Where do they still practice old-style nursing?

Otessa, BSN, RN · Mar 22, 2011

Assisted living or rehab facilities? I have no idea otherwise.

ImThatGuy, BSN, RN · Mar 22, 2011

We do clinicals in a hospital that doesn't use computers for patient information. Charting is still on paper. They're looking to change that though and for good reason.

classicdame, MSN, EdD · Mar 22, 2011

That was also the time when nurses were not expected to assess, perform ANY interventions without MD order or know what we know now or get paid for being a professional. Even LTC's have so many residents that you do not have time to nurse like that.

Wise Woman RN · Mar 22, 2011

In places where patient acuity is less intense, the staffing is also cut.. and there still will not be time enough to really talk to your patients, let alone get the meds out on time, call the docs, document all the crap, answer the phone, etc, etc.

smily nurse, BSN, RN · Mar 22, 2011

Are there nursing jobs out there where this description is still at least mostly true?

HOME CARE..... hardest job I ever had, but also most rewarding.:heartbeat

sunnycalifRN · Mar 22, 2011

Unless you've got a time machine to travel back 20 years, you're out of luck!!

l.a.m.b, ADN, RN · Mar 22, 2011

yes, i know where. try mexico and third world countries. there is virtually no paperwork, its very very limited but also the knowledge that the nurses have. i know this because i was hospitalized in mexico before i became an rn. even the doctor wasnt very smart. i would rather practice nursing now, with the technology that we have and the ample supplies, both of which are safer and better for the pt. thats why people live longer, w better medical care. even w 5 pt's on medsurg i still make sure i make the time to talk to my pt's and their families and i get to know them thoroughly my 3 days. its a lot we take on as nurses but that makes us smarter and i know i appreciate my days off so much more. who else can multi-task, admit pt's, discharge, teach, place ivs and picc lines in pt's w no veins, take care of high acuity pt's while making sure they get their meds on time and pamper their pts a little bit? n thats just an easy laid back day.

elkpark · Mar 22, 2011

I was talking with a more experienced co-worker, and she was talking about what it was like to practice nursing nearly a generation ago, when the patients were much less acute, the pace was much slower, there was less technology involved, and you had much more time to talk to patients.
Not sure I'm really interested in going in that direction, but it got me thinking: Are there nursing jobs out there where this description is still at least mostly true?

A lot of psych settings are more like what you describe.

tewdles, RN · Mar 22, 2011

Hospice nursing (depend upon the company) can be very "nursing" friendly. The documentation may be electronic and exhaustive but the expectation is that you spend quality nursing time with the patient and family with the expressed intent of developing a functional professional relationship with them...perhaps this is the "old-style" nursing you are looking for?

LongislandRN23 · Mar 22, 2011

One of my professors at school was telling me how during the summer she works out in Eastern Long Island like the northfork area where there are vineyards and almost rural. She said the hospital there is super small and they still use IV's bags that are in glass bottles!! She said its like going back in time and she loves it!

JenniferSews · Mar 22, 2011

Assisted living or rehab facilities? I have no idea otherwise.

This is a joke, right? I work rehab and have 15 very sick patients. I RUN from the moment I get there until I leave. There is no time to chat with patients, pee or eat lunch. It's not slower.