first 3 days of work

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Debbrn

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 7, 2005
Messages
439
Location
southeast
I finally made it back to work monday. I have been off work for 12 weeks since my PVR. I am lead nurse on a pediatric floor unit. I got a call monday morning before work from a co-worker that joint commission is in the hospital. For those that don't know, joint commission is the big hospital accreditation agency. The hospital also started a new computer system while I was gone. I was trained on it 4 months ago. Monday was easy, we had an extra nurse so I only took one patient while I got a little familiar with the computer system. Tuesday also went well. I took care of 2 patients including a new admission with all of its computer work. The admission was an easy patient. Wednesday was !@#$. I had 3 patients including a very complicated new admission with lots of medical history, meds and allergies. Since it was a new computer system, I had to put her medical history in the computer all over again. I did not get to putting in the history until night shift. I could not figure out how to put in the meds in the system. Most of night shift was busy taking care of their patients. I called the computer room, but the hospital no longer has someone in the hospital at night to help with the computer system. Someone was finally able to help me. Since the accreditation agency was still inspecting the hospital everything had to be done before I left.
BTW, I stopped by work 1 1/2 weeks before my restart date and asked the unit educator and head nurse what I needed to get caught up on. They both said that everything was fine. I had taken that computer glasses and there was nothing else I needed to know. I told them that I didn't even have a password yet to get into the new system.

Energy wise I feel no better than I did before surgery. I am afraid that I will be dragging by the end of the week just like always. I work 7 straight days. I tried to tell myself that I may not feel better after surgery, but I still hoped. In fact, I am still not totally back to exercising as much as I did pre-op. I am tired of being tired all the time. I have to take care of me, work and the house by myself.

Debbie
 
Deb, working 7 straight 12 hour shifts 12 weeks after OHS is not a good idea. See if you can get a shorter schedule for the next 6 months. It will take at least that long to get your stamina back! Been there, done that, taking it more slowly this time around.
 
I work 8 hours shifts. I have no choice but to work 7 days straight. Every one on the unit works 7 on 7 off. The hospital that I work at will not compromise. The only way to work different hours is to find a new job. In this economy even nurses are having a tough time finding jobs. I also want pediatrics and I work at the only pediatric hospital in the state.

The computer system is another company.

Debbie
 
Debbie:

Is this a regular schedule -- 7 days on and then 7 days off? Or do you get OT for 16 of those 56 hours? If this is a regular schedule, you will probably be tired at the end of the 7 days. You will find that it takes some months for your energy levels to be consistent. Your energy may be up and down for months. I'm sure that many of us went through that. Best I can recommend is that when you feel really good, coast a little on activity rather than overindulging. That will help keep you from taking one step forward, two steps backward.

I transitioned back to work -- half time for 4 weeks, then full time. I was off 2 weeks pre-op (on STD), then was off 7-8 weels post-op including week of surgery. When I went back to work, we were launching an internet ad sales campaign and my department was briefed on it. It didn't make any sense to me, and I had to apologize. Things improved over time.

Good luck with your continued recovery. Please report back after your first 7 days.
 
Debbie, You said " I have to take care of me, work and the house by myself." Yes, you need to take care of yourself and you have to work, but there are some things you can let go in the house until you have your 7 days off. Don't try to be Mrs Clean, let the dust settle, stack the dirty dishes in the dishwasher, don't try to hold yourself to your regular standards; you are too tired after work so you don't need to have company. It'll be our secret!!!

That sounds like a killer schedule to me! I don't see the point to having people work with that kind of a schedule but then it's been a lot of years since I worked and even then I crawled on the bed and took a nap before I got supper for my hubby. When we had children I was able to be a stay at home mom and only worked "on call" for neighborhood families.

We always had a ward clerk but of course that was before computers were invented LOL and we had to write up all our nursing notes by hand.

Hope things get better for you! HUGS, Barb
 
7 on 7 off is what everyone works on our unit. It is very common in the hospital I work in. During the work week I do minimal in the house. The house looks like a tornado hit it, there is no food in the house, all my clothes are dirty and I am exhausted. I was having trouble finishing the week before I had surgery. The schedule works out really well for the head nurses because they don't have to worry about the schedule at all. The schedule is completely set for months on end. This week is going to be extra heard between having joint commission, the new computer system and the complicated patient I have. Things will get better.
 
Hnag in there Deb. Your energy will come back after a little time. Wow what a killer schedule you have. I went back to work 8 weeks after my surgery and would have positively no energy by about 2:00 in the afternoon and that is that my job has me sitting on my butt in front of a computer. I applaude you for your courage and strength. If there are energy angels I hope they come stay with you for a while.
 
Debbie,

My husband has worked in ICU for 30 years. He's on a 6:30-3:00 schedule, five days a week, and there are days when he comes home dragging. I don't know how you're handling twelve hour shifts!
I also hear you about Joint Commision and new computer systems. Both add extra time and work to an already busy shift. Is it possible that you can take a sick day if you need to, or have you used most of your time up? Getting one day's break, or even half a day, might help you make it through this very rough, first back to work schedule.
I would forget about exercising and the housework for another week or two. If you can get some laundry done, then I'd say you've accomplished alot! I think you're doing really well, so try not to get discouraged.
 
I work 8 hour shifts. I do not build up sick or vacation time. My sick and vacation time is paid to me with each pay check. I work 56 hours, but I am paid for 64 hours. I do build up an extended illness back very slowly. I have to be off work for 3 days before I can use any of that time and have a doctor's excuse. I have used up my 12 weeks leave for the year. Since I have worked at the hospital for 20 years I had built of plenty of time so I got paid. When I had surgery 20 years ago I had no time. I just didn't get paid for the 8 weeks I was off.

Last night was crazy. The unit clerk and one of the nurses called in. Luckily the day shift unit clerk worked a double or we would not have made it. She is in her late 50s or early 60s. I know she had to be exhausted by the time she left. With one less nurse, we just had to kick it in to high gear. The first nurse that left for the shift, left an hour late. I was even later. We also only had 1 nursing assistant per 16 patients. She ran her legs off. She left late also. I am making up for the over-time that I missed while I was on leave.

Debbie
 
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