my first job interview experience and shocking work environment

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi guys! I just want to share my very first interview experience. After applying to almost all job posting online, plus personally delivering about 10 resumes to HR in different hospitals, nursing homes, long term care facility, rehab center. Maybe 1 out of 50, I finally got a call from a facility. Im so excited to speak with the unit manager and when she invited me to come for interview! Yey! I prepared myself for the interview. So I arrived in the facility 30 minutes early. She introduced herself to me. She was very nice. She conducted the interview in her office. I believe that it went very well. I was able to answer her questions. She even told me that she likes me and she can see herself in me. When I heard that compliment I was really happy. Then after the interview, she told me that she need to speak with the director of nursing and I will hear from them after a week. She gave me a quick tour with the facility. Then again, im very much excited to see the workplace and see the patients. I was totally shocked! We visited the floor with dementia and alzheimers patients, she orient me to the floor telling this is the floor with 52 patients "stable patient" according to her. Then she brought me to her unit the complex subacute unit another 50 plus patients in that area with patient on trach, peg, picc, vent. I was totally overwhelm! Then I asked her usually whats the ratio of nurse in here. She said "3 nurses in am, 2 in pm, 1 at night"! In my head I was like?? Omg? What?? 1 nurse to 52 patient!!! wow! Thats alot! I used to work in the hospital in Med-surg and whenever i get 15 pt per day, its really so much work so I wonder how they can give quality nursing care if you have 50 patient to take care. Im so disappointed with the facility, it was not clean at all, you can see the patient everywhere, patients in the hallway, trashcan just all over the place, she even said that some pt have infectious disease, The smell isnt really good at all!!!I tried not to breathe while we are walking in the floor. Its totally horrible! I just cant believe how can they tolerate to work in that kind of environment. I was so disappointed. When I first saw that facility I liked it very much because I saw the reception area was really nice, people are very warm but I wasnt expecting that its totally opposite what's inside the facility!

When I came home I was really sad. I asked myself if thats where I wana work with. Or is there's something wrong with me? I am being too picky or expecting too much?? But just I dont feel like thats not a safe environment to work with.

Guys, pls help me, my husband seems not to understand coz he is not in nursing field, he told me that if I get the job offer I should accept it. I even have second thoughts if I even want to go back to that facility. I know its really hard to find a job nowadays. Should I really have to take that job and take the risk in working with them? IS it worth it?

To those who are working in the long term care facility, is this really the usual kind of environment I have to expect when I work in LTCF? Its my first job interview and even If the interview went well, Im not satisfied with the workplace and the ratio of nurse patient. So Im really feel sad and frustrated. Please give me some advice.

Thank you very much.

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Well, if that is the one offer that you get and you need a job, I would suggest that you take it. Chances are not high that you will see much of a difference in other long term care facilities.

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I am sorry you had a disappointing day. I am unsure if the ratios are safe or not depending on other circumstances, such as do they employ LPNs as well as RNs? Do they employ CNAs? If so, how many on each shift?

Hugs to you.

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1:52.....that is staggeringly dangerous! That gives me anxiety and I don't even have to do it! lol

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caliotter3, thanks

beachgirl17, thanks for the hugs! I really need it. Theres no LPN and 2 NA according to her. Hopefully I'll get call from other jobs I applied to.

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I was the lone licensed nurse in a facility with 52 residents on the night shift. My problem was with CNAs who stayed away from work to get their way and who wouldn't do much work when there. That is what happens when a group wants to insure that their friends get hired. I had some hectic nights there, but as I said, my problem was the nursing assistants, not the mix of patients.

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Specializes in Sub Acute Rehab/ Oncology Med-Surg.

I do work at a LTC, we are "generally clean" with nice decor not only in main lobby but the resident's rooms. The staffing at my place is 3 nurses with 20 residents (7-3 and 3-11) (less if empty beds, obviously), with nursing supervisor and charge nurse. 11-7 is 30 residents between 2, two nurses and one supervisor. It is a heavy load, it is sub-acute and most of the resident's aren't stable, but it's nursing.

However the clean appear of a facility shows a lot on how the company cares about their residents and their staff and also makes a good impression on you. If it wasn't a good impression, then don't take the job. If it's close to being "unsanitary," call the state!!!

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I was the lone licensed nurse in a facility with 52 residents on the night shift. My problem was with CNAs who stayed away from work to get their way and who wouldn't do much work when there. That is what happens when a group wants to insure that their friends get hired. I had some hectic nights there, but as I said, my problem was the nursing assistants, not the mix of patients.

wow! You can handle 52 residents on night shift. Im really scared and I dont know If i can do it by myself. But its really a good chance to get experience. I do hope that they will give me enough time for orientation and training coz she didnt give me exactly how many days the training will be. She said it depends on the person how long it will last.

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I do work at a LTC, we are "generally clean" with nice decor not only in main lobby but the resident's rooms. The staffing at my place is 3 nurses with 20 residents (7-3 and 3-11) (less if empty beds, obviously), with nursing supervisor and charge nurse. 11-7 is 30 residents between 2, two nurses and one supervisor. It is a heavy load, it is sub-acute and most of the resident's aren't stable, but it's nursing.

However the clean appear of a facility shows a lot on how the company cares about their residents and their staff and also makes a good impression on you. If it wasn't a good impression, then don't take the job. If it's close to being "unsanitary," call the state!!!

I was really expecting that the facility will be clean as it looks outside but its totally smelly. I think I can deal with load of patients as long as I will be given time to get equipped with the facility but I cant take the untidy floor.

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i think this is unsafe especially for a new grad, if this is only offer especially in this job market, take it and keep applying elsewhere when u get another offer, run don't walk

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i think this is unsafe especially for a new grad, if this is only offer especially in this job market, take it and keep applying elsewhere when u get another offer, run don't walk

This is the way to approach it.

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Specializes in ICU.

Well, you have to ask yourself this question, Is it worth your license just for a nursing job at this place???

Can you wait a month or two while looking for another job,, are you okay with not working as a nurse right now, or do you really need the money?

I know that it is very disappointing to finally get an interview and then find out it is a terrible nursing/patient ratio. But, you need to get over that part. Just forget it.

Really, think about it. This place is hiring nurses right now because the last nurses wised up and left before they did something to lose their nursing license.

I've worked at places almost like this before. Places where management didn't give a rat's azz whether you put the patients in danger or not. As long as they had live patients to fill the bed,, and then if a patient died and it was your patient, then it was YOUR FAULT and they would blame it all on you,,, therefor making it look like you're a bad nurse,,, when you're really not! You are just put in a very bad situation by your employer.

SO, really,, think about it first. I wouldn't do it,, but you have to make up your own mind. We can't tell you what to do.

GOod luck, and let us know how it turns out.

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