10/06/2023
Imagine this. (FROM A NURSE)
You walk onto the floor and you have 6 patients (at least). 6 humans you are responsible for, 6 humans you will have to know everything about. When they eat, if they eat, how much they p*e, what color it is, when their last bowel movement was, what color, shape, and consistency it was, what their labs look like, their cognitive status, if they have wounds, what meds are due, what are their vitals.
You get to the floor and get report on these 6 people. All very sick, all with orders that need completing. One has bladder scans every 6 hours and has to cathed if they are over a certain limit, one is on a heparin infusion that requires blood draws every 6 hours and frequent monitoring. One is on an aggressive chemo. One needs blood and platelets replaced tonight. One is dying with no family at their side.
Then imagine being short staffed.
Then imagine the family calling wanting a check up on their family members and complaining when you can’t get on the phone right now.. Imagine that you are in the middle of cleaning up a patient, alone, when the family calls and can't stop to take the call but will call them as soon as you're done. Imagine your manager reprimanding you for not taking the call as the family is angry and complaining.
Then imagine one of those five calling out for pain meds every 2 hours, some of it is pain seeking, some of it is actual pain from the cancer. The the one that is dying needs pain meds for comfort every hour and just wants someone at their bedside to hold their hand so they call out every 30 minutes.
Then imagine doing everything you can for all these humans you are responsible for and getting cursed out, talked down to, criticized for not being “fast enough” asked “where were you?” told “I’ve been on the light for 20 minutes?!”
NOW imagine also not having a CNA - the backbone of the hospital system! So now, with all of that, you also have to respond to call lights, bathroom calls, changing patients, turning patients every 2 hours, getting water, getting snacks. emptying catheters, measuring intake and output, bathing, and more changing. Imagine a family member getting upset because you didn't bring them coffee and snacks quick enough as you were drawing labs for your heparin drip and giving meds for comfort to your dying patient.
And now… you have a new admit coming to the floor with intractable nausea and vomiting who needs an NG tube put down. Another human. Another life to take care of.
Now imagine hospital administration always complaining you never do enough, dressings aren’t changed on time, tubing isn’t labeled correctly, rooms are messy, health stream modules aren't done, write ups are threatened.
And to add…you have not eaten all day and have not had time to p*e.
This is Nursing.
This is Why we are burned out.
This is Why we are short staffed.
This is Why Nurses are leaving the profession.
đź’śfrom a nurse
