hollyjolly

Drifternurse may I ask what kind of nursing job you have with minimal responsibility?

Ok I'm a relatively new nurse. Graduated last May and have worked in a LTAC for going on 3 months. I worked med surg last yr and failed miserably. I then went to LTC which in reality compared to my now job wasn't too bad but wanted more experience in acute care. LTAC are facilities that take care of patients with multiple medical issues. They can be very sick at times. I thought I was doing well working 12 hrs nights until recently. Last night was absolutely terrible. I usually get 8 to 9 patients who can be quite unstable. I hit the floor at 730p after report and didn't even have time to assess and medicate my patients. Told I have a admission that is being admitted with multiple wounds and cardiac issues. This can be a long process with verifying physican orders and also staging and photographing wounds, etc. I work in a non computerized charting system and so I am buried in a sea of paperwork which is overwhelming. 24 chart checks, head to toe assessments, Mar checks, lab draws, and never mind you catching up on new admits. Daylight has no idea how bad it gets at night. If a patient goes bad like my last night you better forget about getting out on time. I feel like I suck as a nurse in this facility. Several people have trained and left quickly-wonder why? I'm about to cut out the 12 hrs night shifts to save my sanity or just to leave. Believe me those 12 hrs nights can become 13 or 14 hr. nights if you don't catch up.:( I want this to work but I feel I put myself at risk for losing my license. Does it really get any better? I want to be a good nurse who enjoys going to work but environments like this make this so impossible. I want so much to succeed as a nurse. Is the grass greener on the other side? Is there any such thing as nursing utopia? I don't want to be a job hopper but I can only handle so much. Any advice will be appreciated. Thanks.

I can so relate. I've been a nurse since May of 2007 and the stress can be much. On a Med Surg floor I couldn't take care of my own needs such as bathroom breaks, food, drink and medication for my asthma. We are so wrapped in taking care of others that we are supposed to forget our own needs. I'm convinced their is no such thing as the grass being greener on the other side. The stress of nursing can be so bad for me at times that I need a couple of drinks on the weekend if im off just to relax. I just daydream about a desk job or something less stressful.

Personal opinion, I would not even take that job unless I needed the money real bad. That tone of that NM was terrible and I sure wouldn't want to be under her. The whole thing about mandatory overtime would cause me to not take the job unless I was desperate. Good Luck, Hollyjolly

Chloe, I happened to stay with the agency that employed me as a cna. I know its rare, but my agency was able to place me with a few government LTC facilities which their only requirement was for me to have my RN license. I do IV therapy, foley catheter insertions, bladder irrigations, tube feedings, suctioning, accuchecks, dressing changes and various treatments to name a few of the skills I use. Contrary to some peoples beliefs about LTC, I even get to use my critical thinking skills. This is good for now but I am still trying to figure out what my niche is. I know when I get to that one year mark I will have more opportunities to do more. Like I said previously, my stress level is way down. Another plus is I'm making a higher hourly wage as well. Keep trying till you can find something thats suits you. Their are several areas you can explore.

I can so relate to you and what your going through. I graduated in May and took a job in a very busy Med Surg/telemetry unit. Even though I was told I was doing a fantastic job there, I had to leave. I was literally going crazy with the stress of this job. To top it off, I have several children at home that need a sane mom. The commute was about a hour away and some days were way to long. My husband spends long hours at work and doesn't pitch in with the cooking and cleaning. Well so I left. I came to the conclusion my first job is mom and so I left that job. I am contracted on a month by month basis by my agency to go to a local LTC facility. Its very close to my home and I work 24 hrs. per week. I work when I want to and the hrs. I want to as well. I am a RN and get to utilize my skills. This suits me now. My stress level is way down compared to before. Once I get a little more experience I will have even more opportunities. I know if you keep looking, you will be bound to find a job a little more tailored for you and your family. I know it can be difficult when your a new nurse and have a family to raise.

I would keep it off my resume. What have you to gain by putting a job you were briefly at? I speak from experience. I graduated in May of this year and started a job in July. I left in Sept. and included it on resumes and applications and it has been viewed negatively. One nurse recruiter was excited about me working at her hospital until she heard about my brief employment at a affiliated hospital.

Sorry, I should have posted on the LTC board.

I'm a new nurse, just graduated in May and trying to find my niche. At night I take care of 60 patients and their is so much to do. Last night a CNA told me that I would be helping them with changes if the 3rd aide didn't come in. I was told this on another floor this past week by another CNA. How am I supposed to do all of my work-and their is plenty and adequately take care of my residents? I used to be a cna and worked short all the time and I never told the nurses they would be taking a assignment. I know its a hard job and I am not bashing cnas. They are a valuable asset. But I am overloaded on a nightly basis. Who is going to pitch in and help me? NO ONE. I rarely get any breaks cause if I do I won't finish up in time. Maybe its time for me to go back to the hospital. This is so frustrating not being able to be the nurse I'm capable of being. How would you handle this situation? Thanks.

I think you are probably right-I should get a permanent staff position to get more experience. I don't always feel comfortable being such a new nurse doing agency. A permanent position would put me more at ease.

I've only been a nurse since May but have come to regret it. Its just so stressful and I want to give quality care to my patients. But each day is so busy and can be quite chaotic to the point I can't be the kind of nurse I want. Also, your needs are put last. Some days I've gone without eating, going to the bathroom and taking my own asthma meds because theres just too much to do. I knew early in nursing school that maybe being a nurse wasn't a good fit for me. Also, I didn't want to let my family down. I knew I should've listened to my instincts early on. Oh well, I'll try to make the best of my education even if I'm not happy. I do wish you luck as you make your decision to attend nursing school.

I'm basically a new nurse since May and I just signed up for an agency for LTC nursing. You get 60 patients for 11p-7a. Since I'm new at this, I really don't feel comfortable with this. It seems I won't being able to give proper care to the residents. I worked so hard for my license to lose it. My only nursing experience has been med/surg. I used to be a CNA in LTC but nursing is a whole different ball game as far as I'm concerned.

I graduated in May of this year and took a job on a med/surg unit. I was so stressed on that unit. Even the experienced nurses seemed a bit harried. The hospital wasn't willing to place me on another unit so I quit. I know for sure I had an anxiety attack the last day I was there due to the stress. I was told I was doing wonderfully. I sure didn't feel it. I know one thing, I enjoyed my patients and did provide good and safe care to them. I miss that aspect of it. I used to work as a agency cna during school and have decided to work as a LTC nurse with them. Not to offend any LTC nurses out there, am I short changing myself by going over to LTC? I was even thinking about private duty possibly in the future. I will still be using some of my nursing skills as well but I keep thinking I will be missing something without some hospital experience. I'm afraid if I don't apply soon to some local hospitals I will just abandon that idea and be locked into LTC for the rest of my career. And because it will be agency, I can choose my own hrs. and days. I won't have to work any weekends and holidays if I don't won't to. That is so appealing to me with children and husband at home. I just want to give myself a fair shot. If I gave myself more than two months to adjust in med/surg I'm sure I would have been successful. But the stress was unbelievable at times and I wasn't sure how I'd function while own my own. Basically, I was afraid of failure and I fled. Trying to figure of my niche is going to take awhile it seems. I am just a confused new nurse trying to do what is right. Thanks for any advice offered.

I would like to thank all of you for your encouragement. This has really helped me to come to terms with the decision I made. Its nice coming here to know there are people walking in the same shoes as me and have lived the same experiences as a new grad. I will keep looking for the job that will be more suitable for me and my family. As far as I am concerned, like is too short and why be miserable? Thanks again.

I have been in orientation the past 2 months and have recently passed my boards. I work at a very busy med surg unit that seems so chaotic to me. I feel I have worked hard but yesterday I had a mental melt down. Even the veteran nurses are stressed out. I kept thinking if they can't handle how can I? Well I probably did something stupid. I talked to my manager and told her I wanted to leave and couldn't handle the job. She told me she heard good things about me and that I was doing well. I quit. This makes me look so bad. Only having 2 months of experience. I sent out a resume today and got a quick response. They wanted to know why I left so and so hospital. It doesn't help my husband is furious with me. I might have an opportunity to go back to my unit but I'm so embarrassed. There is just no way nursing school can prepare you for the real world of nursing. I need to find my niche. Should I just go back where I started? Also this unit has had a large turnover of nurses and aides.