So I don't normally post much but I have to share this. I worked on a very busy (insane busy) medsurg floor for 11years. My typical day would generally be something like this.
1. post ( usually 1 day sometimes fresh post op)esophogogastrectomy with ngt chest tube j-tube requires q4 hour flushes tpn and ambulation. and constant pain med ( our facility did away with PCA so pain med was usally q 1-2 hr.
2. post(sometime fresh post op) heptatectomy usually with ngt to liws, a j-tube needing flushing a foley and constant pain med.
3. Post TURP (fresh post op usually) with a Murphy drip running at full blast ( usually changing a 5000 ml bag every 15-30 min.
4. A fresh sleeve gastrectomy sometime with a duodenal switch as well
5 A cabg about 18 hr post op with chest tubes tele sometimes an external pacemaker
6. Lap chole or appy that is fixing to discharge
I kept telling my self it would get better but it only got worse as more and more stuff was added for the nurse to do. I did all of this and precepted the new GN's as well. Then we had a computer error that resulted in 2 write ups and i decided enough was a enough when they refused to remove the write ups after was discovered was a computer error. I was ready to completely quit nursing. I have a friend that had been after me for about 5 years to come work with her. I put my app in and got the job so here is my day now.
3 medsurg patients low acuity but they can be really sick ( more chronic CHF COPD ect.) But it gets better our floor census today is 8 patients (max is 14) we had 4 RNs and 3 techs plus an LVN that was floated to another unit. ( now today is a little atypical. we can have up to 5 patients but I have only had it happen once so far.) I am able to sit with my patients hold their hand talk to them laugh with them in other words be a nurse and not a medication pusher running my backside off. And I get my 2 15 min breaks and my lunch break.
So there are greener pastures out there ( just wish i had not waited so long) so those of you that work on a unit like my old one know that it can be better.
