New nurse!! Please help!!

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Dec 7, 2012

Are you in LTC? If so, you've received ample orientation and can do it if you put your mind to making things work out for the best.

Personally, I received only one 8-hour shift worth of orientation in LTC as a new LVN in 2006. I was promised three days, but the place was too understaffed to fulfill that pledge. Three days is the average length of orientation in LTC for a new grad in the city where I live.

Orientation is not an extended period for nursing school practicum to learn skills that you might have missed during your time as a student. Rather, it is a time to get to know the paperwork and routine of the floor. The rest of your learning will come with time. Ask questions along the way.

Good luck to you!

T-Bird78 · Dec 7, 2012

Just stay calm and it will come to you soon. Utilize your CNAs--they are your best resource. They know the residents and can give tips about who likes their meds crushed in pudding and who is a talker and who to be careful around. Ask their advice and you'll pick it up soon. Just do your best, one pt and one task at a time. I've seen other posts on here about having 40 pts!!

aspyer · Dec 7, 2012

So, I just graduated nursing school and passed my boards right away. I got a job as a charge nurse one two miles away from home. However, I'm not sure I can do it! I had my preceptor at a assisted living, so I feel like I did not gain much. I have my job as a charge nurse in a nursing home. I work second shift and have around 23 residents. Here is the scoop: I have to do the entire evening med pass, deal with doctors, any new admits, treatments, assessments, and then all my documenting BY MYSELF. I feel VERY overwhelmed and just don't know if I feel OK doing this. They gave my only 4 days of orientation and I asked for more and got another two days. I'm going to be all on my own in a few days. I don't know what on earth to do. I don't know if this is such a good job for a new grad. But then again, no one around here is hiring. Please help with words of wisdom.

First of all congrats, not to be hard on you but consider yourself lucky with 23 residents don't stress we all started out feeling overwhelm but it's a learning process keep a little notebook handy ask questions make notes and relax. It takes time to develop your time management skills and to get into to flow of things no one expect you to have it all down in your first week.

kwest99 · Dec 8, 2012

hello! i graduated three months ago and work LTC. It is very overwhelming at first. especially the paperwork! i still have problems with what to fax where and who to call in what situation. wah.. but i PROMISE you will get it eventually. I did not feel confident for weeks when i started!! but now im to the point where im memorizing my residents medications (40 residents). and things are going so much quicker and im getting more comfortable everyday!

also i worked with a nurse who had a "cheat sheet" she had all her residents on a spread sheet with what time they got medications and which ones you can bundle like you can give your 4-6 medications at 5 and your 6-8 medications at 7. and all bs and what time. and who can wait to take some of their evening meds with their night meds to save time. who is crushed and who is whole. yata yata... hope that makes sense... :bored:

you will do great!

KRODD · Dec 8, 2012

Most new grads feel like you do its takes time after 6 months youll be alot calmer. I wrote a guide if you do a search you can find it it may help you.

SinikRN101 · Dec 8, 2012

Try 50+ patients on NOC shift with 3 CNA's and your RN on another floor. And no they don't all sleep!!

JoyfulNurseLPN · Dec 10, 2012

You absolutely can do it. I was a charge nurse who had to do 'double units'

(responsible for 70 patients). That included assignments, treatments, meds

for both units, mealtimes for both units in a communal day room, monitoring

of the floor, any new orders that came in, admission paperwork, 4 tube feedings,

about 20 diabetics (all had fingersticks, insulin, fragile). MIND YOU, this was

on evening shift. I passed about 300+ meds, gave about 10-15 injections, did

about 10-15 treatments, and sometimes had a fall to deal with.

It was really difficult at first, and the nights I didn't have a double unit I really

cherished, but it's basically all about time management. Make yourself a ''cheat

sheet'' as one of the previous posters said. Put the med times next to their name,

how they transfer, if their meds are crushed, etc. It will save you a lot of time

and heartache.