Please tell me about LTC nursing

[KC,RN]

Hi I am a recent grad from an RN program and currently on the hunt for a job. I filled out an application with a LTC/Rehab facility today and basically had an interview on the spot. I have a second interview tomorrow. I am very excited, but also a little nervous because my only experience in this type of care is as a CNA. I would like to hear form any LTC nurse out there about what I can expect on a daily basis in this role. Also are any questions I should consider asking on the interview? Thank you for your help.

[Ms.RN]

I'm not sure what shift you are going to be working but you are going to be pretty busy with about 20-25 patients for the day/afternoon shift and 50 for midnights. You will be giving medicine, doing treatments, asessing patients and doing a lot of medicare charting, incidents, supervising nurses aides. There are quit a few of confused patients who needs to be watched constantly.

Since you've just graduated from nursing school, I would ask how long the orientation is and ask if you can have more days if you need more orientation. I also ask if there is a supervisor during your shift.

[Fancylpn]

rn's usually run the floor during the day,run the desk, work with residents families, doctors,charting, admissions, assesments, lpns and cnas are under you and lpn's do treatments give out medications(along with a million other things) cna's render care(along with a million other things). And hopefully you will all work together like a fine orchestra,,,,,once in a while a horn will be out of place....lol I love ltc and would never leave....good luck:up:

[Fancylpn]

you will do fine,we need good nurses in ltc

[valeriez]

I worked LTC for exactly 36 days 7p-7a as a new RN grad. The facility was beautiful. The care the residents received was shocking. One of the LPN's that oriented me dropped the residents pills on the floor and wanted me to give them to resident anyways. Which I rightly refused. A RN who oriented me wrote a fake apical pulse before giving a heart med because (and I quote) "Her heart-rate always runs in the mid 80's". I requested that she listen for one full minute before giving the med and made an enemy right off the bat. Both of these incidences occurred in the first week. I went directly to the DON after each incident and was told that "I will look into this" by the DON. When the 7a-7p RN wanted me to sign off on the narcotic book that there was 15.5 cc liquid Roxanol when in reality there was 11.5, I flat out refused. I insisted I would only sign off if the correct amount was written. The RN was very angry and told me "Whatever". The correct number was written, and I had the RN from the other side of the facility witness the signature. The next day at work I noticed my name was off the schedule. Guess what? I went into the office and the DON told me that "I needed to be more of a team player". I couldn't believe it. I asked if I was fired and the DON said "No, I could pick up hours if someone wanted off". I went home, called Ohio Board of Nursing and filed an anonymous complaint. I turned in my resignation the next day. I pray that all facilities aren't like this particular one and you are going to work for a company that cares about their residents. I pray that you work with nurses who care about what they do... and not just about their paycheck. I pray that you listen with your heart and go with your gut instinct. I didn't let this experience get me down, in fact it has made me stronger, I will never compromise myself, the quality of care I give or another person's safety...ever. Best of Luck to you!

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

In the city where I live, the nursing homes use RNs as floor nurses in the subacute/rehab units. These residents are stable enough to not be in the hospital, but too sick to be discharged home. Virtually all of them are on Medicare, so you will have to chart according to Medicare guidelines in order for the facility to be reimbursed.

Some of the patients are postsurgical cases: total knee replacements, hip replacements, laminectomies, kyphoplasties, hysterectomies, CABGs, thrombectomies, limb amputations, etc. Others are medical cases: debility, cancer, CHF exacerbation, pneumonia, COPD exacerbation, stroke/CVA recovery, MI recovery, etc.

The unit where I work assigns 18 of these patients per 1 RN.

[KC,RN]

some of the patients are postsurgical cases: total knee replacements, hip replacements, laminectomies, kyphoplasties, hysterectomies, cabgs, thrombectomies, limb amputations, etc. others are medical cases: debility, cancer, chf exacerbation, pneumonia, copd exacerbation, stroke/cva recovery, mi recovery, etc.

that is almost word for word what i was told about the population that i would be working with.

i just wanted to thank everyone for there in put. i think that ltc seems to have it's share of people with negative experience, but those who like it seem to really enjoy there work. i did some research on the facility and talked to a friend who had a family member there; it has all seemed to be positive. i will ask about the training and support i will get as a new rn. thanks again! :)

[scoochy]

You will learn to develop time management skills quickly.