I want to leave my first nursing job

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Specializes in CCRN, Geriatrics.

I recently got hired at my first nursing job which is a ltc facility. I an extremely overwhelmed and want to go and find another job. The most confusing thing about it is the system for passing meds. Unfortunately this facility is still living in the 80’s and still uses paper for everything. The mar is a binder you carry around all day on the med cart with over 1000 pages many of them are ripped out or hanging on by a tread. (Paper mar and tar)I am having a hard time adjusting too it. The facility is predominantly Alzheimer's and dementia. They dont wear arm bands and unfortunately most of the mars don't contain pictures. I cant seem to develop a system to determine who needs med at certain times. Thats a remember who all the residents are.

My first week they floated me to five different units and it was a disaster. Lost of trachs, g tubes, wounds and hourly morphine for hospice patients.

Believe it or not one of the nurses training actually told me the only way she gets through the med pass is buy giving the 9pm medications with the 4’oclock meds.

In the nursing school that i attended everything was all digital. To top it off i work 3-11 were we are short staffed so i am constantly watching the first door to make sure a resident doesn't escape because we do not have overnight security or a nursing supervisor.

The nursing patio ratio ranges anywhere between 25-32. Can anyone give me any suggestions on learning how pass meds with a paper mar. I witness two nurses administer the wrong meds because of this system. Most of our patients have dementia and do have wrist bands and the mar is missing pictures of them. I asked the staff several times for help and they all seem to brush it off because many of them have been there for 20 years and know all the patients.

Any advice? I am so afraid of making a mistake.

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Specializes in LTC.

Run.

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It won't get better. Save your license and run away. As a new grad LVN I got stuck with 46 - 48 residents on the 2 - 10pm shift. Pure hell and dangerous. I left for corrections and it has been great.

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Yes. Plese leave. LTC is just not it. Dont get me wrong, if i was starving and had no other choice, LTC is where i would work to put food on my table. But other than that......i stay away from them. Good luck to you!

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oh gosh, I wonder if we are working at the same place. I just started at a similar LTC that still uses paper charting. I only received 5 days of orientation in the 5 different stations and will be floating through all of them when I start next week. I am terrified. The dementia unit has 40 residents per nurse, many without arm bands and all of them running around fighting each other and falling (a lot of incident reports). Everyone passes their meds at the same time, skips treatments and signs that they did them. Daily assessments consist of making up vital signs and copying what the last assessment page says. I feel horrified but as a new grad with an ADN/ASN, my options are limited to these kinds of places for now.

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This is heartbreaking to read. LTC nursing has come down to faking and lying about treatments, meds given and vital signs just to get the work done.

Keep looking their are so many better options out there even if you must travel and try a different nursing field.

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Specializes in CCRN, Geriatrics.
On 7/19/2019 at 11:26 PM, napswithcats said:

oh gosh, I wonder if we are working at the same place. I just started at a similar LTC that still uses paper charting. I only received 5 days of orientation in the 5 different stations and will be floating through all of them when I start next week. I am terrified. The dementia unit has 40 residents per nurse, many without arm bands and all of them running around fighting each other and falling (a lot of incident reports). Everyone passes their meds at the same time, skips treatments and signs that they did them. Daily assessments consist of making up vital signs and copying what the last assessment page says. I feel horrified but as a new grad with an ADN/ASN, my options are limited to these kinds of places for now.

It should just the same ltc facility. Its a same they take advantage of new nurses.

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Specializes in CCRN, Geriatrics.
7 hours ago, bryanleo9 said:

This is heartbreaking to read. LTC nursing has come down to faking and lying about treatments, meds given and vital signs just to get the work done.

Keep looking their are so many better options out there even if you must travel and try a different nursing field.

I agree. Its a reason these places are always hiring. The nurse turnover rate is unbelievable.

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The turn over rate is a massive red flag. I work in corrections and enjoy it but thought about picking up a few extra shifts at the local LTC. They are always hiring RN's and LVN's etc. We recently hired a former employee from the LTC who said it was pure hell. They are bringing in visa nurses from overseas who can't quit due to being deported so they have to work in insane conditions. She hit the jackpot coming to corrections.

Good luck out there.

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On ‎7‎/‎23‎/‎2019 at 9:08 PM, bryanleo9 said:

This is heartbreaking to read. LTC nursing has come down to faking and lying about treatments, meds given and vital signs just to get the work done.

Keep looking their are so many better options out there even if you must travel and try a different nursing field.

I have officially been on my own now for a few days and it feels inhumane for both the staff and residents. I don't feel like a real nurse or like I am giving good quality care as I only get to spend like 3-5 minutes with each resident to give them their meds and v/s if needed, do only the most critical treatments and handing/delegating creams and ointments to the CNA's (which I am not supposed to do) in order to get everything done. I do not sit down until its time to chart, work through my lunch, and when my shift is over, I clock out and go back to chart for an additional hour (they don't want to give overtime). The turn over rate is absolutely insane. The orientation is only 3 days for most (I begged and got 5) because many nurses don't stay past the first week. I am scared for my license but I need a job.

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Specializes in CCRN, Geriatrics.
1 hour ago, napswithcats said:

I have officially been on my own now for a few days and it feels inhumane for both the staff and residents. I don't feel like a real nurse or like I am giving good quality care as I only get to spend like 3-5 minutes with each resident to give them their meds and v/s if needed, do only the most critical treatments and handing/delegating creams and ointments to the CNA's (which I am not supposed to do) in order to get everything done. I do not sit down until its time to chart, work through my lunch, and when my shift is over, I clock out and go back to chart for an additional hour (they don't want to give overtime). The turn over rate is absolutely insane. The orientation is only 3 days for most (I begged and got 5) because many nurses don't stay past the first week. I am scared for my license but I need a job.

I certainly would not work overtime without pay. I know as difficult as it may sound but i would submit my resignation letter finish out your two weeks and apply to as many jobs as you can.

I actually left the ltc facility that i was working at and found a job with more pay in a much better environment. And it turned out 2 of the nurses that i work with left that same ltc facility before orientation ended for the same reason.

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Naps, I was in your shoes as a new grad LVN. I left LTC and it has been great ever since. You really should be aggressively searching for a new job. When you interview tell them you left because of unsafe working conditions and that the job didn't allow you to provide the care that you desire to give to your patients. Good luck!

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