Struggling and I could really use advice

[LanaG94]

Hello everyone. It is my first time posting here. I could really use some advice. I recently started a PCT job at a hospital. It is my first job caring for patients. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity, but I am extremely stressed almost to the point of tears. It is an ortho med/surg unit but we also take other surgical patients as well. It was very apparent to me on day 1 that they hired me because the were desperate for staff. While everyone who works on the floor is extremely sweet our floor is extremely understaffed. Everyone including myself is constantly running around like a chicken with our heads cut off. Even if we start out with 4-5 pcts most of them end up sitting with patients or being a secretary, because our department no longer has one until they hire someone else. So that typically leaves myself and another and maybe 1 other pct with 18+ patients each. Which don't get me wrong I don't truly mind the work but usually half of the patients are post ops and require things multiple times an hour that HAVE to be done. I feel horrible because on top of post op requirements the patients require their basic care as well as toileting and etc. We are constantly running behind and the nurses are constantly running behind, and they are doing their best as well. It breaks my heart when I run behind because I want to do my absolute best for my patients and I am unable to. This happens everyday. Our floor always tries to offer help to each other, but when you go to ask they are just as busy and behind as you are. They always say, "If you provided the basics at least you did your job". But I just hate feeling that way. I know short staffing is not uncommon in healthcare, and you aren't going to like everything about your job all the time but I am very unhappy with this job. I feel so bad because I never get to feel like I am truly helping my patients. Most of the time I am running around so much that I can barely remember what they look like sometimes because I am in and out of the rooms so fast. When I speak with several others from orientation their units is not struggling half as bad as we are. I can understand having a rough day here and there but this is every single shift. It makes me question if I even want to continue pursing nursing any further. I am just so unhappy. I love helping the patients but I am just so stressed. The staff have voiced their concerns as well but were basically told that nothing could be done. For every new staff member there is one who leaves.

[kgusack]

Hi Lana,

I can completely understand where you're coming from. I worked on a unit similar to yours med/surg/tele as a CNA for 4 years with chronic periods of understaffing. My best advice would be to think of it as "I'm one person and I can only do what one person can do" As long as you know you're doing the best you can do, there isn't much more you can do. The other thing is to make a priority list and do the things highest on the priority list first (ex: vitals) and go in decreasing priority. Over time you will also develop a timeline of when you will be doing certain tasks and learn ways to clump tasks together (ex: turn pt, vitals, I&O in the same room visit)

It sounds your unit needs to get more staffing and I'm sure they know this. Unfortunately there isn't a ton you can do to impact this. Not sure what your situation is, but it wouldn't be a bad idea to put feelers out for a new job.

[edit] - also, do you feel you had adequate training? That can make a huge difference as a new CNA/tech.

I almost left the healthcare field after my time on that ward due to burnout and I'm so grateful I didn't. Fortunately my other career endeavor didn't work out and I transferred my job to a different hospital and subsequently started nursing school. After working other places I realized you can't judge the entire profession by one hospital or unit. It sounds like you genuinely care about your patients and enjoy interacting them. Best of luck to you, you would make a wonderful nurse.