Nursing home as a new grad

[mathia2171]

I was wondering if anyone has some advice that they can give me. I was offered a position as a charge nurse in a small nursing home facility. I will be one of only two RN's working in this nursing home on the floor. LPNs will be working alongside of us doing the same job that we are doing. I went to observe one day at the nursing home to see if it would be a good fit. I asked a lot of questions of the nurse I was with and here are some of my main concerns; vital signs are only done once a week assessments are only done once or twice a week and the CNAs seemed upset/ unfriendly and not happy at all. I really want to work in a nursing home and this position has the hours and is the size that I want to work in. However i am worried and here is my other concern they are offering a 5000 dollar sign on bonus. That sounds great however y such a high offer. I do not know a lot about nursing homes but I do know that in most homes vital signs and assessments are done on a regular daily basis. Can someone please give me advice on whether or not I may be walking into an nightmare/unsafe practice

[rubato, ASN, RN]

Is getting hired as a charge nurse when you are a brand new grad normal for nursing homes? I'm thinking this is crazy.

[TeflonNurse]

From what I've seen and heard yes its normal and yes it sounds crazy to me to! It seems to be purely based on which piece of paper you came out of school with.

Where I worked (unless a rare agency RN came in) the only RNs I saw were in Admin. LPNs dominated the floor positions including Unit manager and the House Supervisor. That was just one of the many reasons I looked at my coworkers and Admin crazy when they kept asking if I planned to stay at that nursing home after graduating I knew Id be given way to much responsibility too soon based on whether I came out with 2 or 3 letters to put behind my name.

Now OP that's certainly not to say that you shouldn't go for the position. I'm not one to go on hearsay but Ive heard several stories of "a friend of a friend" who was a new grad going into a higher position at a nsg home and loving it!

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Is getting hired as a charge nurse when you are a brand new grad normal for nursing homes? I'm thinking this is crazy.

Yes. In the metro area where I live, all floor nurses are 'charge nurses' by default, whether or not they are a new grad, experienced nurse, LVN or RN.