jackiesue94

I have worked in a LTC for the last 16 years and YES this is abuse. Period. My LTC is a state facility so we get the residents that the private facilities reject-like ones that may be abusive. The way we have tried to handle these residents is getting the family physician involved, possibly getting a prn med to administer an hour before cares. An employee would be fired instantly at our place and their license reviewed for such an action. No, I am not a supervisor, I am a floor nurse so I know the difficulties of caring for abusive, dementia ridden patients.

This past week at work I had a graduate nurse helping with tasks before she takes her boards. What I didn't like is my own 'disconnect' with the glucose readings she reported to me. I guess I actually do quite a bit of assessing while going through the task of checking the patients glucose. I have 28 residents to care for so I m super busy with 8 of them ac and hs checks...and yes I had more time to chart but I also learned that by doing them myself I really take better care of them.

I've worked in LTC for the past 14 years...each shift I am responsible for 28 residents! Talk about time management! I work 3-11 which means on our 56 bed floor I have a partner responsible for the other 28 residents; this could be another RN or an LPN; 6 CNA's for whole floor, no ward clerk, a supervisor mon-fri (why would one be needed on the wkend?) that has to divide herself to three other units(200 bed facility). With the increase in acuity levels in LTC after 14 yrs I still have to race to get the meds out on time. Accu's and insulins, BP's, HHN-which by the way have to be monitored for the 10-15 min of giving them per new regs, and around 200 meds to pass. Crazy! There is never ever a dull moment! Add falls, IV's,catheters,dressing changes, family members(good and bad), hospice care, physicians doing rounds and record numbers of admit/discharges and it is a wonder the nurses can get the meds out at all! I've never understood why LTC nurses don't get more respect from other nurses!?! I love it but is isn't for the faint of heart! I love that this is in this week's topic list.

I wish my facility would crack down on 'weather days'. I live in the UP of Michigan where we routinely get 300+ inches of snow per winter. I would be ashamed to use the weather as an excuse...it's all in your planning. Unfortunately a few of the nurses take advantage every time a storm comes around even though one of them has a daughter that lives 3 blocks from the facility...in a three bedroom house-alone. But I digress...weather is an issue for everyone. To show up-on time, no whining-goes hand in hand with a good work ethic and personal responsibility.

My mom is a nurse. When I was growing up she would tell me to NOT be a nurse. So I went to a university to be a medical technologist. After three years, I liked the content but I just didn't feel passion for it. I applied to a nearby private nursing school not really expecting to get admitted but was starting to feel such anxiety when going to the university that I had to do something. Well I was accepted and three months later started on my journey to becoming a nurse. And what a journey!!! I felt like I belonged in nursing from the very first day! I love love love being a nurse...now going on 15 years.(RN). It is HARD and EXAUSTING and EXHILARATING and UPLIFTING and MESSY...I cannot imagine if it was 'just for the paycheck'. My mom is so proud of me...she wanted me to be a nurse only if it was what spoke to me. I feel sorry for those who do not feel the passion...it must be hellish to drag yourself to a job that has as much stress and heartache for really not a ton of pay when you really just don't feel it.

I have a long weekend off and am catching up with reading...I have to say I am astounded by the judgemental attitudes concerning pain and pain management! Did some of you miss that section in nursing school? In Michigan it is required c.e.u. to take a pain refresher course. "Pain is what the person says it is when it is." We assess the verbal and nonverbal indicators and dose appropriatly. Not with prejudice or attitude but with tlc. As a side note, when a person is in pain the stress hormones rise and the ability to heal is compromised. Also pain medication works better when it is given BEFORE the patient is in excrutiating pain. It's really too bad that so many nurses have such a poor grasp of this and think that all their patients are drug seekers. As long as I am on my soapbox it is important to remember the difference between addiction, tolerence and dependence. Phew. Maybe I should have stuck with my new John Sanford novel!

I think many new grads come out expecting their dream job with dream hrs right off the bat. When I graduated in 1994 we were told to expect to work nights, weekends, on-call, etc. for about a yearbefore some better opportunities would open up. Maybe with the shortage...and there is in many parts of the country...grads are being led to believe they will just step into their dream job. I think the area there isn't a shortage is in the higher profile so called glamore positions. Be willing to compromise, get yer hands dirty, get some experince be it in a rural hospital or ltc, and maybe-just maybe-your dream job will open up or your perception of your dream job will change and along the way you have become a real nurse!