New grad in LTC - frustrated

[SunshineAnytime]

I'm a new grad and I've never shadowed or worked in an LTC. I've been here less than a week. My frustration stems from the fact that some nurses that train me teach me to take shortcuts and others dont. The nurses who tell me to do everything by the book complain that I am "moving too slow and need to learn to speed up soon." I haven't even been here for one week! I've stayed 1-1.5 past clockout time this week. I really need this job and enjoy the patients and staff very much!! I just want to be able to provide safe, med error free care without being reprimanded for it!! What are realistic expectations for a new grad in the LTC??? My DON is giving me a 10 day orientation which doesn't seem realistic at all!!! Would love to hear feedback.

[prettymica, ASN, BSN, MSN, LPN, RN, APRN, NP]

Trust me be thankful for the 10 days, I was supposed to be given 3 but I actually had 1 and I was written up the first week I was there. I had no previous exprience and yes everyone took shortcuts. I saw people giving dig without checking a pulse, nurse making up vitals and bloodsugars. Take your time and if you need more time after orientation ASK!. I was told by my DON that i was just scared. The residents had no arm bands no pics in the MAR. I was thinking you people are nuts! congrats on the new job but hang in there and do things the correct way :)!

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

10 days is 7 days more than most orientations. I know it's absurd. We give our new grads at least 2 weeks on the shift we hired them for and a few days on the other shifts. Don't take short cuts because someone else thinks you're slow. When I was new I got screamed at for not giving a woman her meds..."You're taking too long" the supervisor yelled. The woman was on Thorazine AND Stellazine, two potent antipsychotics. Her med sheet listed her age as 101 but she looked like she was in her 30's. So I got screamed at because the MAR was incorrect and they had no system to identify residents.

Keep at it. If you don't feel ready, talk to the DON. Tell her you are brand new and need a bit more time to feel comfortable. If the place is any good, they'll give you the extra time. It's less expensive than finding someone one new and in the long run, the residents will benefit.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

My DON is giving me a 10 day orientation which doesn't seem realistic at all!!! Would love to hear feedback.

When I was a new grad LVN in 2006, I received 1 day of orientation before being cut loose to work on my own. The DON had promised me 3 days, but the LTC facility was way too short-staffed to fulfill that promise.

In the area where I live, the local nursing homes will offer new nurses three days of orientation. Experienced nurses will receive one to three days.

[NurseHopefulInOH]

10 days is great! It will all get easier and you will be able to do things the right way AND speed up soon. It's stressfull and frustrating at first and it never gets "easy" but you will get into a routine and it will go smoother. You learn your med pass and where things are and get faster at it. Learn the routines of the nurses you are being trained by. Also kn ow that just because the seasoned nurses are doing certain things does not make them right. Do what you know is right it is your license! I learned that very quick on my first job! So you might have to stay a bit later now thats better than going to fast and messing up. Soon you will be leaving on time.

What helped me (and still does!) when I first started was to make lists of the tasks to be completed and the timeline you want to complete them in. Delegate what you can (vitals, care etc) and work together with your aids. Gather all supplies you will need before you go out on the floor. Stock your cart before your med pass, get anything out of the fridge you need. Complete most important tasks first and first priority is usually med pass and assessments/vitals then treatments. Don't let yourself get to flustered about time and become task oriented only you will miss the big picture. I also learned that as a new grad. Good luck! you will be fine!

[SarahLVN]

10 days isn't enough when you're new but it is certainly more than most. When I began in LTC I was oriented for 4 days, as a new grad. It takes at least 6 months to wrap your head around a facility setting, know who everyone is and what their role is. When you have that down, you'll be less frantic.

[DizzyLizzyNurse]

10 days is what I got for my LTC orientation and it is considered a lot. Don't worry about what others say. Take your time to get to know the routine. You'll get faster with time.

[SunshineAnytime]

3 days!?? I'm already feeling a little better. lol Wow but your experiences sounds just like my mine so far! None of the residents had name bands my first days or looked totally different from the pics in the MAR (if there were even pics there). The nurse would send me off to medicate a patient sitting in the hallway with no armband and clearly not AxO to let me know his name!! Thanks for your encouragement

[SunshineAnytime]

Thanks for your encouragement. Sucks to hear some nurses are getting way less days to train. It feels like such a limbo though... You want to give the pt's their meds on time but don't want to move too quickly as to cause med errors. If others have made it on less, I'll make it too

[SunshineAnytime]

Yikes! Thanks for the insight

[SunshineAnytime]

Thank you all for the insight and encouragement. I feel a lot more comfortable with the 10 day orientation. Going to talk to my DON and supervisors if I need more time

[DizzyLizzyNurse]

Just wanted to add that I worked as a CNA for almost 3 years before bring a nurse. I worked at the same facility and still stayed late and had trouble when I first started and got some crap from the nurses. Just roll with the punches and you'll get there!