First job ROUTINES!!!

Bobylon · Jun 8, 2009

60 patients ???!!!??? Are you serious ??? what type of facility are you working at ? I can't offer any advice, just wish you the best.

Well I graduated in March took my boards in May and now have my first job as an LPN. I just finished my orientation, had my med pass test and will start on my own on Monday on the 3-11 shift. I will be the med nurse for 60 patients and there will also be a charge nurse there. The hallway is T-shaped the ---- part being the extremely long line of rooms.. My main concern is being able to finish all the medications so I am coming here for advice on how to budget my time.. I know that I have 430pm AccuChecks, 6 pm meds, 9 pm meds, and then HS Accuchecks & coverage which I am assuming would be done between 9 and 10 (if someone could confirm that for me it would be great? For the experienced nurses: how would you start your day..how would you budget your time in order to complete all of these tasks? Another thing I should mention is that I am a float therefore not knowing virtually any of the patients.. so I will have to search them all out because chances are they will not be in there rooms.. how would you do that?! THANKS!

jjjoy, LPN · Jun 8, 2009

Never worked in LTC, Bobylon? Incredibly high patient loads is the norm there, though the actual number varies from area to area. I had no idea of the vastly different patietn ratios in LTC until already had a license and was looking at non-hospital nursing options. My school had observation days in OR, public health, outpatient clinics, and such but not one step into an LTC facility. Since LTC makes up a big bulk of nursing care and RNs may end up working there, perhaps even as a supervisor, it seems a disservice for some nursing schools to completely avoid LTC. I don't think the normal working conditions of many LTCs should come as a surprise to nurses. To ignore the realities of heavy patient loads and the immediate pressures and responsibilities put upon new nurses often without a whole lot of support leaves new nurses unsure of whether what they are being asked to do is normal, legal and safe or not.

Bobylon · Jun 8, 2009

Never worked in LTC, Bobylon? Incredibly high patient loads is the norm there, though the actual number varies from area to area.

Well, no....am a recent grad working in a hospital - we had clinicals in a LTC setting, but obviously we weren't given anything like that sort of load. Wow, I just can't imagine trying to keep up with that load, not to mention having to track some patients down. Definitely doesn't seem right, neither for nurses nor patients. Wow....just, wow !!! AllSmiles, I wish you the very, very best......sounds like you have your work cut out for you...and THEN some.

AllSmiles225 · Jun 11, 2009

Yeah I have been working with another nurse and we have been splitting the sides so I have 30 and she has 30.. She usually does this all by herself..how i have yet to figure out.. The 9-10 pm meds aren't NEARLY as bad as the 6 pm meds because everyone is in the dayroom/dining room and I cant find anyone and on top of ALL OF THAT.. theres two seperate med carts so I have 30 pt in one and 30 pt in the other.. so when I see someone that I want to give meds to they may be in the other cart which is just a pain.. and to add to all that theres 12 g tubes.. which take FOREVER usually-- The bulk of the meds are 6 pm meds so I start at 3 usually finish by 730 and then i go eat something and gain back my sanity--then I go back at 8 do the rest of the meds from 8-10:45 hopefully have time to do some charting..if we have a new admission I'm completely screwed I will definetely be there late--I don't know--is it really like this EVERYWHERE?