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Mon 7 Apr, 2008 11:34 am
Types of nursing jobs...please help
Hello,
I'm a new LPN grad and have found a job in a long term care facility. I was in shock to realize that I spent more time passing out meds and doing paper work than actually spending time with my patients. I find myself excusing myself from conversations with them, in order to have the time to pass out my meds. In school, we students always had time to talk to our patients...but I never realized that was because we didn't have all the extra duties actual nurses have. I want to go back and get my RN degree, but I would like to know if there is a job opportunity where I can spend more time with my patients and less time passing out meds. To me, I get more satisfaction sitting down and hearing about a patients day, than handing them medications. I understand that medications help people...but I somehow don't get satisfaction from it. Am in in the wrong profession?
you're in the right profession, but in my experience, thats what lpns and rns do in long term care/nursing home facilities. You have such a large patient load and spend your day doing meds. Hospitals have a smaller patient load but you are still busy, but you do have time to spend with your patients, getting to know them on a more personal level. Its all about prioritizing and being organized, which always comes with time. Of course in school you have all the time in the world to sit with patients, but in reality you almost never get 20 minutes to talk to patients. just way to much to do! My advice would be to get your rn degree and get out of long term care because, as you know, you are mainly there to pass meds. thats just my two cents!
Hospitals and clinics are much different. I've spent most of my career in nursing homes, but was lucky enough to work 2 years ina Urgent Care which is completly different than Long Term Care. However one good thing about nursing homes is that you are able to form close relationships with some of the residents, which I've found to be worth a lot.
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