Overwhelmed! Help!

Specialties Geriatric

Published

Hi all, I just posted last week about being excited to have my first job, and am now posting about how overwhelmed I am at this new job. Lol.

I just took my NCLEX August 1st, and I took a full time overnights position at a LTC facility last Monday, and started on Tuesday. I've been orienting on day shift this week and I am beyond overwhelmed. I realize just how many meds I don't know yet, how many skills I didn't get to practice in clinicals (that I sure made up for this week!), and how I took for granted the job my nurses did when I was an aid!

I will be the single LPN over 40 residents, 6 of them who require breathing treatments, 2 pegs, 1 trach, 19 accu checks due in the morning, not to mention the other things we have to do as the nurse at night like change out the O2 tubing and masks, and the 8pm and 12am med pass and night time treatments. Also, as you know, most of the UAs are done at this time and as a brand new nurse I came home from my 3rd 12 hr shift in a row wore out and tired and I had been with another nurse all 3 days! I cried to my boyfriend about how it was so much and all he could say is "at least you only work 3 days a week. Could be 5 day like me". I could've slapped him!!!

Anyways... If you could give advice on how to adjust to all this madness I would appreciate it.. I know I'm just a baby nurse and this is just how things are going to be for awhile... But that's doesn't make it any easier.

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Specializes in ER, Med/Surg.

It will be awful for a while. But then you'll find your groove and things will be easier. But that shift is always hard.

LTC nursing is always hard. Never enough help and always too much to do.

Good luck.

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

Welcome to the wide, wild world of LTC! Yes, it sounds like a typical workload for a nursing facility, and yes, you will find a rhythm. But it takes time to get used to it, and you're in for a rough first few months. Try not to let it overwhelm you; the panicky feeling does subside and one day you'll realize that you know more than you give yourself credit for. :yes:

Are you still on orientation? I know LTCs tend to throw new nurses to the wolves after only a few days to a couple of weeks, but you can always ask for more time. You may not get it, but it's always worth asking about. You are a newly-minted nurse who deserves a thorough orientation, and if it's a good facility they won't leave you to sink or swim too soon. You'll also want to explore this forum in detail for tips on being a long-term care nurse, as well as the LPN/LVN forum for general information on being a new practical nurse.

Wishing you all the best, and Welcome!

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1st I think you just need a hug and some support. It sounds to me that if you had a little bit of organization maybe everything would not feel so overwelming for you.

Could you ask the other nurses how they organize their evenings. Maybe they have some tips that would really help you start to organize all that is overwelming you.

MAybe I would start to make yourself some notes on things that you feel might be helpful to you throughout the evening that you could have in your pocket so that you do not have to feel like you have to memorize everything. Think about the events and things you need to do to complete your shift for the evening. Try to think of a routeen in how you feel your evening should go. I know there will always be things that maybe will set you back and get in the way of that perfect plan, and all the sudden it is shoot for that evening. But if you have a system in place for yourself it might make you feel alittle more comfortable in your new roll.

Hope that helps, if anything know there are people on your side hoping to see you suceed and happy in your new career.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, maternal/child/newborn.

You may have calmed down by now but don't freak out. When I started as an LVN my nurse that was truing me left at lunch on my first day!!! I was thrown on the SKILLED hall and I was only a GVN!!! Don't worry about the meds you will learn them a little at a time and don't be ashamed to ask another nurse or look them up. Organize yourself and you will be fine, see if your breathing tx can be set for the same time so you just have to go down the hall and set them all up, the 2 pegs and trach will take most of your time but you will find your own routine soon. Good luck and I hope some one did hug you!! LOL

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

Create a "brain sheet" and list your AccuChecks, Resp. tx; and priority tx's that are needed-including UAs, etc.

As others have posted, LTC is an "interesting" specialty and it takes time to get a rhythm and time management in tact.

Organize, cluster care and watch the clock to ensure time management; lather rinse repeat.

You got this!

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