All those thirty days of blood, sweat, and tears I put in for my med/surge orientation...took a week off after that, then got sick for another week... and was beginning to wonder why I hadn't heard from them. Thought maybe I just sukked and they wanted no part of me anymore...
Well, just found out from my good friend who works there (and was off visiting her dtr. in Taiwan these past few weeks)... she came back to work last week to a BIG SURPRISE !!!
They have put ALL staff on "short-time". Cut ALL fulltime positions.. nurses, clerks, computer ppl, EVERYBODY. Hiring freeze also in effect. Heck, they had JUST STARTED hiring back right before I signed on there !!! And cut the nursing staff so bad, there are now three nurses for thiry+ patients.. ratio of 10:1.
Well, there goes THAT idea ! I'll have none of that... value my license too much. No way with me being such a novice at all that, it was already crazy enough the way it was with 6-8 patients. Now this.
Well, guess I can kiss THAT one Auf Wiedersehen !
Oh well.. there's another little hospital down the road a WHOLE LOT closer... a real teeny little hospital... pay's competitive, too, as it's still in N.C., so I might just go do some snooping around there and ask a few questions...
Wow, that reminds me of my only foray into med/surg nursing. After 2 days of orientation, I was put on the floor working 12 hr shifts having about 10-12 pts. Plus, we had no IV team and had to draw all our own blood work. I stayed there about 6 months, then realized that I didn't have to put up with it. It was such a horrible experience, so I feel for you. Get out. Now.:roll
Well, I'm only there PRN when I want to be there. Right now, I don't see them giving me any hours as things stand, anyway... sure haven't heard from them ! It's only another "temporary fix", won't last forever.. they did this a year ago.. lasted 6-8 mos. and then they were hiring again.
My friend says her hours were cut.. eight hours every two weeks, yet then also said eight hours per WEEK... she doesn't even know what the heck they are doing.. changes every day! And yes, managers hours were cut as well ! Wow.
No, we don't have IV teams, either, and have to draw our own peak&troughs, but they do have lab ppl who draw most of the other stuff.
They don't have 10 pts. per nurse dailey.. depends on the census, I guess. It USED to be 6-8 pts., but now that they've cut, it has gone up, of course.
As I said, though, it won't last... just long enough for the big boys to make a little extra Christmas Cash, while the poor struggling nurses with little kids at home have to cut back on their gifts for their families...
Jnette, I'm sorry it had to end this way for you. I was enjoying your enthusiasm as you entered the world of med-surg nursing I wish more people had your attitude toward my specialty, too many view it with disdain. BUT I totally respect your decision. I also wish more people would refuse to work under those conditions with such unsafe ratios. It's good to hear that you care too much about your patients and yourself to take that type of risk. I walked away after 12 years at the bedside for the same reason, too much focus on "customer service" and too little focus on actual patient care. Last day was 05/29/2003. Oh well........
Jnette, I'm sorry it had to end this way for you. I was enjoying your enthusiasm as you entered the world of med-surg nursing I wish more people had your attitude toward my specialty, too many view it with disdain. BUT I totally respect your decision. I also wish more people would refuse to work under those conditions with such unsafe ratios. It's good to hear that you care too much about your patients and yourself to take that type of risk. I walked away after 12 years at the bedside for the same reason, too much focus on "customer service" and too little focus on actual patient care. Last day was 05/29/2003. Oh well........
I hate it for you, Sharon.. so sorry, but I understand... this "customer service" has really taken its toll on nursing, hasn't it? It has certainly degraded/devalued the profession, in my view.
Well, as for me, my med/surge experience hasn't "ended"(ohhhh no... NOT ! They WILL teach me all I want to learn !!! ) ... just put on hold awhile, 'til the ratios are safe again. And if not there, then somewhere else... there's another even smaller hospital down the road in NC only a 20 minute drive from my house... better than 40 minutes and that steep mountain drop off.
I intend to check it out and see how things are there... maybe I can do some prn there instead... I STILL want to LEARN, dang it all !!! And I DID love what I was learning/doing ! Just don't think I'd want it FULLtime the way things are anymore. Sooooooo... we'll see. I'll get through the holidays first, then our annual trek to Az. in Jan., and when we get back, I'll go pay this little hospital a visit...
Maybe this is a message from u-know-who that you need to join us down in the ER!
Noooooooooooooooo !!! I know myself too well and can ASSURE you that I would NOT do well in ER ! Hats off to all you ER nurses !!! But no... I like to have at least a day or two or three with my patients, y'know? Would hate not knowing how they were doing later, etc... nah... I like "continuity". :)
Guess that's one of the reasons I like dialysis so much... these guys are FAMILY, y'know? Bring us "maters 'n 'taters" from their gardens in summer, homebaked pies and goodies.... we laugh with them and cry with them.. AND their families... I'm hooked.
Physically VERY demanding.. but after 6 years, I'm hooked... no way around it. Still would like to squeeze in a little M/S on the side, though...
"All things work together for good for those that love the Lord and are called according to His purpose."
Sounds like your timing in getting sick was impeccable. Good time to get out of there, before all the crap hit the fan.
When I first started working med-surg in 1996, I had 9 patients until 3PM. At 3PM, I got the whole team -- 18 patients. An LPN passed PO meds to all 18 and there was one aide from 3- 11pm. After 11pm, it was one RN and one aide for 18 patients. It was insane. It was one of the primary reasons I moved into critical care.
And I have just left that same employer, after 7 years, because they were now staffing ICU with 3 patients to 1 RN -- no aides and maybe a secretary (if there were more than 10 patients total on the unit). When we complained, the manager said "Give me solutions -- but they can't involve staffing." Well then. My solution was to leave.
[b When we complained, the manager said "Give me solutions -- but they can't involve staffing." Well then. My solution was to leave.
You'll find your niche, I know you have faith! [/b]
Yep, you gave them your solution alright !!! :chuckle Good for you.
Yes, I actually do feel I'm right where I belong, need to be, and am "supposed" to be. Dialysis IS my "niche". It is there where I can best GIVE of myself... and it is always well received.
It's just that the added learning on m/s was hepling me to feel more "wellrounded" in my nursing knowledge and skills... was really gaining a lot of confidence in my nursing role... I don't want to give that up... I need it. There's still so much to learn and do, and I also enjoy actual "bedside care", even if it's only once a week or so.
I do know that if I were 20-30 years younger, I'd be moving to the Memphis area to work at St. Jude's Children Hospital... that would have been my ultimate goal... I would be at my best there, and those lil' kids would have the BEST time ... what time was left to them.
I could really get into those children... what I could give to them of myself would be magnified a thousand times in what they could give to me.........
A shame I waited so darn long ... oh well... I still have plenty to give right here with my current patient population... and it is not in vain. :)
There are some personal conflict posts on this thread that I am editing out. Please keep PM's private, and let others concentrate on the thread thay wanted to see. Messages to the moderators or administration are welcome, but not on someone else's thread.
Hiring freeze also in effect. Heck, they had JUST STARTED hiring back right before I signed on there !!! And cut the nursing staff so bad, there are now three nurses for thiry+ patients.. ratio of 10:1.
) ... just put on hold awhile, 'til the ratios are safe again. And if not there, then somewhere else... there's another even smaller hospital down the road in NC only a 20 minute drive from my house... better than 40 minutes and that steep mountain drop off.
jnette, ASN, EMT-I
4,388 Posts
Well, I'm only there PRN when I want to be there. Right now, I don't see them giving me any hours as things stand, anyway... sure haven't heard from them ! It's only another "temporary fix", won't last forever.. they did this a year ago.. lasted 6-8 mos. and then they were hiring again.
My friend says her hours were cut.. eight hours every two weeks, yet then also said eight hours per WEEK... she doesn't even know what the heck they are doing.. changes every day! And yes, managers hours were cut as well ! Wow.
No, we don't have IV teams, either, and have to draw our own peak&troughs, but they do have lab ppl who draw most of the other stuff.
They don't have 10 pts. per nurse dailey.. depends on the census, I guess. It USED to be 6-8 pts., but now that they've cut, it has gone up, of course.
As I said, though, it won't last... just long enough for the big boys to make a little extra Christmas Cash, while the poor struggling nurses with little kids at home have to cut back on their gifts for their families...