THAT USED TO BE ME!

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I'm only 6 months into my first RN job. Today, they let me go early due to low census, and I had to give report on 2 patients to a new grad. This new grad had previously asked me to come and get him if I had anything going on that he might not have seen before. Anway, I digress, he took FOREVER to give report to another nurse, then one of his patients needed pain medicine, yada yada. I was getting so irritated inside, because I was wandering the halls looking for something to do. I kept telling him to take his time and come to me when he had time. In my head I was thinking, "Seriously, he only has one patient."

Well that was me. THAT WAS ME only a few months ago. It's crazy how much we learn in this field, and so awesome that I stopped myself and recognized myself in him.

........now that's a cool feeling

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Specializes in Ortho and Tele med/surg.

Good. That shows maturity and growth.

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Specializes in OR Hearts 10.

I think it would be good for many experienced nurses to remember the same thing...

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Specializes in Home health was tops, 2nd was L&D.

Please remember this many years from now also!

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But why not just tell him the truth? you have been told to leave, you need to give him report NOW, could he please let you give it and then get back to whatever he was doing, etc.

I hope you weren't waiting to report off after clocking out.

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Specializes in ICU, ER, EP,.

Congrats for finally getting a touch of comfort. Please consider going to the one year in boards and the newbie boards and spending some time giving your encouragement. Gosh knows they need it bad. Also consider taking just one, just one new nurse under your wing and being a mentor. You don't have to have it all together, but you can make a huge difference... and it could snowball for them in turn becoming a mentor on purpose.

That's how we grow our young, not eat them. It's that easy.

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They can honestly send you home when your patient pop is low? We cut our casuals shifts but regular staff? Never. Even then seniority comes into play.

Permanent staff cannot be sent home. Floated to a short unit, yes. Told to use vacation and go home? Grievance.

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Specializes in Ward Nurse and everything in between.
They can honestly send you home when your patient pop is low? We cut our casuals shifts but regular staff? Never. Even then seniority comes into play.

Permanent staff cannot be sent home. Floated to a short unit, yes. Told to use vacation and go home? Grievance.

In the hospital I am working in, if the census is low, you have to leave forcefully. That is in favor of the nurses though.

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I work in a very small hospital, and honestly, I didn't mind going home. I have another job on the side, so it's no biggie.

I'm still new myself, so not fully comfortable yet. It was just really cool to see how fast things have changed. It is VERY overwhelming at first, and you don't realize how much you learn so quickly. I am NEVER mean or disrespectful to the new people, and I never will be on purpose. Mean people suck. Mean nurses, mean doctors, mean family members, mean patients. I have adopted a new outlook somehow. When anyone is mean to me, it gives me strength. I feel sorry that they are carrying around all this baggage and anger. That's not to say I am pollyanna, however, I have been blessed with a good attitude and a real joy for the small things in life. My poor sister was not, and we have had many discussions about it. I truly believe that it's something you have to work on. I think, therefore I am. :nurse:

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Sometimes we forget too easy:)

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Specializes in Pediatric/Adolescent, Med-Surg.
They can honestly send you home when your patient pop is low? We cut our casuals shifts but regular staff? Never. Even then seniority comes into play.

Permanent staff cannot be sent home. Floated to a short unit, yes. Told to use vacation and go home? Grievance.

Sounds like you must work in a union facility. In many non-union facilities nurses that are staff are not necessarily guaranteed their hours when census drops. Which is why many nurses on units with seasonal censuses will cross-train for another department or work a PRN job elsewhere.

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I work in Canada. Pretty much every nurse in the hospital/LTC arena are unionized.

When I read posts like this it really makes me aware of the difference between for profit (American) healthcare and universal access. Patient care comes first Not the $$

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