Any tips for new nurses in LTC?

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Please help

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Welcome to allnurses.com, Gator.

I moved your post to the proper Forum; however, what kind of help do you need?

Suebird :p

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Any tips for new nurses in LTC? Please help

As Suebird pointed out, it is rather difficult to know what kind of help you are looking for. And by the term LTC, is it an Assisted Living, Extended Care, the old-fashioned nursing home, Alzheimer's unit, or perhaps with developentally disabled clients, etc.

Please don't flame me, :sofahider as this is simply my very humble opinion, and I do realize there are many (bless their hearts) nurses who truly love LTC. But, my best tip would be to spend a week shadowing another nurse - even if you had to volunteer to work in the facility - to get an idea of just how chaotic, totally nuts and fragmented care can be for nurses there.:chair:

Naturally it depends on the facility, the management, your position there, and overall how really supportive are the other staff towards each other. How well they work together.:eek:

When you are passing meds, doing complex treatments - often on outrageous amounts of folks, dealing with doctor's calls and faxes, trying to chart, trying to find and motivate certain staff members who don't give a hoot, attempting to give tours to family members, find wanderers, while tracking down the beeping I.V. - not to mention having to track down that most unpleasant odor, having to run marathons to make it to the phone before it stops ringing (we never had ward clerks) , filling out yet another incident report, signing the scores of papers only the nurse can sign, doing CBG's, tube feedings, helping to feed those that can't do it for themselves, nebulizer treatments, arranging for labs, x-rays and other procedures, spending time trying to find your patient to give meds to, cause none of the residents wear name tags, and half can't tell you their name. OY! Shall I go on?? And depending on what type facility you're dealing with foley or suprapubic catheters clogging, I.V's needing to be restarted, impactions, ostomies, and the inevitable fall, usually just before you are getting ready to go home for the night. Oh, and leaving the best for last - those loony family members that no amount to placating can calm down - the ones who insist on standing in the middle of the hallway, pointing fingers and accusing staff of taken Mom's penny collection or such. You know, the one mom hid under her bed.LOL

Although not usually as physically demanding as CNA's duties, nurses still put in backbreaking, overwhelming, chaotic shifts, which are the rule rather than the exception. I've sat and cried in pure frustration because no matter how late I stayed it was never enough. And Admin probably would have had us working 24 hours staight if they could have found a way around the law.

As you can see, my negative response to your question about 'any tips for new nurses in LTC' would be to run for the hills, particularly if you are a staff nurse or RCM (no glory, and all the blame). But luckily, we are all different with different areas that appeal to us, so......

Good luck! Maybe you'll be one of those nurses who loves LTC. They are really :saint: .

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As Suebird pointed out, it is rather difficult to know what kind of help you are looking for. And by the term LTC, is it an Assisted Living, Extended Care, the old-fashioned nursing home, Alzheimer's unit, or perhaps with developentally disabled clients, etc.

Please don't flame me, :sofahider as this is simply my very humble opinion, and I do realize there are many (bless their hearts) nurses who truly love LTC. But, my best tip would be to spend a week shadowing another nurse - even if you had to volunteer to work in the facility - to get an idea of just how chaotic, totally nuts and fragmented care can be for nurses there.:chair:

Naturally it depends on the facility, the management, your position there, and overall how really supportive are the other staff towards each other. How well they work together.:eek:

When you are passing meds, doing complex treatments - often on outrageous amounts of folks, dealing with doctor's calls and faxes, trying to chart, trying to find and motivate certain staff members who don't give a hoot, attempting to give tours to family members, find wanderers, while tracking down the beeping I.V. - not to mention having to track down that most unpleasant odor, having to run marathons to make it to the phone before it stops ringing (we never had ward clerks) , filling out yet another incident report, signing the scores of papers only the nurse can sign, doing CBG's, tube feedings, helping to feed those that can't do it for themselves, nebulizer treatments, arranging for labs, x-rays and other procedures, spending time trying to find your patient to give meds to, cause none of the residents wear name tags, and half can't tell you their name. OY! Shall I go on?? And depending on what type facility you're dealing with foley or suprapubic catheters clogging, I.V's needing to be restarted, impactions, ostomies, and the inevitable fall, usually just before you are getting ready to go home for the night. Oh, and leaving the best for last - those loony family members that no amount to placating can calm down - the ones who insist on standing in the middle of the hallway, pointing fingers and accusing staff of taken Mom's penny collection or such. You know, the one mom hid under her bed.LOL

Although not usually as physically demanding as CNA's duties, nurses still put in backbreaking, overwhelming, chaotic shifts, which are the rule rather than the exception. I've sat and cried in pure frustration because no matter how late I stayed it was never enough. And Admin probably would have had us working 24 hours staight if they could have found a way around the law.

As you can see, my negative response to your question about 'any tips for new nurses in LTC' would be to run for the hills, particularly if you are a staff nurse or RCM (no glory, and all the blame). But luckily, we are all different with different areas that appeal to us, so......

Good luck! Maybe you'll be one of those nurses who loves LTC. They are really :saint: .

Well Said! I have to get a dictionary...lol

Done it all! LTC nurses don't get the credit they deserve.

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There is tons of info/ advice on this forum. My biggest advice would be to take some time and read thru some of them!

Show up on time or early and get your self ready for the shift. A few minutes helps tremendously. Stay organized, but realize that the best schedule sometimes goes out the window. Prioritize! Be kind and respectfull to the CNAs and other staff and recognize that everyone plays an important part in the residents care (you'd be surprised what you can learn from the housekeepers and laundry staff about the residents).

Above all.....have a sense of humor and remember it is okay to have feelings!

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I have visited this site for the last couple of years during LPN school. It has been a great help. I graduated in December and started at a LTC that was my first choice one week after passing NCLEX. I got the shift and wage I wanted. I oriented for ten shifts but even that was not enough. Weetziebat's post sounded like a twelve hour shift on my unit. I used to wonder why the other nurses did not not want to work on my station. I know now. But even after a day of chasing down my Alzheimer's patients who are trying to go home (the way home last left her with two black eyes) Patients wandering into other's rooms, hunting down my brittle diabetic(who is in her roommates Peeps) I LOVE my station. The hellos in the mornings and waves and hugs when I go home. The thanks from the family who know that they are being difficult but that is their Mom. And the I love you from the patient no one else will deal with(she reminds me of one of my great great aunts) makes going to the mad house worth it. As the other posters said try to be organized, recognize that something is bound to happen that will throw your organization out the window. Treat all staff CNA, housekeeping, laundry with the respect they deserve they will be infinite help in learning about you patients and placating family. And just enjoy your shift. Rember you are there to help and comfort them.

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Specializes in A myriad of specialties.

I think that Weetziebat said it best! However, I would add one more:don't forget the one or two new admissions to deal with too! I spent a lot of years working LTC and like Weetziebat said, often sat and cried in frustration because with all that needed done, it was still NEVER enough because there was just NOT enough time(forget having a lunch or true break). The DON would ask why I was late again clocking out but would seldom lift a hand to DO the admission, or DO a few txs to help out. I wasn't alone; I seldom saw a nurse leave work on time. Those residents deserve so much more than they get but you're literally running to do all the "tasks", there never seemed the time to sit for 10-20 mins and really talk to the pts! Yes! shadow another nurse if allowed. TRY to be organized; TRY to prioritize but realize that often your best intentions (i.e. best attempt at prioritizing) will fly out the window! I truly DON'T mean to sound "all gloom and doom" but LTC(nursing home) is extremely challenging. You'll never know, though, unless you try it so good luck!

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Specializes in Nursing assistant.
Please help

Run for your life and don't look back!

Sorry, just kidding sort of, I am a NA, so I dont really know.

But as an aide it is like a Tale of Two Cities...it was the best of times, it was the worst of times.

The fact is, if you fall in love with geriatrics, you just can't help yourself. I love geriatrics, I am not working LTC right now, and I MISS it, but, if I were working LTC right now, I would probably be a blubbering idiot by now.

Wait a minute...

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Specializes in Nursing assistant.
I think that Weetziebat said it best! However, I would add one more:don't forget the one or two new admissions to deal with too! I spent a lot of years working LTC and like Weetziebat said, often sat and cried in frustration because with all that needed done, it was still NEVER enough because there was just NOT enough time(forget having a lunch or true break). The DON would ask why I was late again clocking out but would seldom lift a hand to DO the admission, or DO a few txs to help out. I wasn't alone; I seldom saw a nurse leave work on time. Those residents deserve so much more than they get but you're literally running to do all the "tasks", there never seemed the time to sit for 10-20 mins and really talk to the pts! Yes! shadow another nurse if allowed. TRY to be organized; TRY to prioritize but realize that often your best intentions (i.e. best attempt at prioritizing) will fly out the window! I truly DON'T mean to sound "all gloom and doom" but LTC(nursing home) is extremely challenging. You'll never know, though, unless you try it so good luck!

Wow, got to say, with all nurses do in LTC, I am so impressed with the ones that really care like you. SALUTE!

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I enjoy LTC. Now anyways. I worked at a place that was a nightmare, but the facility I'm at now I really like. I think a lot of it depends on administration and the other nurses. Sometimes it's very frustrating, especially when you have to call families and doctors in the middle of the night, but for the most part, it's very rewarding and you get attached.

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Congratulations GatorLPN...in my opinion you will be involved in one of the most satisfying areas of nursing. You will put in long, very challenging hours. You will be rewarded a hundred times over, everytime you go home at the end of your shift (or later) and know that someones life was made better today because you were there!

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Specializes in Nursing assistant.
Congratulations GatorLPN...in my opinion you will be involved in one of the most satisfying areas of nursing. You will put in long, very challenging hours. You will be rewarded a hundred times over, everytime you go home at the end of your shift (or later) and know that someones life was made better today because you were there!

The patients are never the issue with LTC. They are the most engaging, and usually want to get to know you: you become their family. It really grabs you....

Now, management......it is so often the bottom line, not the residents. So sad.

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