Job Offer - Need Advice

[Omibashu]

I’ve been out of clinical setting for 10 years. Before that I had two years in the operating room. I’m being offered a 3-11pm shift at a nursing home. I will be the only RN in the shift with about 72 patients. I’ve been reassured that I will have at least 1 week of training and RN in call 24 hours for help. I’ve also been told that the LVNs do all led passes. I would only be doing assessments, IV ABX and admissions. Am I crazy to do this?

[becky72]

Would you be the only nurse, or did you also say there will be 2 LVNs? And they will be doing the med pass? So are you the only nurse, or are there also 2 LVNs there too? Last I checked they are also nurses.

[feelix, RN]

I fell into that hole a couple of years ago as Weekend Supervisor. Turns out there was no one to turn to after 2 hours of training, as it was the weekend. The DON's office was locked, there were no keys to anywhere. No paperwork was available. A new cook had been hired who did not know how to dole out. I was passing out trays and calling on-call people for every little thing because nothing was available. The NH was understaffed and only 2 CNAs were working 4 halls. If I asked any questions of the 2 LVNs, the answer was: "You are the supervisor."

Second weekend we were short on LVNs, so I was passing meds and providing care. The third weekend the administrator informed me that now supervisors will be taking patient loads too. That is when I quit. Never going back to LTC.

[Glycerine82, LPN]

They probably just need you "on paper" for your license.  As long as you aren't the only nurse, you'll be fine. 

For example, My state has a regulation that we have to have 8 hours per day with an RN in-house.  The DON meets this requirement during the week but on weekends and vacations, they will have other per diem nurses with their RN do a shift. 

The job itself isn't any different between the two roles, at least not where I am.   The only thing I need to get an RN for is when someone dies, so they can pronounce.