3 to 5 days training enough in ltc?

mommyof2Tees · Aug 21, 2012

Bumping this cause I had an interview at a LTC facility and was told the same thing. I don't feel that 3-4 days is enough for training.

Fiona59 · Aug 21, 2012

Three day shifts, two evenings. Then by myself.

Remember, they know they are hiring a new nurse. They don't expect to have to provide all your training.

Go in with your own list. What skills do you need to brush up on? Attack every foley you can and dress every wound.

The hard part of LTC is knowing who the patient is, expecially if they have a 40 year old picture of them in the MAR

MedChica · Aug 21, 2012

Mine will be 3 days.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Aug 21, 2012

The average orientation time for a new LPN in my city is about three days.

Unfortunately, I only received one 8-hour shift worth of orientation back when I was a new LPN in 2006. I had been promised three days, but the facility could not fulfill that promise due to lack of staffing.

Although many LTC orientations are woefully short, the point is to get familiar with the facility, residents, routine, paperwork, and have a basic idea of the location of supplies.

Management at the LTC facility is not providing an orientation as an extended clinical practicum to learn skills that were not learned in school. If you need to brush up on skills, ask your coworkers to walk you through as you attempt to do something new.

kristn24 · Aug 21, 2012

Most places where I live train for a weeks or even months until you are comfortable to be on you own

CT Pixie, BSN, RN · Aug 21, 2012

My facility was one of the few that would hire graduate nurses and brand new nurses w/no experience. I was given 6 weeks of orientation. It was a Monday-Friday shift. I did two weeks on the 7a-3p shift, the third thru sixth week was on the 3p-11p shift which is what I was hired for.

The first few days of the first week I followed another nurse. The second week I was asked if i wanted to try to work the floor on my own. The other nurse was still there as my go-to should I have had any questions, concerns or issues. When I went onto the 2nd shift again the first week I followed that nurse. The next she and I split our floor. The following weeks I was on my own with her still on the floor as my go-to. Had I not felt comfortable to be working the floor with the other nurse just being there, they told me I could request that the nurse still be with me.

At the end of my 4th week of working in the facility, I was approached by the DON and ADON and asked if I felt comfortable enough to be totally on my own at the end of the orientation/training or would I like more time. I was fine and told them I would actually be ok working on my own now.

Even with 5 days a week 40 hrs a week training for 6 weeks, I was still terrified of being on the floor alone. Not due to lack of training but the anxiety/excitement of being 'it'.

If I were to go to anothe facility now, with my 4 years of experience, only getting 3 days training, I would be okay with it. However, I personally would be scared out of my mind with only 3 days training as a brand new nurse.

LindaNLPN · Aug 22, 2012

Total of 5 shifts. 2 days, 2 evenings, and 1 night orientation. It was enough. Like the previous post, I believe the hardest part of being new is recognizing all the residents. It takes time.

AZMOMO2 · Aug 22, 2012

Very standard and about as much as you can expect to get. You can always ask questions once you are on your own about anything that you are not sure on, but the standard is pushing the med cart, passing the meds, and learning who takes what when and how.

Go in with a positive attitude that you WILL get what you need in those few shifts to be successful. Don't worry if you don't "finish" on-time or as fast as everyone else in the beginning, you will get there!

My first LPN position I received 3 days, the hardest part was the paperwork anyway.

dsd00 · Aug 22, 2012

My first job as a nurse was in LTC - 3 days training, 1st day "following", 2nd day the preceptor made me do it all and by the 3rd day I was totally on my own. It was scary but I learned a lot and quickly LOL. Ask questions (please!), pay attention to the 5 right's and you'll be fine! Paperwork and prioritizing come with time, but you'll get the hang of it.

angelabLPN · Aug 23, 2012

I had 3 days and your learning NEVER ends. 3-5 days is enough to get you oriented with the cart and the beginnings of the process. They is always someone around to ask questions to. I have been employed on my first LPN job for almost a month and still have at least 1 question a night. :) OH and I had 4 nights training.

MrsLPN83 · Sep 1, 2012

I was just hired at a long term facility and will get 3 weeks on first and 1 week on second.