OVERWHELMED!!!! Need advise desperately!!

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I am a new RN that started at a LTC facility 10 days ago....got orientated on a hall for 4 days then on a different rehab hall yesterday....today I show up for work and I have another nurse there that was working as an aid for my hall....she was very helpful....I am still very unsure of paper work, charting and many other thing that I haven't had training on yet. 3 1/2 hours into the shift the other nurse walks by and says they fired me and left!!I was there to finish the day by myself with NO help. Every time I saw the unit manager or DON I told them that I am overwhelmed and that I am not sure on alot of stuff......they just said dont be overwhelmed you will be fine........I worked for 11 hours straight with no break or lunch.....Is it appropriate for me to demand more training after all it is MY license that is on the line......Any tips on how to go about this convo???

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Specializes in Emergency Nursing.

That is how LTC works.

My instructor in my LPN-RN classes said a very naive thing last week. She said that after graduation we'll be eased into it with one pt at a time.

Ha!!

I work at a hospital and we get 12 weeks of training for less than half the work a nurse in LTC often does (or else I was severely overworked when I took PRN work in an ECF). 2 days of training! Many new tasks I'd never seen done! Worst experience ever! I'd rather go back to fast food!

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Specializes in LTC.

I have worked in quite a few different LTC facilities and have never had more than 3 days of "training". I had no orientation whatsoever in 2 of those jobs, including my present one. Unfortunately, it's sink or swim in most cases. All you can do is tell them that you need more time before taking your own assignment, but don't be surprised if they pretend they didn't hear you.

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Specializes in New Critical care NP, Critical care, Med-surg, LTC.

I'm sorry that no one stepped up to give you a hand. You should be proud of yourself for getting through it all, good job. I think it would be reasonable to call and let them know you're unable to take another assignment until you've had x days more training (I'm not sure how many you think you need). It's a gamble because they could decide to let you go rather than invest any more time in training, but I would hope they agree that it's a reasonable request. Or, you just go in and try to keep your head above water until you get more comfortable. I understand your concern that your license is on the line, and I think that's a valid point to keep in the back of your mind, but I don't think you're going to do anything that will jeopardize that just because you're overwhelmed. Good luck!

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Well I made it another day and it went MUCH better!!! I have decided to take it one day at a time and do the best I can. Thanks you for all of your comments it really helps to tell/hear people that understand what it is really like.

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Been in LTC 12 yrs now. Sadly it is a lot of sink or swim. See if u can find a mentor nurse there. Someone that can show u the ropes. Tell them you need just a little guidance on paper work. Doubtful you'd get any more days of orientation. Just ask a lot of questions till u got it.

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