Help - First Job as LPN is an agency job!

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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:

Specializes in floor to ICU.
We fear too much and do too little. Give it a shot girl:)

I'm just trying to be realistic. It is risky, considering what is at stake if the "shot" fails. I hope she posts on how her day went and what her experiences were like. I am praying that everything goes well.

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Specializes in M/S, ICU, ICP.

good luck, let us know how it goes. be honest and tell them it's your first time working agency or at a hospital and let them help you. try not to get overwhelmed, concentrate on one thing at a time, and don't do anything you know you are not ready to handle.

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Specializes in floor to ICU.

wondering what happened to the OP on her first day...?

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Specializes in LPN.

I decieded I would take a part time PRN nurse job at a LTC. This is after many years of experience in two LTC's. I am completely confident in my abiliities. There were three units, easy, medium and hard - so to speak. I was told I would be on the easy one for the first 6 times. I was also told I would get 2 days of orientation. After the first day of orietating with a nurse who took off on a break for 4 hours, and yelled and kicked the wall and threw books for the second 4 hours, - I did her job. the second day of training went like this - Oh, we forgot to tell you, your preceptor didn't show up and well looks like you have the cart by yourself. Oh, did we tell you that there will be 3 admits this evening?

The first dayI ended up on the easy side. But the second day was the hard side for me. Iwas scheduled for the easy side, but the permanent staff wouldn't give up the easy side- I worked the hard side 45 SEC pts split on two sides of the facilty. I didn't even know at first where 1/2 of my patients rooms were. for 1 hour, because staff refused to tell me. I didn't know where things where kept, could be anywhere in the giant facility. Then I had a man begin to crash, and was fortunate to find the crash cart. The person was stabilized. The crash cart and the emergency med kit where in two seperate locked areas on different units. (I didn't have keys for either lock). I was dumbfounded. No one wanted to help, and I just managed on my own, - like a good little PRN nurse.

At the begining of the sift the DON called the Supervisor and told them that I should stay on the easy side, the Supervisor said, I am in charge, you will do what I want. Staff was yelling frequently at each other threatening to turn each other in. CNA's lied openly to me the PRN, and when I insisted they take care of business, they began to threaten me as well.

Think again. This was just a partial view of what went on in those two awful days. I hope you reconsider.

I walked out after that night, and never returned. - except to pick up my check.

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Well, I'm happy to reply that nothing like this happened to me. I couldn't sleep all night because of the replies I got in here and seriously regretted posting anything. I honestly was DESPERATE. I told myself that I wouldn't ever bother to post back, but it seemed like some of you actually cared. Now, I'm not saying the rest of you didn't, you just didn't come off very supportive at all.

In any case, the lpn that usually has the floor gave me a once over of everything and all the cna's helped me find the patients that weren't in their rooms. I'm happy to say there were no med errors and no lives were in danger. Again, apparently lpns in NY are only expected to give meds/do treatments. Do I know how to react in case of an emergency? Of course, but other than calling a code and immediate interventions the supervising RN's are supposed to take care of new developments/emergencies. I don't exactly agree with it, but when I had 40 patients, I was glad my job was pretty much being a med tech. It was the hardest night of my life, but I got through it!

I went to a different floor for another shift where the nurses there not only gave me a "cheat sheet" of how the patients take their medicine, but also helped me immensely with how to organize for the day, and what patients to take first. They were angels. Truly caring nurses like the in the movies!

Recently I've been given jobs caring for young clients as school nurse for special ed children. I have one client at a time, and the job is very easy and absolutely pulls on my heart strings.

I told my agency supervisor the work was hard and I got through it, but it was a bit much for my first day. I believe she's trying to find "baby step" jobs for me.

I'm currently still seeking a full time job, and can refuse a facility at any time the agency asks if I want to work.

I'd also like to add that I was at the top of my class, and had two years of experience as a patient care associate in a hospital where I watched/assisted/intervened in more code blues and rapid responses than one should have in a lifetime (unless you are in fact an ER nurse in an inner city like where I worked as a PCA).

So before I went to bed that night I talked to my peds professor (that I hated so much because I got an 89% in her class! lol) and she assured me that I could get through it, to prioritize and keep my patient's safety above everything else as I always had.

I appreciate the concern, and assure you I would never do anything that would harm a patient. There was a lot of support staff including NP's, RN's, and CNA's. For those that supported me, thank you. I appreciate all the advice, and am trying my best to find a full or part time non agency job.

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Good for you. :-) I've always heard new grads should stay away from agency jobs if at all possible but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. That's great that the staff at the facilities you've been sent to were helpful and gave you tips. I'm sure you will be fine.

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Specializes in L&D/Maternity nursing.

I wasnt comfortable with agency nursing as a new grad. THey tried hard for me, but in the end, I wasnt comfortable with putting my license on the line like that. So I decided to be more patient and wait for that coveted hospital position or SNF/LTC position.

It paid off...I just got my job offer letter in the mail today.

My advice is that if money is tight right now, work in retail, as restaurant waitstaff, hospital kitchen/food service or the like until you land your nursing job.

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Specializes in L&D/Maternity nursing.

sorry OP. I posted before I read your above response. I am glad that it worked out for you! Good luck in the rest of your job search!

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Glad to see the OP post the rest of the story. It seemed the posts were about 10:1 "run away" vs. "you can do it". Before I saw the OP's update, I was going to suggest a third approach somewhere between those two: telling the agency that you would only feel comfortable taking the assignment if more orientation was offered.

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Specializes in MICU/SICU.

what is snf

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Well, I'm happy to reply that nothing like this happened to me. I couldn't sleep all night because of the replies I got in here and seriously regretted posting anything. I honestly was DESPERATE. I told myself that I wouldn't ever bother to post back, but it seemed like some of you actually cared. Now, I'm not saying the rest of you didn't, you just didn't come off very supportive at all.

In any case, the lpn that usually has the floor gave me a once over of everything and all the cna's helped me find the patients that weren't in their rooms. I'm happy to say there were no med errors and no lives were in danger. Again, apparently lpns in NY are only expected to give meds/do treatments. Do I know how to react in case of an emergency? Of course, but other than calling a code and immediate interventions the supervising RN's are supposed to take care of new developments/emergencies. I don't exactly agree with it, but when I had 40 patients, I was glad my job was pretty much being a med tech. It was the hardest night of my life, but I got through it!

I went to a different floor for another shift where the nurses there not only gave me a "cheat sheet" of how the patients take their medicine, but also helped me immensely with how to organize for the day, and what patients to take first. They were angels. Truly caring nurses like the in the movies!

Recently I've been given jobs caring for young clients as school nurse for special ed children. I have one client at a time, and the job is very easy and absolutely pulls on my heart strings.

I told my agency supervisor the work was hard and I got through it, but it was a bit much for my first day. I believe she's trying to find "baby step" jobs for me.

I'm currently still seeking a full time job, and can refuse a facility at any time the agency asks if I want to work.

I'd also like to add that I was at the top of my class, and had two years of experience as a patient care associate in a hospital where I watched/assisted/intervened in more code blues and rapid responses than one should have in a lifetime (unless you are in fact an ER nurse in an inner city like where I worked as a PCA).

So before I went to bed that night I talked to my peds professor (that I hated so much because I got an 89% in her class! lol) and she assured me that I could get through it, to prioritize and keep my patient's safety above everything else as I always had.

I appreciate the concern, and assure you I would never do anything that would harm a patient. There was a lot of support staff including NP's, RN's, and CNA's. For those that supported me, thank you. I appreciate all the advice, and am trying my best to find a full or part time non agency job.

i'm glad that it worked out for you...i will be in the same position within the next couple of weeks and i am bit nervous on what to expect.....i hope my experience mirrors yours.....you gave me hope!!!

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