When I was 12, I decided I wanted to help peopleâ€, so I worked really hard to get into a nursing program. I, by no means, thought it would be easy, I just thought it'd be more rewarding.
I graduated last year, and started at a hospital. I trained for 6 weeks (as a new grad!) and was thrown into it. ThepeoplewhoarebuddieswiththeChargegetthebetterassignments. One day, I got 6 starting pts (everyone else got 4-5), 3 discharges, and 2 admits, while a nurse left and went to The Dollar Store. Yep, you read that right. When another RN, who was precepting, spoke up about my assignment, my charge came over and dryly said, If it gets too much, let me know,†and walked off. That's more or less what every day has been like.
Things you probably don't learn in school:
- Doctorsarea******s. You will get screamed at if you page about a slightly increased temp, and screamed at again if you don't page about the same temp later.
- Veterannursesareawfultonewnurses (but you will continue to bear the scowls and ask questions, because your patient's safety is more important than the rumor that you're an idiot). Oh yeah, nurses gossip a lot.
- Nursingis mostlyrobotic- hang IVs, medicate, document, rinse, repeat (unless you're in critical care/ED). If you get 5 mins to sit with a patient, the CNA will probably call you.
- Then, there are days where you see John Doe, who came in near-comatose, get up and walk, and it fills your heart with joy. But rewardingmomentsarefewandfarbetween. (You're mostly being screamed at because Dr. Awesome decided to taper their narcs, and neglected to tell them, or because dietary forgot their cookie).
- BTW, forgetthetermbreakâ€. You'll be lucky if you get a whole 30 mins for lunch.
I suppose it depends on where you work, what your team is like, and how resilient you are. I have cried a lot, put on my big-girl pants, and return every day. But if I were 12 again…
Now that I've blown off steam, I cannot commend RNs enough for what you do on a daily basis. You are all super-freaking-heroes in my eyes. And, no, I don't hate doctors, I dislike the rude, condescending ones, like the one who told me, I don't make mistakes!†and slammed the phone down when he ordered a med the patient was allergic to. WELCOME TO NURSING!
Home Health is a great alternative to bedside nursing. You actually get to talk to your patients, educate them, and see them improve. They hours are nice and the pay is as well. I have worked both at bedside and in home health. I am currently in an ICU an have applied to CRNA school!
Home Health is a great alternative to bedside nursing. You actually get to talk to your patients, educate them, and see them improve. They hours are nice and the pay is as well. I have worked both at bedside and in home health. I am currently in an ICU an have applied to CRNA school!
Agreed, HH is a good step away from bedside if you still want patient care. TONS of teaching, wounds wound vacs, infusion, pleurX, foleys, straight cath...did I say dressings?
It's probably the brain child of old fogey richie riches who spent time in the hospital wondering why people weren't serving them. All this under the guise that somehow "concierge" will lead to better outcomes and better reimbursements for hospitals. Somehow this seems very suspect to me.
How come no one ever wants to do anything about the "miserable experiences" hospital staff suffer at the hands of spoiled, entitled and sometimes downright evil patients and families??
How come no one ever wants to do anything about the "miserable experiences" hospital staff suffer at the hands of spoiled, entitled and sometimes downright evil patients and families??
Cause the hospital staff arent the ones lining the pockets of tptb
Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.
Yes Commuter, we made it out. My concern now, is how to support those that cannot. For example, I am supporting current legislation in my state to limit nurse/patient ratio to 4:1.
How else can we change the deplorable conditions for the hospital nurses?
To the OP: I have been there! I'm not sure if I had the experience because I was new, a guy or both. Serve the time (a year usually) and find a better unit or even hospital. You'll be twice the nurse compared to the one that is on the PC shopping or in your case went to the dollar store. It takes a thick skin to be successful and you'll come away stronger. The next gig will be a breeze and you'll appreciate (and recognize) a good floor and a good team.
Because they consider it part of the job. That's not something new----it's been going on since the beginning of time. It gives support to old saying, "You can please some of the people, some of the time. But you can't please all of the people, all of the time."
Just THINK how that one intervention alone could change the face of nursing. I believe that to be THE biggest issue facing nursing right now. I would be willing to be that many nurses would be willing to forego a raise if they could just have a decent nurse to patient ratio. Employee satisfaction would skyrocket and retention would improve vastly. In the long run, it would be a good financial move for the hospitals.
The point is, nurses should not have to "forego a raise" to have safe nurse-patient ratios. They should have both.
dab121504
34 Posts
Home Health is a great alternative to bedside nursing. You actually get to talk to your patients, educate them, and see them improve. They hours are nice and the pay is as well. I have worked both at bedside and in home health. I am currently in an ICU an have applied to CRNA school!