Unsure of my future - just need some ideas please :)

Davey Do · Apr 5, 2012

Any thoughts on the kind of job I could go into?
I also get very upset when I get an ill patient, I think because it has happened so few times for me that I am still not quite used to it!

This part of your Post was quoted, Vsbabe, because you may have answered your own question.

What I'm trying to say is that perhaps you need to immerse yourself into this Area of Nursing. If you're uncomfortable with an Ill Patient, then a Higher Acuity Unit will give you more exposure to that Genre of Patient.

It's like the old saying: "Practise provides oppotunity for possible improvement".

I can identify with you, in that I was never involved, long term, with Severely Ill Patients. I worked in Home Health and Community Mental Health for so many years, I don't feel comfortable working with the types of Patients Belinda (my SO who is a Med/Surg RN) has to work with.

I work primarily with Geriatric Psych Patients. In this way, I continue to use some of my Medical Skills (meds, IVs, feeding Tubes, Foley's, Colostomies, Dressing Changes, etc.) but work primarily with the Mentally Ill.

Generally, I'm a Happy Camper.

The best to you, Vsbabe.

Dave

Good Morning, Gil · Apr 5, 2012

Either going into a higher acuity unit and getting exposure to those types of patients will be great for you or you could be just not comfortable caring for higher acuity patients because that's not your personality. Some people just are not comfortable caring for higher acuity patients, and that doesn't make them a lower life form or something. There's some hierarchy or something that's sort of unspoken that ICU/ER nurses are on top, then m/s, the non-hospital nurses; it's dumb. Different strokes for different folks. Every area of nursing needs good quality nurses. Best of luck to you!

Kwarnock · Apr 5, 2012

morning i am sorry that you are frustrated, have you ever thought about doing per diem thru a staffing agency? it gives you a chance to do something different or you could even have 13-28 week assinments. it might break things up a bit. I went thru Agostini Healthcare Staffing and they were amazing. I get bored really easily and it was perfect for me and i liked the break up of places and people. Hope that this helps..

Norma_Saline · Apr 5, 2012

Hi Vsbabe, I hope this doesn't sound trite but hang in there, it will get easier to deal with. I can recall feeling exactly the same way- 'what in the world have I gotten myself in for??!' Now I have quite a few years experience under by belt but due to some physical challenges in my middle age, these days I stick with private duty nursing. As the others have suggested, the only way to get more comfortable is to get more experience. I am just assuming anyway that you don't have much experience because you said that was only your 4th seriously ill patient. But when you do work a med/surg floor, communicate with your supervising nurse and explain to him/her that you do have anxiety, but are willing to learn and do the best you can. Hopefully some of the older, more experienced RNs will take you under their wing as many like to do and teach you things and try to make you feel more confident. In my past experience, I found that agency staffing *can* be a good way to get some experience, but it can also be a good way to get yourself thrown into a situation where you hardly get any report, you barely even know where the linen closet is, and the patients may already be in an uproar because possibly the last nurse didn't do this or that like he or she was supposed to . . . Let's face it, facilities typically don't need agency nurses unless there are problems there already so I think you might be going from the frying pan into the fire there. Let me stress though that I have gone to many facilities in the past that were not mismanaged in any way; they just didn't have enough nurses or the ones they had needed vacation time. Always let your supervisor know when you have anxiety about being able to do your job well. They need to know this so they can have your back and help mentor you. There is no shame in admitting it either. Sometimes a person has been nursing a long time but they take a hiatus, to have kids or whatever, then when they step back into the med/surg world they need that same reassurance and support too. Hang in there, as I said, and it'll get easier!

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Apr 5, 2012

:hug:.........We all get upset when there is an unexpected outcome on patients we are caring for. We all go through the "Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda, What if, am I cut out for this, man this job stinks sometimes, maybe I should go find a good job is retail" We all can get over whelmed when we are tossed out on limb and out of our comfort zone.

After 30 years of working critical care/trauma flight/Emergency medicine.....I still HATE women in labor. One night I was supervising and a lady came in labor and was really in active labor so while the husband registered his wife......I noticed there was no one to transport this panting, obviously in labor, female, who, but the way, was one of our medical staff and in labor with her first pregnancy...twins. She grabbed my hand and begged me to get her to L&D "NOW" and against my better judgement I ran to the elevator calling L&D with my cell phone telling them they better be at the elevator when that door opens.

I use my fire key to get the elevator to the floor and get on. Once on, she grabs may had and tells me she has to push and begins to push. I reach for her chin and look her eye to eye and nose to nose and I told her "don't you dare push...we have a 20 second ride to competency so you are going to blow your brains out....right now!" The doors open and my saviors (the L&D nurses) were right there.......I sat there and shook head to toe I was so upset. Give me a Mom or give me the baby, but I don't want them both in one body.

We have all had the patient the was fine one moment coded and died the next and wondered what did we miss.

We all have strength and weaknesses. Some of us like the unexpected more than others which is what makes us gravitate towards one specialty or another. When I was a new grad FRESH out of school. I too was overwhelmed with how many patients I had with an LPN and sometimes and aide on nights on a pedia "ward as we called them then with an average about 12 "well" pedi barkers and wheezers. One night one of our "regulars" with Cerebral Palsy and MR....coded and these people came, took over, knew what they were doing...they were soooo competent, I was awed.

My little patient died that night and although I was reassured I did everything right and was on top of it all.....I hated that I had so many to look after and care for at one time. That Night I promised myself that I will 1) That I was going to educate my self so I never feel so unprepared again 2) find an area of nursing so that I can give the kind of care I learned in school. I went to critical care. They maybe really sick but at least I only had 2 (usually) no more that 3 "well ICU patients" so I could organize and access to many hearts content. I have practiced in that arena for 33 going on 34 years.

I found I like the unpredictability IF I knew what to do if something happened. You May not but you have found it upsets you. Accept that you may NEVER like really sick patients. That you really do a good job. We can't control the outcomes for our patients and can only be the best we can be....the rest is left up to (in my opinion) God.

:hug: It's OK to feel bad and unprepared when somthing scares us. Now learn what to do in the future and let yourself hug you. Peace :loveya:

LynnLRN · Apr 5, 2012

What about like WOC nursing, OB, or OR a area with more of a specialty. I mean there will still be tasks and stuff but with a more specific aim.