New grad RN at a SNF

[MikeRn85]

I am a RN new grad hired as a RN supervisor at a SNF and I don't feel safe where I work. I have so much respect for the medical workers (LVNs and CNAs) that enter this field, however I think our facility is way understaffed. They have a high turnover rate from what I was told. I only get 5 days of training which is scary. Some of my own preceptors don't want to teach me. I just feel I'm not getting enough training. One of the LVNs told me they made her figured it out on her own. I've seen patients with ulcers not being turned and everything that I was taught being thrown out the window. I don't blame them especially with the amount of patients, charting, and other things they have to do, but this is how it is at a SNF. Everyone has their own area they need to take care of and it's very difficult to find help especially if you work the afternoon or graveyard shift. I'm scared to lose my license. A part of me doesn't want to quit because I haven't been getting any interviews, but at the same time I'm questioning myself if I should just let it go. I really don't know what to do. I never imagined in to be this hard to look for a job.

[VANurse2010]

First of all, welcome to LTC/SNF. Understaffing and lapses in care are common - that's why it's one of the most heavily regulated industries in the country. At the same time, all those regulations can distract from care. You'll find that most LTC nurses spend more time documenting the care that was supposedly given than actually doing care. This is a structural problem and not something you're going to fix as direct care supervisor.

Here's some tips: Don't accept supervisor jobs you're not qualified for. LTC loves to hire new grad RNs, but do you think you have the clinical expertise to guide all those LPNs and CNAs? How would you feel as a family member if you knew your concerns were being directed to someone with NO experience in nursing?

You are not going to lose your license, so just drop that mental fixation now. Unless you're diverting narcotics, abusing residents, or falsifying documentation, your risk is slim to none. You don't lose your license from being in an understaffed facility.

[MikeRn85]

Thank you for your response

[nowayis]

I was in a similar situation, and told them I was uncomfortable with being supervisor at that time, to summarize... However, I. Feel they just need a body with an rn license, for regulatory purposes, but like anything the choice is always yours in what you decide to do, some situations more uphill than others.

[CryssieD]

Unfortunately, as the RN, you are legally responsible for the care the LPNs and CNAs are providing--yes, they have their own credentials, but it is your job to monitor them and be aware of what they are doing (or not doing). Many years in long-term and sub-acute care taught me that providing good nursing care is much easier said/charted than done. However, the legal system isn't really going to care how busy everyone is--if the care is substandard, you and your facility can really get nailed. My advice: if you feel unsafe, leave. Find another job where you are more comfortable and confident. Short-staffing is more the rule than the exception, but it isn't an excuse--you are still held to the "reasonable and prudent" standard; if the facility doesn't/can't live up to that, get out!