New nurse looking for advice

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Hi! I am a new nurse, working my first job ever as a nurse. I am a LPN working on an Alzheimer's unit in LTC, 7-3 shift. I have been alone for two days now, and feel like I am so lost. I didnt take any breaks today and wasn't done until 4 pm today with all my work/paperwork. Will I always be like this? How long will it take me to get a little faster? I feel like I am in the way of the nurses who know what they are doing and need some advice to help organize my day. It makes things slower for us nurses since so many on my floor are feeds, so the nurses have to help feed, too. From 8-9 and from 12-1 we have to help feed! I dont mind, it just makes for less time to do things. Thanks!

Oh and they don't like anyone to get overtime. I have seen nurses clock out and then do their charting. I refuse to do that, if I'm there doing my job then I should be getting paid for it. Am I wrong?

Thanks!

No, you are not wrong. Nurses should not clock out and finish charting. You should be paid for your work. See the link below to see what the Department of Labor has to say about that, and other situations regarding nursing and wages:

http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs53.htm

If you go down to example #13, it's in regards to staying over the regular shift time to finish work. However, the whole fact sheet is important info for nurses to know.

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Specializes in SNF, ortho, geriatric.
Hello! I'm also a new nurse. I've been working in LTC facility also for about 2 months. I was hired to pass meds to 50 residents morning and noon. My first day by myself I was still passing morning pills at 1pm! I cried twice and when I got a short break, I almost left and didn't go back. Now that I've been doing it for a while I get morning pass done by 9 usually (I start at 6am). I have gotten quicker as time goes on and so will you. I feel like I'm getting ready to start over at my job, because this month they have me as charge nurse. There is only one charge nurse during each shift. I'll be responsible for all the treatments for all the residents (creams, wound dressings), insulin and blood sugars, two tube feeders, all the vitals and assessments for MC residents and all the charting for the shift, any doctor calls that need to be made and the list goes on.... My employer has recently fired 2 charge nurses, so I'm really freaking out bad! Oh and they don't like anyone to get overtime. I have seen nurses clock out and then do their charting. I refuse to do that, if I'm there doing my job then I should be getting paid for it. Am I wrong?

Thanks!

No you are not wrong at all. The same goes at our facility, we are not allowed overtime and I refuse to work for free but if I want any work done I have to do it. Yeah, it sucks!

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The feeding is a real time-killer, no question.

Can the aides apply to butt creams buring changes? That's one down, and permissible here.

That isn't bad, OP. And you WILL get faster.

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Specializes in LTC, rehab, medical review.

You're not wrong at all for saying that! You shouldnt work off the clock. Yesterday I didnt get out till 4:30 :p. But an experienced nurse there never really leaves until 4, either, so I dunno. I am just one who likes to talk to the residents and see how they are doing. I know that slows me down a lot, but I really want to be able to get to know them and make them happy. One of the CNAs told me yesterday that one of the normally combatitive residents was very agreeable the last two days that I had been her nurse. The CNA said, "You are a great nurse. I dont know what you are doing, but whatever it is, keep it up. *** has been in a great mood!" That made my day. There is a daycare on-site, too, so I am happy that my baby gets to come with me. Doesnt make me feel so guilty when I get out so late. It's hard work, but for the first time in my life, I actually feel happy about going to work and look forward to my day. (I did retail for years)

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Specializes in LTC.

The aides can't apply any creams or anything unless they are CMTs and very few are. I know I'll get better, I just hope that I'm given the time to get better. Today was a train wreck, I'm hoping that tomorrow goes better. I'm going to be charging almost all this month, so I'm really hoping that will help me find my groove. Thank you all for your comments, there are appreciated greatly!

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Ah. Aides in NY can put on a butt cream. Not medicated ones, though, but Calmo, PeriGuard, etc are allowed.

Hang in there.

:)

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Specializes in LTC, rehab, medical review.
Ah. Aides in NY can put on a butt cream. Not medicated ones, though, but Calmo, PeriGuard, etc are allowed.

Hang in there.

:)

I have my Aids put the Calmo and Zinc on the bums. It saves me some time. :) I really love being a nurse! I just have to get used to it.

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Specializes in LTC.

I'm trying to. lol Thanks alot! Enjoy your weekend!

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YOU WILL GET BETTER, I felt the same as you almost 20 years ago at 19, but you really have a great ratio of nurses and CNA's which is not the norm were I am at we have 40 plus with 2 on and a restorative aide who usually is gone on transports which I think is dumb and not doing restorative, (this is why our rug rates are poor) anyway, What I do with new grads or did when I was ADON, was to make that little cheat sheet we call it a brain has a list of accuchecks, who needs o2 sats, a spot for i/o's and bm's (to check at the beginning of the shift so you know who needs a laxative) foley caths to record outputs and any special tx, appts etc. One section for incidents/transfers. I recommend making rounds 15 minutes before your shift before even report, or do walking rounds with offgoing nurse. You want to make rounds on the hour the nurse aides are not going to make sure they are looked at pretty much hourly and to see if they are clean, good body alignment for bedfast residents. Make a list after you have made your first round of what docs you need to contact and for what if you need to report a skin tear, fall, elevated bp/abnormal lab etc.. etc.. make your assignments early and let your nurse aides know what you expect of them like giving you a list of bms or outputs, or having people in the dining room by meal times, passing snacks we use a nurse aide assigment sheet to say who passes hall trays and takes meal intakes that day, and who goes on transports. Having all your ducks in a row early helps but takes time to get this down. It did me but I got to where I really did not want to stay 2 or 3 hours late so I learned to get things done when I could so I could be in the dining room monitoring meals and assist and aide if they needed it to prevent injury. Make a list also of familys to call to go to transports if they can which helps you and the facility if they go sit at appts if you have that luxury so you dont have to get a nurse aide off the floor. when you make assignments make break assignments and not let all of them go at one time. ( I made that mistake before) vital signs I usually did my own sometimes let the med aide get them if in a rush. also on your little charge nurse sheet you might jot down who is on abt's q 72 hour charting etc... MOnthly summaries to do etc. I made a Job duties list for our GVN's for each shift which helped them out a bunch you might ask someone if they have a list like that. or Job discription. You will get better, I remember the day I had to look up every stinking med and my med pass took me almost until 11 at first but got better with time. When I have to work the floor since I dont do it all the time I have to stay over a couple of hours to get documentation done. So your doing great !!

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