Decisions

I got a call today that the nursing home has a full time opening. It's evening shift, 3-11, all 8 hour shifts. It also pays an extra $2.50 an hour.

I haven't actually worked on the floor, so I'm not sure if I will like it. But it sounds kinda nice.

Nursing assistants

I know you have a shitty job (literally!). And I know that some days are miserable and you want to quit and never come back into the hospital again. But you guys are horrible excuses for aides.

I was an aide for 4 years. The job sucks, and the pay sucks even more. But seriously, when I tell you that my patient just left for surgery, and ask you to please change the bed linens, don't roll your eyes at me and tell me you have other things to do and tell me to do it myself. Making beds IS in your job description. And I would do it myself if I didn't have 2 people hollering for their discharge instructions and the desk clerk telling me I will have an admission in 20 minutes. I'm not superwoman I can't do everything myself, and if I could, you wouldn't have a job.

When I am caught up on my work and have a few free minutes to help you out, don't get all bent out of shape. I realize there are 4 people that need fed and 3 of you. That's why I am passing out meal trays. But hey, if you want me to set at the desk like the others and then yell because you don't have your work done on time I can probably manage that as well. My feet really hurt. I'm not trying to show off for the boss, I'm trying to be a team worker, an I'm trying to make some things easier...

I actually stand in the hall by my patients rooms. When I do my hourly rounding, I check the patient myself and ask questions instead of just charting that everything is alright with them. If they need something, or help to the bathroom, I take them. Maybe it's because I'm still new at everything, but because I am learning everything and I'm kinda slow I'm afraid to leave them. If they are gonna crash I want to be close by. I want them to know that I care, and I want them to get better.

I didn't think I was going to like floor nursing. I was actually worried that I was going to hate it and be miserable. But so far I have enjoyed it, and I do think I could stick around for a bit. I am learning a ton of new information daily, and although it is overwhelming, I wouldn't change it. I have the best preceptor in the world. She was my favorite nurse to work with when I was an aide. She is patient and kind, and very helpful when I have questions. She is really old-school, which I like because she does things differently but she takes awesome care of her patients. I'm hoping that it rubs off on me. So far, at the end of the day when she checks everything, she hasn't found many things that I have done wrong, and she says my patients all have wonderful things to say about me. I think that really helps my confidence. And I like that she gives me independence to care for patients, instead of hovering over me constantly and watching my every move like a hawk. It's pretty cool that I do my own thing and ask for help when I don't know how to do something.

Worst patient complaint

We have a lady who was admitted to the hospital because she is dying. She has a mile long history of symptoms, and they have finally caught up to her all at once. I'm glad I wasn't taking care of her, because it broke my heart to look at her, she is in so much pain. She wasn't expected to make it through the night last night (She was still fighting when I left today at 4).
The lady across the hall from her had a complaint. She told the nurse manager that the care she received from all of us was excellent, but what pissed her off the most was that the nurses spent so much time last night and this morning in the room with the dying black lady across the hall. And that black lady didn't need that much attention. Besides, there were all kinds of black people running around this hospital, so she had family around that could be with her.

This woman did not feel that she was neglected by the night shift staff because they were across the hall. She was also ignorant enough to believe that all the black people she saw were related to this one woman.

I'm glad I'm not the manager, because I don't believe that I could have handled the situation very well. I'm also extremely upset that it is 2012, and people are that rude and ignorant in this world.

It's nice to have seniority.

Unless you work at Shitty Hospital, because I found out today that seniority doesn't mean a damn thing. I have slaved my ass off for 4 long hard years, and I lost the full time position to someone who has been employed for 2 months. The girl can't even get vital signs without freaking out, and I always have to print off her discharge instructions for her, because that overwhelms her. It is much easier for me to print things myself than listen to her complain for 20 minutes that the computers are stupid.

In case you couldn't tell, my day wasn't full of rainbows and sunshine.

And I go back to the floor in 2 weeks to start orientation there. I still don't have a full time position. HR said that something might open up, which it should, because the bitch who got my job was full time, but they said to watch for any new postings.

I guess tomorrow I really need to talk to the nursing home and get things going there. It's super sad that after committing 4 years to a place that I still can't get 40 hours a week. I don't ask for much, just more work than I'm currently getting. And in today's society (especially young people), that never happens.

I think it's time for some margaritas...

full time?

I had applied for a full time position a couple weeks ago. It is in the same department I have been training in. While it isn't completely what I want to do with my life, I think I could do it for a while. Anyway, I interviewed for it. It wasn't my greatest interview, it was done at the end of a very long tiring day, and I had 20 minutes to prepare myself mentally for it.

I should find out about it tomorrow. I hope for the sake of all things that I get it. Because right now being part time, I only get to work about 3 days a week. And while that pays the bills for the time being, I need to save up some money to buy a new car. So, if ya'll out there in Blogworld wouldn't mind thinking a few good thoughts for me tomorrow, I would appreciate it. And of course, I will let you know one way or another how things go.

Thanks for the info.

I took care of a sweet demented nursing home patient today, who came in for a colonoscopy. Before he went back for his procedure, he was talking and joking with a bunch of the staff, and telling us about how he was lonely now that his wife passed away. He was out "looking for a new lady-friend for the night".

After his procedure I asked him if he would like some coffee to drink, and how he liked it.

"I like my coffee the opposite of you-- hot, strong, and black".

Needless to say, he didn't pick himself up a "lady-friend" in our department.