Calliehoo

Hi Sue, I realize this post was several years ago, but I wonder with the advantage of more years whether you still feel that your McKesson experience was a good one. I'm in the final running for a disease-management position with McKesson (Medicaid population). I'd appreciate any advice you have to share. Thanks so much.

Sorry for the delay in responding. Ah, life. Thanks so much to mamamerlee and others who gave me great suggestions for better prioritizing and team building, among other thoughts (and for also having my back). As I'd said, I am new (green!), and am awed by those of you who make this work look easy (when we all know it isn't).

Thanks for your replies, but you've entirely misunderstood. I shower patients, change beds -- soiled and otherwise, wipe bottoms, get supplies, clean urine and stool (including explosive diarrhea) off floors and seats and walls, clean vomit off (fill in the blank). I also fill the supply closet, fill the linen closet, and do patient laundry. All this in addition to my other duties as charge. As a newish nurse who's only worked at this one facility, I was asking (and have now had answered) the question as to how other nurses handle this, particularly in light of juggling their other duties, charge or not.

Hi, I'm a nurse only 2 years out of school and this is my first nursing job, in psychiatric nursing at a small, acute-care psychiatric hospital. I was first a staff nurse, and then when I switched to nights I became (by default -- LPNs can't do charge) the charge nurse on the geri/medical unit. I'm having a problem with the aides. On nights, we usually have two. They are not overburdened by work, to say the least; they have ample time to sit around and talk while I and the other nurse are working. It tends to get very busy for the aides in the mornings, with incontinence care, but I'm busy too at that time, writing notes, preparing for report, dealing with patients -- the charge nurses have their own patients (usually from between 7 to 10, depending on census). One or two of the aides (who tend to be malcontents) spoke to the nursing supervisor that I don't help them enough on the floor, meaning incontinence care. The fact is, I do when the aides are strapped, but not 1 1/2 hours before the end of shift. The nursing supervisor suggested that to motivate them and to improve morale I participate more in that type of thing. My question: Is it a common expectation that a charge nurse wipe bottoms? Staff nurses, too? Are the aides trying to run the unit, and is the nursing supervisor assisting them in their goal? Thanks so much. This is my first post.