For Real

Applying for new jobs.

Another hospital has to be better-and safer-than mine.

(Ok, I'm sure there are worse places to work at, but.....I'm tired.)

I'm tired of six patients when I should have four.

I'm tired of having six patients, getting my accuchecks, delivering meal trays, collecting menus, collecting finished meal trays, obtaining vital signs, all while trying to BE A NURSE (assessments, medications, basic care, communicating with physicians, educating patients, helping them get, you know-BETTER).

(and should I mention I'm orienting a brand new RN to the hospital? me, who has only been at the hospital for 7 months)

I'm tried of patients saying to me, "Are you the only one working here?" or "Don't you have a nursing aide" or "Shouldn't your tech be doing this?" or "I know you don't have help, don't worry about me; I know you're running around" (and I wish I could say, "we don't have a tech" or "I'm not sure what or where our tech is-and management doesn't seem to care"

It kills me that we can be so incredibly short (and incompetently) staffed when according to news reports there are so many people out of work.

For the first time since entering nursing school, I want to leave the nursing profession. And I know it's not the profession but this hospital that is making me think this way. Longer commute be damned; if it's safer it's worth it.

(Side note: I know this is more about the hospital than the profession; According to the new US News report, the hospital I used to work at is 3rd in its region (out of 90+ hospitals) -and that truly was a hospital I was proud to be associated with, even on the very bad days.)