New Job and Scared to Death

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I just applied to a LTC facility PRN. They called me the next day, had me come in the next day, had my physical appointment set up before they had even interviewed me. Today (the following day) I've had my fingerprinting done, drug testing done on site and my physical.

My interview consisted of "Hi, I'm the DON. You have any questions?"

Tomorrow they are going to start my orientation and 2 hours of movies. Then Thursday they are going to do some more oreintation with some other head cheeses in the building.

This all seems sort of rash. They had me hired before they had even met me. I'm a new grad, that scares no one. They said I could take all the time I needed in my training. The DON told me that if I wanted to work on one particular hall and didn't quite feel comforatbale on another hall that was fine. I'm going to have one day of training for nothing but the paperwork. This all seems so screwy ... something doesn't seem right.

Another thing I'm scared to death about is the fact that I will have approximately 30 pt. to pass meds too, with one aide. She said sometimes they will have more than one aide,sometimes.

Do I have a legitimate reason to be scared here or am I letting the number scare me?

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I worked LTC for years and it does sound like you have reason to be wary. Most LTC can't keep staff and are really desperate to find a warm body w/ a license.

I think that when new nurses are overwhelmed, they tend to think "If I work harder and am better organized, it will be better."

New nurses often think that they must have a problem if it seems overwhelming. Seasoned nurses know that many nursing jobs are just impossible and that even Florence Nightingale couldn't do everything that is expected and do a good job of it.

It may be worth a shot, but I would just be cautious if I were you.

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Specializes in Geriatrics/Alzheimer's.

I work in an LTC, and had a one month orientation before I worked on my floor alone. At our facility the nurses don't pass the meds, our Med Aides pass medications. We double check the narcotics, plus they have to tell us when they pass a PRN and a PRN Narcotic. On the night shift we have a few meds to pass, but not for 30 residents. My floor, 1st floor, has 28 residents, second floor has 30. We don't have a Med Aide on the night shift, due to the limited number of meds passed.

I have two CNAs on my floor and the 2nd floor has 3 CNAs. I'm the only nurse on my floor at night and 2nd floor has one nurse, but we are there for each other if there is an emergency. My CNAs have been at this facilty for many years, so they know our residents well. We have little turn over.

I would feel very unsafe at your facility, especially being new.

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Welcome to long term care:)

If the DON starts talking about working on the skilled unit, run for the hills!!!!! 30 patients on a long term care intermediate unit is not uncommon in my city, actually as an LPN I have had as many as 58 residents on one unit however 95% were DNR and their conditions were stable and predictable (usually) I would be very cautious if I were you because if you get stuck on the skilled unit you may be overloaded with medicare daily documentation, MDS/Careplanning, treatments, G-tubes, IVs, Accuchecks, Insulins regular injections and sliding scale all the meds and concerned family members. While you are in orientation, observe and get a good idea as to what the acuity of the residents on your unit will be

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deadend, i think you just summed up most of my orientation, the tour was horrible, they gave me a scavenger hunt, the nurses station alone looked like a daily scavenger hunt. 2 nurses were sitting there when i went in and were sitting there in the same spot when i came out.

the skilled unit looks horrible, that's exactly why i went away from hospitals ... who wants to chart on 30 people? (welcome to the real world!:eek:) plus i had to do a self evaluation, and i had an awful lot of no's and never even seen one of those on there...i'm hoping i have a loving and caring preceptor:rolleyes:

if i never do i will never learn, so i guess i need to shut up and do ...

and one of the saddest things, one of my residents in my current job in an assisted living alzheimers unit is there, she was sitting alone in a wheel chair, looked totally doped up and was playing with her rolling pin restraint. our facility had sent her out with a head injury(we think) and haven't recieved any updates on her. now i know :o

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I would be VERY scared to work as a new grad in LTC. Nothing against LTC, but that is an awful lot of responsibility for a new grad, especially if you were not a LPN before. Remember, it is your license on the line. Things can and will go bad. I would definately work in a hospital before going to LTC if it were me. I wish you the best of luck, and I hope things aren't as bad as they seem, for your sake.

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If you think it is screwy and scares you, then you need to listen to your intuition! I wouldn't do it. Reading your post made the hairs on my neck stand up and frightened me.

I've never done LTC so I hope to not offend anyone, but common sense would dictate that putting a new grad (no offense meant) into this situation is trouble waiting to happen. That would be a difficult scenario for many seasoned nurses. I know that LTC's are suffering from lack of staffing just as many area's are. I think though that there are better, safer situations for you to get your experience. You can always return to LTC when you may feel more secure and have more experience.

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