Feeling overwhelmed as a new LPN

[okikatt]

I'm the charge nurse 3-11 in a new LTC/skilled/rehab facility. Since we are newly opened we only have 16 residents right now and I am the only nurse there with two aides. The problem is I feel overwhelmed at times. Our admin. has started taking in late admissions and they usually end up arriving around 7pm which takes me about 45 min to an hour to assess and give them any meds (if they have any or get them ordered so they are there by 7am) which takes my time away from my 8 o'clock med pass (we don't have a med aide and won't get one until the facility has a certain amount of patients) and makes my FSBS checks and treatments really late. Plus the amount of time it takes for treatments and med pass can also make me run late since we have so many that have multiple treatments. I also answer call lights when the aides are busy. At times I am just finishing up between 10 and 10:30 and then try to hurry up and do my notes and order any meds we might need for the next day to get done by 11. It's now like I waste time or goof off. Usually the only time I sit down is for about 10 minutes to grab a bite to eat while going over my books for what needs done at 8:00. I'm a new nurse and I love my job but I just wondered if everyone felt this way when they started working as an LPN.

[tbehlow, LPN]

Absolutely !!!! My friend you are not alone.. Working in a LTC facility is very hard, you either have the knack or you don't.. Speaking for myself I only lasted 4 months.. I'm not ashamed to say it wasn't for me..

[SquishyRN, BSN, RN]

Oh absolutely. You'll get faster and more efficient as time goes on. I cried at the end of my first day. And I didn't start losing the feeling of dread of coming into work until at least 6 months.

[okikatt]

Thank you both for the encouragement that I'm not the only one that has felt this way. I've only been working about a month and there are times I feel like I didn't learn a thing in school. Some days it's not so bad then there are days that I just want to scream, cry, pull my hair out or all of the above.