Orientation with 55 residents

[starletRN]

I could be wrong but is it unreasonable for my supervisor to expect me to orient someone on a night when I have 55 residents? I have only been working at this LTC for 4 months. I started out on one unit and they moved me to another 3 nights ago. Normally,the floor is split between two nurses but for the last two nights I have had the whole floor. The other nurse had the weekend off.

I was only a nurse for a year when I took this job due to a move, so there are times when I still have questions. I barely feel qualified sometimes to orient anyone. Much less expect to orient them with that many residents. This is probably nothing for some of you guys but for me it was a little overwhelming. Also, I was told this morning that I was supposed to be with her the whole time we were working. I asked her how she would learn best (this was her 4th and 5th night orienting) and she said that she would like to do as much as she could without me stepping in to help. Well, I allowed her some free rein. Which come to think of it, if I hadn't the day nurses might have been waiting for report 2 hours after their shift was supposed to start.

Anyway, I am probably just being a whiner. It just seemed like a bit much to expect.

[noctanol]

if the orientee is a new grad then yes that would be unreasonable. it seems you just feel overwhelmed. i work in a ltc and at night most of the residents just sleep, i have 12 am and 2 am med pass, changing the tubing (feeding pumps), documentation, then 5 am med pass (mostly prilosec and levothyroxine) and accuchecks and thats it. i have about 60 residents and its a breeze. Your orientee should by the 4th and 5th night be ready 2 do things on her own, ltc is different than hospitals, u dont get the 6 months internship, she should be independent and only come 2 u for clarification. idk, thats my take.

[Leelee2]

Have you explained your concerns with your supervisor? Have you voiced to them that you are feeling overwhelmed? I would've done this prior to orientating a new employee. Was the supervisor aware that there wasn't normal staffing levels over the weekend? Communication is key to a work place running smoothly, I would encourage you to discuss your concerns with the supervisor.

[starletRN]

if the orientee is a new grad then yes that would be unreasonable. it seems you just feel overwhelmed. i work in a ltc and at night most of the residents just sleep, i have 12 am and 2 am med pass, changing the tubing (feeding pumps), documentation, then 5 am med pass (mostly prilosec and levothyroxine) and accuchecks and thats it. i have about 60 residents and its a breeze. Your orientee should by the 4th and 5th night be ready 2 do things on her own, ltc is different than hospitals, u dont get the 6 months internship, she should be independent and only come 2 u for clarification. idk, thats my take.

I think the assumption even at our facility is that our residents sleep all night. Most of them do but there are quite a few that have their days and nights mixed up. There are also several bolus feedings at night, labs, trach patients, treatments etc. We also have hospice patients that need meds q 2 hours as well. I guess I just think that if they want to orient someone properly they shouldn't do it on a night when there's only 1 nurse on the floor.

[starletRN]

Have you explained your concerns with your supervisor? Have you voiced to them that you are feeling overwhelmed? I would've done this prior to orientating a new employee. Was the supervisor aware that there wasn't normal staffing levels over the weekend? Communication is key to a work place running smoothly, I would encourage you to discuss your concerns with the supervisor.

I didn't know I was orienting until the night I came to work. I was off for a couple of days and the daily schedule for all staff is only posted a day or 2 ahead of time. So you don't always know who you're working with until you show up. I come in at 11p and can only contact a supervisor in case of emergency. I guess I could have called before my second shift to talk to someone but I have voiced my concerns about other issues in the past and let's just say it didn't go over very well.

I guess it is what it is and I'll just have to learn to deal with it.

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

Not to sound like PollyAnna but.....once this person has finished orientation you'll have another nurse and not be so stressed. Not everyone likes to do orientation, and not everyone is cut out to do it. I can understand how difficult it would be to have 50 residents and an orientee, but if you are mindful of the benefit of having another nurse around, it might make it seem easier.

[CoffeeRTC, BSN, RN]

How many do you normally have?

55 on an 11-7 shift is about normal.