Columbus Dispatch

After a very bad day at work today, I’m temped to post an ad in the Columbus Dispatch that reads...

“Experienced, compassionate, reliable LPN seeks challenging position in health care setting to work in harmony with a cheerful, dependable supervisor and friendly helpful co-workers."

The last three days working at the local nursing home has made me question if I’m ever going to find a job where my co-workers have the same care-giving goals that I do. Where my immediate boss knows how pronounce my (difficult) last name and communication skills are at least above average. A place where appreciation for a job well done is recognized in some small way other than employee-of-the-month!

Instead, the staff I am supposed to be supervising sit at the nurses station and complain because a patient turns on a call-light for the second time in 10 minutes. They ask for the keys to the narcotic room so they can "wash their hands" when there are 25 other sinks on the unit. They toss stinky gloves into my med cart trash when there are at least 80 other trash cans on the unit, and they leave dinner trays on the bedside table for hours while they sit at the desk and gossip. They don’t inform me when they’re going on break (all at the same time) and complain because call lights are on when they return.

My supervisor calls off, and no one tells me she won’t be in today to note orders and assist with a new computer program that is complicated and unpredictable! The doctor who wrote orders in the morning came back in the afternoon and showed me his charts with the morning orders still there.

"I know you're swamped," he says apologetically as he writes more orders.

All this and more yesterday during a long 14-hour stress-filled day. I stayed late at the request of another supervisor who said she was 'going home early' and needed me to enter orders into the testy new computer program that I had NOT been trained for. But, this couldn't be done until after the night nurse (an agency nurse) got there and I gave her report and showed her the ropes.

I’m tired. I’m discouraged. My back hurts from standing at the med cart for hours and then stressing at the computer. My throat is sore from not eating or drinking all day yesterday. Okay, I'm angry about the situation too. Even reading my friend Floyd's website made me feel guilty because of my unsettled mindset today.

Maybe I should post another ad in the Columbus Dispatch and see what kind of response I get. Maybe I have it all wrong. This one seems to fit what facilities are hiring these days. Why didn't I think of it? (Darts intended.)

"Tired, experienced LPN seeks non-challenging job with a supervisor who doesn’t care (about me) and co-workers who could care less. Willing to take long breaks and complain about everything and everyone. Able to gossip freely and talk for long periods of time on my cell phone. Good at telling others how to do their job and finding excuses not to do my work. Comfortable with leaving call lights on until I feel like answering them and then telling the patients that I’ll be back later to take them to the bathroom. Enjoy sitting at the nurses’ station chatting to visitors about the weather and laughing at any employee who looks like they might be working too hard. Greatest strength is making fun of others and biggest weakness is taking too long for cigarette breaks. I walk very slow and take my time in the bathroom. I call off without notice and never volunteer for extra shifts. I bring my kids in to work when the babysitter doesn’t show up or schools have a snow day. I clock out after one more break and don't give report if they don't ask."

Please reply to these ads noting which type of nurse you would like to have.

Email me at I-don’t-give-a-care-bear-nurse.com or

exceeding-expectations-nurse.com

Take Care on the Journey,
~Linda