Jl2389

Appreciate the responses! I feel better knowing I will feel more comfortable over time. I think I just feel out of control because of the amount of medications I have to give around the clock.. I always feel like I'm barely giving meds on time on some days. Typical patients get approx 25-30 meds in a 12 hr shift. I also work with a lot of younger nurses due to the high nurse turnover rate on the floor as well. There are 3 nurses on the floor that have been there 5+ years and said that it is very busy the past couple of years but I think I am also just anxious as a new grad as well. Nurses are always there to help but often are busy themselves to stop and help others.

Hi! Thanks for the response. The nursing assistant situation is another issue itself. I am in no way ageist, but the 2 full time day shift assistants are both well beyond their retiring age, try to get by doing the bare minimum and do not fulfill many job duties that the part time nursing assistants or student nurse-techs do. They always refer to us as "you young people" and talk to me like I am clueless. I understand that they have been doing this for 30+ years and are tired but it's getting to the point where it's affecting patient quality of care and overworked nurses. I believe I treat everyone who I work with with respect and i hate asking for help as I prefer being independent. But I often get nasty push back when politely asking for help taking a patient for a walk, help with feeding a patient, do a bladder scan, etc. these concerns have been raised to management by multiple staff on the floor but it is very difficult to get fired in the healthcare system I work for. This has caused me to do everything on my own as it improves patient care and is more efficient if i just do it myself.

How bad is my floor? Is it normal? Hello everyone, this is my first time posting on this forum..Right now I am in desperate need of your opinions. I am currently working on a surgical unit, graduated from an excellent nursing school in a major city and did pretty well throughout school. So this job is my first real nursing job as an RN and I've been there for almost a year now. Things on the unit seem to be very hectic and staffing often seems to be short...Stress levels in general for all the nurses seem to be increasing but I have nothing else to compare this job to as this is my first job. I feel like I am incompetent as I often feel as if I am just getting through the day by keeping my patients safe and fulfilling doctors orders. I sometimes feel out of control (haven't made any big mistakes so far) and I probably look so stressed all day long, I don't get lunch breaks and rarely get to go to the bathroom without feeling like I am putting myself before my patients. I can't tell if this is what nursing is, or if my floor is just crazy. I just would like to give you what a typical day looks like on my floor (nurse to patient ratio, turnover rates, types of patients, etc.) So here's what my day today consisted of: Started with 5 patients. patient #1: 75 y/o male s/p hemicolectomy c/b oliguria & ileus. patient #2: 73 y/o male with malnutrition, lung cancer, tongue cancer & s/p R side pneumonectomy with chest tube & peg tube placement on Q4 gravity tube feeds. patient #3: 68 y/o female s/p lap chole c/b confusion and uncontrollable pain. patient #4: 57 y/o male s/p t10-t11 laminectomy for tumor removal c/b SBP in 180/-190s r/t uncontrollable pain even when getting morphine, dilaudid, Oxycodone. Patient #5: 72 y/o anemic female pre-op for colostomy placement requiring blood transfusion. Turnover rate: typically discharge 0-2 patients and obtain a patient for each discharge later in the shift. Apologies for the lengthy post I am just beyond stressed out and miserable with my current situation and I'm just wondering if it's normal to feel like this during your first nursing job or if this is not an acceptable work load. Thank you in advance!