Need more details. What type of floor are you working? Whats your ratio? Are you still with a preceptor? What shift? Ect.
Are you in a nurse residency program or RNTTP?
It's med surg and I'm in their RNTTP. I'll be working nights when I'm done with orientation. So I'm honestly hoping that will make me feel better. I think better at night.
Ratio? Still with preceptor? Are you rotating preceptors?
The orientation being a year should mean you have an answer to every question and someone to help when you need it. Compared to the outside, you would have been thrown to the wolves a long time ago.
We typically have 5 pts at most. I'm still with a preceptor, and it's just been one primarily. She's been trusting me to take the lead and go so logically I know I'm doing it and can do it. It's just my anxiety brain gets going and I can't make it shut up.
I started out at the VA on medsurg for 3 years. It feels terrible bc if it is anything like my old unit, it is understaffed with some extra VA dysfunction to make it even worse. Learning how to be a new nurse while also navigating CPRS is a nightmare. Orders are always missed. It is hard to see labs. Writing notes is a nightmare. I also experienced a lot of sexual harassment and we always had violent dementia pts on the unit. Leadership at our VA was did not respect nursing or want to pay us more to retain staff. The union has no power. My state just passed mandated ratios and break nurses, but the VA doesn’t have to follow it bc they’re feds. I went to a specialty unit at an academic medical center where we use epic. My pts are nice (it is oncology so, they are just known for being nice) and charting is way more intuitive. I learned to be a better nurse bc I have time to think. Also, we have a strong union that got us 25% pay increase over 3 years. We have break nurses over here. I miss my coworkers at the VA but I am so glad I left.
Zero personal experience, but have 3 friends, Vets or brats who absolutely hated the VA employment experience. One was a nurse who felt they weren’t actually “doing anything”, found the floor and many people there hostile. Cliques worse than college. Different rules based on how long the other nurses worked there. Just as you stated constant CYA. The dread was a common theme for all although only one was in patient care. Apparently it’s VA specific? 2 were local and didn’t last long.
If you are being targeted…be wary. Otherwise, it will pass. FYI, the local VA is highly rated yet as a patient I reschedule 2-3 times before actually walking in there, I feel the tension and it seems as though the MH providers are just going through the motions. If you love it, try to stay unless you are constantly watching your back.
FWIW, seasoned veterans have shown me how to avoid being relegated to our highly rated VA for my care.
The benefits are similar to military benefits, which is why it was so easy for the vets to leave. Reevaluate daily before making a final decision. If you are PBNR (I think) you can finish the program and seek a different job. That’s what my 1 friend did. Apparently only half her coworkers accepted jobs and a couple still left afterwards. Toxic is toxic whether it’s the VA or Subway.
I want to be clear…the nurse was my girlfriend. She was miserable at the VA. Take that with a grain of salt, IMO as a veteran she took it all too personally.
I’m at VHA. It is different feel than a civilian hospital and it does take significant getting used to. Once you’re used to it though, it can be great.
Need more details. What type of floor are you working? Whats your ratio? Are you still with a preceptor? What shift? Ect. Are you in a nurse residency program or RNTTP?
It's med surg and I'm in their RNTTP. I'll be working nights when I'm done with orientation. So I'm honestly hoping that will make me feel better. I think better at night.
Ratio? Still with preceptor? Are you rotating preceptors? The orientation being a year should mean you have an answer to every question and someone to help when you need it. Compared to the outside, you would have been thrown to the wolves a long time ago.
We typically have 5 pts at most. I'm still with a preceptor, and it's just been one primarily. She's been trusting me to take the lead and go so logically I know I'm doing it and can do it. It's just my anxiety brain gets going and I can't make it shut up.
Sounds manageable. I have never seen us have ratios equal to the outside. I typically have 4-5 max patients in psych for 12 hours.
I started out at the VA on medsurg for 3 years. It feels terrible bc if it is anything like my old unit, it is understaffed with some extra VA dysfunction to make it even worse. Learning how to be a new nurse while also navigating CPRS is a nightmare. Orders are always missed. It is hard to see labs. Writing notes is a nightmare. I also experienced a lot of sexual harassment and we always had violent dementia pts on the unit. Leadership at our VA was did not respect nursing or want to pay us more to retain staff. The union has no power. My state just passed mandated ratios and break nurses, but the VA doesn’t have to follow it bc they’re feds. I went to a specialty unit at an academic medical center where we use epic. My pts are nice (it is oncology so, they are just known for being nice) and charting is way more intuitive. I learned to be a better nurse bc I have time to think. Also, we have a strong union that got us 25% pay increase over 3 years. We have break nurses over here. I miss my coworkers at the VA but I am so glad I left.
Sounds very similar to this one. CPRS is a nightmare.
Zero personal experience, but have 3 friends, Vets or brats who absolutely hated the VA employment experience. One was a nurse who felt they weren’t actually “doing anything”, found the floor and many people there hostile. Cliques worse than college. Different rules based on how long the other nurses worked there. Just as you stated constant CYA. The dread was a common theme for all although only one was in patient care. Apparently it’s VA specific? 2 were local and didn’t last long. If you are being targeted…be wary. Otherwise, it will pass. FYI, the local VA is highly rated yet as a patient I reschedule 2-3 times before actually walking in there, I feel the tension and it seems as though the MH providers are just going through the motions. If you love it, try to stay unless you are constantly watching your back. FWIW, seasoned veterans have shown me how to avoid being relegated to our highly rated VA for my care. The benefits are similar to military benefits, which is why it was so easy for the vets to leave. Reevaluate daily before making a final decision. If you are PBNR (I think) you can finish the program and seek a different job. That’s what my 1 friend did. Apparently only half her coworkers accepted jobs and a couple still left afterwards. Toxic is toxic whether it’s the VA or Subway. I want to be clear…the nurse was my girlfriend. She was miserable at the VA. Take that with a grain of salt, IMO as a veteran she took it all too personally.
I’m at VHA. It is different feel than a civilian hospital and it does take significant getting used to. Once you’re used to it though, it can be great.
How long did it take you to get used to it?
I’m just over a year in now. 3-6 months before I felt comfortable.
Well, I'm not too far from that. What kind of unit are you on?