6 years and I'm nearly ready to 'retire'.

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I've been a nurse for 6 years. Three years LTAC, three years IMCU. I have a strong work ethic, and really commit myself to serving my patients for the 12.5 hours I'm at work. When I start my day, I ask, "How can I best help my patient progress towards a safe and healthy discharge?"

This being said, I checked my email this evening and there's a message addressed to all RN staff about how we need to solve people staying over late. He expresses in the email that this is not a matter of staffing shortages. The hospital has cut positions left and right since I started 3 years ago. It IS a staffing issue and I'm simply done with being a pawn to these hospital systems. I love my work, and do it well, but I love myself and my life more.

//rant

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So send that response right back to the pig. You're a licensed medical professional. Giving your professional response.

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I would explain that I can clock out right on time every shift, but do not expect my charting to be perfect or all of my tasks done.

It irritates me that every week we are given another duty and are told it doesn't take much time. Well, no, this one extra charting item or extra line change doesn't take a lot of time in and of itself. But adding a new thing every week adds up over time. Getting a brand new admit 30 minutes before shift change, expecting to transfer at shift change plus all of the other crap adds up. It adds up to an extra hour each shift.

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Specializes in RETIRED Cath Lab/Cardiology/Radiology.

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Specializes in Travel, Home Health, Med-Surg.

I understand that the hospital type environment is not good (to put it mildly!) but I would not retire just yet from nursing. Most hospitals are exactly how you describe so I would try to learn more about non-hospital/LTC jobs/careers. You may find one your interested in and find your niche there. At least I would try first. And just remember that you will need a reference from your current workplace so I would not make waves, it usually doesn't go well. I think all nursing jobs are hard work but some are harder than others. Good luck!!

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Specializes in PCCN.

This will never go away. If you can retire, best wishes to you. It's crap like this that make me sorry I ever entered into this field in the first place.ughh if only I could retire.....

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Welcome to corporate health care. Nurses are not here to take care of the sick. They are are here to make money for the man.

Took me waaaay to long to figure that out. I jumped ship to the corporate side. Not proud of it... but a nurse does what a nurse has to do.

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What would the corporate side of nursing be?

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Specializes in Ortho, CMSRN.

Several suggestions come to mind... if you worked on my floor, I would suggest that you chart in room if possible. Also, if you have trackers, they keep track of how much time we spend in room vs. out, so it just looks better. You can also allow the patient to talk/tell their story while you chart their assessment and learn much more than you would if you had just briefly touched a stethoscope to them and walked out. If you have a discharge, finish the documentation immediately. Don't push it to later. Document your rounds on time. etc... I've had some EXTREMELY busy days with high turnover and have gotten out on time because I documented in real time. If you still can't keep up, find a different nursing specialty. My mother is an amazing person and nurse, but med-surg just stressed her out. She stayed late daily to chart and eventually felt forced to resign because of it. She looked for a job for almost 2 years and refused those that would put her in a similar situation before she found one in pre-op. She LOVES it! I'm super happy for her! If this job is stressing you out and making you unhappy, find a new one. Life's too short to work somewhere that you hate.

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Since in LOVE my job, I solve this problem by refusing to care about the "hospital system," even when I receive the same type of emails you got. If I stay late, it's because I have a good reason; so I don't care if administration is upset by it. If you truly love what you're doing, keep doing it until they kick you out! ;) Those patients deserve you!

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What would the corporate side of nursing be?

I used my nursing skills for the insurance industry. Administrative positions in hospitals are also the corporate side.

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