pie123

I sent you a private message...

My hospital recently went live with EHR (Electronic Health Records). During that time, in order to get a break from bedside, I volunteered to be a superuser for the system. A superuser helps MD's and fellow nurses with basic charting issues pertaining to the new system. I have been burned out on bedside nursing for quite some time, I think I was just trying to "force it" on myself. I even left once and came back. The ever-increasing demands being placed on the bedside nurse are becoming too much to bear. My director has given me many opportunities for personal growth: relief charge, open heart training, and committee membership, which I appreciate, but I am so burned out. I recently applied for an Informatics position and was told that HR is going to extend an offer to me. I am 40 years old and have been a nurse for 8 years (a drop in the bucket, I know). My lower back is a mess, but bedside nursing is all I know. So many of my co-workers are burned out, and I think many want to leave, but stay for one reason or another (pay, family, work schedule). My husband is completely supportive and recognizes my burnout. Here are my questions: (1) I am wondering if I would be pigeonholing myself by taking this job (losing skills)? I hope I would not HAVE to return to bedside, but one never knows. (2) Would you take it? It's Monday through Friday 0900-1730 (maybe staying later some days, maybe leaving early some days); it's a salaried position. These positions do not come around rarely. I am not a techy person, but I CAN learn. My husband says, "Listen, they know they are getting a nurse, not Bill Gates" :-) Feedback please...thanks.

I agree about the Mega Codes. I cannot understand why this doesn't happen more often. Even in a critical care area. Everyone says a code is a team effort, but what if you're in CT scan, and it's just you. There is no time to wait for someone else to get there and run the code. I don't understand why it's such a big deal to do mock codes at least once a month.

Also check out http://www.chwjobsnow.com. I just went there and there are 4 full-time positions at the Rose DeLima campus for Intermediate Care (IMC) alone. They are all nightshift, but when I worked IMC, the wait to go to dayshift was not long at all. I only checked for jobs at St. Rose DeLima campus, on IMC, so I don't know what else is available. I never even bother with HR. In my opinion, their snail's pace could possibly cost someone a potential job. Applications get lost, etc. I'm still waiting to hear back from Sunrise, and I applied there nearly 3 years ago! :chuckle Anyway, I would apply online, then maybe in a couple of days, I would call the manager directly, let him/her know you have applied and try to set up a time for an interview.

Check out the St. Rose websites. Between the 3 campuses, I would think they've got to have jobs posted. Go to http://www.strosecares.com, then click on careers. My preference is the Rose DeLima campus, especially Intermediate Care Unit (IMC). I liked the manager. She hired me as a new grad. If you need anything, send me a private message. Good luck.

St. Rose DeLima Intermediate Care (IMC) unit hires NAPs. Call the DeLima main number and ask for the manager of ICU/IMC. She is wonderful. Also, from what I remember, Med. Surg at DeLima hires NAPs.

What a coincidence. I too am looking to leave ICU. I'm tired of direct-care period, for probably the same reasons as you. It's just getting crazy. I too am thinking of home health. I've been a nurse for roughly 3 years. First in a step-down unit, then in ICU. I hate bedside care. I've only been in ICU for close to a year. I left step-down because I just got sick of it. I wanted ICU to learn more and to have an opportunity to give more patient care. In my opinion, it's just more of the same. I think it's just time to leave the bedside. I thought about ER, but I'm not sure. I was hesitant to apply for other jobs, as a big concern of mine is losing my "skills" but I am just so tired of bedside care and all that comes with it. I applied for non-direct care jobs today, one of them was hospice nursing and the other was home health nursing. I don't know if I could handle hospice nursing, but I guess it's worth checking out. Please let me know what you decide.

They are all nice facilities. DeLima is older, but still looks decent. Siena and San Martin are more aesthetically pleasing, but both are newer. They are easy to find, just Google them.

I was there for a bit, on IMC. I chose not to stick around either. I think like you, I kept comparing it to St. Rose. BUT, I have to say that the dayshift and nightshift charge nurses on IMC circle were the greatest. Absolutely fabulous. The teamwork was awesome too. The staff was really nice. I have never worked with a nicer bunch of people. I'm not really sure why I left. I know that I did not like the 5:1 ratio. Their charting is on paper, which I did not dig at all, but I guess once you get accustomed to it, it's ok.

Have you tried going straight to management? When I graduated, I found that was the best route.

I work at St. Rose and I haven't heard anything about another heart program opening. I know that St. Rose is hard to get into for ICU, with no ICU experience. What about Spring Valley? From what I understand, they hire new grads. I met a nurse who has 2 years of experience. She's now training to take care of heart patients. They just started doing hearts roughly 2-3 mos ago. They will require a contract though, because you will have to take the critical care class...if you have no critical care experience. I believe all of the hospitals here that hire for critical care areas require you to take a 7-8 week critical care course. Taking this course gets you a 2 year contract. Critical care encompasses Intermediate Care, ICU, and ER.

If you stay, you're probably headed for major burnout. You seem as though you're a good nurse. This is far too much for one person. Sounds like a very unsafe facility: for you and the residents.

I sent you 2 private messages.

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Clinical rotations certainly do not. I worked as a student nurse on a Medical Surgical unit for almost 2 years. I would care for 3-4 patients, under the supervision of an RN. At the time I thought it was relatively doable. Most of the time it was quite a nice gig. I had mostly stable, walky/talky patients. Occasionally I had total care patients. BUT, I never had to deal with doctors, clarify orders, etc., not so much with families, if anything was screwed up, my RN took care of it, and ultimately, I really had no responsibility. I just had to do my bit of assessments, chart them, have my RN sign off, pass a few meds, and help other nurses. Now, when I became a nurse, that was a different story. 2 years later, I'm looking for a new career. If not a new career, at least something that does not involve acute care.

I dealt with something just the opposite at my new job. I was carrying linens, etc. into a patient's room. The CNA stops me and says, (with attitude), "You don't need to take that in there, I already have some there, so you can put those back." I said, "Oh, well he'll have some for tomorrow (forgetting how much I myself hate extra linens in the rooms)." Then I told her that I was going to help him bathe. She proceeds to tell me, "I don't know what they told you that I do around here, but..." Then she pulls out some wadded up paper and begins to tell me her "routine", all the while referencing this piece of paper. I told her that I was just doing my job. She insisted that I not help this man bathe, because she was going to. I would think that a little help would be appreciated, but I guess not. I proceeded to do it anyway, then it was like she was in a race to get things done faster than me. What a nutjob. I thought to myself, "Where did they find this fool..."

Right on!

So true! I left my unit and went per diem on another step-down unit. While my previous unit had its problems, things were set up at least so that it could run somewhat effeciently. Plus, on most days, the teamwork was good. My new job sucks. There is so much paperwork that has to be done by each nurse on each shift. The teamwork sucks, and the paperwork is horrid. The way things are set up makes it very difficult to get even basic nursing care done. I wasn't looking for greener grass, just wanting to explore other hospitals, see what's out there, see what more I could learn, since I've only been a nurse for 2 years. But that inquisitiveness or whatever you call it is starting to fade rapidly.

Sent you a private message

Wax it.

I have been a nurse for just over 2 years. First in Step-Down, and now in ICU. I agree and empathize with you. Bedside nursing can be and most of the time is an overwhelming job, even when they get the numbers right, in terms of staffing and patient acuity. It's physically and emotionally draining. I am not a fan of bedside nursing, but I'm trying to put in my time, in order to hopefully get what I think I want. Think about checking out areas such as Special Procedures, GI Lab, or Same Day Surgery. I'm not saying these areas don't have their stressors, but different than bedside nursing. I worked per diem in Same Day Surgery for a while. It was nice. At my hospital, these jobs are few and far between because no one ever leaves them. That speaks to something, I guess. Generally, in these areas you don't spend hours with patients and their family members. Recently a co-worker passed away. She had cancer. She battled it 2 years ago, and it returned around July or August. In November, she was gone. This hit so close to home. I had talked so much with this lady. She had plans to purchase a house, and good things were happening for her at work. Now she's gone. She was in her late forties. This made me realize my own mortality. Along with this realization came thoughts of being happy, in life and work. And we all know how much work is a part of life unfortunately. Find a job that you can at least tolerate. Don't give up on nursing yet, explore your options. Good luck to you.

I sent you a private message

When I got in, my assignment was such that I had one patient, and was first up for an admission. This patient was on Med Surg. At that time, he wasn't DNR. Once he got to ICU, that's when he was made DNR, by the family. I guess when he was on Med Surg, categorization wasn't discussed with the family. Thanks for responding.