Nursing Home Nightmare

Specialties Geriatric

Published

new LPN started first nursing home job. I have only recieved 8 days of training and was left in 40 bed facility for whole shift with 1 TMA myself and 3 aides is this normal. oh my god should I get out of this isn't that a huge liability on myself if something goes wrong I barely remember where the bathroom is much less what ethel so and so's issues are and what to do in a emergencey. please help:angryfire

Specializes in Corrections, neurology, dialysis.
thank you but won't that look horrible to the next job interview I have. To say I only last a week?

So don't bring it up on your next interview. I would keep going on interviews as if I don't have a job yet.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Pediatrics, Home Health.

My advise is :

GET OUT NOW!! RUN do NOT walk!!!

I passed boards in Oct. 2005 I have worked in 2 nursing homes. The 1st one had 52 res. On 7pm-7am I had 28 pts. and a cna.

In the entire building, there were 3 CNA's and 2 nurses one RN [me] and 1 LPN.

I would start med pass at 7pm and wouldn't finish until 11PM!!

I preset for the 6 AM med pass and still didn't get done on time.

I lasted 18 days.

Got hired into a bigger nursing home in March. 5 units, North 1 has all private rooms [16 res] North 2 has 28 res 5 gtubes, several decubes, and a trach most of the sickest pts are on this unit.

South 1 has 25 pts South 2 has 28 pts 2 gtubes and LOTS of 9 pm meds [it takes me four hrs to do the evening pass.]

Rehab currently has 7 pts.

On North 1 there is 1 nurse or QMA at night no CNA and 6 are total care and must be up with a lift. 1 has a gtube. 6 are accu cks but all in all a quiet unit.

North 2 has 1 nurse either RN or LPN 1 CNA who also works North one. The nurse must give the insulin to the res on North 1 when a QMA works.

South 1 has either a QMA or a nurse. South 2 has 1 CNA and a nurse or QMA The nurse or QMA must help do bedchecks for both South 1 & 2. I have 28 pts and this is the hardest unit in the building. There are 10 + accu checks Q AM gtube feeding round the clock because they are bolus. Dressing changes, treatments. and these people are SPOILED ROTTEN!! They all gather around my cart and get upset if I don't get their meds first!! I had one woman cuss me out because I didn't get her fast enough!!

Rehab is my favorite. Right now there are 7 pt. Alot of them get to go home. We had one die Wednesday. He was in a coma from bilat subdural hematomas fron an MVA. Very sad because he was normal before the accident very active. Actually went home from the hospital but died about 2 weeks later.

On nights there are 3 nurses, 2 QMA's and 3 CNA's for 136 pts. it doesn't sound like much and and it isn't, but it's alot more that you have!!

I have worked when I was the most senior nurse in the building!! That just ticks me off!! I got my RN in Oct. Another got her's in Dec. and the other one got his in March.

I said [typed] all of this to show you that it is NOT normal to have Just 1 LPN in the ENIRE building. As far as only having worked 8 days goes, so what? Most LTC's don't look down on you for quitting under those conditions. The DON is a jerk and is only looking at his bottom line. He doesn't give a rip about you!!

Nuses need to remember that we are the patient's ADVOCATE and we can't do that if we don't know who they are.

PLEASE get out of there. It is NOT safe and if [when] you make a mistake they will fry you!!

This is the bottom line: Can you and your CNA's get ALL of the res. out of the building in the event of a fire? Of course you can't because you are not superwoman.

Just something to think about!!

One other thing, I started out at $17.50 hr. I got a pay raise in July and am now making $18.35.

________________________________

In His Grace,

Karen

Failure is NOT an option!!

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