Help - First Job as LPN is an agency job!

Nurses General Nursing

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So, after a year and half of studying I finally got my lpn license. The whole process took forever, because people weren't very nice or truthful about what papers they had and hadn't received in NY. I've finally gotten a job, but it's as an agency nurse. This isn't ideal, but the money situation wasn't getting any better. I'm going to work for the first time for my first time tomorrow and I'm so nervous! I heard LPN's in NY do nothing but pass out meds, and that's all I'm expected to do. The thing that scares me is that I'm going to have 40 patients! I had two hours of orientation and vaguely remember where the med room is and where the med cart is. Everyone else I know had a month of orientation but I'm just being thrown to the wolves. Is this common? :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

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Specializes in Peds Homecare.

As an agency nurse you are expected to hit the ground running. The month long orientation you are speaking about is usually reserved for the facility's own staff, not agency nurses. I'm not trying to be a "downer", but I truly believe that you may want to reconsider this assignment. Please let us know how you make out.

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I agree with the above poster.. also not trying to sound like a downer but in my honest opinion you just might be risking your license on this assignment.. until you are more seasoned please consider getting experience another way.. sure the money sounds good and it is but not worth taking that big of a risk.. agency nurses generally walk into an assignment cold.. and hit the floor running.. been there and done that for some years and i am a seasoned nurse.. you are setting yourself up for to be the scapegoat if something happens.. please please do reconsider and try to get a job onstaff somewhere.. just my two cents worth

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Yeah, like I said, this really wasn't ideal... but what else am I supposed to do? I couldn't find another job and it had been six months and the 10k in savings I had dwindled down to 380. The economy is bad and everyone wants experience. This may very well go badly but its the only choice I have right now. I know month long orientations are only for facility staff, I knew the agency wouldn't give me any sort of hand holding. I was just wondering if anyone out there had made it out ok.

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

My first job was with an agency, doing pediatric home health, the orientation that I got was a whole 2 hours, by a nurse who had not worked with the patient before:eek: because they were a new client, then the second patient I had I had no orientation because " I should be able to figure it out" by looking at the nurses notes again :eek: There were too many questions that I had, that I never got answers to.

I decided that even though I want to be a pediatric nurse that it just wasn't safe for a new grad, I finally got hired in a SNF, but I went to every LTC/SNF in my area and applied in person untill someone hired me

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Good thinking.. not a good thing to rely on some nurses notes and no orientation.. and this You ought to be able to figure this out thing ... red flag bigtime.. i would have done the same thing.. hope the original poster considers and takes from your experiences.. kudos to you.. well done

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Specializes in MPCU.

Yeah, what is most important: My need for money? The health of my patients? My license?

Hard choices. Good thing you don't have other things to consider.....sorry, could be I missed something.

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Hun, I'm not trying to be a downer either. I would reconsider. Take a job at Starbucks, or anywhere, before you risk your hard earned license. A paycheck is all that matters right now!

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Finding it kind of amazing at how overwhelmingly negative the responses here have been. The poster clearly has a job and an opportunity to do something that may be a little more challenging to a new grad. Something not a lot of people have right now - I'm certain no one got anywhere by giving up and not trying when things got difficult.

Besides, "get a job at Starbucks" is there, at the very least, any constructive input that anyone has to offer? How is a newly licensed LPN supposed to find work in this market without taking every opportunity made available? How is a young nurse, someone without 30+ years experience and not a wife/mother supposed to help make ends meet without giving up on what they've worked extremely hard to achieve?

This may seem like a less-then-ideal situation, but to me it looks like an opportunity to take the first step (even if it is a difficult one) toward make something out of a career that's worth being passionate about and dedicated to.

Are there no nurses out there who are willing to help new grad nurses in difficult situations? Can anyone speak from a positive experience?

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Specializes in floor to ICU.
Finding it kind of amazing at how overwhelmingly negative the responses here have been. The poster clearly has a job and an opportunity to do something that may be a little more challenging to a new grad. Something not a lot of people have right now - I'm certain no one got anywhere by giving up and not trying when things got difficult.

Are there no nurses out there who are willing to help new grad nurses in difficult situations? Can anyone speak from a positive experience?

I am sorry that the posts seem negative. I think we are just afraid for her license and the safety of those she is caring for. When I got out of school, I didn't know squat. Looking back, I realize that I took on some assignments that were unsafe. They were way beyond my knowledge and skill level. Thankfully, nothing bad happened.

As it was stated before, agency nurses are expected to "hit the ground" running. I am afraid she will not have the support that a new grad with no experience needs.

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I'm with General...worried about her license. I understand OP needs $$$.

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We fear too much and do too little. Give it a shot girl:)

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