Blueberry36

I am a fairly new RN, with just a little over a years experience as a nurse. I have working in an LTC facility since recieving my license and for the most part enjoy my job there. I was recently offered job as an ADON. I feel that it's a great opportunity. My question is with only a little over a years experience as a nurse, am I getting in over my head? Also I am concerned with long hours and whether or not I'll actually like the work. I love the "patient care" aspect of being a nurse and am concerned that that will be lost in this new position. As well I'm a little concerned that I will loose some of my still developing clinical and assesment skills. Any thoughts? Those of you who are ADON's, do you like your job?

1. State you work in: CO 2. Years of experience: 1yr 3. Specialty/unit and work setting (clinic, hospital, prison, etc): LTC 4. Hourly Pay (base rate) or salary: 25.50per/hr 5. Differentials (if any): 3.00 for Evenings, 3.50 for NOC and 1.00 Weekends 6. Union? Nope

I absolutely hate when physicians use the, "If you feel like it's necessary to send his/her out, go ahead and send them out." statement. Did anyone call the family and ask there opinion. At my facility when sending someone out is questionable, that is something we can do. A lot of families won't want the resident sent out. In that case if family is POA and it is in reporting that's justifying the decision to keep the resident. Like someone already mentioned although I think the resident should have been sent out, is it likely it would have changed the outcome that much?

I missed a few ... - Feeling like it's all about the mighty $$, when it should be about the residents. - On that note..."private pay" resident's getting special treatment from management. - Resident's whom are a&0x4 and have hardly a reason to be in ltc getting mad at little old ladies with dementia. - Pharmacy. - People calling off, being short staffed. - Being hungry ... never getting breaks or lunch. Ending up working through them without pay. - Broken sinks, broken vital machines, broken bed, broke tv's. Broken everything. - Having an admit and being the last to know. - Not having a quick resource to go to to see resident's diet, how they transfer, inc/cont, ect.

(1)Whiny nurses... aides and management. You work in LTC, you can't expect things to be perfect. Everyone is busy, everyone is stressed. Things get missed. You don't have to throw a fit about every little thing. ... on that note, let me complain about a few things. (2)Too many things to do, too little time. Management that doesn't seem to realize that what's expected is impossible. Feeling like you have too much to do, to really be a good nurse. (3) Medical Transportation Companies: Awful, Awful ... They don't show up half of the time, when you call and ask why the haven't showed up their answer is, "well, he/she's transport was canceled because we don't have such and such paperwork." A. I've faxed that paperwork over about 80 times. B. If you don't have it, you can't take the two minutes it would take to call the facility and tell us you don't have it? If they happen to show up, they leave before you can get the resident from his/her room to the front door. You are a MEDICAL transportation company your taking people to MEDICAL appointments, they are important. You can wait 5 minutes. (3)Lack of training, Lack of Communication ... we're out of supply (A) nobody knows how where/how to get supply (A.) Looking for protocol ... 5 different people will give you 5 different answers. Somebody telling you "why didn't you fill out this? do that? what is your problem? ..." Well I would have, only I've been working here a year and a half and nobody bothered to tell me what this or that is or that it had to be done. (4) Aides that say "that isn't my patient." I don't care, the call light is on ... they need help. Go help. (5) After running around all day sitting down to find out that the CNA that was suppose to get vitals didn't, you're missing shower sheets or paperwork. The person the aides were suppose to lay down is still passed out in their wheelchair in front of the nurses station. (6) Nurses that are nasty to each other. We're all in the same boat. We all have things to learn, we all make mistakes. (7) Hearing Aides: They're always lost, always broken. I don't have time to look for them, I don't know how to fix them ... families get mad because they're lost, broken and expensive. Which is understandable. But honestly hearing aides are at the bottom of priority list. (8) Family's that don't seem to understand, that people get old, they decline ... the loose their memory ... they get dementia ... they stop eating... they loose weight. "But I don't understand why this is happening or what caused this what wrong with them?" There is not always an answer. (9) Physician's having a message machine or answering service for their EMERGENCY contact number. I am calling the EMERGENCY line because it is an EMERGENCY. Calling back 4 hours later is not going to help me. 911 it is. Don't sweat the small stuff. Enjoy your resident's, they are great people and can make a lousy day good. Remember they are why you are there and probably/hopefully why you got into nursing in the first place.

Yay!! I was so excited to see the applications posted on UNC's website. I am not attending that advising session but I will be registered for Nutrition & Pharm next semester. Good Luck!!!!

Thanks Sand_Dollar!!! I am just finishing up my pre reqs, I am in A&P and biochem this semester along with getting my CNA. In the Spring I will be taking nutrition, patho and pharm on campus I have taken most of my pre reqs at Aims and FRCC so it seems like most of the people in my classes are applying to those programs. Well YAY!! I am excited for us I can't wait until December so we can get these applications on the road. Good Luck!! Keep me posted too!!

HaHa, You guys are funny!! Greeley definatly does smell, i've lived in Fort Colllins nearly my whole life and we always make jokes about it. I hear really positive things about UNC's nursing program though. I am planning on applying to the second degree program in December for Summer 2011 start I believe. Does anyone know how competive the second degree program is on GPA. I know that they just take from a 4.0 down for so many spots. But I have about a 3.5?? Do I stand a chance. Good Luck to Everyone!! -April

Congrats! Just out of curiosity what was your GPA when your were accepted into the nursing program? I am applying to the second degree program in December and I am kind of just curious as to what my chances are. My GPA is around a 3.4 I think.