aniutka

Thank You everyone for input, I guess I didn't know where I stepped in

How is it possible to give meds to 40 people all scheduled for 10 am within the required 2 h window? When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.Maya Angelou Read more at When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time. - Maya Angelou at BrainyQuote

what are your ratios? in "my" facility I medicate 19 patients, IV, 2 trach PT, lots of pain meds, asthma treatments, paper documentation and paper orders (!!!!). on the unit, day tour, there are typically total 3 RNs/Lpn - one charge ( who helps with treatments if not too busy with admissions/discharges) and 2 med nurses. I often pass 10 am meds from before 9am to 1 pm. is it legal? what can I do ( besides quitting?) my DON told me today that she is covered and 19 medicating 19 patients is normal in Nursing Homes Is it?

Hi Everybody, Ill be starting nights in the summer, 7p 7 a, AED level 1 trauma, Ive never worked nights and am clueless how to organize my day, when to sleep? can you share with me your day schedule?

Hi everyone, I was kicked in the lower belly by patient wearing working boots, while trying to medicate /restrain. I was evaluated in ER and cleared, but now few hours after I feel abdominal cramps and overall not great. It was bad situation, Patient v psychotic, aggressive + bad place, overcrowded psych er with no place to sit Pt down, short of regular staff. I feel miserable, not safe at all in my place of work. While such feelings are expected, is such situation to be expected in psych er? Nurses being kicked as it is a street fight? How do you deal with violence in a workplace? I like my job very much, would not change it for anything else but..... It disturbed me, it wasn't the first time I got pushed, cursed at, spat at, yelled, but kicked in the stomach with great force.... Its a bit too much. What can I do to prevent such situations? What is expected from my employees? How does it look from the legal point of view?

Ohhh :) this is a great info, great post, thank YOU! I am debating what to do with my nursing "career" , I graduated in My 2008, right now I am employed as a s staff nurse at acute psychiatric unit in one of the largest hospital centers in NY, and having a difficult time with style of care, lack of compassion, bad hours (3-11pm 8h shifts) and long commute to work. This is my first job as a nurse, everyone when I mention that this job isn't good for me tells me about city benefits, how great and how wonderful is to work for the city. I like psych nursing but at the same time I am missing on med surg skills, work in place where team work is just an empty phrase. I went to nursing school to be a midwife in the future, help people, be a positive - a helpful hand for person in need, to bring relief from pain, to help. I like to get close to my patients, to get to know them - current job doesn't give me room to do that. But I've never done home care and don't know if this is a good direction to turn to. Any words of advice will be great.

Hi Jjjoy, I know how you feel and I wonder when it starts to feel good being a nurse, my dream and very hard work. I too graduated in May 2008, after passing boards in October started working in December in Acute Psych Unit- when my plans were to be a midvife... nobody was hiring when I got out of school, this job just happened. I like psych patients but I feel that I am missing on hand on nursing experience ( putting foleys, IV, assessing..) I got worst possible shift 3-11pm 8 hours, in poorly staffed unit, where I get no support and most of the time I am left to make decisions and run the floor when I am unprepared to do so. I cant understand why new grads are placed on shifts with such limited support, most of the staff is gone in the evening, doctors are on call so learning new job is difficult. why I am saying that? maybe try nursing homes? family care- visiting nurse? long term care? If I had to do it over thats what I would do. learn from bottom up, and hospital may not be the best place to learn if they place you on evenings when you are basically left alone and scared to make any move because it may cost you your license. Since I have job and market is what it is right now I decided to keep it as long as I can, at least until a year and then try to transfer to another facility which is closer to home ( I have to drive from lover manhattan to bronx) and possibly a med surg unit. It is tough, economy and us new at our professions but it's got to change! another thought: some places outside NY are hiring new grads, they offer housing and sign on bonus so lack of $$ wouldn't be a problem when relocating. I thought about that too and if I have to I will move just to get experience. I know about a place in Queens and Brooklyn which is hiring home care nurses, if you'd like PM me for contacts Take care and keep posting here, together we may find it easier to be a new RN. and remember, you've worked to hard just to let it go now! :nurse:

Hallo All, I've been asking myself this question for few months now: take or leave it? I graduated June 08, had long summer, in october passed NCLEX and on Dec 8 started to work at HHC in NYC where I live. I am working at behavioral unit, acute care, 3pm - 11:30pm, 5 days, commute to work about an hour. Around where I live there is at least 5 hospitals, none of them hiring. I like psych nursing and would like to continue with it but the facility where I work just isn't the right place, lots of violence, none of the therapeutic approach, ativan IM, restrains - that is the way "curing" happens at my work place. Individual doesn't matter, doesn't count RN on schedule and we are good to work. There is no jobs around, maybe I could get a position at home care agency but I never worked as such, don't know what to expect. I found myself very depresed since I started working, I have small child and hours are just bad for family, I wouldn't mind it 3 x a week but 5 days it just doesnt work If anyone can give me any hope, idea what to do, where to turn to make my working life livable. I would appreciate any imput greatly, aniutka this is the copy of my previous post on psych nursing forum: "I am working since december in Psych unit, Jun 2008 graduate. what I find problematic is not the patients but often staff, not working together, using a lot of force, not being therapeutic at all, just medicating patients to be free of their annoying behaviors. One must develop very thick skin to work in such environment. I see very little understanding, willingness to help, lack of empathy and patience. Words heard most often are: limit setting, let me offer some medication to help you come down, staff splitting, I see a lot of violence, not enough therapy, lots of politics and no direction/education for staff. what matters is your RN license, you as a human being, nurse, don't matter, everyone is just looking to cover their a#$%^& and do as little as possible as patient call it " hiding in the buble" ( nursing stations are plexiglassed for safety) I think it takes special type of a nurse to work in psych and very often people who work at psych units do it only for $ and lack of bodily fluids on the job. Am I working in such bad place? Please tell me that not all psych units are like mine."

OMG are we working at the same hospital? same unit maybe?

Thank You!

interesting.....

5). If you are going to work with borderlines, read everything Linahan has written I can't find anything written by Linahan.... is it correct spelling?

I am working since december in Psych unit, Jun 2008 graduate. what I find problematic is not the patients but often staff, not working together, using a lot of force, not being therapeutic at all, just medicating patients to be free of their annoying behaviors. One must develop very thick skin to work in such environment. I see very little understanding, willingness to help, lack of empathy and patience. Words heard most often are: limit setting, let me offer some medication to help you come down, staff splitting, I see a lot of violence, not enough therapy, lots of politics and no direction/education for staff. what matters is your RN license, you as a human being, nurse, don't matter, everyone is just looking to cover their a#$%^& and do as little as possible as patient call it " hiding in the buble" ( nursing stations are plexiglassed for safety) I think it takes special type of a nurse to work in psych and very often people who work at psych units do it only for $ and lack of bodily fluids on the job. Am I working in such bad place? Please tell me that not all psych units are like mine.

Hello All, I am a new RN, graduated in June, passed boards and got a job as a psych nurse. This is not something I had in mind but taking current economic situations and lack of open positions for new grads I took it just to get a foot in a hospital. But now I feel stuck, miss clinical experience, medical part of nursing, I have great satisfaction from dealing with psychiatric patients but somehow a problem with ethics of some of the staff (yelling, using physical force, laughing). This is not a place for me in a long run. I would be grateful for any information about ways to the OR in NY, thanx so much for help /:)