Did I make the wrong decision

cecile9155, BSN, RN · Mar 21, 2016

Yikes. I'm a brand new RN (since January) and I can't imagine that I would feel comfortable in that position in a year. Our ADON actually has very little floor experience and that has been a point of contention among other nurses where I work. Do you know how they've done on past surveys?

CapeCodMermaid, RN · Mar 21, 2016

First off....take a breath. You won't be perfect...no one is. But as long as you do the best you can and care about the residents, you'll be fine.

Wounds....it's all about documentation and care plans. Make sure there is a Norton Plus or Braden done at least quarterly and if the resident is at high risk for skin break down, care plan your interventions whatever they are. Our staff nurses do a weekly wound measurement form and we have a wound doc come in weekly to look at the pressure ulcers AND we keep a wound log. Personally I think it's overkill but I'm only an interim. Get the docs involved. If someone is a diabetic and has wounds or is on hospice and going to die soon, the PCP can make a note that the wounds are unavoidable. Hate to say it but sometimes you have to learn to play the game and tell the docs what to document.

We were all new once...although for some of us, it's been a really really long time since we were new.

ShaneTeam · Mar 22, 2016

First off....take a breath. You won't be perfect...no one is. But as long as you do the best you can and care about the residents, you'll be fine.
Wounds....it's all about documentation and care plans. Make sure there is a Norton Plus or Braden done at least quarterly and if the resident is at high risk for skin break down, care plan your interventions whatever they are. Our staff nurses do a weekly wound measurement form and we have a wound doc come in weekly to look at the pressure ulcers AND we keep a wound log. Personally I think it's overkill but I'm only an interim. Get the docs involved. If someone is a diabetic and has wounds or is on hospice and going to die soon, the PCP can make a note that the wounds are unavoidable. Hate to say it but sometimes you have to learn to play the game and tell the docs what to document.
We were all new once...although for some of us, it's been a really really long time since we were new.

Lol, ain't that the truth :) And for my 2 cents, take a deep breath, re-read what Cape wrote, and understand that the surveyors will not hold you responsible for any deficiencies. You haven't been there long enough. It will be overwhelming at first, but so is any other specialty when you first start.

sroseo · Mar 24, 2016

Ok, today was my first day on my own. It went pretty good. They've been without an ADON or steady DON for so long though that it is going to take some time to get caught up. I have about 300 pages to read between the f329 and the orientation handbook and have not even started on that because I am trying to get ahead in my BSN classes.

Thank you for being encouraging. cecile9155, they wanted me to take the DON almost a year ago when I was a brand new nurse and when I kept saying no they wanted me to take this position. I thought no way back then too. I still don't feel like I am ready for it, but I also know that I am going to learn so much more this way.

I am still scared to death and don't know if i can do it, but for now I am going to try and if I dont like it I can always step down.

Oh! and we are getting a full time DON next week!! I'm pretty excited about that.

ShaneTeam · Apr 11, 2016

Sroseo,

How have you been doing?