Feeling a little overwhelmed....

Nurses LPN/LVN

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Specializes in Medical-Surgical, Supervisory, HEDIS, IT.

OK...so I got my LPN Oct 30 and got a job in a someone high acuity LTC facility - started last week. My RN school has an LPN option if we want to take it the NCLEX-PN. I am the only one in my class that did. I will be done in April and be an RN then :D

LTC - MANY MANY patients on vents, most have PEGs. We have dedicated RTs and CNAs (they are just freaking awesome and I appreciate them so much - I also have never EVER had a patient on tube feedings in my clinicals, I have only practiced Peg stuff in nursing lab, so I had to relearn that).

I am going on my 5th night of training tonight (two 12's last week and 3 this week) and I have NEVER done anything like this before. I was a pharmacy tech for 10 years and a former pharm tech instructor. I could go into ANY pharmacy and have next-to-no training at all and just pick-up on everything quickly. NURSING however is an entirely different realm of practice and I have having a bit of trouble organizing and prioritizing everything. I am pretty happy with myself that I did about 90-95% of all the med passes last night (oh yeah, I am a night-shifter) and the guy that trained me said I was doing VERY WELL, that I pick-up fast. He's trained other people that took a long time to pass like 50% of the meds. (We have 21 patients on our hall I think). I personally do not know if that is a lot of not cause again, never did this. I do not have a basis of comparison. It did take me a while to do the first med pass at 2000. But I felt like I didn't get a lot accomplished because I only had time to do 2 dressing changes for some stage IVs.

I am still learning the ropes and really hope this gets better. I really want to excel at this, it is my first ever nursing job and I don't want to EF it up and have that follow me. I guess I just need to let things happen and hope for the best. This past night was at least better than the previous...

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I have a semi-high acuity floor (LTC but our residents are no longer the normal geri pts). I have 32 patients on my floor. That's about the norm for the LTC in my area. 21 sounds nice.

I started my LPN job days after graduation. It feels like you'll never get the hang of it and/or get faster but I promise, given some time you will. You'll learn your residents routines, meds, issues etc and will be more able to manage your time.

:)

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Specializes in Medical-Surgical, Supervisory, HEDIS, IT.
I have a semi-high acuity floor (LTC but our residents are no longer the normal geri pts). I have 32 patients on my floor. That's about the norm for the LTC in my area. 21 sounds nice.

I started my LPN job days after graduation. It feels like you'll never get the hang of it and/or get faster but I promise, given some time you will. You'll learn your residents routines, meds, issues etc and will be more able to manage your time.

:)

Thanks CT Pixie :)

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Specializes in Utilization Review / Geriatrics.

Sounds like you are doing just fine to me. :)

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