FlossyRN

Your right...you got me...there is so much more to this story. But I'll start with saying my husband is my biggest fan and has never put me or any of my endeavors on the backburner. I didn't work for 4 years while he was our soul income to achieve this goal. As far as night shift not being an option. ..he makes twice my salary..so yeah, that trumps night shift! Second, my mother and father have passed away. I am not close to other to my other random family members. So five hours for my child to know his grand parents and aunts and uncles and be a part of their lives is a goal of mine...not a settlement. Thanks for trying to make this more than I woek at a crap facility.

We get them post op day 1 and they refer to them as "fresh". And just two days ago I had three "fresh" CABG patients, a day 3 CABG, a walkie talkie, and two AVR's. 7 patients who all require so much of my time. As a new nurse I know time management is a weaker area for me but this insane. I had a heart to heart with my preceptor after I was on my own and she told me there are numerous days she doesn't get all of her charting done or something on the task list because of the work load. I do not want to be the nurse that doesn't do her work nor do I want to treat my patient's that way. I am terrified of a sentinel event, etc so I always do my charting, etc. I am just stressed out. I know that working at a large hospital spoiled me...there was an IV team, there was float nurses all the time, they would send tech's home at $10 an hour and keep a nurse to do the tech's job but pay the nurses's regular salary...they really treated their employees well. I am not asking for an IV team, I am not asking for tech work at nurse pay...I'm just asking to have safe patient ratios. My preceptor agrees that they are not safe but continually says "what can you do, you know? We gotta work." And this is all hear say but I have been told that telling your director you want to leave your unit because of said problem...ensures that you do not get a job anywhere else. Because there is no way she's going to tell another director my floor stinks and she doesn't want to work here so the nurse always ends up looking bad, doesn't get the transfer, and is still miserable...just now she has another issue...the mad director. Again, that may be false but it's pretty intimidating to even think about. I did not sign a contract but was "asked" by HR upon hire to stay in my department for six months before requesting a transfer. My six months is at the beginning of December...and as excited as I am for it to get here I am terrified all the same.

LibraSun, I recently put my name on the petition for nurse to patient ratios and have been trying to learn more and more about my facility. I do not want to be a hassle or perceived as such...I honestly, believe that these men and women work like this because they do not know that it is different any where else. And I am not saying these aren't educated talented nurses...just saying they are not aware. I want to be informed before I make any decisions which is why I am learning more and more each day about my hospital and posted in here to see what other's thought. Thank you for your suggestion

We can have up to 8..I have never seen anyone have more than that. I have never had less than 6 meaning at one time...not I have three and discharge 3. Usually, if I have six I have two empty rooms who usually get filled giving me 8 or if I am able to keep 6 it is because we were graciously given a float nurse. We do take CP rule outs and pre/post cath patients as well.

For the record I would like to state. I am kind, courteous, and generally well mannered. I have only mentioned my previous hospital experience to anyone that has asked (honestly, I think three people)...it was not volunteered. When it comes to small chat or walking to the car everyone is nice to me. I am not hated because of my attitude or being some fancy city slicker who only talks about where she used to work. I grew up in "hillbilly hell" as I chose to call it...just a different one, so I know about hometown pride etc...Never once have I compared a nurse's competency to someone else's abilities. I am just shocked at the difference in facilities...and even said this may be part of my hesitation with my current facility. And as far as "demanding" one certain preceptor and training...I only did so because I was TOLD so. I mean, if you tell someone something then you follow through with your word. Having different preceptors I was getting conflicting information as to how things were done. When I asked my charge nurse the correct way she tried to turn in into a whole who did this or who did it that way moment, which I quickly averted to avoid drama. Therefore, I went to my director and requested my original preceptor. And FYI, she apologized for this not being done originally and had no problem arranging it. She stated that there was a miscommunication and that was all that it took to straighten it out. For the most part I have no problem with the people so much as I do with their inability to help me or lack of concern for patient safety and my safety. I am certain much of this is due to their demanding schedule as well. Now, I have been there since July and have already pegged a few that could have one patient, who is waiting on discharge and still refuse to help you. I chose not to be that person, nor do I chose to be ugly, lofty, or frankly rude as many of you have assumed I am. I am hard working, I want to do right and frankly I hate failure...so this is why this is such a huge issue to me. I hate to be behind, I hate to struggle to keep up..I want to get it. I feel that taring someone down is childish and, frankly, a lack of professionalism. I honestly think this place is full of over worked run-down nurses who are all being taken advantage of and their attitudes are put up with because management looks the other way because they are unwilling to hire the appropriate amount of staff or reduce the nurse to patient ratio. So there this complete huge vicious cycle. This is what I see but as a new nurse I wanted to be sure this is what I am seeing and not just being unrealistic. I feel that many of you are in this same type of situation and have chosen to tolerated it so this feasible for you. Not wanting to sound crass or childish....I simply will not turn out to be some hateful soul, half-assing health care in order to have a job (and I am not insinuating anyone who has posted does this or is this). I became a nurse to better peoples lives and mine...Sorry, if this is hard for some of you to understand.

I appreciate all the responses. This situation I have found myself in has me regretting going to school to be a nurse. Let me say, I am not a fresh faced 20 year old (no, I'm not old as dirt either) I am a 33 year old working wife and mother who was given an opportunity to go back to school and find a career so my family could stop traveling for work. I have put a lot on the line for the last four years to get this degree. Not only have I, but so has my husband who supported our family those four years while I completed this goal. I am also currently pursuing my BSN to continue to further my education. So, I'm not just going to throw in the towel but this is NOT what I expected. Frankly, my nursing school did a great job at preparing us and I have had some medical experience before so I wasn't completely new to health care but have never felt this overwhelmed. I know there are good and bad facilities. I also know that numerous of you have had a crappy experience like me and I am sorry but I'm not sure I can handle the stress and pressure or do I feel that I should just accept it as normal. Our floor handles vascular cardiac issues..such as CABG, AVR's, as well as AAA's, TTE's, DKA, and simply patient's who request our floor. It is nothing for me to have two or three fresh CABG patient's with chest tubes, wires in place, electronic pacers, with a Cardizem drip. Along with 4 or 5 others with numerous problems. Anyone just brought to our floor has frequent vitals and assessments q15 x4, q30x 2 and q1 x 4 that the RN must complete. As I mentioned in my original post we are also responsible for our own CBG's and tray passing!! (This is lunacy to me!) A few of our tech's are good. But unfortunately you never know when you're going to have that tech. But even then all they do is bath the patient's, change linens, and help with potty issues. This is am AMAZING luxury..don't get me wrong when I say "that's all they do". However, even then most of this isn't done the whole "delegation" really doesn't work well when you say "Hey, (insert CNA name here), do you mind doing etc for me?" And that flat out say No, I don't have time or why can't you do it. I spoke to my preceptor about this and was told "Yeah, that's just how she is!"...So, yeah, I feel like I can't win for loosing. And I definitely agree with the statement made about other nurses being treated the same way (sometimes)...yes, we are all in the same boat a majority of the time however, they are experienced and I am not. That is dangerous. For example last week, I had four discharges and three admits back to back giving me "the new nurse" 7 patient's and all of the experienced nurses had 5 and an empty room...yet they chose to give me all the admits!! This is unfair. So, yes, I will stay because I am a team player, and because I do have a family to support, but you bet your behind I am looking for something else. It shocks me to think so many of you think this is normal and treating people poorly is a common standard. I have morals and will not treat someone this way and will not allow myself to be treated that way. Thank you to all of you who sent kind words and encouragement.

I wish..it was an amazing facility..however, it is five hours away. We moved to be closer to my husband's family which also happens to be a town over from Hillbilly Hell and Good Ol' Boy junction it appears.

Well, I was hoping by saying that I graduated with honors and did well at clinicals showed that I was a team player and worked hard toward my goals. I understand you are stating how you see it and only hearing my side. However, I would also like to state that my preceptor suggested I demand my 12 weeks of training and, frankly, I do not regret it or the fact that I demanded to have some consistency to my training. I am caring for peoples lives as well as putting my license on the lines! To be adequately trained should be a requirement not a request! And, Yes, I am blunt, I am straight to the point and I am forward! However, I am a team player, I am friendly, I love to chat and laugh, I pitch in when I can, I ask for learning opportunities, I ask why, I pull my weight! So, yeah, maybe they don't like that I complain that it appears I am being treated unfairly...tough. I mean, I would hope they would want to foster me and help make me great not shut me down. Even, if they are not the training type or standoffish that doesn't excuse not feeding a patient because it wasn't there's to handle. Sorry, if it seems I am defending myself harshly...I am not trying to do such. However, I was always taught to speak up, ask questions, and demand fair treatment.

I am flabbergasted by the lack of team work. I mean, it is horrendous. Nurses are almost hateful to each other, very cliquish. I do hope to be able to catch up one day and lead by example...at this rate though I am not sure when this day will ever come.

No, I didn't sign a contract however due to child care and my husband's job I am not able to work night shift.

Hi, I am a new nurse who graduated in May. I graduated with honors (this was not easy, I had to work for it) and did well in clinicals. I have been working day shift on a cardiac step down unit since July. I truly love nursing...I am just not sure I love where I am at. I feel like I am being run over but when I mention something casually to other nurses all I hear is "this is day shift" or "it is what it is" or my favorite "Management doesn't care". I also fear some of these feelings may be because I went to school and did clinicals in a large city with a very up to date hospital who treated their employees excellent. It was a CHI and magnet facility. Now, I know most may say well, go somewhere else, however, I live in a rural area with only two hospitals where everyone knows everyone so word of mouth travels faster than the speed of light around here. I am just unsure if this is what nursing is really about, will it get easier, or am I being taken advantage of as a new nurse??? I started working in July with a preceptor. First issue, I was told I would get 12 weeks of training. Immediately, management started balking until I went to higher management and demanded my full training. This didn't set well with me. Second issue, I was told I would have one dedicated preceptor...the forth day of having someone different I balked again and demanded what I was told. Another flag. From there things did seem to improve but were always hectic. However, I must mention that the hospital says they are a cardiac step down unit but will not make that official because they do not want to lower nurse to patient ratios. We also are a catch all floor as well. Basically, everyone on our floor is not sick enough for the unit but too sick for a med surg floor. It is standard, every day, without fail, I have at least 6 patients if not 8!! WHAT!?!?! This is insane. I had one patient the other day on Cdiff precautions, had a rectal tube, chest tube, stage four pressure ulcer, suprapubic catheter, peg tube, tube feeding, as well as non speaking and confused, who went to dialysis 3 days a week, plus 6 other patients just as complicated. It is nothing for each patient to have 10 to 20 meds due at nine am, 3x a day dressing changes, etc. We as nurses here are also responsible for getting our on blood sugars and passing those food trays!!! EVERYONE is a blood sugar check!!! These are all scheduled for 11 am...but they will schedule my lunch at 11 am and then get mad because I'm late going to my scheduled lunch. It is not uncommon for them to give me four patients who know they are being discharged at 6am and then give me 4 direct admits back to back who all have to have UA's, IV's, Cultures, etc and all of their information enter!! Again, when I complain I am told to "buck up" or "this is the big leagues" or some other smart comment that just completely defeats me. At this point I am ready to quit! This is so overwhelming to me. I get to work early, write down my meds, my labs, etc and none of this helps with me with my time management. I try to delegate to my CNA's but there is absolutely no team work. They are always busy or will ask you very rudely, "Wasn't you just in there, why didn't you do it!" And telling management is a joke. For instance the other day I had a patient who didn't receive her 11 oclock tray because I had an emergency in another room. With 7 other nurses and four techs and two secretaries not one person took her the food tray! When I asked two hours later why this patient wasn't taken a tray, I was told "she's not our patient!" Financially, I can't quit, I have to work but I hate this..I dread work every time I'm scheduled. Because I know it's going to be hell. Hoping for some insight.