please help me - new grad in LTC

[luvtosmile]

I graduated with my RN in May, took boards in July and got my first job at an LTC in July. I have been there three months and I am still floundering. There are 5 halls in my facility and I have never been on one hall longer than a week. If I pass the pills like the MAR says than I spend all shift passing pills and am ALWAYS behind. If I do it like everyone else does then I can get done in a reasonable amount of time. However, if I do it like everyone else does and something goes wrong then there goes my license. I don't know what to do. I leave there crying most nights. If I tried getting a job at a hospital, how do I know I could handle that? I don't know what to do. In the hospital you may have 4-10 patients but you have to do everything and they are unstable whereas LTC patients are fairly stable. My confidence is shot but I love nursing, I love my patients. Any advice would be appreciated.:bluecry1:

[luce2008]

the first 3-6 months is the hardest time for new nurses every where. it feels terreble when we can't accomplish things as we expected. you are doing right things, never skip 5 rights, for pts and our safety. time and experience will help us spead up. :heartbeat hangning there, we have many shouders here for you.

pts in hospital are sick but most patients are still stable, though they have a lot of changes in their health conditions and need monitoring. where I work each nurse have 5 patients assignment on regular floors. during past 6 months I got about 3 or 4 shifts had 6 pts when someone called in sick and there was not enough float nurse for the floor. my fiend does get 8 pt assignment every shift. each hospital is different. I am a 9 months old nurse. I cried, had bad dreams like you, still have many questions and wondring, but are surviving like other new nurses do. if you can find a hospital has good orientation program and good nurse pt ratio, then it won't be so hard.

Luce