Overwhelmed at new job! Advice!!!

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I just started my new job two weeks ago and although I have been training with a nurse I feel like I'm going to be thrown to the wolves when I start on my own. I work the 7-3 shift which is the busiest shift and will be taking care of close to 30 patients. I'm a new grad and I'm a float so there are 6 floors in one building I will have to learn AND they decided to also float me to another building that makes up their center that for some reason has totally a different set up of paper work, management, etc and will have to learn over there as well. It takes me forever to do med pass, I haven't even done the 7-9 meds by myself because it would take me all day. the nurses I train with are permanents on just one floor so they know everything about their floor and takes them still to about 4 to get everything done. There is SOOOOOO much paper work. I look at the acutes at the end of the day and have to write stuff about them (how they are doing, whatever) and I can't even think in my head who that person is, I had no idea what was wrong with them, I probably spent a total of 5 seconds with them passing their meds because that's all I had time for. I'm the only new hire who has to be a float between buildings and I just don't know what to do. :bluecry1:

ADVICE!!!!!! HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Specializes in Trauma ICU, Surgical ICU, Medical ICU.

You are a new grad and a float? In a hospital? A med/surg floor, LTC? There is no way I'd think anyone with less than 3yrs exp would be appropriate for a float pool!!! I would be overwhelmed too. Do you go train on just one floor for now or what? This seems kind of odd and if you are a floater as a new grad then you need a new job and thats the only advice I can give you with the information given.

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Specializes in LTC, Med-SURG,STICU.

It sounds like you are in LTC or something very similar. You will learn very quickly to not waste even one minute that you are with the res. The minute you walk into the room you are assessing their skin color, their resps., their LOC, and that is even before you touch them. I keep a list of res. that I know I will have to assess on my med or treatment cart. I make this list before I even start my med pass and if I don't know why we are charting on someone I look it up. If the person is on skilled charting or acute (I am assuming that they are the same thing) that info sould either be in the admitting charting. I try to get some of my assessments done during my morning med pass, but honestly with 30 res. to pass meds to in 2 hours (what a joke. I am never done in that time frame) you will not have time. Most of my assessments get done during my time to do tx.

The long and short of what I am saying is keep detailed notes because you will not be able to remember everything. By the way, I am always 1 to 1 and 1/2 hours late leaving work daily. Just do the best you can and remember it will get easier in time.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

I also think I need to know where you are actually working. It does sound like LTC.

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Specializes in dialysis (mostly) some L&D, Rehab/LTC.

Don't ya just love LTC. There should be nurse:pt ratios. I remember charting on the evening shift and could not put the pts name to their face. I would go into their room late at night and try to get a good look at their face. Im amazed they didnt wake up and think the grim reaper was coming for them.:eek::eek:

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Specializes in Critical Care.

This job does sound a bit much for anyone, especially a new grad. How difficult! Developing your own organizational skills is hard enough in a more structured environment. Sounds like some great suggestions here - but you may discover this is not quite the job you want for yourself. If so, don't kick yourself over it! Get another one and find out what your niche is. Meanwhile, learn everything you can.

Best wishes!

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I feel your pain! I graduated in Dec and started orientation to be a float LPN (in a hospital). I had a few weeks on the same unit, then each shift was a different unit/floor. I HATED IT!!

I was too new and too inexperienced to float, not to mention I had ZERO self-confidence. So, I made the decision to leave in Feb.

I have "gone through" 3 jobs since then-mind you it's only been 7 months, and next week I start BACK at the hospital but a full-time spot. NO MORE FLOATING!

My best advice to you is to find someone to talk to who will help you sort-out what you want out of you career right now. Had I done that,I probably wouldn't have wasted most of my first year as a nurse!

Hope it helped

Catlover5

~Let us touch the dying, the poor, the lonely and unwanted according to the graces we have received and let us not be ashamed to do the humble work..................Mother Teresa

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Specializes in Med Surg, Nursing Administration for SNF.

I'm thinking that you are at a LTC facility on the long-term (not the rehab side). Shame on mgt for wasting your talent and skills! One of the reasons I always advocated hiring new grads is because thier knowledge is so fresh, and they're so eager to do a great job, etc. I wd always put them on the ST rehab side as well becuase the pt ratio is so much less (16 - 20 pts). I'm not sure what mgt is thinking floating you either. I wd go to the ADON (unless you always have the same charge nurse) and ask her iif she has some time (yesh right) to talk to you (timing is everything, trust me) and then voice my concerns. Many times they are so overwhelmed themselves, they dont even see certain problems unless you bring it to their attention. If you do stay on the long term side, use your pt roster to take notes on when you get report, and then make notes (at each med pass) on the other side so you can chart later. Istyearsucks started a thread last week entitled "new nurses considering quitting". There is some really good organizational ideas on that thread as well. Check out Mama D's and Kmoonshine's posts. Last but not least - DONT GIVE UP!!! You CAN do this! Best of luck and blessings to you.:loveya:

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Specializes in geriatrics, er, home health, admin.

tsbarbe,

head up high! confidence really matters, fake it at times and eventually u'll have it for real! =)

I'm a new RN as well, and just started working couple of months ago as a Registry nurse. I'm mostly assigned by my agency to a skilled nursing facility. My first day was really a bad day ( well 1st day will always be the bad day anyway!), i just got like 15 mins of orientation on where the med are etc etc... at the end of the day i just feel like quitting but then im challenged. and now i'm just like about 2 mos doing it, most of my coworker are amazed for they feel like i'm almost like a PRO. yahoo! actually im bored now though everyday is a busy day. by next month im planning to go to hospital and do some part time as home health. so my advice I can give to u is give yourself a break, think it over and focus on your goal. Make each day a learning experience no matter how bad it is. Always take the positives and waste the negatives... and don't forget to know why you're doing what you're doing... You're a licensed nurse, now go ahead and make a difference! =)

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Specializes in Emergency.

Honestly, it seems like this job is a poor fit. New grads need to be able to take the time to critically think about a patients condition, or what should be done in anticipation future needs. They're also just beginning to develop their own style of charting (there's no instructor proof-reading your charts, or offering suggestions). It sounds like you'd be too busy to even breathe, and you'd pretty much just be going through the motions of a task without being able to have the time to think "what when, where, why, how". You not only are expected to become an expert on one floor, but you're expected to be an expert on all the floors - a chameleon who must adjust to each floor "environment" and blend in, and be able pick up whatever needs to be taken care of - and then some. It sounds like you are unsure of yourself at times, and its unfortunate to say that this will probably be taken advantage of by other staff members (you'll find you have the most needy patients).

You sound like you've recognized the danger ahead. I'd suggest seeking employment at a facility with a strong new grad program. Personally, I've been in the ED for a few years and I couldn't do what you are expected to be able to do!

I totally feel where you're coming from - I wish I could snap my fingers and get you in a stable environment with a supportive nurse educator right away. Good luck to you. :heartbeat

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Specializes in Med surg, Critical Care, LTC.

I graduated nursing school and started working as a float nurse in a hospital. I loved it. I honestly believe it is what made me the good nurse I am today.

You're right, as a float, you don't "belong" anywhere. The nurses on each floor will tend to give you the assignment that no one else wants - whether that is because they are bell ringers, or the sickest patients. THIS helped me to hone my assessment skills, trust my instincts, and basically I had to learn to sink or swim, I chose to swim.

Sometimes, it's all in how you look at something. If you believe you're going to fail, then fail you probably will. If you believe your going to be a great nurse and become indispensable to your employer, then you will.

Think of it as a great opportunity for you to SHINE!!!!

Good luck and blessings

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I work LTC. today I did all the med passes by myself but still had the other nurse who was actually on the floor do most the charting and b/p's (we have so many to do!) we have so much to do 7-3 I am tempted to switch to the 11-7 because for some reason doctors think everything should be done during the morning shift! we don't have to do our treatments but on weekends we do. I did treatments last weekend and I was trying to do treatments on patients and they had no clue what I was doing since no one had actually done that treatment in so long! I am learning alot of "short cuts" that the nurses training me tell me not to do. ugh. I'm not sure if this all is normal or if I am setting myself up to lose my license. I want to give my patients the best care but I feel like all I am is a med pusher and I hate that. I am trying to do excelsior to get my adn but when I will be staying after until like 5 everyday and go to bed at like 10 I don't really feel like studying which sucks. :confused:

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