DDdove

I just got off work and although it was a rather stressful night with a new admit, the worst thing that happened was having to look at a third shifts nurse's face when she walks in. Every night it's the same grumpy face. I first thought it was me she had a problem with but after a while I saw she was just so negative that she made herself miserable. She talks down everyone from management, new employees, and aides. She tries to act "cool" around her aides and downs other shifts. I found it difficult to even finish my charting because she was going on and on about everyone and anything. I know of to nurses that have quit because of her and her demeanor. How anyone can think they are so perfect is beyond me. Ugh.. Nursing is so much better with a smile on your face

I was trained in my facility for three days and have been working now for a couple months. While reading through the threads I find that now I see I am supposed to be crushing meds separately. So do I put each med in a different cup with pudding and carry all those to the resident? Some have 6 meds! That times 30 residents? You cant stack cups with pudding

When I was hired I had 16 skilled pts and the regular load of LTC. Totaled about 36 pts! Feeding tubes, IV antibiotics, treatments, caths, meds etc. 1 RN and two aides and 1 float. The other wing with another 30 some patients had 1 LPN and two aides. So if they had atb I had to run to other side. Right before state came they released and did not restock with pts. I figure its time for them to bring them all back in and a few new nurses. Never got the training I was promised but was a trooper and did what they wanted without any breaks or lunches. As long as we put up with it they will keep pulling this on new nurses. The DON and ADON will not support you because they like their money and will not risk losing it by pressing administration for needed changes. No help for them. Good luck and always be looking for a better job!

What so you think of breathing in vapors from a pan of steamy water?

I just went to ED with my sister. BP 189/118. No history of it before but the ED or the floor (oncology) never gave her anything. It has been running high every since like about 152/90. No one seems to be worried about it. Luckily we are going to her family dr and see if he can give a diagnosis of hypertension and a med to take. She has brain mets and I worry so much about bleeds. Now I'm just making her watch her salt and rest untill I get there.

She came on for help and you just brushed her off with "stupid".......This is a site where we can come for help and guidence.

Quote..." If admin does fire him, he is just going to carry on this poor nursing care somewhere else... Im not doing any patients justice if I let that happen...." Why are you so sure he wouldn't learn from being fired or getting a warning? Maybe he got a warning but it is not information to be released to other staff. A med mistake like that should be used as a learning experience for the whole facility. Obviously no one was on their toes! Too many people handling that MAR and TAR in 6 days!

I had a DON write up a schedule to follow because I was having difficulty clocking out on time. haha the schedule took me through all twelve hours... hour by hour and guess what.....she had no lunch or breaks figured in!! But..of course we were docked for it. Pretty much tells you about where I worked....For Proffit SNF :) Still have that paper and have been tempted to post it :)

I am so happy to know you are a LTC surveyor! I have questions for you:) Do you ever fine for not enough staff for a facility? I also wonder if you question how one nurse can care for (all) the patients safely in the limited time frame of one hour before and one hr after? Im not trying to attack you but I am amazed how many nurses complain on these sites and others yet no one seems to put a reasonable limit to nurse patient ratio. Eyes seem to close to the problem. I love nursing but find it is next to impossible to follow safety quidlines and please your facility at the same time. Who can help?

There are only two nurses in our facilty at a time and usually only one is an RN. With 64 patients, 19 of them skilled, we need the higher ups to help. If I am the only RN and there are three IV ATB's q4hrs running that need flushed etc on time, 4 pegs, and a couple TPN's plus a regular patient load, treatments, skilled documenting, labs, appts, pham coming, there is no way for me to get the med pass done on time. Them sitting a trying to come up with a plan...... is a waste of time. Come out and help for 2 hours 2x a day(only 4 hrs of your day) and problem solved.

haha:yeah:

Try having her get a piece of paper and write down important info.(Lovenox sub-q/stomach)SL nitro/B/P) Or maybe you could do it at home to give to her so she can look at it before doing the skill. I think sometimes it is performance anxiety and if she feels you are upset, that is all she is thinking about. If she know you have talked to other nurses about her she is probably really nervous. Have some of the other nurses try and maybe she can work better with them.

I do not think many are retiring at 64 anymore:) Pensions and the like are gone and many lost their investments with the stock market or like me...I spent my retirement savings on my children's college education :) I will nurse as long as I can physically (so they do not have to care for me:eek:) then switch up to an administrative position or another less physical position.

I am a new nurse and I am 54!! Loving my first job and keeping up with the young ones :) Planning on nursing for 5 yrs and moving to DON hopefully. Good luck and enjoy!

I just ran into my first clamped PICC in SN where as in the hospital they were without clamps and didn't need heparin. We only flush with 5 ml saline and 3 heparin. It just seems like so little of a flush.