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I have been working at my current LTC facility as an RN for 6 months. I was just moved to the 11-7 shift approx. 3 weeks ago. The nurse-patient ratio you mentioned in the OP seems standard for this shift.

Night shift "responsibilities" are pretty much as mentioned above. A few meds at 12am (usually just a couple of nebulizer treatments) and then a relatively small med pass at 6am (mostly Omeprazole and Synthroid). In between you have miscellaneous paper work as well as chart checks which require a meticulous eye and a good knowledge of your facility's protocols/procedures, which will come with time and practice. Other miscellaneous tasks include hanging new piston syringes for feeders, changing feeds as necessary, cleaning/organizing/re-stocking med carts, possibly making the morning shift's assignment (depending on your facility), checking resident appts for the following day, refilling any low meds or narcs, etc.

You'll be fine, good luck!

Hello BendyEm,

I assume by "site" the NG, you are referring to insertion? (that's not really a term we use in the US) Personally, I have been working ICU/Step-down for 3 years and have never even heard of an MD inserting an NGT, that's like having an MD get a peripheral line for you! LOL. Anyhow, here RN's insert the NG with a medical order, verify on the spot via the classic method (air bolus and auscultation of the stomach) and then order CXR by protocol to positively verify placement. Tube feeding/med administration can begin after CXR confirms placement, if need be. My hospital does not require any in-house education for insertion of NG tubes. Usually, the newbies will ask for support anyway, but we do not need any sort of approval by our educator to insert as our nursing license covers this. Good luck!

^^^ This. The gut is not sterile, so I'm not sure how effective using sterile water for NG/OG tubes would be. Did those of you who use this method at your hospitals have some sort of evidence-based back up for this practice? It's uncommon for hospitals to install policies without some sort of foundation outside of either research, practice norms, or some sort of association recommendation (such as the CDC, for example).

My facility does not require us to contact the MD about refused meds until it has occured for the same med x3 as another poster mentioned. If this was the protocol at my facility, I would be calling the doc at least once a day! One incident of refusing meds shouldn't be reason to call a doc (depending on the med, of course). Also, not every "refusal" is legitimate. You have to know your residents... some residents are just confused or need to feel some sense of control in order to reduce anxiety. There are several residents at my facility that will always refuse meds if given at a certain time (i.e. before dinner) but will gladly take them if offered again right after their meal... it all depends...

At my facility we are allowed to give meds in the dining room is they are PO. Nothing invasive can done though, so no sub-q's, IM's, finger sticks, or even BP's allowed.

I do all my diabetics first and rarely miss any of them before they are moved to the dining room. If they are, I wheel them back to their room after already having their meds ready, do anything I have to do such as a finger stick or BP, then give meds and return to dining room... I haven't really had any issues thus far...

My facility does not require us to contact the MD about refused meds until it has occured for the same med x3 as another poster mentioned. If this was the protocol at my facility, I would be calling the doc at least once a day! One incident of refusing meds shouldn't be reason to call a doc (depending on the med, of course). Also, not every "refusal" is legitimate. You have to know your residents... some residents are just confused or need to feel some sense of control in order to reduce anxiety. There are several residents at my facility that will always refuse meds if given at a certain time (i.e. before dinner) but will gladly take them if offered again right after their meal... it all depends...

In response to PHAINT:

Not to sound condescending, but are you sure everyone understood your co-worker's sister correctly? I graduated with my RN, ASN July 2012 and 4 or 5 of my classmates got hired at Jackson for $24 plus differentials... I have never heard of a nursing job in S Florida (I live in Miami) pay less than $22. The CNAs around here make about $13-$15... There has to be a miscommunication somewhere; perhaps she didn't take an RN position, but something like a PCT or ER Tech?