Is working in nursing home harder then working in hospital for new RN?

Specialties Geriatric

Published

I just had my first day of orientation in local nursing home. I’m overwhelmed by amount of work and responsibilities per one nurse on the floor, I have 2 days of orientation left and then I will be there all alone, but there are so much information, charts and equipment left uncovered by the orientation. I feel not ready yet to be alone on the floor.

Is working in nursing home harder then working in hospital for new RN?

What would you recommend?

Thank you.

Specializes in ICU, CM, Geriatrics, Management.
3 days of orientation for a brand new nurse? Insanity.

In full agreement.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

In my experience, absolutely yes! I started in LTC and got very minimal training as well. I had 30 residents to care for if I was lucky. Most of the time we were short staffed and I had 60. I never got breaks. I had to do a lot of aid work with no help (changing/turning/fending off punches) I ran from that place the second I got the chance and don't plan on returning. Hospital nursing is no cake walk either most days but I will take my 4 Pt's, even demanding ones, any day over the LTC mess.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Cath Lab & Interventional Radiology.

I worked in LTC for 2 months before getting a job in a hospital. I definitely think that LTC was harder, mostly due to lack of support. I was sometimes the only nurse on the whole building of the LTC, which is overwhelming as a new nurse with just a few days of orientation. In comparison there is usually 7 other nurses on my unit in the hospital, so there is always someone to ask questions. As a new grad, I found the hospital environment much more supportive, because of a more lengthy orientation (10 weeks vs 6 days). To be fair I was working 2p-10p in LTC, and the 3-11 shift in the hospital sucks too.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

My friend got hired in LTC as a new grad and he says there isn't much support and he is pretty much in control of many things while sometimes having no one to ask for help. Unfortunately I think this is the norm for new grad RNs working in LTC. Despite this, I think it is definitely possible to succeed in this setting! I think it will make you a very strong nurse!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

There are good facilities. I got a month of full time training and our ratios are better than what I hear from most LTC facilities.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC, Memory loss, PDN.
3 days of orientation for a brand new nurse? Insanity.

not insanity

absolute disregard for people, driven by greed

morally bankrupt

i believe, spare exceptions, there's much more support in hospitals

you don't wear quite as many hats either

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in psychiatric nursing.

I am a RN who has been working in a SNF for one year now. It's my first nursing job. My mom works in med/surg at a hospital. In comparing notes with her (she used to work in a SNF before she got the hospital job), both jobs are hard, but probably SNFs are a little harder due to the high patient ratio, greater acuity now being admitted, lack of supportive staff, and lack of needed supplies. Also the charting system is a little archaic and redundant, and it takes up too much time.

My SNF job is really hard, but I do enjoy getting to know some of the longer term patients.

The med pass does get better over time, but it still takes up the majority of your time, taking away that precious time from giving patient care. I have 35 patients to pass meds to and do treatments, and it takes me about 5-6 hours to do two med passes.

I'm happy I have this job, since I've applied to hospitals only to be rejected for being a recent grad. And sadly, the two interviews I did have with a hospital didn't appreciate the actual skills I have learned at the SNF. So for now this is a good job, but I will keep applying for other jobs. My passion is actually hospice, but in my area, the hospices require at least two years of nursing experience to consider you.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

3 days is not enough orientation for a new nurse. Talk to your DON, Staff Development Nurse, or Human Resources. Hopefully each day they are having you do more of the actual work and having the staff nurse supervise; but I know how easy it is for them to expect the staff nurse to just leave your side and do 'this' and 'that' which takes them away from you. They need to be by your side the entire shift. If you are working 12 hr shifts, and are a new nurse, I don't think that 6 shifts is too much to ask.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU, CM, Geriatrics, Management.

Agree with ya, Wyo.

Would only fine-tune one little comment. Not sure the preceptor needs to be with the new nurse 100% of the time.

Something like 80% might be acceptable, but always based on the preceptor's judgment... in some instances, 100% maybe exactly what's indicated, as you've advised.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

It really depends on you. I worked in LTC for a year right as a brand new nurse and I was oriented for 3 days. Obviously I continued to ask questions along the way as I encountered different situations, but I did fine. It depends on the person, the facility, and (perhaps most importantly) your fellow staff. Luckily, my first 4 months I was on the afternoon shift which had its own shift manager that didn't work the floor so she was *usually* available to guide and help me out...

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I'm a brand new RN orienting (orientating??) at the nursing home/rehab that my school did our ltc clinicals with... I was nervous about choosing not to get that seemingly all-important med-surg experience, but the hospital is just not where my heart is and I couldn't see myself doing it even for a year. I would recommend, if possible, starting on 11-7. Everything is a bit quieter and there are less meds to worry about during your med passes so you can ease into everything. :) While there are more nurses around in a hospital setting to collaborate with, it has been my experience so far that if your facility has other nurses in the building (like on other halls), they would be happy to answer questions you might have after you're on your own.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I am at a LTC as a new nurse. I had 4 days of orientation, two of them on the floor. I would find out how many patients you will be responsible for. I work days and have 12-16 patients. It is hard but rewarding. I don't think that the two days on the floor were enough as you only learned how to act in the situations that occurred on those two days. For instance if there are no admissions while you are there, then you will have no idea how to admit someone. If no one gets sent out to the hospital, you will not know the procedure or criteria to send someone to the hospital. I find learning that stuff for the first time very hard because the amount of help you are given depends on who is working with you that day and whether you are short-staffed or not. Having said that...I am happy here now. I love the 8 hour shifts, enjoy the patients, am getting the hang of what I'm doing and love the 7 minute commute. When I would have a bad day, I would come to allnurses and search "hate job" and all of the posts would put my job into perspective about how wonderful it is :cat:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment