4treasures

about $24.00 in my area

Where I work, we are so short right now that midnights not only does much of thier secretary work, and CENA work, we are now being 'mandated' to stay over or come in early for a total of a 16.5 hour shift. I am exhausted working every weekend, and on call an extra day. I love being a nurse and working with patients, but I feel so inadequate and like the NM is setting us up for trouble. I do not feel safe giving out meds after 14-16 hours, or driving home an hour after being up for 24 hours. I am really grateful to have my job, but also scared because the understaffing and trying to save $$ is leading to very real possibilities of disasterous results, and low pt satisfaction.

I for sure do this for people at risk, but at least there are a few people who think it is little invasive to check healthy 20, 30 yo's. I do not expect an aid to DO the assessment just be there to back me up in case someone ever said I touched them inappropraitly. I am trying to protect my patient and myself.

We had a pt that had developed a pressure ulcer a couple months ago, and the manager is pressure ulcer paniced now. I always ask if the pt has any sores or wounds, but she wants us to look between the buttocks of all the pts, even young people with no risk factors, and I am uncomfortable with this. Am I being to cautious, should I just get a aide to be there and do it, or what? How do yo uapproach this situation. If I were in that situation, I would refuse. How do other places handle this? Do you do a detailed physical exam for all pts?

I am in a very similar situation as well. only been working 3 months, 42 pts, work midnights, feel tired all the time, and my family is a fond memory. I love nursing, but there is WAY to much responsiblity, and with 100's of meds the room for error is huge. I also work in a skilled facility, where we sometimes have IV's, trachs, several feeding tubes, ect, and they are taking higher acuity patients all the time. I rarely even take a break. Of course, I have overheard how midnights, don't do *#*@. Which is ridiculous. We do more charting, treatments, ect, just less meds. I am an RN, and I looked for 6 months before i found this job, and although I have had several interviews, there have been no other offers. Several dozen facilities, and well over 100 apps later, I am still here. I love nursing, this just isn't what i had planned. I really want to get into pt. education. I love the learning and teaching. Hang in there!

Thank you for sharing. That must be a very painful desicion to make, but I commend you for doing it for your mother.

I am doing my bioethics paper on this, and wondered what you hospice nurses' experiences were with this, and how you felt about it.

I graduated in May, started looking in Feb, I have a job in a LTC, not what I expected, I have had several interview, but no other job offers. It has been really discouraging. I have apps in at over 15 hospitals, and more. Well over 100 apps. I am trying to push my BSN through hoping to get a job in education.

I just started the UM- Flint online this semester. I like it so far. The app process was pretty easy. I was advised what classes would work, I was very happy at the amount of my credits that transferred. I am taking my time- 6 credits at a time, and finding it is easy to keep up. (just not liking the paper writing) Good luck!

I started applying in Feb, graduated in May, license in June, applied to over 15 facilities, well over 100 apps, 4 interviews, and ended up at my last choice-LTC. I am still applying at other places, I am learning a lot, but the 8 hr shifts in midnights where I am working 7 of 9 weekends in a row and many times work a day, off a day, is killing me. I love nursing, I hate having so many pts I am rushed to pass meds, and have no time to assess people. Good luck, start now, and ask people you know for recommendations.

I just worked my second midnight shift, and it was horrible. 40+ residents, I was behind all night. I couldn't keep up with 2 tube feeders, a dialysis pt, so many treatments, breathing treatments, and the meds. I also think it is ridiculous to wake someone up for things like an eye drop. I feel that this is where there people live, and if they are sleeping, we need to respect that, who knows how long it's been since they slept well for some of them. I didn't sit down all night long, thank God I only had 1 medicare chart to do. Seriously thinking about keeping looking for an hospital job......

I work in a LTC, and pass meds for 18-40 pts, and it takes about 5-6 hours of my 8 hr day. I had about 2 weeks orientation, and have been on my own for 2 weeks. I am just starting midnights. I really would like to get into pt education or some kind of research or problem solving. Any suggestions on where to look, or what it is called I am looking for? I just grad in may, so I am thinking I need some clinical experience first. I am starting my RN to BSN next week. I understand that a lot of a floor nurses day is spent on meds, but isn't that a little much?

Thanks for the responses. I guess what I am shooting for is more of a patient education role, and not a DON or something. I have 4 young kids, and wouldn't be able to handle all those hours, I want to be with them, so I see that what I have is good for now!

I work 8's at my facility, but I would really like to work 12's and be home with my 4 kids more. I would really like to work into a management postition, but my husband and I have been discussing that if I were to do that, would I be on 8's no matter where I worked- LTC, or hospital. I really like my job at LTC, (only been here a month, though) but I would like to take more of a problem solving role, and less med passing. (no offense to anyone who enjoys that role, we need everyone!) I also really like teaching0 (except the lady with dementia who I have to tell what med does what and how with each med pass- lol!) :wink2:

I just started 2 weeks ago, and wondered. My LTC is all paper charting, and there are NO computers on the floor at all. It seems like so much work compared the the hospital. Faxing all the med orders, writing- yes by hand- all our care plans ( and there can be many) trying to figure out who needs what treatment, and when, who needs to be charted on, and for what. It is a lot of work. It seems like a ton of busy work that could be cut way down by computers. :typing

I just started at a LTC myslef 2 weeks ago- my advise that has been helpful- create a cheat sheet on a census page with little notes on each person- how they take thier meds- whole, crushed in applesauce, ect. Add any other things that help. With 110 residents, and being bounced all over the facility, its hard for me to remember everyone!

The place I work they get up generally when they want to. However, is it common to have a lot of the treatments, like patches, dressing changes pt/inrs, ect done on the 10p-6a shift? It seems like we wake our residents up a awful lot, but it is to spread out the work load.

I applied to every hospital within about an hour as well. I finally got a position as a part-time RN in a nursing home (ECF) 8 hr shifts. Not what I expected, but I will take it, happily!

Thank you for your ideas, I am taking them down, and I will definatly try them! Heather

Give me your best tips, nurses! I start a RN job in LTC in one week, and I will orientate on all 3 shifts. I had, at the most 3 in clinicals, and since this is my first job, give me an idea of what my day will be like, and how to organize what I need to do. I am told med passes for up to 24 on days, and care for up to 40 on midnights. It sounds extremely overwhelming with just a 10 day orientation. I appreciate your advise! Heather

I think that LTC will be where the jobs are in the future, with so many more people getting into thier 'golden years' At least that is what I am thinking...

I live in the thumb of MI, and I started applying in Feb. i have applied to many, many places, and had 4 interviews. The only place I found that wanted to hire me was a LTC facility. It is not what I had planned to do, but it is a job. I am very frustrated by the job market. I worked very hard at nursing school, and my GPA was awesome, but still nothing. I think that in the next year or two, the new grad jobs will probably be mainly in LTC, after all we will always have the elderly.

Thanks! I do have an interview tommorrow at a nursing home. I am hoping I get the job! Over 50 apps at 15 facilities, 3 interviews, and NO job.

i have now applied to over 15 facilities, 40 apps, 3 interviews, and 3 rejections. i have another interview on monday, but i am trying not to get my hopes of. i have had my license for over a month. this is getting depressing.

i graduated on may 8, and have been applying for jobs since feb. i have applied for dozens of positions, at 14 hospitals, sent out many cover letters/resumes, had 2 interviews. still, i do not have a job. i have no experience, but i graduated with a 3.56 gpa. i passed nclex, and have my license. i never dreamed it would be this difficult to find a job. my family is really struggling financially, and i really want to work. i am feeling really defeated. i do not feel prepared to do home care, i have applied to a few efc's, although that is no my first choice, at this point, i will do it. are there any hidden places i may not be thinking of? due to the mi nursing scholarship, i cannot work in a private dr. office, or a federal place. any prayers would be appreciated. i am trying to wait patiently on the lord.