Illness leaves nurse needing a hand up
Donation protected
Hey guys, I haven't shared, but I have been having a lot if medical issues. After 30 years, I have stepped back from nursing as the stress was just too much for my little body to handle. I took a huge cut in pay, but love my new job. I work at an auction barn.
Anyway, with being so sick I have missed a lot of work. I am really struggling and could use a little help. We haven't really figured out what's going on with me yet but whatever it is, it has completely taking away all my energy, I live with excruciating pain everyday in every joint of my body, I either can't stay awake or have incredible insomnia, I have excruciating headaches, I have horrible abdominal pain and I'm having difficulty eating. They found tumors on my adrenal glands I do not yet know whether they are benign or not. But either way they think they might be wreaking havoc on my adrenal glands, and maybe causing adrenal insufficiency. My inability to work consistently and at a better job, has really put me in a very hard place. I thought I could get out of it on my own, but I just can't.
I am losing my home and my car. I am lost and honestly a little hopeless.
I can't believe I am in this position, not at this age.
I have a place to go. I just need to get caught up on my insurance, car payments, electricity, etc. I don't have a legal car to drive.
Having to leave nursing, I am making a third of what I was, but my health is improving. I know this is a tremendous thing to ask, but I sure would appreciate a helping hand.
This is very embarrassing for me. I just can't believe I have gotten to this point.
This truly explains the job I did for 30 years. Also explains why I'm in the shape I'm in. We did this, 12 to 16 hours a day, sometimes without a day off for weeks. Not because we wanted too, out of obligation. There just is no one else to do it! Now my body is ruined and it seems there is no one to help me.
People want to know why the medical staff is quitting their jobs :This is the truth in every single nursing home right now, Imagine this
You walk onto the floor and you have 25 patients. 25 humans you are responsible for, 25 humans you will have to know everything about. When they eat, if they eat, how much they pee, 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 25 people. All not well, some with orders that need completing. One has bladder scans every 6 hours and has to be cathed if they are over a certain limit; one is on an IV infusion every 6 hours and frequent monitoring. 5 ARE aggressive and need to be kept away from others. At least one had a fall requiring neuro checks every hour; 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 you 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 6 of those 25 calling out for pain meds every 2 hours. Some of it is pain seeking, some of it is actual pain from the cancer or other causes. Then the one that is dying needs pain meds for comfort every hour and just wants someone at their bedside. Oh, and don't forget the high fall risk patients that you have circled around your station so you can keep an eye on them.
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?” And told “I’ve been on the light for 20 minutes?!” NOW imagine also not having a enough CNA’s - the backbone of the skilled nursing system! So now, with all of that, you’re also TRYING to help 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 patient getting upset because you didn't bring them coffee and snacks quick enough and giving meds for comfort to your dying patient.
And now… you have a new admit coming to the floor with a wound vac, needing pain meds that u don't have. Another human, another life to take care of. Now imagine administration always complaining you never do enough, dressings aren’t changed on time; tubing isn’t labeled correctly; rooms are messy. Charting isn’t done, write ups are threatened.
This is Nursing.
This is Why we are burned out.
This is Why we are short staffed.
This is Why Nurses and CNA’s are leaving the profession.
❤️COPY AND PASTED
Organizer
Brenda Copeland
Organizer
San Angelo, TX