How long was you orientation traing when you started in LTC?

[Mrsearly2009]

Well I have been working the last few days at my new job in LTC. It is a bit overwhelming and I have been shadowing 3 different nurses over the last 6 days. Here is my issue, next weekend they want me to start working on the cart alone (keep in mind the fact that I have not been able to do any hands on training with the nurses that I am shadowing) doing charting, treatments, admissions, discharges etc but without help. I have expressed my concern about not feeling ready to go out on my own just yet because I have not had sufficient training in my opinion. Just out of curiosity, how long was your training when you started in LTC? The workload does not bother me, I just want to make sure that I am trained correctly so that I can do my job safely.

Thanks for any an all advice and tips on how to get through this.

[laderalis]

About 3 weeks. 4 on days. And 4 on nights Nd the rest on the shift I was hired for, afternoons. All with different nurses, but mostly the same residents.

[HHLinda]

Three weeks. One week for each shift. Same nurse on each shift. Learning lots. Thank goodness I work the rehab side.

[Vinniesguy]

Wow! I didn't get any at all - I went by the pictures in the charts and tried to give out as many before breakfast as possible as they were still in their rooms!

[MountainRN53]

One week (5 days) but I worked with one nurse who really helped me learn the computer documentation. The program wasnt difficult but there were so many things to remember. And God forbid an incident...on 3-11 this threw a wrench in my whole evening. I worked with another nurse who told me to give all the meds and she would stay at the nurses station and do orders and answer phones...I needed to learn those things also. And when I would try and document I didn't know the patients well and I would always stand corrected.

[AngelRN27]

I am a new grad RN and just got hired at a Skilled Nursing Facility/Nursing Home. This evening will be my first evening shift (3-11) but my 7th day on the job. I am still shadowing and have 8 more days of orientation. I think that will be enough. My last two shifts I did most of the med pass on my own, although I was SO SLOW compared to the nurses that have been here for a while. 2 days is NOT ENOUGH!

[alyiana]

I'm a brand new RN. I only have had 3 days of orientation and the next time I will be on my own.

[Anne36, LPN]

Ive had about 20 days of orientation so far. I am still orienting on Friday and after that need to decide if I need more time. I can handle med pass and get treatments done but barely. I think I will be charting on my own time when I first start. I am mainly worried about paper work I dont know how to do and handling an emergency on my own. My orientation is mostly patient care like med pass so I dont ever have time to investigate the charts or get behind the nursing station to know where everything is at. I was just telling my preceptor today that there is not enough time to really give Nursing care when I have 25 residents and have no idea what is in their chart. In less than 8 hours we need to do 2 med passess , treatments and charting, and report off , and everything in between. When I figure it out, if I take a 30 dinner break or 2 15 min breaks, make sure Im ready for report at 10:30, then I have 7 hours to do my job. What a joke.

[litlgrn]

6 weeks!

[Fngrpntsnotasin]

4 12 hour shifts. That is one on each hall then on my own.

[Tinkerbell04]

I think I have found a wonderful LTC facility. I resigned at a previous facility earlier this month. The previous facility gave me three days of orientation. The current facility is giving me three to four days on mornings, three on evenings, and three on nights! They are also sending me to an IV class. I feel blessed right now, especially with all the horror stories that I have heard about LTC.