New to LTC/SNF - Does this sound right?

[CMLPNnowRN]

hi everybody!

i've been an lpn for 1 1/2 years now. i've done hospital, surgical floor, since before graduation, where i started as a nurse tech. extremely busy floor, working very short all the time (8 to 11 pts/nurse), with great independence. an invaluable learning experience. due to management, i

resigned a couple of months ago.

i've also done hospice, and still do, which i love, but i'm per diem, so can't really count on that to survive and pay bills.

i was offered a job at a snf one block from my house. i've been to quite a few snfs/ltcs before due to my hospice job, and this one seems to be organized, clean, and professional. of course, you only know for real once you're working there. it's a 116-bed facility, with a ltc wing, a lock-down alzheimer's unit, and a subacute and rehab wing with vents/traches, g/ng-tube feeders, and quite a few ortho pts undergoing intense pt. it wasn't mentioned in detail, but i "got the feeling" that they'd assign me to the subacute wing because of the hospital background i have, which is great for me, that's why i went to check them out to begin with, i didn't want to go to a strict ltc facility.

i love the elderly -- they were always my favorite pts at the hospital -- and i'm really excited about this career change.

here is my question for you experienced ltc nurses -- i was offered $16.50 as base-rate, with $0.50 s.diff. for 3-11 and $0.75 for 11-7. on weekends, $1.00 for 7-3, $1.50 for 3-11, and $1.75 for 11-7. i'd be assigned to 3-11 for now. the ratio at the subacute wing is 20 to 1, and the others 30 to 1. do these rates sound reasonable to you? i'm in central florida. i have iv certification and other certs i had the opportunity to get while at the hospital. like i said before, it's a block from my house, so i don't have to worry about gas and all that. does the pay seem fair? since i've never worked snf before i'm unsure about pay rates, ratios, etc.

any comments would be greatly appreciated!

thanks a lot!

:) cmlpn

"for i am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of god that is in christ jesus our lord"

romans 8:38-39

[Marylou1102]

That is pretty much what we pay here. The sad thing is that our local hospitals will start RN's at 16.50. Believe it or not, The nursing homes pay equal or better to the hospitals in our area.

[CMLPNnowRN]

sharlynn,

i don't know yet the cna/pt ratio, they were very vague about it when i asked during the tour i was given.

today will be my first day; i'll update everybody sometime this week.

i also neglected to mention that the facility "claims" to have rt 24/7 to care for the vents and trachs -- "unless it's an emergency situation you'd have to suction and do what needs to be done yourself...":eek:

"for i am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of god that is in christ jesus our lord"

romans 8:38-39

[LPN2RNdude]

OMG!!! 20 patients for one nurse?? that is unreal for a rehab unit. where i work, i only have 14 patients (half of a hall) with maybe only 5, at the most, being skilled... and trust me, those 5 skilled patients alone can have u running all day... the admissions and discharges, the acuity of some of these patients... a lone nurse with 20 skilled patients just simply cant do an adequate job of caring for those people... im sorry, that is just my opinion... i worked, right out of LPN school, at a place that payed me 18.50 an hr, and after the first week, i knew WHY i was being payed so much.... there were 20 rehab patients on my hall, some with Gtubes some fresh post-op ortho patients, some with nephrostomy tubes, some with trachs, not to mention diabetics and accuchecks, and those with dementia.... it was a nightmare... i lasted all but 4 weeks..... not trying to discourage you, just letting you know how hard it can be to care for so many people at once... good luck in whatever you decide.

[BigB]

california lvn's up here have 35 -40 patients on the (3 - 11pm shift) in LTC. consider yourself lucky.

[CMLPNnowRN]

hey, everybody!!

ok, it's official -- i'm a chicken :stone

well, after 2 days of intensive madness (oops, i should say "orientation") i figured out that my health and sanity weren't worth loosing over $16.50/hr (pardon me, plus differential...).

bargainhound - you were right. i should have never assumed anything. i was assigned to the lock-down alzheimer's unit plus 1/2 of the subacute. that means, both units with a whooping (msp?) number of 30 pts, with 2 different carts and a coded keypad to open the double-doors between units!!!!

sharlynn and lpn2rndude - you were right. the ratio is insane. i handled myself pretty well; all the pts got their right meds and txs. as long as i never eat, sit down, or use the bathroom, and buy me a pair or roller blades to skate down those hallways in a more efficient manner, i'll be fine. but guess what?! i don't wanna!!!

i applause each and everyone of my colleagues that work in ltc.

it has just been confirmed in mind what i already knew -- you guys are incredible for what you do! it takes a very special person to be an ltc nurse.

oh! did i forget to mention i quit?!

cmlpn

"for i am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of god that is in christ jesus our lord"

romans 8:38-39