The Stress of LTC

There is no preparation for stress in LTC---for the nurse! It can be crushing to us. So many ways this happens. How do you handle it? (me, I just cry for a few minutes and move on). We have the ridiculous med pass for starters. But throw in new orders, low BS, behaviors, tube feedings, IV's, refused meds--almost every night. And that's if everything is going kind of okay. We have medicares, weekly summaries, too. And I have a great DON and Adminstrator, but still feel like I'm going to break.

For funny, though, one of the res claims she has chest pains at midnight because the laundry is still on the floor (100 ft from her room) at 2000.