire profession as well as the health care system itself!! I don't want to feel this way. I know that everyone will say that I should leave my job. . . but I am in a contract for one more year. Help!!!!!! I went into nursing because I thought I would make a difference. . .now I feel like a hamster running on a wheel that is spinning 1000 miles an hour!!! Tell me it's got to be better other places. . . .

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20-27 patients to YOURSELF ?? And this is America [EVIL][/EVIL] ?

Contract or not I would get out before something very very bad happened. There is a thing called "Safe Harbor."

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Yep. . . .this is happening right here in the US. I do know about safe harbor. . . .it's been called before butin general it seems like people are afraid to do it. Anyways, it doesnt matter. . .nothing has changed when it does come up.

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Yep. . . .this is happening right here in the US. I do know about safe harbor. . . .it's been called before butin general it seems like people are afraid to do it. Anyways, it doesnt matter. . .nothing has changed when it does come up.

I don't know what you're going through and can't imagine it but I'm assuming that there's no way that you can safely take care of an assignment that large...let alone do assessments on a 1/4 of them!!! You need to find a different position that respects you and your quest to provide good, safe care so you can make a difference.

I work in ICU where I have a 2 patient assignment- somedays I feel like I can't handle that when I've been performing cardiac massage to relieve a PA's hands whose are numb or have a patient on so many gtts I don't even know where to start untangling the web of spaghetti of IV lines...but know that you are an assett to your hospital and it needs to treat you that way!

LCRN

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Yep. . . .this is happening right here in the US. I do know about safe harbor. . . .it's been called before butin general it seems like people are afraid to do it. Anyways, it doesnt matter. . .nothing has changed when it does come up.

Well, unless you are in a small remote town with no other hospitals for 200 miles, then you DO have choices. I always roll my eyes when I hear nurses complaining because there are a million other things you can do....you have choices. Get the guts to take it to the top and make a difference or get the heck out.

The bottom line is the situation you described is not safe for anyone (you or the patients) so get the heck out. Paying a few thousand dollars in contract $$ would be worth it to get yourself into a better situation.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

The Safe Harbor Invocation only applies in Texas.

I work at a nursing home and care for 18 patients. Everyone ridicules long-term care, but I love the pace and flexibility that comes along with working in a nursing home.

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ER nursing sounds exciting but way too challenging for me to want to do any time soon...that is if I become a nurse. I took my nclex yesterday and I think I blew it -= (

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I really have like no idea as to how to see when someone replies, Im new and quite lost

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That sounds like an unsafe place to work. If I were you I would try another ER before giving up on it entirely. I love ER work, but it's not for everyone. However, that many pts would do anyone in.

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Did the hospital have any obligations on their end of the contract? Doesn't sound like they're providing a great work environment. As a previous poster stated, it might be worth breaking the contract to save your sanity, but I would read the contract again and make sure there are no grounds for you to get out of it legally.

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I have to vent. . .I thought I would LOVE ER nursing - but now it leaves me frazzled, dismayed, overworked, sad and sometimes even feeling like a failure. I work in a hospital where it's not uncommon (in fact almost a given) that you come onto a shift with 20-27 patients to yourself - YES. . . . and 20 patients is a good day. I laugh when people complain about 10 patients. You spent 10 hours running your tail off and then realize that you have had to pee for the last 3 hours and that you haven't eaten anything or gotten a break for the last 10 hours. Quality patient care?? LOL, what the heck is that. . . . .

I have done this for a year and I feel dismayed with the entire profession as well as the health care system itself!! I don't want to feel this way. I know that everyone will say that I should leave my job. . . but I am in a contract for one more year. Help!!!!!! I went into nursing because I thought I would make a difference. . .now I feel like a hamster running on a wheel that is spinning 1000 miles an hour!!! Tell me it's got to be better other places. . . .

Ranchgirl30,

You aren't doing yourself or your patients any good by skipping meals and personal care breaks, and you are setting yourself up for health problems in the future. Every time you let people abuse you by not recognizing that you deserve decent treatment to maintain a healthy mind and body, you make it that much more difficult to give your patients the good quality care they need.

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Specializes in Med/Surge, Psych, LTC, Home Health.

WOW!!!!!!! The nurses in the ER where I work take like, 4-5 apiece!!!!

27 sounds terribly, terribly unsafe. Pay back the contract money in monthly increments, and find yourself a new place to work!

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