New Grad- First Job

smile123 · Jul 31, 2007

I am a new grad LPN and over the past few days I have received job offers from two different LTC facilities. Job A is in a 71 bed facility where I would be in charge of 10 patients at a time. This facility is rated 24/35 on the Nursing Home Report Card. Job B is a 108 bed facility where I would be in charge of 21 patients at a time. It is rated 27/35. Can anyone offer me some insight as to why the huge jump in # of patients between these facilities? I am really scared of making the wrong decision between these two jobs. Ten patients sounds like a much easier way to get my feet wet as a new grad, but there's gotta be a catch, right? Help!

10 pts vs. 21 pts? There are a couple of things:

1. Ask how many nurses aids are on the shift with you. If you have CNAs do all the vital signs, I/O's, bed baths, ambulating the patient, feeding the patient and charting this info, then that makes a big difference.

2. Ask if there are resource nurses on the shifts. They often do start the IVs, do all the blood glucose sugar sticks, and help out the other nurses when things get hectic.

3. Ask how many RNs are also on the shift with you; they may be helping you. At my facility, the LVN had either a charge RN or resource RN to go to for help.

4. Ask the hiring manager how someone can be responsible for 21 patients. They must have someone else to help you.

5. Ask if you can speak to one of the other LVNs or RNs on the staff to shadow or ask questions about workload. It could be quite eye opening.

Hope that helps. Nursing is stressful enough as it is without doubling the workload! Good luck!