What makes nursing stressful for you?

[dudette10]

The "least stressful unit" got me to thinking, which is, as most people who know me would say, a very dangerous thing.

Anyhoo, for me, it's paperwork. While I'm a work, I keep thinking, "I need to chart!", "I need to fill out the forms for QI," "I need to do the audits," "I need to complete the admission paperwork," etc. etc.

All this while I have the smile on my face as I'm fetching water and a blanket. Or toileting someone. Or cleaning up a patient. It's frustrating, because that's basic patient care, and I'm thinking about the paperwork I'm behind on which takes me literally hours to do, as if the paper work is "something better/more important to do." It's NOT!

That's my beef on the stress I experience in nursing. What's yours?

[Guest343211]

My Manager hands down

This is now an established trend. . .in this thread, it's a pattern. The bigger the *&^%, the better the manager--at least according to administration it seems.

[martymoose, BSN, RN]

Biggest stress? when i have a pt that is 1:1 - for example, not stable or bleeding/having to hold pressure, and the bed coordinator booking beds. Usually then the pt comes up and I can't physically be in two rooms at the same time. Or all the nurses get admits at the same time, so can't help each other out. Safety my a$%#^#$&.Or the Dr insists on a pt staying with us, when they would be better served in the unit, despite us telling the Dr that we are short and the nurses have 6-7 pts a piece(IMCU)

[VioletKaliLPN, LPN]

I will echo it again, FAMILY MEMBERS.

[champagnesupeRNova]

Literally having these babies' lives in my hands (NICU). Being able to recognize subtle cues to when they're getting sick because they can go from seemingly healthy to deceased in a matter of hours - I saw it for the first time a couple of weeks ago. Being new. Being afraid of miscalculating something and giving too much medication. Having different people tell you conflicting information and not knowing what's right. Getting an ADMISSION, ugh! Parents asking questions. Hourly charting. Filling out stupid forms. Forgetting to fill out stupid forms and then getting called about it. Not knowing which provider is taking care of my patient because there is no clear system. No time to exercise.

[transducen, BSN, RN]

We are on our 4th manager in less than a year at our facility..,

[al586]

Not having what I need to help my patients.