Running on Empty

[Guest372004]

After working as a hospital RN, the compassion fatigue hit me and I noticed I was still doing my job, by giving meds, dressing changes, etc. but I started really to step back and not have compassion. What I believe has made this issue in nursing worse, is the amount of documentation going on. The computer has become the patient too often and getting those clicks done becomes more important by management. I decided it was time to leave and I gave notice. I loved nursing but I did not love the corporate nursing that really does not give time to the patient. I miss the job, the people, the challenges, and the patients. Now it is time for me, my husband, my family, and my friends.

[jeastridge, BSN, RN]

After working as a hospital RN, the compassion fatigue hit me and I noticed I was still doing my job, by giving meds, dressing changes, etc. but I started really to step back and not have compassion. What I believe has made this issue in nursing worse, is the amount of documentation going on. The computer has become the patient too often and getting those clicks done becomes more important by management. I decided it was time to leave and I gave notice. I loved nursing but I did not love the corporate nursing that really does not give time to the patient. I miss the job, the people, the challenges, and the patients. Now it is time for me, my husband, my family, and my friends.

Thank you for sharing from your personal experience. I thought your statement about the computer becoming the patient was an interesting perspective. I wonder how we can work to continue to document without allowing the computer to become the focus of what we do...That is an ongoing dilemma, don't you think? I hope that you find peace and renewal and then find another way to connect with nursing and patient care.

[Guest372004]

Jean, in my opinion, the documentation will always be what is most important in nursing in the hospital setting. It is all about liability now. At the hospital I worked at, patient satisfaction was most important and a nurse would get called into the office when a patient filled out a form with a complaint, even if this patient ran every nurse into the ground. The manager "had" to call the nurse in. I call this sort of "nurse bashing, getting control of the nurse". And I loved my manager, she was and is a wonderful manager and person but she also is part of the chain ladder up to the CEO. Next, everything was/is about "budget". There is enough in the "budget" for manager meetings, and then meetings about the meetings" but not enough in the budget for patient care. What would help tremendously would be for more aides. Our aides had too many patients and few would get the care they really need. Since the RN is dealing with clicking on the computer, documenting to avoid a legal issue, and seldom has time to do what an aide is trained for, then if we had more aides, patients would be happier, the RN would have time for all those tasks, and a good assessment of the patient but I am afraid, at least where I worked, that this is not in the cards. Don't get my message wrong; I truly loved the job.

[annmariern]

I am a Rn with almost 30 years in; a couple of weeks ago I floated to another unit, leaving my floor short. Got a crappy assignment of course. Spent the day running, no time to chart, demanding families, the whole shebang. I was giving meds to a patient who was talking to his son. He was 84, came in with osteomyelitis, put on vanco, sent to a SNF. Back in Acute Renal Failure. Needed "temporary" HD, except his kidneys were not responding. As I'm busy scanning meds, racing to move on, I hear fragments of the conversation. This man was telling his son, he had had enough. He was bone tired, he was ready to "go home". His son was agreeing. I had to take a deep breath. Stop what I was doing, accept this was going to be another 14 hour day. I talked to him, told him that this was his choice. HD was his decision. He was doing it for his kids. I asked his son to call the family, called the doc and cancelled his HD for the morning, got a palliative care consult. I believe he went home with Hospice two days later. But holding this mans hand while he was crying. A man who thought he had no options but to accept all the invasive treatments. It was a massive wake up call to me. I'm not there to perform tasks. I was there for just this. I left late, tired, thirsty, hungry that night. But I did knowing I did something for a man who really needed my help. It made it worthwhile.

[Red Kryptonite]

I am a Rn with almost 30 years in; a couple of weeks ago I floated to another unit, leaving my floor short. Got a crappy assignment of course. Spent the day running, no time to chart, demanding families, the whole shebang. I was giving meds to a patient who was talking to his son. He was 84, came in with osteomyelitis, put on vanco, sent to a SNF. Back in Acute Renal Failure. Needed "temporary" HD, except his kidneys were not responding. As I'm busy scanning meds, racing to move on, I hear fragments of the conversation. This man was telling his son, he had had enough. He was bone tired, he was ready to "go home". His son was agreeing. I had to take a deep breath. Stop what I was doing, accept this was going to be another 14 hour day. I talked to him, told him that this was his choice. HD was his decision. He was doing it for his kids. I asked his son to call the family, called the doc and cancelled his HD for the morning, got a palliative care consult. I believe he went home with Hospice two days later. But holding this mans hand while he was crying. A man who thought he had no options but to accept all the invasive treatments. It was a massive wake up call to me. I'm not there to perform tasks. I was there for just this. I left late, tired, thirsty, hungry that night. But I did knowing I did something for a man who really needed my help. It made it worthwhile.

Cyber hugs and back pats for you. This post is awesome. :)

[Guest372004]

Going to stop opening up these messages as this nurse board is letting spam on and not catching it in time. It is a waste of time for continued opening up and finding "start working at home with this or that and make $".

[Red Kryptonite]

Going to stop opening up these messages as this nurse board is letting spam on and not catching it in time. It is a waste of time for continued opening up and finding "start working at home with this or that and make $".

They actually delete them pretty quickly. Why don't you help out and report the posts? It helps the mods find them faster.

[Guest372004]

I didn't know I could report but now I do thank you. Now if they could get rid of the ad that pop up as I was scrolling, some dude with a horse, a cowboy type looking for love.

[Red Kryptonite]

I didn't know I could report but now I do thank you. Now if they could get rid of the ad that pop up as I was scrolling, some dude with a horse, a cowboy type looking for love.

Well, if you want to be able to use this board for free, you'll have to put up with some ads. They have to pay the costs of running it somehow.

[Brenda F. Johnson, MSN]

Well written, which is lacking in so many other articles. You touched on a subject that all nurses can relate to, spirituality is so important as well as supporting each other. Thank you for your insight!

[jeastridge, BSN, RN]

Jean, in my opinion, the documentation will always be what is most important in nursing in the hospital setting. It is all about liability now. At the hospital I worked at, patient satisfaction was most important and a nurse would get called into the office when a patient filled out a form with a complaint, even if this patient ran every nurse into the ground. The manager "had" to call the nurse in. I call this sort of "nurse bashing, getting control of the nurse". And I loved my manager, she was and is a wonderful manager and person but she also is part of the chain ladder up to the CEO. Next, everything was/is about "budget". There is enough in the "budget" for manager meetings, and then meetings about the meetings" but not enough in the budget for patient care. What would help tremendously would be for more aides. Our aides had too many patients and few would get the care they really need. Since the RN is dealing with clicking on the computer, documenting to avoid a legal issue, and seldom has time to do what an aide is trained for, then if we had more aides, patients would be happier, the RN would have time for all those tasks, and a good assessment of the patient but I am afraid, at least where I worked, that this is not in the cards. Don't get my message wrong; I truly loved the job.

I appreciate your comments. It is so hard to focus on the important instead of the urgent, isn't it? The urgent looms large in our lives and often obstructs the view of what really matters. Also, you offer some helpful suggestions about possible changes.

[jeastridge, BSN, RN]

I am a Rn with almost 30 years in; a couple of weeks ago I floated to another unit, leaving my floor short. Got a crappy assignment of course. Spent the day running, no time to chart, demanding families, the whole shebang. I was giving meds to a patient who was talking to his son. He was 84, came in with osteomyelitis, put on vanco, sent to a SNF. Back in Acute Renal Failure. Needed "temporary" HD, except his kidneys were not responding. As I'm busy scanning meds, racing to move on, I hear fragments of the conversation. This man was telling his son, he had had enough. He was bone tired, he was ready to "go home". His son was agreeing. I had to take a deep breath. Stop what I was doing, accept this was going to be another 14 hour day. I talked to him, told him that this was his choice. HD was his decision. He was doing it for his kids. I asked his son to call the family, called the doc and cancelled his HD for the morning, got a palliative care consult. I believe he went home with Hospice two days later. But holding this mans hand while he was crying. A man who thought he had no options but to accept all the invasive treatments. It was a massive wake up call to me. I'm not there to perform tasks. I was there for just this. I left late, tired, thirsty, hungry that night. But I did knowing I did something for a man who really needed my help. It made it worthwhile.

Thank you for telling us about your experience. Thank you for being there for this patient and his family. Thank you for taking the time to stop and focus and listen. Having the mental, emotional and physical resources to be able to pause and re-direct is what it is all about. As we would say down here in the South, "You done good!" (No offense, please to our southern readers. Just a tiny bit of humor!)