At 43, I'm a nursing student. Why am I doing this? It's because I have volunteered at a nursing home for two years, not including all the years as a child I visited a nursing home across the street from my house. It's because I love talking to people, love hearing their stories. Young, old, black, white or other, I love talking to them all.
And I stick out like a stone in my nursing class. I think they are all in it for the money. For the most part, the people in my class do not seem interested in talking to the patients when we are at clinicals. A few are condescending, and some are borderline rude; but most do not seem interested in the patients as people.
This worries me for several reasons. One: if I become involved with the patients as people, talk to them about their lives, etc., will I be comfortable doing intimate things for them, like giving bedbaths and/or enemas? Will they feel uncomfortable having someone they connect with, doing these things?
Does anyone reading this understand where I'm coming from? I shudder to think of some of my fellow nursing students being my nurse one day.
I personally would gladly give up my salary in LTC for lower-paying hospital experience. However the major hospital in my area doesn't hire LPNs and the others, the jobs are few and far between.
I went from making $19 an hour in LTC to $15.50 now in assisted living because frankly, I can't take the back breaking lifting, bending, long hours on my feet & stress of it anymore. I was coming home and taking 3 hour naps & neglecting my family from the feelings that I just couldn't do enough to help my residents in those 8 hours. The majority of my 12 years of LPN experience have been in LTC, some supervisory, and I only see it getting worse. I had to get out while the chance was there. Now in assisted living I have administrative issues. It seems to be the same everywhere. But my credo is the same: The RESIDENT comes FIRST...not the paperwork, not the timeclock, and as we all know, not our breaks!:chuckle
Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
Yes, The RESIDENT does comes FIRST...but for god's sake take you break and lunch.
You make it harder for anyone else to take a break when you deny your own.
So true. The patients and family members do not give a crap as to whether or not the nurse receives meal periods and potty breaks. You are the only person in the world who can adequately take care of you, because nobody else cares as much. The nurse can slip and fall in front of patients and family members without anyone else being too concerned.
Therefore, use the bathroom, even if it means that a patient has to wait 10 minutes longer for their sleeping pill. Eat your lunch and stay hydrated, even if it means that you'll fall behind on treatments.
Yes, The RESIDENT does comes FIRST...but for god's sake take you break and lunch.
You make it harder for anyone else to take a break when you deny your own.
Exactly! I take my break and I get all my work done anyways. When I was in orientation my preceptor said something that I never expected him to say but I will always remember "Good nurses take their breaks" How can you provide safe, effecient, compassionate care with a full bladder, a rumbling tummy, low blood sugar and aching back/feet? sounds like the perfect recipe for a burned out bitter nurse
I love my job, as a nurse. I went into this field because I feel that I can make a difference... but I also do it for the money, of course ^_^ I worked hard for my BSN and I expect my pay to reflect that... and level of quality care I continue to give my patients. Nurses are often pressured, in one way or another, to conform to the stereotype of the self-sacrificing caregiver (martyr???), however, this role does not benefit us as human beings nor does it help our patients, in the long run. Care for yourself first or you won't be around long enough to make a real difference!
At 43, I'm a nursing student. Why am I doing this? It's because I have volunteered at a nursing home for two years, not including all the years as a child I visited a nursing home across the street from my house. It's because I love talking to people, love hearing their stories. Young, old, black, white or other, I love talking to them all.
And I stick out like a stone in my nursing class. I think they are all in it for the money. For the most part, the people in my class do not seem interested in talking to the patients when we are at clinicals. A few are condescending, and some are borderline rude; but most do not seem interested in the patients as people.
This worries me for several reasons. One: if I become involved with the patients as people, talk to them about their lives, etc., will I be comfortable doing intimate things for them, like giving bedbaths and/or enemas? Will they feel uncomfortable having someone they connect with, doing these things?
Does anyone reading this understand where I'm coming from? I shudder to think of some of my fellow nursing students being my nurse one day.
OMG if I were in it for the money I would have quit after my first week. Yes we had people in my class like that too. Thought it would be an easy way to get a better paycheck. Trouble is they didn't realize that they actually had to study to pass:idea:
When I see posts like yours my first thought is what??? I'm a nurse in Canada and PNs make the same irregardless of whether they are in LTC, Continuing Care, Active Treatment or Public Health Clinics.
Then I remember, we are union and the vast majority of you aren't.
Time to think union.
silly oversimplification. There are many more differences between the Canadian healthcare system and the one in the USA -many more factors play a role in our pay and conditions of our work environment. When you oversimplify it to the degree you have (union vs non-union) you cheapen the argument, or at worst show ignorance regarding the issues.
at 43, i'm a nursing student. why am i doing this? it's because i have volunteered at a nursing home for two years, not including all the years as a child i visited a nursing home across the street from my house. it's because i love talking to people, love hearing their stories. young, old, black, white or other, i love talking to them all.volunteering is a bit different from actually working in a nursing home.if you are fortunate enough to work in a nursing home in which you actually have time to go to the potty,much less talk to your patients, you will be lucky indeed.
and i stick out like a stone in my nursing class. i think they are all in it for the money. for the most part, the people in my class do not seem interested in talking to the patients when we are at clinicals. a few are condescending, and some are borderline rude; but most do not seem interested in the patients as people.that is too bad, some are not cut out for nursing.
this worries me for several reasons. one: if i become involved with the patients as people, talk to them about their lives, etc., will i be comfortable doing intimate things for them, like giving bedbaths and/or enemas? will they feel uncomfortable having someone they connect with, doing these things? i would think that the residents would feel more at ease. i wouldnt worry about this, i would worry about being disillusioned when you actually get to the floor as a nurse and find out you dont have the time to get to chit chat with your residents.
does anyone reading this understand where i'm coming from? i shudder to think of some of my fellow nursing students being my nurse one day.
i am sure you will be a good nurse, but it might be easier on you if you realize that talking to the resident will be a bonus, hope you will be able to manage it.they are a very interesting segment of our society.
Yes, The RESIDENT does comes FIRST...but for god's sake take you break and lunch.
You make it harder for anyone else to take a break when you deny your own.
Good lord, this is the unvarnished truth. YEARS ago, when I was in fire-rescue, we had a sign inside our station, next to the entrance, that said "dead heroes don't save lives". Its meaning was that if you don't take care of yourself, you won't be able to take care of others. This is just as true for nurses as it is for any other.
When I see posts like yours my first thought is what??? I'm a nurse in Canada and PNs make the same irregardless of whether they are in LTC, Continuing Care, Active Treatment or Public Health Clinics.
Then I remember, we are union and the vast majority of you aren't.
Time to think union.
Naw, Fiona, dont listen to Gromit, You are right we do need unions , good strong ones like the CNNA.Hi Gromit , long time, no debate, where have you been?
Gee Ingelein are you so rabidly pro-union that you see any comment that doesn't actively support and promote your stance as an "anti-union" comment? I'm puzzled as to what part of my message said I was against the Union in any way shape or form.
The more level-headed reader would (correctly) understand that ALL I said is that there are a lot more factors at play than a very oversimplified "we're union, you're not" explanation.
Or do you honestly disagree with THIS post as well?
RARELY are things EVER so simple, cut-and-dried in real life. Our system of compensations certainly is not.
-Hey back atcha. Oh been around. Just haven't really been messing with the 'net in a while.
Got really fired up last night when a 2-yr old came into the ER who was (little doubt in anyones' mind) physically abused (fractured face) -really got my steam going. Now I'm keeping a tight eye on the news to see if the 'suspect' is going to get arrested. Anyone who would harm a child -especially to the degree this one was- needs to be strung up.
sigh. Sometimes I just wish I weren't part of our species, but I have to keep in mind that most people are not like this.
Yes, The RESIDENT does comes FIRST...but for god's sake take you break and lunch.
You make it harder for anyone else to take a break when you deny your own.
I do take my breaks...did you notice my chuckling face after the comment about the breaks ? My my, I've been doing this for 12 years, and yes I am slightly burned out but I do eat, go potty, etc... Families and residents do not give a rat's a** about whether we've eaten or had a minute for ourselves. It IS all about THEM. What I'd like to have is a "CLOSED" sign like they have at the checkout at the store. When somone approaches me for help, I can say "Sorry, I'm CLOSED." :roll
Lexxie, LPN
200 Posts
I personally would gladly give up my salary in LTC for lower-paying hospital experience. However the major hospital in my area doesn't hire LPNs and the others, the jobs are few and far between.