Nursing homes..Have you worked in one and do you like it?

[Yulie]

Hello,

I haven't posted in a while but really need some guidance. I work in a clinic for a very busy Dr. It is not unusual for my Dr. to see over 50 patients, between the hours of 9-11:30 and 2:00-4:30 (actual times we accept appointments, not time we are actually finished) My ability to keep up is failing. Needless to say I do not have time during clinic to make calls, fill out scripts, and complete tasks. No matter what I do I feel like I am never going to cut it. The stress is changing me as a person, and causing me to doubt myself as a nurse. My Husband and son are encouraging a change and wants me to apply at the nursing and rehab center that is currently hiring. I have been a clinic nurse since I graduated (3 years in Sept.) What can I expect. I would appreciate help with this matter.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I've worked at multiple nursing homes. You will probably have 30+ elderly residents, so your time management must be excellent. You will have multiple tasks to complete during your shift, so your organizational skills must be excellent. You will have to supervise CNAs and work with other staff, so your interpersonal skills must be excellent. You will be pulled in multiple directions, so your pace must be excellent. You will be dealing with doctors and emotionally upset family members, so your communication skills must be excellent.

You can expect to pass medications to the 30+ residents, along with doing finger stick blood sugars, colostomy care, dressing changes, feeding tube flushes, occasional IV therapy, charting, assessments, and so forth. If a resident has an acute change in condition, you will have to notify the doctor, and if the doctor gives orders to send the patient to the hospital ER, you will immediately have to arrange for this to be done.

You will also be doing clerical stuff: taking off orders, documenting, charting, filing labs, etc.

[SWiseRN]

I can see the nursing home job as being just as stressful. However, it might be a little easier to get some sort of "routine." It is by no means monotonous though.