okikatt

I am an LPN and I was just asked by my facility to take over the MDS because our current coordinator resigned. I have never done MDS and I'm a little (ok, a lot) nervous. The assessment part doesn't really worry me because as a nurse we do that al the time. It's the timelines for 5 day, 14 day, etc. and making the calendar. I'm afraid I'll miss a date or send too early or too late. It is a LTC/SNF 56 bed facility and I'll be doing it all. I just ordered a MDS ARDS finder and several other tools to help me out but any advice would be appreciated.

Thank you all for your comments. Let me add that I had trouble with the same aide on several occasions as had the other nurses she worked with. She would hide out in the laundry talking on her cell phone instead of doing her job or I'd tell her to do something and later check and she hadn't done it or told the other aide I said for them to do it. She was recently fired for sneaking out of the facility to go to get something to eat or go out in the parking lot to see her bf when she was supposedly in the laundry room. The other aides would cover for her. I don't mind helping the aides when we are swamped as long as I know they are doing their jobs to the best of their ability but when I know that the aide is just goofing off it gets frustrating. I now work with 3 aides that not only do their job they work together with me as a team.

I'm the charge nurse of a 60 bed unit. I have 3 CNAs and a med aide. My problem is conflict with the aides. Most the time we all get along and they do their jobs without problems but sometimes when I tell them to do something it either doesn't get done or gets done at their convenience or they argue with me and sass back. Example: last night I had 2 admits at the time I am usually doing my evening treatments so it threw me behind. I was trying to get blood sugars checked before it got too late and also had to stop and take care of a resident who is on peg tube dependent feeding, O2 and trach care. I was in the room doing his breathing tx and medications while an aide was changing his sheets. I heard the aide asked him is he wanted a sheet or just a blanket and then walked out of the room. I thought to go get a sheet since he didn't have a top one but she never came back so I had to take the time to go get a sheet then go back and cover the resident. Most times I don't mind helping, I put residents on and off bed pans, empty urinals and so on but when I am behind and still have 30 residents to do plus paperwork it gets frustrating having to do the aides job too. When I told her I had to cover the patient she said "I wasn't the last one in the room" I said no but you are the aid. She then told me I need to learn how to speak to people and then when I told her she also needed to put another resident to bed because it was 10pm and the resident was falling asleep and leaning out of her wc the aide told me she wasn't sure I had given the resident her medication and since I forget things she wasn't putting her to bed until I had done it because the resident sometimes tries to get back out of bed when she hasn't had her medication. I told her then next time ask and the aide got another attitude. I know I can send them home but I hate to put the extra work on the other 2 aides or cost someone their job. Sorry this is so long but any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I'm kind of in the same boat. I have been working at a LTC/skilled facility for 2 month. I'm the charge nurse of 26 patients (10 are skilled), 1 CMA and 2 CNAs. I had 2 days of orientation and that was just passing meds before we got a med aide. I wasn't told what all I was supposed to do or what the guidelines were for labs, emergencies or anything else. Then when things weren't done I would get yelled at or written up. Being a new nurse and the only one working the shift I would have to call my DON and ask what to do if something came up. I get so frustrated when I come on to my shift and supplies are not ordered or we don't have to right things to do my job. Some days I just feel like crying and others I think about quitting. Sometimes I think that things are getting documented that they were done on the other shifts but they aren't really done. The facility pays way more then anywhere else around but they have lost 4 nurse and 5 aides since I started working there. The amount of work per nurse and the stress doesn't seem worth the money.

Thank you both for the encouragement that I'm not the only one that has felt this way. I've only been working about a month and there are times I feel like I didn't learn a thing in school. Some days it's not so bad then there are days that I just want to scream, cry, pull my hair out or all of the above.

I'm the charge nurse 3-11 in a new LTC/skilled/rehab facility. Since we are newly opened we only have 16 residents right now and I am the only nurse there with two aides. The problem is I feel overwhelmed at times. Our admin. has started taking in late admissions and they usually end up arriving around 7pm which takes me about 45 min to an hour to assess and give them any meds (if they have any or get them ordered so they are there by 7am) which takes my time away from my 8 o'clock med pass (we don't have a med aide and won't get one until the facility has a certain amount of patients) and makes my FSBS checks and treatments really late. Plus the amount of time it takes for treatments and med pass can also make me run late since we have so many that have multiple treatments. I also answer call lights when the aides are busy. At times I am just finishing up between 10 and 10:30 and then try to hurry up and do my notes and order any meds we might need for the next day to get done by 11. It's now like I waste time or goof off. Usually the only time I sit down is for about 10 minutes to grab a bite to eat while going over my books for what needs done at 8:00. I'm a new nurse and I love my job but I just wondered if everyone felt this way when they started working as an LPN.

$5300. I graduated in June '13, in Okla.

Central Oklahoma here: depends on where you work. I've been an LPN for just over a month. It took me 3 weeks to find a job. It's in LTC and it pays $24 an hour for 3-11. Day shift pays $23. I was offered jobs ranging from $9.76 (hospital) to $18 (LTC).

I got my LPN license Aug. 14th and for a month I put in apps to every job on every job board I could find that didn't say previous experience required. If they said previous experience preferred I went ahead and applied. I didn't get any calls or interviews and was feeling discouraged. Then I started getting calls and emails to set up interviews all in the same week. Yeah a couple didn't want to pay much or only wanted to hire me part time but I kept trying and finally found a great full time job, making good money and in a place I like. Don't give up and apply to every job that you think you will like, make a resume', apply online to the ones you find and go in person to inquire if they received your app, go in person to the places that don't have online apps. If you do get an interview be sure to send a thank you letter to the person and if you haven't heard from them in a couple days call to ask if they have hired anyone yet. It keeps you in their mind and lets them know that you are really interested in working there. Good luck.

New LPN of one month, Okla: $24 an hour working LTC, good benefits but expensive.

I have applied to several different jobs, LTC, assisted living, hospital, and clinical in the last couple of weeks. Today I interviewed at one with the ADON and have an interview with the DON tomorrow. I like the facility but they only pay $16 per hour and the hours are 1-9 pm, rotating days. I was told the day staff and a lot of the night staff have been there for years so that would probably be the shift I would stay at. I would also be the only nurse with just 2 CNAs, in the facility at that time and being a new LPN I'm a little nervous about that plus there wouldn't be any opportunity to learn from more seasoned nurses. Two other jobs I applied for in the same town pay $18 an hour. One is 7-7 but not sure when they will be hiring and the other is 7-3 or 3-11 but I'm not sure what they pay and can't talk to the DON until Monday. All the other jobs are at least 45 to 60 miles away and the pay ranges from $16 to $18 an hour, day shifts. Some are at LTC and some at hospitals. We are willing to move if I get a good offer but I would have to drive back and forth until we sell our house. One is for the state and pays really well but they won't close the application date until later this month. My problem is I don't want to jump at the first job offer but can't afford to wait around and see if any of the other ones I applied to call me for an interview. I also don't want to be one of those people that takes a job then finds a better one a few months later and quits. How did you decide what job offer to take? How long should I wait to see if I get another offer? If offered the job at the first facility should I take it just to get my foot in the door and some experience or would it be a bad idea since I won't have any other nurse to help if something happens?

We used ATI and it does cover a lot. I didn't really use it for the NCLEX though. I used the CD that came with my NCLEX book and found a lot of free practice tests online and a lot of good information videos on youtube. There is a lot of good information online that is free that will help you study. I wouldn't spend a lot of money on more review courses unless you want to.

Other things you might consider...in the smaller facility on 3-11 you will have more people there to help you and answer questions you may have. The larger one may have more things for you to learn but being part time you won't get that much experience at doing them especially if they bounce you around and on the late shift there might just be a skeleton crew and not as many around to help you out. Plus, except for medications and an occasional fall how many new things will you get to experience on late shift? I know as a new nurse we all think "I got this" (I'm a new nurse also..2 weeks and counting lol) but as you probably found out on preceptor there are things that we really don't have as much knowledge about, so weighing in the amount of staff that will be on each shift might be a good idea. Do what you think is best for you, your experience and your family. Good luck and congratulations.

I've been wondering the same thing. I just got my license 2 weeks ago and have been looking for a job but it is really hard to find one that doesn't want a years experience. I was told to apply to the jobs that say " experience preferred" because even if they want someone with experience if they don't have any good applicants that have experience they will look at those who they feel they can train the way they want. Also you might look at LTC facilities and assisted livings because they hire a lot of LPNs and usually don't require experience.

Congratulations!!