New Grad in a Nursing Home

miss_cy · Jul 8, 2009

i can understand and feel your struggle from your words but you know what? alot of nurses out there who are jobless,wishes to even have atleast the kind of job you have right now. i know its hard but you are blessed to already land a job in this time of crisis. i myself is a new grad, looking for a job..any RN position as long as im actively working as a nurse and the fact that you already get yours, not just i but for sure alot of nurses like me would say that you are already blessed, embrace it.

Manang Biday · Jul 8, 2009

I also started working in a nursing home, and I feel overwhelmed. I am still in training, and I am worried on how I would be able to pass meds, perform treatments, and complete documentation/charts for over 30 patients in an 8-hour shift by myself. I am seeing the nurses going overtime all the time, and feeling frustrated because of the lack of time and quantity of patients assigned to only 1 nurse.

But, I am still happy and I feel blessed that I currently have a job, after 6 months of looking for work.

miss_cy · Jul 8, 2009

i formally started hunting for jobs last may, so its almost 2 months that i dont have it..you too, manang biday! im happy to hear your blessed to have found a job after 6 months of looking.

4given24 · Jul 8, 2009

Hi NewestRN_OnTheBlock!

i hear you, but you must also look on the brighter side. many of us, new grads are having such a very hard time landing a job in this tight economy. its been 6 months now of job hunting, and i wished i could just have even the kind of job u have. i have a kid and lots of bills to pay. but im still thankful and hopeful because there's not one day that God deprived us of our daily needs. :specs: my advice is cherish the kind of job u have at the moment because many want to be in your shoes. Godbless in your endeavors and pray for me. thanks!!!

NewestRN_OnTheBlock · Jul 9, 2009

first off, good luck to all of you still searching for jobs. i also searched for about 6 months before finally landing this job (although thats because i ONLY wanted a new grad position in a hospital, and wasn't applying at nursing homes before). so i know how lucky i am to be employed at this point. but as manang biday said, i'm also overwhelmed and trying to figure out how to pass meds, do treatments, and do all my charting on 30+ patients in 8 hours... all by myself. all the veteran nurses are still in the same position, as they run to clock out on time and then stay for another hour or two EVERY night just to finish up their charting. i'm still also very set in my nursing school ways. but every time i try to stop and make sure my meds match up with my MAR, or when i try to check wristbands on every patient, or even when i try to give meds within the proper time frame rather than just giviing ALL meds during one med pass (as in giving bedtime meds 4 hours early just for the convenience of the nurses), the other nurses tell me that i'm in the real world now and i need to work faster. its just frustrating... and it's hard to keep a positive attitude and allow myself to relax and recover from my hectic work days when they call me repeatedly on EVERY day off until i either answer or call them back and agree to work on my day off.

i think i'm just feeling completely overwhelmed and burned out.... all in such a small amount of time. i often find myself not having the patience to listen to my patients. and you know that's never a good thing.

i'd like to mention that i've been there for less than a month and they've hired two other nurses after me... theres a big turnover rate where i work... so i know that if i left for whatever reason, finding another job in a nursing home won't be impossible.... it's just a matter of driving to another one and filling out their application. i still suggest that those of you that are still in your job hunt should still actively seek for new grad positions... but if it comes down to the point where you really need some income now, it's not as difficult to find a position in a long-term facility... for those of you who don't mind working in this kind of environment, i say go for it... and good luck on your search...

Manang Biday · Jul 9, 2009

i'm still also very set in my nursing school ways. but every time i try to stop and make sure my meds match up with my MAR, or when i try to check wristbands on every patient, or even when i try to give meds within the proper time frame rather than just giviing ALL meds during one med pass (as in giving bedtime meds 4 hours early just for the convenience of the nurses), the other nurses tell me that i'm in the real world now and i need to work faster. its just frustrating... and it's hard to keep a positive attitude and allow myself to relax and recover from my hectic work days when they call me repeatedly on EVERY day off until i either answer or call them back and agree to work on my day off.

I totally understand how you feel. We never had a rotation at a SNF in nursing school, so I am still adjusting with the SNF environment. Nurses are teaching me ways how to save time with passing the meds and charting early... and other things totally opposite on what was taught in school. I wonder why SNFs don't have a maximum nurse to patient ratio.