[Fancy Face]

The first facility I went to ever as an agency LPN gave me a night to shadow a nurse before passing meds the next day. Well, now, this next facility I didn't so much get thru the door and they wanted to give me the keys. I told them I was there for orientation as I had never worked there. Well, it didn't happen and I spent the night behind the med cart and none of the patients had wristbands on and the MAR pictures were way out of date. So I had to rely on another nurse(who had only been there a week) and NAs to point out the patients. Do you all get an orientation before you take over a floor or just get thrown in cold?

[ZASHAGALKA]

As agency, you are not intrinsic staff that the company has a vested interest in bringing up to snuff.

You are SUPPOSED to be able to 'hit the ground running'. They aren't paying you for your long term availability. They are paying you to be an effective contribution to staffing, today.

I worked agency before. I never had more than a walkthrough of where things are and an invitation to ask for help, if I needed it.

I didn't see this as a negative thing. After all, THAT is why they were paying me. I consider being an agency nurse means having the organization and ability to hit the ground running.

~faith,
Timothy.

[LadyNASDAQ]

I have worked local agency for years and years. Trust me... what's an orientation especially in small hospitals!

The whole deal is experience. You could throw me into Nebraska,Idaho, Hawaii or Rhode Island. I have worked all kinds of hospitals with all kinds of situations with computerized vs paper charting and yes, have even been asked to take charge. This is an example of how critical our Nursing shortage is out there.

Do you know that the average time that most new grads last working is? ( months to 1 year. They really see how hard a life it is and what it entails. You wake up early and you work hard. You are a laborer and as we call it, you walk the floors for some people both emotionally and physically.

As Local Agency, we get paid more but our assignments can be harder, more imbalanced and many staff Nurses take exception for this like you're an intruder until they get to know you and also they don't get hot with extra patients to care for.

Keep your skills up and learn the ins and outs. I've been doing this for 28 years. I do travel, Local Agency and later plan to go to N. Calif. and work in house agency. It's truly the smorgasbord of all fields. I am living in a paid for home with a nice paid for car with no debts. I also work hard to stay that way so I am saying if you love what you do, work for what you want. Eventally you will retire and have something to show for it later on.

[bshaw96]

Pretty much the norm. As long as you tell me who needs their meds crushed and who may die on me today, I'm good. Actually, it's a little unnerving when I go to a facility that tries to hold my hand the whole shift. I just want to scream " I know what I"m doing, RELAX!" Of course, at least they care!, I tell myself I can't imagine a whole shift for orientation, but it was nice of them to do that for ya!

[gt4everpn]

Agencies usually don't give very long orientations at all, my advice find a hosp or LTC facility that will give u a good orientation, you need it , your a newbie I assume, or if not just try your best to pick up on things - and fast! Good Luck!

[feisty_lpn]

Wow. You got an orientation?? Count your blessings on that one. I've been an agency LPN for a year and I have never once received an orientation. And I go to all sorts of facilities... hospitals, LTC/AL, in-patient rehab, prisons/jails, residential psych. Most of the time, I don't even know which floor I'm assigned to, let alone which building. I find out when I get there.

[txspadequeen921]

Since when do agency nurses get a orientation besides an orientation to paperwork...Been a agency nurse for many years...Never..and I mean Never had a orientation longer than 1 hour and that is only to sign my life away about HIPPA or however you spell it......When you are a agency nurse you should be able to come in at any point during the shift and pick up the patient load without missing a beat....

[gt4everpn]

Originally Posted by feisty_lpn

Wow. You got an orientation?? Count your blessings on that one. I've been an agency LPN for a year and I have never once received an orientation. And I go to all sorts of facilities... hospitals, LTC/AL, in-patient rehab, prisons/jails, residential psych. Most of the time, I don't even know which floor I'm assigned to, let alone which building. I find out when I get there.

Hey fiestypn, did you get orientation as a new grad or were you already experienced when you started working for an agency?

[feisty_lpn]

Originally Posted by gt4everpn

Hey fiestypn, did you get orientation as a new grad or were you already experienced when you started working for an agency?

I had a year under my belt in LTC (psych and MRDD). Then I had pregnancy complications and took 7 months off. I went back into nursing last May as agency. I guess you could say I was a new grad. I sure felt like one after 7 months off, let me tell you.

Most agencies require at least a year, but I've heard of some that allow 6 months. I certainly don't know of any that hire new grads. A new grad working as agency? Thats asking for trouble and jeopardizes patient safety, IMO.

[mimimartina]

Just curious...I've been in school for the past 2 years, and am about to begin job hunting for a LTC (LPN) position. You that work agency, what is your "secret" to identifying patients without wristbands, getting the meds out in a timely manner when they are scattered here and there and no current pictures to identify them. I remember my 1st LTC job, my morning med pass took me hours and hours....that was a long time ago when I had 63 residents to give meds to, but even now 30 is average,,that's still a lot of people to not "know" who they are or what they look like, or which drawer their meds are in....Any tips ????