LTC...Wanting to get out of nursing, edge of breakdown...advice please!

Nurses New Nurse

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Hi all! I come to you once again despirate for advice. I am a new nurse, and have been working in a LTC facility for 2 months now and I AM MISERABLE! I had 10 days of training, 20 residents (at the least) to care for, I could go on and on with whats wrong there, but that would take all day. Basically I feel totally unprepaired, overwhemled, unsafe, there is not much help as all the other nurses are so busy, my schedule is a horrible mess, and I'm ashamed that I don't have more time to see the residents. I am working over probably 8/10 days that I work just barely getting things done. Its just a huge mess!

I applied to hundereds of jobs, this is the first place to accept me after 3 months of trying so I basically felt I had to take the position. I have told myself over and over again that its just becasue I'm a new nurse and becasue its a new job and it will get better...ITS NOT!

I guess my questions are...is this how all nursing is?! If so, I don't think I can do it! Its been my life long dream, as I'm sure it has for many of you, but I just can't do this forever! Is it better in the hospitals? I keep thinking that I would love to be in a hospital setting where things are more organized, there is a little more support, and goodness me a little more training!

I am pretty sure that I have come to the conclusion that I need to find another job...should I let my DON know that I plan to look? She already knows that I want something full time (which they can't give me there) but how do you (or should I) tell her that this job just isn't for me?

How will it look to other employers if I am looking for another job after being somewhere only 2 months?

I appologise for my ranting, but as of this minute I am hours from going back in and have been crying on and off all morning...I feel stuck and helpless. Any advice at all would be much appreciated!

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Look for another job. Don't tell anyone that you are looking, all that tends to do is make people angry. I think that especially these days people know that more than not, openings for new nurses are only at the most awful hell holes - it's understood.

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Specializes in Certified Med/Surg tele, and other stuff.

Can you talk to the other nurses and ask for some help on organizing before you quit this job?

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Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

Moved to AN's First Year After Nursing Licensure forum

Hi all! I come to you once again despirate for advice. I am a new nurse, and have been working in a LTC facility for 2 months now and I AM MISERABLE! I had 10 days of training, 20 residents (at the least) to care for, I could go on and on with whats wrong there, but that would take all day. Basically I feel totally unprepaired, overwhemled, unsafe, there is not much help as all the other nurses are so busy, my schedule is a horrible mess, and I'm ashamed that I don't have more time to see the residents. I am working over probably 8/10 days that I work just barely getting things done. Its just a huge mess!

Please look around here at members laments...they are the same as your concerns. What you are experiencing is the same thing most new grads go through especially as the ideal of nursing vs REALITY of nursing sets in. Twenty patients is a fair number in a LTC setting. I had between 33-50 10 yrs ago. with 10-15 meds each--know med passes even worse now

New grads in hospitals are going through the same feelings.

See Hang in there new Grads and New Nurses it does get better..I PROMISE.

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Everything you are feeling is completely normal for your first year out the gate and you will probably experience similar feelings where ever you go.

The staffing/orientation situation actually sounds pretty good compared to most facilities. A lot of people on this site can tell stories of working with forty + patients with only a few days of orientation.

A wise nurse on this forum once gave some great advice that helped me enormously, so I'll pass it on: It does get better, just keep showing up.

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Specializes in LTC, Med-Surge, Ortho.

The hospital is very busy too. As a new grad whether in LTC or the hospital, it is always scary at first but just work on time management and try to be organized as much as possible always expecting the unexpected. Hang in there and I hope that you find your niche in nursing because it can be a rewarding career.

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Specializes in ER, Med/Surg, LTC.

Hospitals work very differently than LTC. I worked at a LTC facility for 3 months, although it was tough, and it is better to find a job, when you are in a job. At least you had 10 days orientation, when I went to LTC, I had 2 days, and that was after being out of nursing for 3yrs. I felt very unsafe, but LTC's are a very strange animal.

However, do not discount the experience you are having, what you are doing is Med/Surg experience, so at this juncture, you should be applying to hospitals, and what I did on my days off, was visit the hospital HR's in person and speak to a recruiter in person, and sell myself hard............

Let them know your experience is Med/Surg, but as you are wanting to progress your career and more schooling, you need that acute setting experience to do that. You are looking for a place to call home to be nurtured and to grow. You have to go in hard and sell yourself like your life depend on it.

Hospitals are not like LTC's. LTC's are just happy to have a nurse in their facility, there is no training, no support, no nothing........

Keep at it, and dont say anything, find that lucrative job first, then when they say you have the job, then you hand in your notice.

All the best, and keep your chin up...........

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Thanks all for your responses. I am just making the best of what I have right now. I've decided that I'm not going to do anything that I'm not comfortable doing alone (like some things for the first time) I'm going to be safe, slow down and breathe and take my time as much as possible, try to get more organized, start working on my resume again and looking another job, and until then try to keep my chin up.

Thank you all for your responses, they are more helpful than you know. Its wonderful to know that I am not alone in these feelings I have. I'm just going to keep showing up and give it my all! :)

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