x1 rn for 46 patients in nursing home

lpnflorida · Oct 12, 2008

is the term run considered reasonable advice? It really is not my expertise, I tried for 2 days orientation recently in LTC/rehab prn to supliment my working in rehab at a hospital/somehow I thought it could not possibily be all that bad.

As I said I was there 2 shifts and 2 shifts only. I will tightened my budget rather than ever return.

Aviationurse · Oct 12, 2008

last time i did it i ran away after orientation...ie one rn x 26 patients..this was x2 years ago... now they beef up the no. of patients x 1 rn to 46 plus open visitng:no: :no: to x1 cna....with no night shift differential/weeekend pay/charge pa/blah blah blah...pretty much NOTHING...they said 5000 dollar bonus after x 1 year.... :eek:

thanks lpnflorida for the laugh.....:chuckle:chuckle

lpnflorida · Oct 12, 2008

Glad you laughed. I do realize that many a good nurse works in LTC and are good at it. I do not know how they do it, but they do.

A part of me says, perhaps if it were not to suppliment my income as oppose it was my only means of support might have given me impetus to stick it out and become proficient at it. I felt I was drowning, I felt I would be putting my license at risk. Then again I felt that initially at my prior nursing jobs also in the beginning.

Please anyone reading, realize I had the luxury of deciding no, after such a short attempt on my part.I already had a fulltime job I love with good pay and benefits.

Not everyone has that luxury and will end up doing beautifully in time.

nanae_snow · Oct 12, 2008

lol! they wanted me to do 46 patients..me alone.. for $25/hr

it's embarassing that I lasted 3 days, and I said I'd rather go hungry and broke...so I ran

I'm a new grad btw, and they wanted me to take charge after 5days orientation. No way I am going back there.

lpnflorida · Oct 12, 2008

mine was $23.00/hr =20 patients, I must be a woos. lol

Aviationurse · Oct 12, 2008

i respect all LTC nurses... :yeah: :yeah: :yeah: i just wanted to check out what was out there for me...burnt out from hospital ..worked 20 plus years internationally and 11 in pscyh setting in my state....

thanks for your kind reply... :yeah: :yeah:

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Oct 12, 2008

I worked NOC's as an LPN with 2 aides as charge for 42.

It was fine.

mbd74 · Oct 12, 2008

Once I become an RN I will never work in a convalescent/rehab. facility. For 10 years, I worked for a long term care pharmacy and spent my days at these places auditing their MARS against their medications, and saw how the RN's were abused. There was 1-2 RN's for the whole facility and everything fell on them. The immediate care of the patient was the LVN's responsibility but if there was any problem, and I mean ANY, the RN had to step in. In California there are laws that stop the LVN from certain patient care (e.g. IV's), were the RN has to step in once again. Before you take the position, make sure you have a clear understanding of everything you will be responsible for. Get it in writing if you can. Good luck!

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Oct 12, 2008

I worked night shift as an LVN for 70 patients by myself. No major issues arose.

Rexie68 · Oct 13, 2008

i worked 11-7 for 14 years. my pt load varied from a low of 20 (wow was i spoiled!!) to a high of 100. average about 50 pts, but there were many nights with more. somehow i managed to do it and take good care of my pts. good cna staff is the key, i think. they are your eyes and ears. believe it or not, 46 pts per rn or lpn is very acceptable for ltc on night shift. heck, we only have 2 rns or lpns for days or evenings, so it would make sense that staffing isn't the same at night. of course, if you have ventilator dependent pts that's different, but other than that, it's ok. i did my 75 pts, 11 of whom had gtubes, 2 with trachs, 3 iv's running, dressing changes, cs, nebulizer treatments, 12, 2, 4 and 6am meds, etc. you just find your own routine and it gets easier. unless i had someone go bad, i almost always got out of work by 8am. so, just remember that it's a lot different than acute care, delegate what you can safely, and figure out your own pace. you'll be ok!

pagandeva2000, LPN · Oct 13, 2008

I swear, I cannot phantom taking care of that many patients alone. But, as lpnflorida stated, if you have to eat, you will MAKE it work, I suppose. And, these days, it may be alot of just that...people taking ANYTHING just to eat. I just felt that I would like to give the patients better care than that...more attention. These people are in their golden years and deserve better care for their money, and I wouldn't be sure I can provide that.