Thursday February 17, 2022

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Good morning!

Stars, good for you for writing to the editor.  BF gets things published in the editorials frequently.  Usually about local politics or education.  

Ado, hope you get some down time even though sounds like your day off is going to be busy.

Joe, adjusting to a new system is always a struggle.

J22, good to hear our systems device and wound are looking good.

I'm working with an orientee that is a strong personality.  She works with a part time nurse two days a week and me once a week.  Last week she was a no show and apparently just wants to work two days while she's on orientation because she has another job that pays critical staffing pay more that what she makes on orientation.  She's a new grad.  I assigned her a patient and she wasn't happy about that.  She was on her phone for literally an hour when I gave it to her and then snapped. "I"m busy and got this and that to do and I'm going to lunch. and you need to help me, that's your job".  She apparently snapped at the boss about her "tone".   Witch, I very well know what my job is.  She won't last.  I don't like her.  I don't want to rock the boat, but if she behaves like that again I'm not orienting her.  I understand about standing up for yourself and setting work boundaries.  The millennials and Gen Z aren't like us boomers and perhaps that's a good thing.  But don't sit on your phone for an hour and witch out on me.

A nurse quit in the parking lot when someone texted her what her assignment was.  The "Great Resignation" continues.  I'm too much of a work ethic boomer but it must be nice to just up and quit your job.  

 

[Joe NightingMale, MSN, RN]

Tweety hopefully you won't have to deal with her in the future.  Thankfully the pace of resignations at my place seems to have calmed  down.

NJ22 glad to hear your sister is doing well

Stars that's cool that your letter is being published

Hi Amo

Ado it sounds like you do need a break

Work was better, had less to do and  have adjusted more to the system.  I think with each day things will get a little easier.

Did the grocery shopping after work, was raining a bit.  Had choir practice, doing a duet next Sunday.

Sleep was better but still  slightly disturbed, might have been the weather, it was in the 50s yesterday.

Tonight have a vestry meeting at work, thankfully it's via Zoom.

Will be up to 40 today, but snow expected this afternoon/evening,  thankfully only a few inches here

[nursej22, MSN, RN]

Hi. Another gray mild day. Work is busy, catching up on all the stuff that didn't get done on my days off. Very nice OCD co-worker is easily distracted, so she leaves a lot notes about what she didn't get done, and what I ought to do, but doesn't actually get a lot done. For instance, she got an order for my patient to get a blood draw, but didn't actually order it, or tell him to go get it. Now she's fussing about getting him some Ensure that can't be delivered until next Tuesday. I think I'll just pick some up tomorrow on my way to deliver his meds. 

I went to bed early last night because I couldn't keep my eyes open, and then woke up early and achy. I think the weird aches and pains I have are making me tired, if that makes any sense. Dh is still out of town, so I will turn in early again tonight. 

Annie, your volunteer work sounds amazing. I am hoping to do something when I retire, probably related to gardening, although there is a wildlife rehab close. 

Wowza, Tweety, that one won't last. I am sure your manager will trust your judgement. Boundaries are good. 

Time for a walk and some fresh air without this bloody mask. 

Ta

 

[No Stars In My Eyes]

'ello!

So here's my Letter to the Editor published today---(and Tweety, I had your specific assignment experiences in mind when I wrote it.)

HEALTHCARE WORKERS

"Regarding 'We can support healthcare workers through unions, collective action' (as an aside from me here, they also mentioned better wages):"

"I agree that higher wages could help retain nurses. However, the thing that might really have a positive effect on healthcare workers: assignments that really pay attention to the patient-to-nurse ratio. Assignments with a high patients-to-nurse number will burn out a nurse faster than anything. A nurse who is overloaded with patients cannot do her/his best nursing practice.The pressure to get so much done for so many patients is not fair to the nurses, and it certainly isn't fair to the patients."

Naturally, I could have gone on and on, because we all know there's a lot more to it than that (admissions/discharges, etc., etc.) but a shorter letter is more likely to be published. I wonder if anyone will respond? I'd almost bet a dollar that no one does. We'll see.

Today we are having some more mild temps and it's gone from partly cloudy to all cloudy. I think tonight we are supposed to get some rain while we sleep. Then the temps dip down a bit before they go up again. 

Tweety, that person you are supposed to be orienting has things bass-ackwards, I believe. Seems more like a demanding patient than a future nurse, 'cause she needs to grow up... she may be a grad but she doesn't deserve a title RN/nurse.

Joe, Too bad we can't hear your duet!

j22, Would it be too rude of me to call your OCD co-worker a dingbat? There is something very wrong with getting an order and not even at least initiating it. Cripes!

[nursej22, MSN, RN]

Good job on the article, Stars. I've been following a nurse group on facebook, that has been posting about the realities of what hospital nurses are going through. One post broke down the time that a nurse caring for 6 six patients at a time in much the same way I have, in the past.

6 patients=10 minutes per hour per patient. At least half of that is documentation, leaving 5 minutes per hour, per patient. If at any point you go over that, you are behind for the rest of your shift. And for at least part of that you are covering for another nurse, so you may be watching 12 patients. Now, throw in abnormal labs, uncontrolled pain, confusion, incontinence, and maybe a tanking BP or oxygen saturation.