Scoobiedoo

Well, I have been on the Med Floor since graduating in May 2007. I also worked in our ICU for 4 yrs prior to becoming a RN, and was a EMT before that. I have found it extremely hard to care for 6 Pts at a time working nights with NO Nurses Aide to help us, getting admissions, trying to do a very involved computer charting program, do care plans, etc. I don't' even take breaks or lunches it so bad. We always are short-staffed. This AM I got written up for not completing my computer charting before I left, and because I didn't make an entry on 1 of my Pts in 3 hrs when I was sitting a non-compliant seizure Pt that was deaf and mute, no family to sign, and the interpreter already gone for the evening. I could not do a full Admission on her b/c I couldn't ASK someone who was Alert x0, sleeping, and deaf & mute ANYTHING! It's sure a hard job. Eventually I plan my wife & I working our network marketing biz FT and retiring from nursing all together. PS I was offered an ICU position and start that on Dec 8th 2007 and ma hoping that taking care of 1-2 Pts - albeit sicker patients will STILL be easier than 6 or 7!

I've worked in our hospital's ICCU for 5 yrs before getting my RN license. Yeah, I knew we are short on nurses all the time and have holes unfilled. However, what I didn't see was on the Med~Surg floor the combersome Affinity nursing charting software and staff constantly being HC'd when we could REALLY use them and never HAVING even 1 Nurses Aide on our busy Med Floor evenings and/or nights. It'd be nice to be able to take my 15 min break, etc. once in awhile.

Sure! Never enuff staffing, 6+ patient assignments, mandating, 1/2 the time we don't even have 1 Nurses Aide on our 7p-7a shift! never being caught up! Computer charting thats WAY TOO time-consuming! Its' crazy! We are SO disgusted and despite making $21.50/hr (which sounds like a LOT OF MONEY (and I guess it IS) its a really HARD job for what you make. Abusive patients, poor staffing, being being called-off when you REALLY NEED the extra staff. Just crap like that!

thanks!

I've been a graduate since this May - licesnsed since August - all 7 of us graduates HATE nursing - and I've even worked as a Cardiac Tech in ICCU for 4 yrs and KNEW what I was getting into! Arrgggh!

I passed my boards on August 28th!

Umm, its called NURSING LOANS!

I work 3-11 pm shifts. I have tried going in early so I can get all my Kardex info and labs for my patients on my shift - but the Charge Nurse doesn't even MAKE the assignments until like 2:30 or 2:45 pm - which doesn't give me much time to sit and do all that I'd like to do. Any suggestions?

I am a little confused. Why exactly is a CVP used and what info does it give you? Thanks...

I guess I was lucky in that I worked in our ICCU as a Cardiac Monitor Tech and Nurses Aide for a year before I started RN school. However, I am no an LPN and will graduate our RN program this May 2007. Having said THAT - I am finding the nurse to patient ratio of having 5 or 6 patients just insane! I can't figure out HOW the other nurses who have been there 1 yr + can find time to hang out an BS all the time. I'm always behind in my charting, call bells, meds, etc. It is SOO stressful. I can't for the life of me figure out HOW they can get their things done and find time to hang out and chat. Our nurses union here in NY State is trying to get a Bill passes limiting the ratio to more-manageable levels. Don't know if that will ever get passed - but I'll tell you, it NEEDS to be passed. Also, at my college - we did have 4 and 5 Pt's in our clinical so we could see what it was REALLY going to be like our there in the REAL world. And boy it IS! Its a great income and challenging career - but its sure VERY stressful.

I sold mine on Amazon.com and good goo money for them. I can look up just about ANY disease online these days and get good information, S&S, etc. on them...easier, faster, and takes less space around the house!

I know just how you feel! I'm a new LPN grad and graduate from RN school in 4 wks! YEA! I know how hard it IS to get organized at the start of my shift - esp when I have 5-6 patients! This forum ROCKS for ideas, forms, advice! TRY some new things and you'll be surprised where it takes you! Good luck!

How can I find out WHERE these colleges ARE for this degree? What states?

Honestly, I don't know if they are even recording their own. Thats a good question... I think they are such a hurry to pick up the dinner trays and get back to their patients that they just don't mark anyhting down.

My facility DOES have I/O sheets on the bathroom doors. However, many of our staff (Rn's too) are negligent to record info when they pick up and remove trays when I am with other patients, busy, etc. At the end of my shift I have no info on percentages (%) or I/O's during meals, etc. So it makes MY computer charting look like I myself am not keeping track of such things, totalling them at end of shifts, etc.