nursecompassion

I signed on to my hospital in the end of August and started on the unit a few weeks later, minus about 3 weeks of classes (nursing orientation, iv therapy, tele), I've actually been on the unit with a preceptor for 7 weeks. There are many moments when I question the safety of my license by staying here. Our average pt ratio is between 1:5 or 1:6, however if an LPN is working the floor then we have to "focus" on their pt as well, so you might have 5 or 6 patients of your own and then focus on 1 or 2 more. We pass all of our meds, do the tx's, assessments, everything! It is a med/surg, renal, tele unit, and the acuity of our patients can be very high at times and overwhelming. Numerous times we have sent patients to the ICU. It's crazy!!! I haven't cried yet, almost did one day because I had only seen one of patients one time and was very unorganized. It's getting better, and I believe I just have to stay positive and be strong and continue to ask questions and believe in what I am doing! Good luck to all of you! God Bless! jules:balloons:

I'm a new grad and am working on a med/surg floor which is having difficulty with staff not reading the kardex's and missing orders, data, etc. Where does your unit keep your Kardex? Where I precepted at spring quarter they were kept with the pt MAR, which seems to me like a great idea for where I'm working now. What do you think?

I took the nclex in august and took about 45 minutes for 75 questions. I felt really positive and happy and told my husband I passed,,,,then I went home and started thinking of the questions and looking up answers, by that night i was convinced I had failed. However..........I PASSED I found out online the next day on my state boards website............. Just try to be positive and good luck jules

Hey Everyone, It's good to come here and view the other posts by fellow new grads. I graduated in June, accepted a position on a med/surg & isolation floor which also has dialysis on the unit. I passed my board the first time in August and started on the floor a couple weeks later. Right now I'm finishing up my fifth week of orientation and am taking on 5 patients usually 2 of which are isolation. The first few days of the five patient load was extremely hectic and I felt so unorganized! However, yesterday was a good day, but then of course I remembered something I forgot as I was driving home. I'm just wondering if I am where I should be 5 weeks into orientation on my unit??? The nurses on my floor say we should be a stepdown unit, due to the acuity of our patients. Actually one of my patients yesterday was a transfer from CCU. I'm trying to stay positive, but I feel I should be doing more by now. jules

Sometimes I find myself wondering the same thing, but I don't think it's just among the new grads on my unit. I think the patients are sicker with multiple problems and pt load is to much. I've already heard from nurses on my unit. I find myself going into my patients rooms, giving care and have to look at my flow sheet to recall why they're even here! I feel like I never have time to even take a look in their charts at their history. It feels really crazy some days, I hope that it all "comes together" sooner than later! Hope everyone hangs in there and good luck on your orientation! jules

Our program required us to pass the HESI review test with at least an 850 (first time I had an 817, second time 1008) or they won't graduate you. So AFTER we took the test, then we had a week of actual HESI review. I also used NCLEX 3500 and review questions from the discs that came with my med/surg books. I ended up passing the NCLEX with 75 questions on my first try.

I think my area has low pay for RN's. I'm a new grad making 23.92/hr on midnights thats with shift diff, weekend diff is only 1.25/hr! I have a friend who moved to VA making 38/hr as a new grad.

At first I was going to work a day/evening rotation, 8 hr shifts (my unit only has 8 hr shifts) however I will be working midnights. I've always worked midnights at my previous jobs and it's the shift I wanted. I work 64hrs/pay, however there are always opportunities to pick up extra shifts. We rotate holidays and have every other weekend off. PTO is accumulated by the hours you work and how many years you've been employed there. It's works out to around 6.5 hours of PTO per pay. So about 170 hours a year for me or 4.5 weeks. jules

Hey Everyone, It's good to come here and view the other posts by fellow new grads. I graduated in June, accepted a position on a med/surg & isolation floor which also has dialysis on the unit. I passed my board the first time in August and started on the floor a couple weeks later. Right now I'm finishing up my fifth week of orientation and am taking on 5 patients usually 2 of which are isolation. The first few days of the five patient load was extremely hectic and I felt so unorganized! However, yesterday was a good day, but then of course I remembered something I forgot as I was driving home. I'm just wondering if I am where I should be 5 weeks into orientation on my unit??? The nurses on my floor say we should be a stepdown unit, due to the acuity of our patients. Actually one of my patients yesterday was a transfer from CCU. I'm trying to stay positive, but I feel I should be doing more by now. jules:uhoh3:

I don't know what our class average is.........but we have to maintain a 77% to pass. NO rounding up allowed. Also our program started out with a little over 70 students, now we're around 40. jules

first quarter all weekend! Now takes me about 2.5-3 hours for 10 page careplan and an IPR

I think for me your answer made the most sense and was the simplest. Jules ?

4 hours of theory 2 hours of proficiency 4 hours of lab 3 hours of human bio lab 4 hours of human bio lecture 4 hours of clinical

Just wondered if anyone had advice or has went through similar experience? I am a CNA at a nursing home currently on maternity leave AND have orientation for my ADN program on Wednesday....classes start the 20th. Well two weeks ago I called my employer and told the DON I need copies of my TB and HepB records and she said stop by anytime and she would get me copies. Welllllllll, I stopped by on Wednesday and no-one could find my HepB records, all they could find was my HepB titer authorization form, THEN they gave me the wrong TB record, it was last years and not this years! So, I called back today to see if she found it (the new SDC-only been there a week) and she didn't have time too look. :angryfire Like WTF! I have to have this stuff by Tuesday, shouldn't they have these documents/records organized better!???The new SDC said she's been finding ppl's records mixed in with eachothers! I don't have time for their misorganization!!!!Is there anything I can do to speed up the process or put a little fire under there A--!? If I had known it would be this much trouble to get a freakin copy of something I would have tried months ago! :angryfire Julee wife to jeremy mom to blake (5), braden (23 months), briley (induction on 9-24)

Just wanted to say Hi and introduce myself and give you a little info about my experiences. I am married and have two sons and another son on the way (I am seven months prego), I start an RN program on Sept 20th and will be induced after clinicals on Sept 24th. Anyhow, I have been and continue to be an STNA here in southeastern ohio. (Since March 2003) Have to say it is a very draining job--physically and emotionally. It is not all bad, there are the moments of thanks from residents (I work in a nursing home) and even from co-workers. I am pretty lucky at my work because alot of our employees there are related. Alot! Untill, recently my mom worked there with me. So, that makes it easier to have support at work. I have gotten over the gross part of my job, I don't even think twice about it now. However, I don't know if I'll ever get over mucous! I work 3 12's a week, unless I pick up bonus time. My typical day--------come in at 7p. Answer call lights, help get residents to bed (bathing, putting night clothes on, brushing teeth, etc). Around 8 pass ice and snacks. Then hopefully finish putting remaining R in bed. Do a bedcheck at 9:30, then at 10 do paperwork and flow sheets. At 11 take my change-over break. Come back get towels, socks, linens, etc. Pass them and lay out clothing, linens for morning. Answer call lights, etc. At midnight do a bedcheck, at 0030 breaktime. Come back to pm paperwork, sometimes do nurses I&O's. At 0130 do another bedcheck then at 0200 lunchtime. Continue to answer call lights, straighten residents rooms, do whatever cleaning needs done, etc. At 0330 do final bedcheck, then go on last break. Come back fill in I&O's start getting ready to get ppl up for am. At 0430-+0500 we start getting residents up. Have a total of eight in my section. Must give complete baths, dress, brush teeth, comb hair, make beds, etc. Also, must weigh some residents. Clock out at 0700! I have to say that there are moments when I miss working in retail. Then, I think this is the only job I've ever had where I don't feel guilty when I'm not with my children. Because no matter how disgusting it can be, I am truly helping and making another persons life better. julee