I want to quit during orientation...

Nurses General Nursing

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I've had 5 days of orientation so for at this LTC facility only one day on the unit I'd actually be working.. I hate it, most of all hate how i cant really care for my patients. It feels unbearable, its 35 patients. So many accuchecks,blood pressures and orders and things to do. You're always interrupted by Doctors , management and everyone thinks nurses do it all. Its 5 12 hrs a week. I haven't been properly trained on the policies and procedures. I FEEL BAD about wanting to quit but its how i feel. I don't know if its fear but i'm scared of jeopardizing my license, I'm scared of making a mistake. Its not a bad facility everyone is friendly and like family. But honestly i'm the youngest there and feel i'm not assertive enough and won't be a good fit. Any advice?

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LTC care is tough... I think it's one of the toughest specialties just because of the chaos you described... BUT I wouldn't quit. You'll learn a lot. You'll gain assertiveness. Also, you'll get paid. New grad nursing jobs are hard to come by (depending upon your locale). It will be much easier to move to a different specialty, if you so chose, with nursing experience.

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5 twelve hour shifts a week? Every week?

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5 twelve hour shifts a week? Every week?

Its 5 one week then 3 the next week

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LTC care is tough... I think it's one of the toughest specialties just because of the chaos you described... BUT I wouldn't quit. You'll learn a lot. You'll gain assertiveness. Also, you'll get paid. New grad nursing jobs are hard to come by (depending upon your locale). It will be much easier to move to a different specialty, if you so chose, with nursing experience.

Everyone says that but I don't feel its for me. I asked for more training 3 more days and they feel like I wan to be babied for that.

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LTC care is tough... I think it's one of the toughest specialties just because of the chaos you described... BUT I wouldn't quit. You'll learn a lot. You'll gain assertiveness. Also, you'll get paid. New grad nursing jobs are hard to come by (depending upon your locale). It will be much easier to move to a different specialty, if you so chose, with nursing experience.

I agree with the above. It is only 5 day in so far. And all your concerns are valid and your feelings are normal. I started out in LTC as a CNA and then as a LPN (per diem) as well as fulltime LPN at our hospital on a med-surg floor. After getting my RN, I went back to LTC for some extra hours and had very similar feelings like you described. It took a little bit for me to feel more confident with med pass and all the residents and policies there.

I cannot imagine 5 twelve hour shifts in a week doing LTC. I would be exhausted.

Ask for a few more days orientation and the heck with what they think right now. At this time, you need to focus on yourself and your training. How long is your orientation total? I know you said you are in 5 days now?

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Its 5 one week then 3 the next week

Wow, didn't catch that part... Do they pay you overtime? At 60 hours a week, I hope so!

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I agree with the above. It is only 5 day in so far. And all your concerns are valid and your feelings are normal. I started out in LTC as a CNA and then as a LPN (per diem) as well as fulltime LPN at our hospital on a med-surg floor. After getting my RN, I went back to LTC for some extra hours and had very similar feelings like you described. It took a little bit for me to feel more confident with med pass and all the residents and policies there.

I cannot imagine 5 twelve hour shifts in a week doing LTC. I would be exhausted.

Ask for a few more days orientation and the heck with what they think right now. At this time, you need to focus on yourself and your training. How long is your orientation total? I know you said you are in 5 days now?

Thing is I'm passed my orientation days. I was only supposed to get 3 but they gave me 2 more. All which I thought was going to be on the unit I was going to be working on but only got 1 day there and I'm supposed to start on my own Friday. So I'm really contemplating on quitting . They have an agency nurse there all the time on my unit so it's impossible to get training. All the nurses are sweet and begged me to stay so I don't want to let them down. But its alot. Esp the 5 days 12s.

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Wow, didn't catch that part... Do they pay you overtime? At 60 hours a week, I hope so!

Yes they pay for the overtime.

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I'd say try to tough it out while looking elsewhere. It took me 3 tries at different LTCs before I found a relatively reasonable one. Keep in mind you are interviewing THEM as well. When they ask why you are leaving your current position so soon, they will understand or they won't. If they don't, you know that's not a fit for you either.

When interviewing, I wouldn't tell them you don't think 5 days orientation was enough, but that they weren't of good quality. Acknowledge that you know you won't learn it all during orientation, and don't expect to, but that you need a reasonable baseline. 5 days in LTC is standard if not more than many. Not that it SHOULD be, especially as it heavily attracts new grads who are then thrown to the wolves.

When I was a brand new CNA, I quit during orientation at a facility that is a HUGE chain. Even 10 years later, now as an RN, I'm not rehirable at ANY of the facilities. So, there are consequences that can follow you throughout your career.

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Its 5 one week then 3 the next week

Oh hell, no. The quickest way to burnout is too much OT when your still LEARNING. Honestly, the most I've seen for a normal is 4 one week and three the next. Five days should be 8 hours.

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Everyone says that but I don't feel its for me. I asked for more training 3 more days and they feel like I wan to be babied for that.

I always thought the LTC orientations were too short, especially for a new nurse. Heck, hospitals are giving up to 12 weeks orientation.

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