One week orientation at nursing home w/25 pt's?

Nurses LPN/LVN

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I'm interested a position at a nursing home with great hours, no weekends, and flexibility but their orientation is only one week!!! I'm very apprehensive. I will be responsible around 25 patient's to pass meds, do assessments, skin care etc. What is the amount of orientation at nursing homes some of you have worked at? I am a new nurse and I don't know how long orientations in nursing homes normally are, but this sounds extremely short compared to the hospital !! Please tell me what you think.

Have you considered assisted living?

Specializes in Brain injury,vent,peds ,geriatrics,home.

Remember its your license on the line.I would request as much as I needed and felt comfortable with.Your license comes first.Gaurd it.

Specializes in geriatrics.

New grad LPN in LTC in Northern NH--One week orientation per "wing" with 22-28 pts. per wing--usually 25% SNF/sub-acute, and usually 3 LNA/CNA per wing. As for the stress--high burnout level and turnover here too--does get better with time and experience. Its all good if everyone's stable, but when one goes sour...and God forbid if more than one...

Specializes in Hospice.

Only 25 patients? As you can tell from previous posts, that's pretty good! How about 35-40 on AM shift?? If you don't feel comfortable, ask for more orientation, after all it's your license on the line. I always encourage new grads to ask for as much time as they think they'll need. If you have a supportive staff, it shouldn't be a problem. We all had to start somewhere. Welcome to LTC!!!!

I just obtained a job at a Long Term Facility. This is my first healthcare job. I had one month orientation and I still feel that I do not know the ropes. I have 30 patients and I am floating between three floors. It is very overwhelming and you can burn out easily. Because I do not know the residents that welll I finish giving out their meds late. I feel so bad... everyone tells me that I will get the hang of things.. but recently I have been feeling awful and I want to quit. I don't know what to do?

Has anyone else felt this way??

Specializes in ED, Rehab, LTC.

ME!!! They floated me on several different floors. So I oriented on one floor then one my first day alone they put me on some other floor I'd never been to before, same thing second day, then again and again. Thats the hard part. One floor one could get used to. You know the patients, how they take thier meds, behaviors, and its seemed possible to be able to get some kind of system going. For me it was impossible and extremely overwhelming when they told me I would be on a brand new wing without so much as a half way decent report from the other nurse. I'm sure there are better facilities out there though so maybe request to be on the same floor?

I can understand its our job to pass out meds, do treatments.... but the paperwork at this facility is ridiculous... We have to call doctors, family members, charting for medicaid/medicare, and the list goes on.... its too much. I don't know what to do!!! This facility in Jersey City, NJ is supposed to be the best one in our county....

Specializes in ICU, PICC Nurse, Nursing Supervisor.

i agree the paperwork at any nursing home it too much. you have to chart one thing in 5 spaces...crazy...then you get yelled at for overtime....but i digress...

i can understand its our job to pass out meds, do treatments.... but the paperwork at this facility is ridiculous... we have to call doctors, family members, charting for medicaid/medicare, and the list goes on.... its too much. i don't know what to do!!! this facility in jersey city, nj is supposed to be the best one in our county....

Hi.

I think that the orientation time for new grads suck in some places! I was at a facility where orientation was for 2 days for new grads for 40 patients! So, lets break this down...one nurse to 40 patients to give meds, do tx and assessments, talk to doctors, do paperwork, tend to family members, keep your aides in order, help with feeds and ect..

Specializes in Knuckle Dragging Nurse aka MTA.
Hi.

I think that the orientation time for new grads suck in some places! I was at a facility where orientation was for 2 days for new grads for 40 patients! So, lets break this down...one nurse to 40 patients to give meds, do tx and assessments, talk to doctors, do paperwork, tend to family members, keep your aides in order, help with feeds and ect..

I did this with 47 - 48 patients everyday as a new grad. Managements response to me stating it was inpossible to do with quality care....."Don't worry, we will add another LVN when your unit reaches 50 residents!!!!!"

Unbelievable and pathetic is the state of LTC in certain parts of America...northern California in particular.

One week is not enough time in most situations, but nothing stops you from asking questions or asking for help after the orientation. That's what I did, otherwise I would have been out the door soon. As time went on, I asked less questions as I picked up the routine. The hardest part is getting cooperation from others. You just have to stick it out if you want the job badly enough.

Specializes in ED, Rehab, LTC.

I didn't realize this post was still around. I have started a new job since the last post and I only got a week orientation there too, but its more organized. I do, now, realize that 25 patients a lot less than many nurses have, even in skilled nursing. I don't think its reasonable, unless theres a tx nurse, unit clerk, and supportive staff. I just can't understand how anyone can do that (40 or 50+). 25-30 kicks my a#$.

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