*VENT* - Do you blame me?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Specializes in Geriatric Psych, Physicians office, OB,.

i am so furious. been a while since i've been here, so here's some catch up. had a job in geri psych, they closed the unit so i took a job in a doc's office. i'm an lpn since 1990, have experience in doc's office, ltc, and geri psych. after 6 months in the new docs office, they "closed" my job position since the doc wasn't doing much business and they stated they couldn't pay both a nurse and a receptionist. i either could quit or take a leave of absence/summer leave...that's what i did, in the hopes that at the end of my leave business would have picked up and i could go back to the doc's office. had to use all my vacation time, too. when it was time to come back, he still wasn't busy, but the hospital said that they would find a place for me. i had never worked med/surg, so i took a part time job in post partum in ob. i really liked it, too. but now, the ob census is low and med surg is high and they've been pulling me to work on the floor as an aid. here's the clincher: i'm one of two lpn's that works ob, all the rest are rn's. they (the rn's) don't have "floor experience", either, and when it's their "turn" they have the option to take call or stay home/off work, and don't have to work on the floor. the other lpn is older and they only make her work on the floor as an aid. they never give me an option....they just tell me i "need to come in". then when i come in and go to ob, they tell me "you've been pulled to the floor". several times they've made me pass meds, but a few times i've been able to work with the aids. i had a long talk with our don about this over a month ago, and told her i'm not comfortable, either, and that i wanted some orientation. (never worked the floor, remember....) she said that i would have at least 2 weeks of orientation and that they would start putting me with another nurse. after 4 weeks now, i've had one night of actual orientation. they have made me work by myself with at least 9-10 patients to do meds on by myself. the rn's do the assessments and the lpns do everything else. i have asked repeatedly for orientation to no avail. funny tho, i'm supposed to be orienting in the nursery for ob, but they would rather make me work the floor. why not let me have a night of orientation in the nursery???

this is why i'm furious now. this last wednesday, i was off work. i called our nursing secretary to offer to work that night to help out, as i knew the census was up. told her i would still like to get some orientation, go with another nurse, etc. she said the hospital was so full they were admitting pts to our outpatient area, and that she would put me there with an rn and 4 patients for the night - said it would be ok. i got to work, went to that area, and was told by house charge that i was moved to work out on the floor. they had me with twelve patients all by myself, plus an admit!!! i was in tears 4 times that night. and i swore i'd never be put in that position again. we recently had a meeting with the don and allthe nurses, and the don said she could't pressure the ob nurses to work the floor if they felt "uncomfortable". then why the hell are they making me do it??? i have been physically sick with uri's for the last 3 weeks from working on the floor and being exposed, had a 102 temp all day, sore throat, n/v so i called in sick for tonight. my nurse mrg called asking if i was really, really sick...or did i just not want to work the floor. ???? i told her i was actually sick, and filled her in on exactly what happened the other night, and told her specifically:

"due to the position i was put in on wed. night, after volunteering to come in on my night off to get some orientation, i discovered just how uncomfortable i am working on the floor. if the other nurses don't have to work out there, then neither should i. i am scheduled to work tomorrow night in ob, but if they don't need me then you need to put me on call....since we're supposed to be taking turns taking "call"...i haven't been on call since our last schedule. i can either be on call for ob or i will stay home. i am no longer available to work on the floor."

am i wrong for feeling this way, or should i just let them continue to use and abuse me? i don't see how they can make you work like that without having orientation, iv therapy classes, etc. i mean, last week i just learned that you're supposed to use an option 21 to hang a piggy back on an ivac!:angryfire:angryfire:angryfire

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Specializes in Geriatric Psych, Physicians office, OB,.

I have filed for a transfer to a physicians clinic that will be opening this spring. The doc I previously worked for will be one of the two docs working there, and he says he's pushing HARD for me to get the position...since they basically took my job away with him before.

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No, I don't blame you. In fact I think you've been far too compliant and forgiving of this situation.

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Specializes in Rehab, LTC, Peds, Hospice.

You aren't IV certified? I'd be worried about my license if I were you!

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

Good luck to you. I don't think that you're wrong for standing up for yourself. Just don't get yourself fired before the transfer in the spring.

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I don't think you're wrong at all. If they treated the other LVN this way too I'd say they don't think LVNs are "real nurses", but since it's just you I'm thinking it's because you allowed it to go on. Good for you for putting a stop to it.

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You aren't IV certified? I'd be worried about my license if I were you!

Why? She didn't state that she was doing anything with IVs per se, and she was working with an RN.

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I have 41 patients to medicate as well as do the paper work! this is every night at a long term care facility for psyche patients. just imagine !!!!!!!! :bugeyes:

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Best of luck.

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Specializes in Geriatric Psych, Physicians office, OB,.

My main complaint is that I get no orientation, ie. going with another nurse through the night's routine to learn how everything is done, where everything is, etc. When they started making me pass meds by myself, and I came to an IV med that was written to be pushed, I made another nurse go with me, and I watched as she gave the med and showed me how it was properly done. Gues this would be called "on the job training?" I would shadow her then. Next time it was due, she went with me and observed me giving the med. It's like they all believe that since I've been a nurse for so long, I should just automatically KNOW how all this is done. So they just schedule me on the floor and assign me patients....all when I should be back in OB getting my orientation in the Nursery, where I'm supposed to be. But they're short of nurses on the floor so guess who gets pulled. I am going to the hospital on Monday to speak with our DON and nurse secretary again about this situation. Cross your fingers for me! And thanks for your support.

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Specializes in Med/Surg and Wound Care, PACU.
My main complaint is that I get no orientation, ie. going with another nurse through the night's routine to learn how everything is done, where everything is, etc. When they started making me pass meds by myself, and I came to an IV med that was written to be pushed, I made another nurse go with me, and I watched as she gave the med and showed me how it was properly done. Gues this would be called "on the job training?" I would shadow her then. Next time it was due, she went with me and observed me giving the med. It's like they all believe that since I've been a nurse for so long, I should just automatically KNOW how all this is done. So they just schedule me on the floor and assign me patients....all when I should be back in OB getting my orientation in the Nursery, where I'm supposed to be. But they're short of nurses on the floor so guess who gets pulled. I am going to the hospital on Monday to speak with our DON and nurse secretary again about this situation. Cross your fingers for me! And thanks for your support.

you should never push an iv med if you are not iv certified even with a nurse next to you

nici

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Specializes in Geriatric Psych, Physicians office, OB,.

I think maybe I've given the wrong impression. I have been trained in IV therapy, but it's a different world on the floor than in OB. I am up on all my competency exams and certifications at the hospital; I'm not a complete idiot and I do know my scope of practice. The problem was that I was uncomfortable being put in the position of working in a new area and took every opportunity to learn more about what I was to do, even though I knew how to do it....I don't give IV meds every day, and in our geri psych unit if the patients were sick enough to require iv meds, they were transferred to the floor, so we didn't give them back there but we did start the iv's before they were transferred. I just want some orientation on a floor that I'm not used to working, which I was told I would get. I am only trying to do things the RIGHT way and the SAFE way....and especially the legal way. And, yes I do have a certificate for IV therapy in my continuing education folder. I'd just like a little more information and orientation before they just toss me into the madness all by myself. I came to this board looking for support; not more reasons to doubt myself. Thanks for your positive replies.

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