Just landed my first nursing job...

xoemmylouox, ASN, RN · Apr 14, 2009

Congrats! LTC is fast paced so don't get discouraged! You will find the way which works best for you. Good luck! Residents are wonderful. So full of history they are more than happy to share.

caliotter3 · Apr 14, 2009

Congratulations on your first job. Don't be discouraged by everything there is to do. You will get more and more efficient as time goes by. Don't expect everything to fall into place on your first shift. It will take some time. Good luck.

pagandeva2000, LPN · Apr 15, 2009

This past Friday I was offered my first nursing job and accepted. I will be working full time 3-11 in a LTC facility. (has other areas as well) As much as I am super excited, I am also extremely scared and nervous. I will have 2 days of facility orientation next week, followed by 10 days of orientation with another nurse. According to the DON, of course my main job will be passing meds. (to about 25-30 pts) Everyone seems pretty nice and helpful that I have met so far. I guess I am just lookiing for others stories about your first nursing job, or working in LTC, any advice/tips/info you can throw at me would be greatly appreciated!!!

10 days of orientation in LTC is a rarity these days, so, to me, that is good news. Most will set you loose in two or three days (and even three days is too much from what I hear). I have not worked LTC to give an honest assessment. An advantage I can think of in such a setting, however, is that I hear it is fast paced, but more predictable. The residents are usually longtimers, so, if you have a regular floor, you learn their idiosyncracies, habits, etc... You will get the basic skills of medication administration, dressings, tube feedings, vital signs, see CHF, HTN, renal failure, diabetes, some have vent cases and so forth.

My first and main position is in a hospital clinic, currently, OB-GYN. Have been an LPN for three years, and I had to gain bedside experience by working per diem on the med-surg floors in my hospital on weekends. There is still a great deal I have not really been exposed to, but I do hang IV bags, start IV lines, administer meds. On a rare occasion, I'll get a tube feeding. I did home care on weekends as well, so, I got to do trach care and respiratory treatments there. But, I have to admit that I am not used to giving meds to more than about 12 patients and event that can be overwhelming since I don't do it often. Many of them have several piggybacks, so, I have to remember to replace them, remember to check orders and other things.

The bottom line is that you have to dive in. Hopefully, the staff will be as friendly as you saw and orient you. Make sure that you carry a notepad and jot down as much as you can, rewrite them when you get home so that you have a memory of what has to be done and even write a list of questions to ask the next day. Another thing I did was obtain a copy of the various forms that have to be filled out and policies so that you can refer to them as the occasion arises.

scoober33 · Apr 15, 2009

Thank you so much to those who have responded so far! I really appreciate it..you have no idea!

I just need to get past my nerves and I'm sure I will be ok. I usually learn things pretty quickly....I guess it's just the "new nurse jitters."

Anyone else feel free to comment! :)

EcyRN · May 24, 2009

well, this thread is more than a month old so im wondering, how are you holding on your ltc job? i just had my 3rd day of orientation and they already gave me one entire hall to work with.. one hall with 15-20 patients. you're lucky you got 10 days orientation. im a new nurse too and international at that so im not familiar with the meds and machines and protocol and then they throw me into the dungeon. but my advice to myself and to everybody, dont let one mistake or a couple of negative people let you down. **** 'em (excuse my language)... do your job... try to grasp as much information as you could and everything will be fine. its gonna be awesome!!!

jensmomrn11 · May 25, 2009

I am a new grad LPN and just had my first week of orientation in LTC on day shift. A few of the nurses were very helpful, but most have been there for quite awhile and made me feel like I was in the way and made me feel like a total idiot. Even though I have been taking notes, I still feel uncomfortable with the paperwork and feel like nobody wants to teach me. I still have a few days of orientation left on evenings and NOC shift. Anybody have any suggestions on how to get answers to my questions?

The last thing I want to do is make a mistake at my first job.