KCNURSEGUY

Your going to be slow at first, take your time and breath the pt's are not going anywhere. You are learning how to take care of a lot of pt's at one time, your mastering the med cart and tx, phones, assessment skills, ect. It takes time to feel comfortable as a new grad, about 6months - a year to where you feel like OK I got this. I had to write everything down when I started, I took a paper and separated it into 4 sections, accuchecks/linsulin, PRN's, tx, skinchecks/bradens/other assessments. It was my cheat sheet and keep me on task and focused when I first started. Once you learn the routine of residents/pt and develop your own routine things we start to speed up and won't take so long. I would give it some time and try and hone in on your skills, I stayed in ltc rehab for my first 2 years then followed my dream and went to hospice and I love it. If 6months to a year from now you don't think ltc is for you then thats OK also, we all have our own niche areas of nursing we find home. Good luck and go easy on your self the first year is where you will grow and learn the most and you will experience growing pains.

I'm a male LPN I have never had any issues finding work or being respected as a nurse. I have worked med/surg, dialysis and home health/hospice. Hospice is where I finally found my home and been doing it the past few years. I run into and have worked with lots of male LPN's in my area, you will have great job stability and shouldn't worry.

Don't feel this way you had little to no orientation period. I worked in a rehab as a new grad and they gave me 6 weeks of orientation. I stayed there for a couple years now I work hospice. I love it but don't think my skill set or confidence was ready to be out in the field on my own as a new grad. Ask for more orientation if they won't give it to you then it is honestly not the place for you. Your employer should want to ensure you are trained and comfortable in the field and be investing in you for the long term. When I left skilled/rehab nursing and went to hospice I spent close to 6 weeks in training and I had 3 years of experience. Go gain some experience as a charge nurse in a rehab setting put your dues in then go back to home health it will be worth it. DONT GIVE UP!

I'm a LPN with 2 years of skilled nursing experience and 1 year of Dialysis experience. I recently accepted a full time night position with a hospice company. I wanted to know from some more experienced nurses anything they wish they knew before starting or any tips to offer. Would love to hear from some LPN's as I have not been able to find many posts from LPN's working in hospice. Thanks

No I don't we went over the parts that pertains to LPN's in my nursing program

I'm a LPN - IV cert in MO. To sum it up fast you can't iv push outside of a life saving scenario, we don't hang blood products but can monitor a pt who is receiving blood products, we also are not allowed to access power ports, admin of chemo drugs or medications to neonates or accept neonates as pts. Outside of that it is in our scope, I worked home health and was trained on vents and g buttons. If you have never performed a skill or knowledge about it ask for training and education about the skill. If you have any other questions let me know.

Actually in my state joint commission does not oversee or regulate ltc the state board of nursing oversees them I have worked agency and no orientation or training outside of what the agency provides is required to take a assignment in a ltc facility

Hello, I have been looking to make a change from the Skilled Rehab unit I currently charge overnights. I have been thinking of trying out Urgent Care sitting while I got back to school and bridge. I was hoping to find out what a typical day is like in urgent care and what are your responsibilities and duties. I prefer lots of pt care and interaction, I heavily use my skill set now and I'm worried I would only be rooming pt. Thanks for any advice or insight you all may have.

LTC wasn't for me either, I just switched from LTC to home health & hospice and I'm happier and feel like I get to be the kind a nurse I want to be. Don't give up figure out where your home is, I would suggest working for agency pick up in clinics, home health, hospice, out pt surgery centers, that's what I did gave me variety and let me figure out what area of nursing I love.

Thank you so much never thought about gloves and paper towels, will make sure to have my own stock of basic supplies with me

Home health no private duty

Thanks for the information and advice, it's greatly appreciated :)

Hello, I was starting to experience some burn out and really not enjoying my current setting any longer I decided to make a change. As a nurse I have only worked in short term rehab and a few shift here and there in LTC. I'm a little nervous and was wondering, does anyone have any advice or words of wisdom going into this setting. Even better things I should be aware of as well. I will be mostly working evenings and overnights. Thanks in Advance

It just means you wont get a wallet/purse size id card well any id card to carry stating your a nurse, you can look up a nurses license and status online.

In my area LPN/LVNs are used heavy in specialty clinics such as Dialysis, GI, Dermatology, Plastics, Women Health, Free/Public access clinics and outpatient surgery centers. Homehealth and hospice also heavily use LPN/LVNs