What Would You Do?

[westieluv]

I am an RN of over twenty years and currently work in a LTC facility where I have worked for four months. I work part-time afternoons and it is a killer--my feet hurt, my legs hurt, my hips hurt at the end of my shift because the staffing means I am on my feet, non-stop, for over eight hours. I kind of dread each shift.

Now, I have an opportunity to go back to work at an inpatient hospice facility where I worked previously but left because I could only get contingent employment there and needed to make more money. I am going to talk to them today about coming back and working four midnight shifts a week. The staffing ratio there is, believe it or not, one nurse to six patients! On midnights!

My heart (and my body, my wallet, etc. lol!) are telling me to return to the hospice facility, but I feel guilty and like a failure if I quit the LTC facility after only four months, plus, I am dreading telling them that I am putting in my resignation. PLUS, I don't really want to give them a two week notice if I do quit, I just don't want to go back...ever!

So, what would you do?

[michiganmark_rn]

Not everyone can handle the emotional stress of hospice. If your heart is leading you to hospice work your back end needs to follow. Best of luck in your future job - while I believe I'm competent enough to do that job, I'm not sure I could emotionally handle it. A good hospice nurse is SUCH a blessing to both their patients and the families. I work LTC, I'm at the tail end of my first year as an RN and I'm constantly at awe of just how wonderful and valuable a good hospice nurse is.

[westieluv]

Wow, I wish I could respond to each of you personally! You have all really helped me to see that life is too short to be miserable. I do love hospice nursing a lot. I have always preferred the "people" side of nursing vs. the technical side, hence the reason why I've never been interested in working somewhere like ICU. I cannot really tell you how much I hate everything about my current job EXCEPT for the wonderful residents who make it bearable. The med pass is the limit. Pushing huge numbers of pills into little old ladies when I don't even have the time to do any research to see why they're on the meds that they're on, I just shove 'em in and hope that I get done in a timely manner. Well, I don't literally "shove" them in, but you know what I mean.

Anyway, I am going to wait until the hospice calls (hopefully today!) and officially offers me the position, and then I am going to confidently call the LTC facility and let them know that they just lost another nurse. I like what the pp said about feeling guilty, that they (the LTC facility) don't feel guilty giving us the kind of staffing that we have (and calling and badgering me sometimes several times a day whenever I have a day off to come in and fill a sick call need), so why should I feel guilty about leaving them for something better for me all around?

Thanks again. We nurses are a nice group of people, aren't we?

[prinsessa]

Wishing you lots of good luck with your new job! I know what you mean about LTC. I felt like I was almost shoving pills in just to get my med pass finished. Forget about finding out why some of the residents are on so many medications. And full body assessments? Yeah right! It is amazing how high the acuity is in LTC/SNF. People think the residents are easier to take care of but that isn't true. Some of my residents are constantly in and out of the hospital. I finally found a job in a hospital (wasn't really looking....the job kind of found me) and I love it so far. One of the nurses I was following in the hospital was complaining how busy her day was and I thought it was much easier than some of my easier days in LTC. I'm not saying being a nurse in a hospital is easier but I think you have way more resources. Unfortunately I don't think the nurse patient ratio is going to change in LTC/SNF because they can always find someone to work. They don't really care about the high turnover rate.

[Forever Sunshine, ASN, RN]

Wow, I wish I could respond to each of you personally! You have all really helped me to see that life is too short to be miserable. I do love hospice nursing a lot. I have always preferred the "people" side of nursing vs. the technical side, hence the reason why I've never been interested in working somewhere like ICU. I cannot really tell you how much I hate everything about my current job EXCEPT for the wonderful residents who make it bearable. The med pass is the limit. Pushing huge numbers of pills into little old ladies when I don't even have the time to do any research to see why they're on the meds that they're on, I just shove 'em in and hope that I get done in a timely manner. Well, I don't literally "shove" them in, but you know what I mean.

Anyway, I am going to wait until the hospice calls (hopefully today!) and officially offers me the position, and then I am going to confidently call the LTC facility and let them know that they just lost another nurse. I like what the pp said about feeling guilty, that they (the LTC facility) don't feel guilty giving us the kind of staffing that we have (and calling and badgering me sometimes several times a day whenever I have a day off to come in and fill a sick call need), so why should I feel guilty about leaving them for something better for me all around?

Thanks again. We nurses are a nice group of people, aren't we?

I cannot stand those calls. I don't answer. I get calls all hours of the day and even at night to cover all 3 shifts. I have it specifically written under my card in the rolodex.. my cell phone number(no home number.. i dont want them waking up my family at 1am. .i have elderly grandparents and it would really scare my parents if the phone rang at that hour).. and under my number is 3-11. I showed one of the CNAs I work with my missed calls list and in the past 4 months I have about 30 missed calls from them. Its rather annoying.