New Job

[Butterfries]

I am still in orientation at a SNF for about three weeks, it has a generous orientation period of one month. The thing is I find myself dreading to come to orientation, I feel so unhappy. The staff to resident ratio is 1 nurse to 38 residents. Some of the residents are challenging: hard to give meds to, accepts meds only from certain people or wants meds at a specific time. Their families are also hard to deal with and will ask you a lot of questions, one even wants to go in the shower room to watch the CNA give a shower. I had the wound nurse yell at me because a res had a wound that wasn't healing, I didnt know about this because I was new. we have on call nurses that requests not to be in this unit. I have a lot of fall risks in this unit. AM shift nurses made me mad because they basically use me to get out on time, they wont even let me do med passes and finish charting for them so I had to tell the Unit Manager so I can learn how to med pass. There are two occasions where they had a staff shortage and I had to work by myself or with another orientee which I didnt think was safe without a preceptor. They wont put another nurse there either so I would be by myself in one week. Do you guys think I should look for another job or should I just wait it out and I have these anxieties because I am a new nurse.

[amoLucia]

Sorry that you're experiencing such stress. LTC can be tough, esp for newbies. Your place doesn't sound too much different or worse than most places out there. Just know, staffing is esp rough during summer r/t vacations (and holidays - everybody want off). It IS generous that they offered you a month orientation.

It may be too early to jump ship. There's no guarantee that another 'NEXT' place would be any better (and it may well be worse). It may be very hard to swallow when I say to 'give it some time'.

I've been away for a few weeks (computer broke) but I don't think the nursing job market for newbies has changed significantly in that time. You do have a position at this time, albeit 'bumpy' at the present.

The fact that your place offered one month orientation makes it sound like a 'not too bad place after all is said & done, really. All places have runs of good days and not-so-good days.

Good luck.