Frustration.

     I write this the day after two of the busiest shifts I have worked in my 8+ months in the nursing field. Nothing is more frustrating. 
     Not only did we have five discharges on my first day shift, we also had three admissions from Emerge- within an hour and a half of each other and of course, within two hours of the end of shift. It is unbelievably frustrating to feel like you can't get all of your work done, to rush through it and not do a good job- just having the goal of "getting it done." Like, it is now 1600h and while you're trying to get charts done from 0800h, you are "interrupted"* constantly answering phones, talking to family members, outrageously high blood glucose readings, IV meds, answering call bells to get patients off of commodes... it makes it impossible to get your work done. I'm sure other nurses sympathize with my frustration- as doing these things is part of our role in providing care, but you know what I mean. I can probably count on both hands the times I have gotten out of work "on time" since I have worked there. It is not uncommon for me to bank a half hour+ of overtime after shift change and OT for missed meal breaks each shift.
     In our Canadian health care system, there is too much paperwork. After hearing from my American nurse friends, it appears that your "paper-trails" are even longer (although you guys are using technology we could only long for.. we don't even have Unit Dose in our hospital district or any form of electronic charting.) I mean, the amount of charting in a shift is foolish- charting the same thing in 50 different places.
    The unit I work on is constantly battling sick-calls.. burned out and overworked nurses. Being understaffed and working short is not uncommon in a shift. For day shifts: 26 patients- we have 2 RNs, 3 LPNs and 1 CCA to look after them. Then an IMCU- where we have 1 RN for 4 acutely ill patients (mostly cardiac in nature). The work load is impossible and management who while hearing our concerns, refuse to change the way things are done. While bringing up all of the overtime that is worked, they refuse to hire more nurses- stating "it's not in the budget" (but neither is all of the overtime they are forced to pay out!)
    How can we change this? They were always telling us in school "you can be the change!" but I don't see how this is possible. What do you guys think? Has anyone had a similar experience and found something that has worked?


* - Not that discussing care with family members is an "interruption" or an inconvenience, but you catch my drift.