help thinking of getting out of nursing

Nurses General Nursing

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I am a brand new RN who took a job in long term care. The working conditions are deplorable. I have 54 geri psych residents and feel like i am unable to keep up. I try so hard but have no supplies, watch resident rights be abused daily and find medication errors daily. The previous nurse for this shift was suspended for 3 months due to a pt having a temp which she called the doctor about, this patient died the next morning at 8 am and she was suspended. It seems everything is dumped on the evening nurse. I still can't figure out why she was suspended when the night nurse was just as responsible. I am scared for my license and feel like getting out of nursing altogether until the market opens back up. Would it be better to take a non nursing position right now or should i just try to stick it out? I requested the weekend night shift over two months ago but cannot find anyone to take my full time position right now. Any experience and advice would be appreciated. Maybe i am not cut out to be a nurse. One example I arrived at work last night to find a new resident. No orders, no face sheet, I didn't even know who his doctor was and to top it off he was going through dt's they didn't understand why i was upset considering i did have the verbal report from the nurse at the hospital where he was discharged. Maybe i am just crazy. Help!

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That sounds like an awful work environment. I would suggest applying for hospital jobs and trying to get out of there ASAP. Be aggressive call the nurse managers of the places you are applying and vocalize your interest. Don't quit nursing because of one experience. There are so many different areas to look into, that's the beauty of nursing.

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Specializes in ER OR LTC Code Blue Trauma Dog.

Another example why we need to have established standards limiting patient care assignments in nursing...

Collaborative planning & effective nursing interventions require such standards implemented as part of the nursing process because quality of care is directly proportionate to adequate planning in a well structured nursing care environment.

Otherwise what occurs it is no longer a structured process and becomes diluted into a number of patients strictly for profit game.

You can't have it both ways... quality of care AND volume of patients.. something gives...

Seems the profiteers need to start firing themselves for their own incompetence and not hold nurses accountable for poor management planning and implementation issues. :twocents:

The management already knows documented errors are taking place yet they fail to take any action to resolve the problems.

If you truely wan't to take corrective action to resolve the problem there's no point in suspending the Nurse for 3 months... Fire the management....

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Get out as soon as possible. I am sure something better will pan out for you.

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I wouldn't base your career on that ltc facility. Go work at a hospial. I get up to 5 patients a night and I work 12 shifts a month. That's full time and that's what's great about nursing...12 shifts a month:)

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Don't give up on nursing altogether until you have worked elsewhere.

Sometimes a change of jobs makes a big difference.

New grads often go through a period of low morale; I sure did.

Just planning a change can help your morale.

Apply for jobs elsewhere. Hang on to your job until you have a new job lined up.

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Specializes in medical.

I agree, I would definetely try hospital. There are few nurses I know who came from nursing homes and they like hospital setting better. You have your 5-6 patients and that's it. Of course, there are better floors than others but you won't know what you like, until you actually start working. Just try a different setting,if not hospital, maybe a clinic, anything related to nursing, or a doctor's office even, and see how you like it.

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Specializes in dialysis (mostly) some L&D, Rehab/LTC.

Geez...just call in "didn't say U had to give your name"...report the facility... and then report them again & again.....everyone always says... go to this job ...go to that job...no shut these places DOWN...then things will get better. Nurses keep running away from the problems only leaving them for another nurse having to get involved in the same situation. It's time to shut these places down.

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I am sorry I don't want to whine. I should never have taken this job, I feel like I am in over my head here. The management is really bad and the policies change daily. I have waited for 4 days to change a leaking catheter bag because we don't have any and waited 2 weeks for thermometer covers and were using these cheap electronic thermometers that take forever to give obviously low temps 92. I am all alone with noone to go to for guidance and don't feel at all qualified to do the job. Hospitals are not hiring new grads and I feel lucky to have a job but am beginning to feel as though working elsewhere whether nursing or not would be safer for my license than staying. Thank you all who have replied, maybe I just need to vent. Thanks again for listening and giving your feedback.

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I totally agree with the others that have replied. There are other areas of nursing to explore. I would search for a position in a hospital. Don't give up, yet!!

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Specializes in PACU.

I normally wouldn't advise this, but you may want to give your two weeks notice immediately and start looking for a new nursing job. That environment sounds absolutely unbearable and like a disaster waiting to happen--it is the problem, not you.

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Bail out of that job. You worked too hard to get our license to lose it d/t incompetent management.

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