jones58

I work fast and furious to get everything done AND get a lunchbreak, but, sometimes after I leave work I remember something I didn't do. Little things. Like take off someone's nitro patch at hs.(I call relieving nurse and ask her to take it off) Or chart that I did something last minute(late note, next day). It's irritating and I strive to be better. But perfect I will never be. And if our employers want us to get out on time (to ease their own conscience), they better try harder to get us the staff and supplies we need.

Most important quality is patience. You gotta have alot of patience to take care of alot of patients.

Sometime I pre- prepare meds, never more than two pts at a time though. I don't know if is allowed where I work. My med pass always runs over so maybe I should try this more. I'm always thinking of time saving techniques.

Everyone has a different opinion of what poor staffing is. I work on a ltc/rehab floor. Max is 40 pts, we usually have 34-40. We are suppose to have 4 cna's. We usually have 3, we are suppose to have 2 nurses, but I and every nurse on 3-11 almost always work alone. Rehab pts know what they are suppose to do to get back on their feet and they complain loudly that there is not enough staff to help them. My shift is supposed to end at 11:15. Our census was 39 the last 2 nights I worked and I was still passing meds and doing treatments at 11:00 when next shift nurse came on. Its crazy. Because their isn't enough aides I often stop and give bedpans or walk pts to BR,etc. I don't mind, but it does slow me down. The other night I asked an aide to help me hold a pt over so I could put a new duoderm on coccyx, pt needed a new attend, and there were none in the room, as usual. Central supply is suppose to make sure attends are in closets, but there are never any in pts rooms. Sometimes there's no attends on the unit. Then we have to call and ask for them. If we complain about anything it is thrown back in our faces that WE should find a way to fix things or prevent them from happening. Just give us enough staff and give us the supplies we need, before we have to beg for them.

Next Monday we are suppose to get a soup and sandwich meal, from 4p-6p. Unfortunately, I will still be passing meds until almost 7p or later. What I would like is a foot massage, a really good one, at the beginning of the shift and at the end of the shift.