Hard done to...

'You rise,
you fall,
you're down then you rise again.
What don't kill you'll make you more strong'

Metallica, 2008

The time was 20.45 and I was walking off  the ward from a shift that should have finished at 20.00.  Now I know that nurses getting off shift late is nothing new - when I was a CSW I was one of two members of staff who would stay late to make sure that someone was on hand for the patients while handover was taking place, but it was the reason behind me getting off late that was bugging me... *Insert flash back sceen from a movie*

I was co-running a bay with the trauma coordinator (nothing new), but due to staffing levels and a busy A&E they didn't get much time in the bay meaning it was me all the way.  The other bays had a RGN and a CSW in them while my bay had the trauma nurse and me... Or in reality it was me and the wandering dementia patient.  This mean't that when it came to things like giving pressure care the other bays had 2 people while I had just me.  I did try asking the dementia patient acting as my shadow if they wanted to help but all I got was the reply 'Don't be so stupid. I don't know why i like you so much... You're a bloody idiot.' (I do love dementia patients. LoL).  When I asked the trauma nurse if they could help me all I got was 'Im busy, go and ask one of the other CSWs to help you.'  Busy...? Busy...? You have been sat on your arse for the last 1/2hr with a cuppa laughing with one of the RGNs!  Needless to say I smiled and walked off whistling 'Fuck You' by Damage Plan (I'm such a nice person... honestly!).  By 19.00 I managed to park my cute tush next to one of the RGNs to start my writing.  This lasted all of 5min before one of the CSWs came and asked the RGN if they were free to help them provide pressure care to a few patients... 'Im doing my writing Shane will help you.'  I looked at the RGN thinking it was a joke only to realise they had not even looked up from their notes.  With a look that obviously said 'Are you taking the piss!' I closed the 1st set of notes, put my arm round the CSWs shoulder and walked off saying 'Come on my wee Irish tinker, I will help you... MY WRITING CAN WAIT I GUESS.'.  In the end I ended up spending the remaining hour helping the patients get settled for the night.  Once handover had finished the RGN who was 'working' with turned to me and said 'Come on, time to go... Oh, how much have you got left? Ah right... Well I can't really stay im afraid...'  And with that walked off the ward leaving me looking round at the night staff... 'Anyone for a cuppa then...?' 

It sometimes feels like my role as a trainee AP is abused.  Yes I can do all the careplans, yes I can do all the hands on care... But even someone as awesome as me can't do the work of 2 people at the same time. Sorry.  I guess that whatever don't kill ya will only make ya stronger.

And on that note I will say TTFN peeps :)