Hey guys! First, I want to say, that I am soo excited to have the job that I have. But, as a new grad-I don't know how I am supposed to feel about this job. After reading several threads here, I feel like my facility is the same as most- I was given a brief orientation, then thrown in working halls where I don't know the residents, about 30 people. Med pass from hell, and I am going sooo quickly, that I feel like a chicken with my head cut off.
I have made some stupid mistakes. I gave a "night" med during the evening pass-I guess the resident likes it at bedtime-but the MAR said evening....how was I supposed to know that without ever being on this floor before??
I don't know the paperwork, pharm orders, what to do with forms. Everyone goes soo quickly that I feel overwhelmed. I feel as though I am going to get fired for all these mistakes and what I don't know before I even figure out how to do this job . I spent my last 2 days off thinking about all the things that I should have done this way or that way.....I have only been off orientation for 3 days....and I feel like everyone talks about me behind my back-although they say I am doing good.
I guess I am just looking for some encouragement-I feel like no one understands the stress that I feel right now. I am sick to my stomach. Another new grad already quit. I like this job-its just overwhelming for me right now.
i will start my 1st job as a RN in a convalescent hospital. I am scared to death as I heard so many horrible stories. When I worked as CNA in hospital, it took me 3 months to feel comfortable. (some CNA were not helpful at all as they told you they were always busy). Now I have to start working as a RN; I am scared the same things would happen again. Today I go back to skills labs to feel more comfortable in skills and read more drugs med. What else should I do then to become familiar with paper works. (reading nsg dianosis or care plan books) trust me!! I am very grateful for this job and I am not scared of hard work. But I pray God let me be prepared for this challenge.
I am encouraged by this post. I too just graduated (Dec) and started my first RN job in a SNF this week. We had a quick 8 hour office/policies/paperwork orientation (no nursing), then I started on Wednesday. The staff was awesome, but it was rough, and I felt like we were always behind (19 patients).
Thursday morning, I showed up at 6:45 for my second 12 hours of orientation, only to discover that my nurse had called off, and another nurse had been in a car accident. That left me, two agency/temp LPNs, and the CNAs on the floor. The night nurse asked me if I would get report and do narc count. Ok, I was comfortable doing that. They put me on the floor, with 18 patients. About an hour later the DON and charge nurse were working on getting another agency nurse to come in, and working the floor too. It was INSANE. I didn't know where anything was, didn't know my residents, and felt like I was getting farther and farther behind. I was doing IVs, dressings, meds, charting, assessments, insulin, etc.
The temp LPN came in about 10. She was very efficient, but I felt judgmental. At 12:30, she asked me if I had given my noon meds. I said not yet, and she actually said, "well, then you are late". Really? Seriously? I had been a working RN for a mere 16 hours. Sigh.
If it wasn't for the DON, charge nurse, and even the education director checking on me frequently, I may have turned in my badge. I had noticed a LOG (little old guy :) sitting in the hallway, looking cold. I brought him a blanket and went on my way. Later I overheard him telling the DON that that nice nurse was nice to him.
THAT'S the reason I became a nurse. If I get through the next few months, I will be able to work anywhere with the skills I will get here.
Specializes in Gerontology, Med surg, Home Health.
Just a tiny point.....12 noon meds are not late at 1230...you have one hour before and one hour after to do the pass....and I can bet the LOG needed a blanket a lot more than someone else needed their med exactly at noon.
Specializes in Chiropractic assistant, CNA in LTC, RN.
It depends on the facility as to when meds are late. Some of the facilities I did clinicals in had the 30 minute before and 30 minute after rule and others had a 60 minute before and 60 minute after.
I'm a new grad RN who is going into to LTC for two reasons: 1. Hospitals here are bombarded with new grad apps. 2. I like working with the elderly.
I do not for one minute think I will be stuck in LTC simply because I started there. I'm so tired of hearing that if you don't start in a hospital it will next to impossible to get a hospital job. I will use my nursing skills in LTC as well. I may not do many trachs, vents, and IV push drugs like I would in a hospital but I will do skin assessments, wound care, finger sticks, vital signs, suctioning, care planning, assessing, teaching, admitting, discharges, psych nursing, nutrition, ADLs, my people skills, etc. I really don't that nurses that start off in LTC will be ignored once they have a year of experience.
The long term care facility that I worked at was transfroming itself to take care of the patients no longer able to stay at the hospital's inpatient rehab unit. We had several PEG tubes, central lines, IV medications, wound vacs, dressings, treatments and even one trach. It is a myth that nurses can not get out of long term care once they are there, it sometimes depends on the market. If it is a hard market wait a few years and they will be knocking on your door. I worked in long term care for 2 years prior to transfering to a hospital. I think the one thing I learned in LTC is time management and how to be resourceful. It usually takes 6months to feel comfortable in the job. I agree with the previous posts you can get with nurses who have the patients on your days off and make a cheat sheet, when I first started I had flash cards room number on one side and quick facts on the other with a ring around them to make it easier. I would put things on the cards such as how they would take their pills code status, any ongoing skin issues, likes/dislikes etc. After a short while I knew the patients so well I didn't need the cards. My greatest piece of advice is find a mentor, even is you were not assigned one. My mentor had been a nurse for 5years and we eventually went back for our RNs together. For a LTC situation to work all the CNAs need to be doing their job and all the interdisiplinary team members must be working with you. It is so much work you can not be slowed down by somebody not doing their job (which was one reason I transferred to another LTC facility within our main company).
. I spent my last 2 days off thinking about all the things that I should have done this way or that way.....I have only been off orientation for 3 days....and I feel like everyone talks about me behind my back-although they say I am doing good.
Snoopy54321
27 Posts
i will start my 1st job as a RN in a convalescent hospital. I am scared to death as I heard so many horrible stories. When I worked as CNA in hospital, it took me 3 months to feel comfortable. (some CNA were not helpful at all as they told you they were always busy). Now I have to start working as a RN; I am scared the same things would happen again. Today I go back to skills labs to feel more comfortable in skills and read more drugs med. What else should I do then to become familiar with paper works. (reading nsg dianosis or care plan books) trust me!! I am very grateful for this job and I am not scared of hard work. But I pray God let me be prepared for this challenge.