Ready or Not
It’s been a while since I last posted… both because I had been off work for the holidays and because I really didn’t want to think about the return to it! After finishing my first contract, I took about 3 weeks off for Christmas and the New Year holidays - another great perk to travel nursing for sure. The time off was nice, but it made me realize how much I enjoy not working! After whining to my friends and family for a while, I eventually had to return to work. So next stop, Danville, PA! My second contract started two weeks ago, and after a week of in-class orientation, peppered with a few hours on the unit, I’m back to the full-time chaos that is working in healthcare.
For this assignment, I’ve landed on a neuro & covid telemetry unit. Not exactly my favorite specialty (but then again, not really sure what is…) but figured it’ll be more experience! Still PA, but back to a much more rural area. My first time driving and navigating the surrounding area, I was less than impressed. I took for granted the activity and resources available in Philly, and how even driving into work brought me through areas with different possibilities for food, entertainment, shopping, etc. Even though I didn’t explore all that was available as much as I should have, I knew it was there and experienced at least some of it before I left! Like any city, there are some less favorable areas (some of which I experienced while hopping Airbnb’s…), but there were always options and it rarely felt so… empty (or dark, though I suppose part of that may be winter…). This may also just be me being afraid I made a wrong move leaving one assignment for the next. Similar to when I made the initial transition from staff to travel nurse, but I know now that was the best thing I could have done. Hopefully, the same thing will happen here!
Sad to say though, I’m really starting to question how much longer I want to stay in this field. I can’t decide if it’s temporary burn-out, a deeper realization of dissatisfaction, or just whining about working in general. I am hoping once I am back in the swing of things, work won’t seem so tedious. Even though it often seems like it is, and conditions only seem to be worsening, I’m holding out hope I can find that silver lining soon and stay positive. If not, it’s only temporary and then I’ll be moving on yet again, trying to find the right fit or inspiration for my next career move. Recruiter? Management? Retention Coordinator? Maybe something completely away from bedside nursing? Guess I still have plenty of years in which to figure it all out, so why rush?
Anywho, little snapshot into my first few shifts: seems average ratio is going to be 5 patients per nurse. Frequent q4 vital/neuro checks and numerous trach’d, PEG’d, complete care patients. Nothing necessarily too crazy, but with frequent care needed, not enough staff, and more documentation requirements, I’ll be keeping busy for sure. This will also be my first experience with “team nursing”. There, LPNs take assignments like any other nurse, only with a few minor limitations. As always, too few nursing assistants, many of which are pulled to 1:1s.
And big surprise, over 75% of the staff there are other travelers such as myself (there was literally one full time, non-travel staffer there each of the nights I worked). It’s a great way to network and build experience in a variety of settings, but when you frequently have a unit being run by staff that have not worked at the facility more than a handful of weeks or months… there are understandably some concerns! Thankfully, working together and figuring things out is becoming more and more common trait among the surviving healthcare workers. It’s still early, and I think anywhere I go the first few weeks of an assignment will have an adjustment period.
Healthcare continues to be a rough place to work in. I don’t like perpetuating that narrative by constantly griping, but it’s for good reason. We’re tired, mentally and physically. While everyone’s experience is different, stress and burnout persist. Whether it’s in the covid ICU’s, on the floors, nursing homes, schools, offices, anywhere healthcare workers work - it’s tough. And rather than viewing it as the solely the workers suffering (which many of us are), it’s also the patients. Not being able to provide the level of care people need and deserve. Not feeling compassionate because we’re so mentally and emotionally drained. Not feeling motivated to provide the best care we can because we’re so over everything. Again, I can only offer persistent hope that things start to change for the better soon and until then, strive to do the best I/we as a team can.
