Discouraged with Orientation

newrnltc · Feb 8, 2013

It's sad when nurses are not supportive of each other. No matter what, you should be oriented to the floor. Sounds like she was being lazy. One thing that really helped me save time on a new floor was asking the staff how the residents take their meds: PO, crushed in food, Gt etc that will help you save time. Who stays in their room? Who goes to pt/ot early? Once you learn the residents it will be alot better. You can really plan out your day once you get into the groove. Don't pick up bad habits though. Good luck!

I graduated, passed NCLEX, and landed a job in a LTC/SNF. I was so excited - and even though the first day was ROUGH... 30:1 patient ratio with 3 aides who were MIA most of the time... I was feeling okay. I had the same preceptor on that hall for 3 days and that was great.
However, now I'm orienting on a different hall and my "preceptor" sat on her butt at the nurses' station and let me pass her meds. She didn't orient me to the hall, didn't tell me that I needed to be doing focused assessments on the patients (I was just told to do meds! I obviously did assessments that went along with the meds - like vitals with meds that needed them and evaluating sedation and so forth) and then when I asked for help getting all the meds out because the end of my scheduled shift was coming, I was told to never expect to get out on time and it's "just a nursing thing." I told her that I was NOT informed of this - the shift was supposed to be a med assist shift, only 6 hours - and I'm a single mom with a 3 year old in daycare until 10:30 at night and I really can't stay any longer.
Is this normal? How do people do this? Especially single parents?! My family has all said they are only willing to be used as backup childcare and I just feel soooo guilty working 14 hour days (this is from last week when I was working "12s") and having my baby at daycare all that time. And being told that never getting out on time is just a nurse thing?! So I'm doomed to working 13 14 15 hour days?!
I'm so discouraged. I'm going to bring the issue directly to management. I don't feel safe when I don't know the procedures of the area I'm working in. I worked too hard for my license to lose it.
Sorry, I'm mainly just venting. But any words of encouragement or advice?

newrnltc · Feb 8, 2013

Also, sometimes in places of high staff turnover they take some time to warm up to u. thats what my aides told me after they got to know me. if you are the new rn they like to sniff you out first. maybe they have been burned in the past. the work that they do is very important. if you help them out they will help you out (in most cases). when i worked in ltc some nurses will tell me "oh that aide is terrible, she slacks off etc" but i would have to see for myself. most of the time they are good people. if u really need help ask and don't shift blame. people wil remember if you threw them under the bus. ltc is tough and the ratios are high. you will do much better if you can get a good team spirit going! :)

RoxieRN0511 · Feb 8, 2013

I totally agree. The aides are priceless and super important and I do everything I can to help them. I just can't believe the way the NURSES are "orienting" me. I'm going back tonight and I am not going to take that crap. There's a person who has already been oriented and is scheduled for that shift - their job is to show me what goes on during that shift! Not sit behind the nurses station doing who knows what while I do all their med passes and running around. I know how to pass meds. I can read. I need to know about the assessments and what I'm expected to do on that shift! BESIDES meds! Lol

BrendaH84, BSN · Feb 8, 2013

what a nightmare, yep that's how i was oriented too, i'll give you one better, not only did she not help me-she told the tech not to help me either-then the tech ran and told me she said that cuz the tech felt really bad about ignoring me.

i later asked my preceptor about it and she said she wanted me to see ALL there was to do so that i'd learn to manage my time.

i said, but i'll always have a tech so why make it harder on me when i am already slow cuz i'm new?

she had no answer for me. i think the answer was she was a jerk. of course she acted like a Saint when the D.O.N. was around, so saying anthing was just a waste of time.

i've heard this crud before from others too, i just don't get it. you'd get fired in an office job for behaving this way.

also when the techs see this it's puts everyone on edge AND discourages THEM from ever wanting to be a nurse.

elprup, BSN, RN · Feb 8, 2013

sadly this is all to common in nursing. Until we all stand together, it will take forever to get anywhere.

ak2190 · Feb 10, 2013

You know what, do as much as possible and learn how to manage your time. However if they want you to do every single thing possible so they don't have to do anything, that's where I'd draw the line. There's a reason there's a next shift. I'd do my best and then get my behind out of there. You'll rarely catch me hanging around 2 hours after my shift unless it's been a horrific shift. I do as much as I can and then LEAVE. I see some nurses do this daily. It's ridiculous. Sorry, I have more important things in my life than that. I don't why nurses have this tendency to be martyrs.

HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD · Feb 14, 2013

I can't imagine any employer being so lax about all that overtime... and it is illegal to work after your shift without being paid for it. Agree with PPs - your obligation ends when your shift does unless there is a compelling reason for you to stay and finish up work that ONLY YOU can do. Otherwise, it should be handed off to the oncoming shift. If your supervisor wants you to work OT, they need to arrange this with you ahead of time so it does not interfere with your family obligations.