somehow being next to someone, listening and guenuinly letting someone know that you care seems to have gone from general nursing.
2006-09-30 05:59:30 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ General Health Care ➔ Other - General Health Care
I think it's because Nurses are too stretched these days, what with all the technical procedures and treatments and the masses of paperwork they are expected to do on top of the hard graft clinical work. They just get exhausted and managers move them away from patients with all the stupid pen and paper exercises they make them do.
I blame the way the NHS is managed, by clueless overpaid pen pushers. I don't blame the Nurses at all, they have a hard job to do and are dedicated to do it inspite of the odds stacked agaisnt them.
2006-09-30 06:10:08 · answer #1 · answered by bumbleboi 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I totally agree with you. Unfortunately, there have been major staffing cut backs in some hospitals to save money, and some nurses are just "burned out" from the constant overload we get. I work on a busy unit, and at any given time, I can have 6-10 patients. I try to do the best I can, but when they give you that many, it makes it very difficult to care for people the way they deserve to be treated! I wish I had time to listen and talk to my patients more. And so does every other nurse on my unit. We have talked to my manager and her boss, and they tell us that we have more than enough staff. We know better. We know that there isnt nearly enough. But when it comes to money, money comes first in some situations, sadly enough.
We have to juggle medications, doctors, the phone ringing constantly, family members (which I have no problem talking to, I actually enjoy it), the documentation, admissions, discharges, OR patients coming back to the unit, making plans with social workers for patients to return to the nursing home and when that may happen. The majority of the time, I don't have time to pee or eat. I'm lucky if I can manage to get a drink a few times a day. Its really sad.. but its the honest truth. The most patients I have ever had was 15. I was 3 days off my orientation, a brand new nurse still in need of some assistance now and then, and all of a sudden I have 15 people needing me and their lives were in my hands. All to save a dollar.
I have attempted to contact my state legistature about this issue, but of course, I get no response from them. Its really sad because it is the patient who suffers.
2006-09-30 14:55:35 · answer #2 · answered by kinndee 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Sadly, the medical industry has become an enterprise. The problem with the medical industry is its all about the money (as is everything else in this sad selfish world). Its not that nurses dont care about people anymore, although I am sad to say that nursing is just a job for some people as opposed to a calling. What is happening is facilities are only hiring as many people to give care as they have to in order to be legal. This puts a strain on all the caregivers. It became very frustrating to me when I got into nursing to learn how much it really is about the money. I have learned to cherish the moments when I can have one on one time to just be with a patient and be friendly and caring instead of "Hi, how are you today, take your pills now, cause Ive got 28 other people to shove pills down, and only 2 hours to do it, and after that I have to go make 100 phone calls, and chart one piece of information on one person on 6 different documents, then I have a 8 other people to do the same with. Oh, and then I'll be back to give you and everyone their next dose of pills, then I'll be doing more paperwork still. " I always wondered why going through school I ran into a lot of bitterness in nursing and I believe its because nurses are frustrated that they dont have more time to show they care cause its all about the CYA.
2006-09-30 06:11:04 · answer #3 · answered by reconnermom 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Blame legislation. Most of the time we really want to be able to lend an ear. The number one reason for becoming a nurse is "to help people". We are so overworked and under-staffed, we just don't have the time. I've had up to 16 patients on a day shift, some coming right from the O.R. I love my job for the moments I DO get the chance to make the difference in someone's hospital stay. What we go through as nurses is unfair, and usually unsafe. Insurance companies don't want to pay, therefore hospitals have no money to hire the correct number of nurses. If you are that unhappy, write your local government and help us out.
2006-09-30 08:45:40 · answer #4 · answered by T P 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Well for me I don't know really, I think nurses still care.. I'm a student nurse here in the Philippines and I'm interning in some hospitals and I've found out that despite the toxicness of the nurses in handling patients, they still serve and listens to the complaints of their patients. It is not that they are their patient, they still care for them. Even though they are not their relatives nor bloodline, they still have that what you call "TLC". If you can't find that care maybe we can find them loiterring around and doing nothing. The first priority of the nurses is to alleviate the pain that their clients feel. Please be reminded also that nursing practice is not an easy job to do especially when your handling a hundred patient and remember that you're only the one handling them. Maybe some of the nurses today have busy lives but i KNOW WITHIN THEM THEY STILL CARES!!
2006-09-30 07:55:11 · answer #5 · answered by cutieme 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm a psychiatric nurse which is more to do with talking (supposedly) but with all the documentation,phones,other people within the multi-disciplinary team all wanting to liaise with you can be very time-consuming and it all has to go on computer to boot.
Mental health nursing has always been under staffed and with the staffing limitations placed upon us at present makes a hard job almost impossible.Patients appear to be at the bottom in the great scheme of things and its a job I'm beginning to dislike as I can't do what I was trained for which was to be nurse and not a pen pusher
2006-10-01 01:55:14 · answer #6 · answered by dinahmite 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's not that we don't CARE...it's the simple fact that we don't have time. Nurses are incredibly over worked. We are doing the work of 2 sometimes 3 people...I don't even have time to go to the bathroom let alone sit with a patient, while I am at work. It's sad but it's the truth
2006-09-30 06:16:22 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I totally agree but I also believe that it is up to each individual as to how and when they show that they genuinely care. I think alot has to do with the perspective of our becoming numb to others feelings and needs. We become absorbed in our own selfish needs and we become insensitive to others because we are over worked and under paid. We have done our jobs for so long that we just go through the motions. I believe it is up to us to bring the genuine caring nature back into nursing--where it should be. Life is way too short to have it otherwise.
2006-09-30 06:04:26 · answer #8 · answered by Ace 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Nurses still care! But slightly less about their patients and more about their money, houses, holidays and vehicles - usually "Chelsea tractors" with bull bars! But there are some who are still angels of mercy - they are getting to be a rare species unfortunately. Respect for the dignity of patients who are chronically sick or even terminally ill seems to be lacking in many people today. But they set an example to student nurses and one day they will be nursed by them in their time of illness or old age - and then they will reap what they sow today.
2006-09-30 06:06:47 · answer #9 · answered by Mike10613 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Being a nurse, I can relate. Bedside manner is individual and has its settings. In a fast pace facility its hard to be too compassionate without getting behind in your work schedule. I tried it fell way behind often, so I switched to home health where i can give individualized care to one patient at a time.
2006-09-30 06:08:38 · answer #10 · answered by R W 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋