[jgo86]

hi i just accepted a position at a nearby nursing home in illinois if filled out an application and got an interview right away with the don and she was very pleasant. and then she offered me a job and said that i would have 2 weeks orientation and get $20/hr. the place seems like a nice place and my dad work there before as a cna and he said it was a nice place to work at. im really nervous and i dont want to look like an inadequate person on my first day. so im asking for any tips? and if they just hired me bc theyre really short and are desperate? and how should i prepare myself on my first day?

[mandaleigh]

First of all, congrats on your first job!! I think everyone is nervous at first. Two weeks is a short orientation, maybe see how it goes and request some more time to get your feet wet. As for being short staffed, welcome to the world of LTC.

[akcarmean]

Congratulations on your new job.

Take a note book and jot down details and things (even the things you might not think are important) you think you will not remember.

Don't be afraid to ask ??? and have them repeat or show you again if you don't understand it.

and if you still don't feel comfortable at the end of the 2 weeks ask for more orientation time

Good Luck

[jgo86]

thanks for the tips everyone

[jgo86]

i just did my first shift as a nurse and it was really tough and thank you for the tip on bringing a notebook bc that really helped. its good to have nice caring experienced nurses willing to teach us young nurse a thing or two about nursing. thank you

[FrustratedLPN]

You'll do fine. Just remember, any new job is tough. You have the basics, but the first couple of days feels as if you're in a foreign country, the med passes seem as though they'll never end... and you may even wonder if you really did go to nursing school or was it all a dream?

How will you ever remember all those names and faces? Just take a deep breath (several during the shift), remember it's "experience". Don't rush, you'll develop your own pace and way of doing things once orientation is finished.

If nursing is your passion, you'll succeed. Even when you don't think you can walk that hall one more time, one foot in front of the other.. one step at a time.

Good Luck, have faith and confidence in yourself... you'll do well.