Im kinda ******. I literally just finished my first day as a Direct Care Professional (Im a caretaker for developmentally disabled adults). **Im a 20yr old pre-nurisng student**
About my patient:
-age 65, lives in an apartment complex with other mildly disabled individuals (my patient is severe)
-6'2 (but shorter because he hunches, and weighs 215lbs)
-can barely lift himself out of his wheel chair, non-motile unless has walker chair
-diagnosed with: impulse control disorder, disruptive behavior disorer, seizure disorder, schizophrenia
I had a great day with my patient. He was very cooperative. I helped him eat, consistently transported him to his room, back to the restroom, out to the patio/ so on and so on.
He took his meds with no problem right before he fell asleep at 6pm.
My shift was suppose to be over at 9:30pm and I was told he does not have 24hr support (the next staff's shift is @6am New Years day).
9:28pm- My patient wakes up, has to go pee. I transport him to the restroom, he stands up to pee and starts to pee before he even makes a complete stance. After he finished, I cleaned the little pee from his legs, washed him up, took him back to his room to change into fresh underwear/socks and he went back to bed.
9:45- I'm cleaning up his tiny mess of urine in the rest room and he calls from the room over and has to go pee again. I successfully transport him and he is able to urinate with no problem.
I leave @9:58 after he is back in bed and knocked out. It really frustrates me that no staff is scheduled to be with him overnights. My company has overnight staff and I'm going to inquire with my supervisor tomrw morning as to why he doesn't have overnight staff? Im pretty sure he is going to have to go to the restroom at some point of the night. He can sure as hell fall and severely hurt himself, and pretty much develop some infection if he urinates/defacates on himself overnight without being changed or taken care of. I felt horrible that I had to leave and even called/txd my supervisor if I should leave or not(with no answer since new yrs eve I assume). What really ****** me off is that my supervisor told me earlier in the day that since it was my first day I could leave an hour earlier @8:30 if he was taken care of and in bed. This is my first day with this company...how long has this been going on? WTH!!?
***On a side note: Happy New Years everyone!
I really appreciate all the hard work nurses of the world do. I really got a small taste of your hard work today (especailly the lifting part [i stand 5'9 at 145lbs where the pt. was 215lbs at 6'2 lol] I hope to get accepted into a program, and become a nurse very soon to join the rest of you! P.S--- sorry for my long rant!
