Discouraged after first day training on new job :(

Specialties Geriatric

Published

I've had an extremely hard time finding a job as a new grad LPN. I sent out applications and resumes to all of the nursing homes, hospitals, group homes, doctor's offices, homecare agencies and staffing companies in my area, despite that most of them said that a year of working experience was required.

I was so grateful to finally be called for an interview, especially because this long-term care facility was one I had had experience in during my clinical training and it was one that I had favored. During orientation, I was told that I would be given three training shifts, and then be put on the floor on our own. The DON said five days of training was ideal but cannot always be fit into the budget. Then I had my first day of training on the floor. I followed an LPN around all day and assisted with the med-pass. There were about 40 patients on the floor, with 1 LPN passing meds and 1 LPN charge nurse working at the desk.

I was pretty overwhelmed when I realized that my entire shift basically consisted of passing meds. They don't tell you that in school....... we learned care plans and nursing diagnoses and a whole lot of things that it doesn't seem like I'll be using much.

The nurse who was training me advised me to speak to the DON if I felt like I needed some more time training. However, when I went to speak to the DON, I found out that she had actually cut a day of my training and scheduled me on the floor on my own after just two days of orientation. I told her that I had come to talk to her about possibly getting an extra training shift after my three days of training, and that I really didn't feel like I was ready to go on my own. I mean I received training in school but I am still a brand new nurse!

She asked how I would feel if she moved me to a slower unit that day (which was originally supposed to be my third training day), with only 30 patients as opposed to 40, and with a charge nurse on during most of my shift if I needed help. I really didn't know what to say but I got really upset by the fact that they seem to want to just throw me out on the floor by myself when I'm still brand new, and didn't even receive the full amount of training I was promised. I agreed to meet with her again after my next training shift and see if I felt any more comfortable. She said she wanted me to feel comfortable, and that if after my next day of training I still didn't feel confident about going on my own, she would try to get someone to come in and train me, but it seemed like she wasn't sure if that would even be possible. I guess that they are really just under-staffed and she was very nice about everything, but I couldn't help but feel like I am being pressured to jump into something I don't think I'm ready for. I know that if I mess up, it's my ass on the line.

I just needed to vent a little and I'm hoping to hear from some of you with experience if or not this is common or if I should just take off running. The thing is I really like this nursing home and the staff and I've wanted to work here for quite some time now, but now I am just unsure about everything and I'm hoping theres some reasoning behind this :(

Very good question.How do you give meds,check breath sounds,pulses etc... I see no nurse who have the time to do that,because they have to give meds before the pt. leave their room.The cna will not let you know that the pt. is gone😒

If they are understaffed then odds are they will end up wanting to float you from hall to hall. If I were you I would request two days of training on each hall, then inform them of the hall you feel most comfortable on and tell them you want one more say of training on that hall. That's what I did and I found it very helpful to learn how the entire building functions as a unit. Each nurse does things differently and it was helping seeing how each nurse did each thing differently. I also ended up training on a different shift one time since there wasn't anyone to train me on my primary shift. This was helpful too, and also gave me the comfort of knowing I wouldn't freak out if I had to work a double on a shift that is not my regular shift.

If you don't like passing medications then see if you can switch to 3rd shift. Most medications are scheduled during the day, so night time med passes are much smaller. Usually a few pills passed right before bed (ambien, anti anxiety, etc..), and then in the morning you may have thyroid pills and protonix (anything consumed on an empty stomach), plus prn pain meds or duonebs through the night. This leaves more time to go through patient charts and get to know your patient and learn about their disease processes. Once you become comfortable with knowing your patients, becoming more oriented to the unit, etc.. you can switch to a different shift with a heavier medication load.

Btw, I too just started my first job at a LTC facility. They told me 3 to 5 days orientation but I told them I definitely wanted 5 and would let them know if I was ready then. I spent all of 4 days taking extreme notes, asking a million questions, training with 4 different people. Tonight is my first shift on my own, and while I am SUPER nervous, I do feel prepared. I trained on 2nd shift and hated it. Third seems to much better for someone new at LTC.

Specializes in Dialysis.
If they are understaffed then odds are they will end up wanting to float you from hall to hall. If I were you I would request two days of training on each hall, then inform them of the hall you feel most comfortable on and tell them you want one more say of training on that hall. That's what I did and I found it very helpful to learn how the entire building functions as a unit. Each nurse does things differently and it was helping seeing how each nurse did each thing differently. I also ended up training on a different shift one time since there wasn't anyone to train me on my primary shift. This was helpful too, and also gave me the comfort of knowing I wouldn't freak out if I had to work a double on a shift that is not my regular shift.

If you don't like passing medications then see if you can switch to 3rd shift. Most medications are scheduled during the day, so night time med passes are much smaller. Usually a few pills passed right before bed (ambien, anti anxiety, etc..), and then in the morning you may have thyroid pills and protonix (anything consumed on an empty stomach), plus prn pain meds or duonebs through the night. This leaves more time to go through patient charts and get to know your patient and learn about their disease processes. Once you become comfortable with knowing your patients, becoming more oriented to the unit, etc.. you can switch to a different shift with a heavier medication load.

Not necessarily on am pill pass. I work prn at a facility where they have scheduled multiple residents to have all morning meds at end of 3rd shift. Makes for a full med pass. And too many things given together that shouldn't be. And some like levothyroxine and omeprazole that should not have 10 others given with them, crammed together so that day shift nurses don't have it so rough. DON states that how it is to be. I quit trying to change things back as they always reverse my changes and I'm only prn. Medical director even told me to not lose sleep over it.

Not necessarily on am pill pass. I work prn at a facility where they have scheduled multiple residents to have all morning meds at end of 3rd shift. Makes for a full med pass. And too many things given together that shouldn't be. And some like levothyroxine and omeprazole that should not have 10 others given with them, crammed together so that day shift nurses don't have it so rough. DON states that how it is to be. I quit trying to change things back as they always reverse my changes and I'm only prn. Medical director even told me to not lose sleep over it.

Oh wow! that's, odd.. I could see if the shift ended at 7 or 8, but not at 6. You'd think they would just have you guys take on other things such as finger sticks or medicating the early risers only.

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