Lynn52

Thanks, tonight was my third night of training and guess what...I think I like it :) . I'm scared and know I have a lot to learn but am slightly optimistic. The front hall of this facility has two wings pt loads of 23 - 29 with higher acuity pts but more organized and there is a second nurse handy to ask for direction if needed. I will ask to be assigned there and will also ask for additional training and we will see how it goes......I do think I will advocate for better nurse resident ratios in facilities like this....kind of a crime :) Thanks again!!!

Hello all, I just took a LTC job and with 33 pts after med count and report I would be left with 12.5 min per pt per 8 hour shift. There are three med passes condensed into two, paper MAR , have to pull the meds myself, insulins twice on shift, assessments charting, labs whatever comes up. Of course if there is a fall, admit, or something else there is even less time...My question to you experienced LTC nurses is this even possible??? Is it safe??

GrnTea I do believe you were rt....I went for my first of 4 days of training only to find out the nurse to pt ration is 1:33 or more....as a new grad I honestly don't see how I can safely do this....

Thank You for your comments...GrnTea.The first job I passed on was weekends only and since I would be the only RN on the premises 8 hrs of the 12 hour shifts I would be in charge of the facility in addition to 25 pts I decided that was too much. The position I'm going to take is an RN floor position the DON is going to put me on the wing that is the least busiest. HouTx you are right I won't be able to get any additional unpaid training.and I will check on my states regulations regarding new nurses in supervisory roles. I would really like to work in long term so hope that this works out.

Thank You all soooo much for your comments and support!!!

Hello all, I accepted my first ...well second...position. The first I decided was too much responsibility and passed on. This position is LTC at a local facility that I like....I will have less than 25 pts...my concern is that I will only have one weeks training. I asked if I could have additional unpaid training and that is not an option....You would think places would want their employees to be well trained :/ They called me for an interview and the interim DON looked at my resume and said OH you have no experience and we can't use you.....then she gave me 10 reasons why I would be putting my license at risk etc etc.....then we had a long conversation and at the conclusion of that she offered me a job.....at which point I said won't I be putting my license at risk?? all so confusing....I took the job bc the orientation was immediately following the interview....and I really want to gibe LTC a try....if it doesn't work out a local hospital will hire me for acute care with good training....it just takes a few months to get in...what are your thoughts????

Me too my license was up this morning :)

I did pass so the PVT worked for me

sooooo woke up at 0530 hoping my results would be available....not yet will have to wait until 8 or 10......LOL

This was the thing that surprised me while I didn't always know the answer they didn't seem that hard.....It might just be that I was focusing on each individually and not taken the whole thing in....My concern was that they didn't seem hard enough.....test shut off at 75 and I got the good pop up......so don't freak if your questions don't seem hard enough just do one at a time and let it go....move on to the next one......and breathe.... :)

I took mine yesterday and I don't think there is anyone out there that got the good pop up and failed......just the bad pop up and passed......I'll find out in 12 hours.....try to distract yourself....and congrats I think we passed :)

I also took mine on the 25th at 8am.....had 75 questions also....got the good pop up too....can't wait until tommorrow

Hards279 I took mine there Tuesday this week....the proctor was very nice....you will be fine.....just relax and slow yourself down if need be and stretch in your chair once in a while....There was some noise from the floor up above so ask for the earplugs just in case you need them.....I'll say a prayer for you :)

Congrats MexRn !!!

Thank You all......I've was fairly calm at first.... will get quick results early tomorrow....the closer it gets...:/ LOL.....Thanks again....I LOVE nurses they are the best!!!

I would call and call and call until I talked with someone.....they mess up sometimes....I got my ATT before someone ahead of me....she only got hers by calling them.....I'm from Michigan too

Took my nclex yesterday morning......my school goes years without anyone failing....one failed last year....I scored a 929 on my first HESI....my test shut off at 75 questions...I also got the good pop-up.... Yet I'm scared....will get quick results tomorrow...It didn't seem like my questions were that hard...maybe 20 alternatives.....some super simple questions....I think the last two questions were tough...I spent a lot of time on them....hoping the computer would shut off at 75..... Do very many people fail at 75?? Or should I be concerned that the PVT doesn't work....I did make sure that the delivery had occured??? Thanks, I'm sure you all know how I feel :/

cienurse....I want to work for you :) Thanks for the input. This is what I decided. I will do my best and I think it will work out. If I'm very uncomfortable I will ask for more guidance and training....I will update later and let you all know how it is going. I'm actually excited about launching my practice. I will also pray A LOT !!!

Hello All, I am a new graduate RN who was just offered a pt job at a LTC facility. Here are my concerns... my training will be 36 hours, I will have 25 pts, and since I will be working weekends myself and a young LPN will be on our own two-thirds of the time we are working. Someone will be on call put not there physically. I love the elderly and would really like to work in LTC. I don't have a problem with working really hard but the care has to be safe that is a line I don't want to cross. This scares me....feels like it might be too much too soon. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks :)

Hello all, I was just offered a pt LTC RN position. I just graduated from nursing school. My training will be 36 hours and then I will work weekends. Two-thirds of the time I am working there will be no supervisor present just myself and a young LPN. My patient load will be 25. I'm concerned.....to say the least. I really would like to work long term but it has to be safe. I'm afraid the stress can't be good for me either. If I were going to med/surg the training would be 10 weeks and I wouldn't be in charge. What do you all think?? Thanks :)

Hello All, I will graduate from nursing school (ADN) in three weeks....YAY!!! I am a mature individual who went back to school late in life. My strengths would lend themselves best to a case manager's position so I need to figure out how to get there from here. I will pursue my BSN, if needed, but am uncertain where to gain experience there are long term case managers which is interesting to me . Do I pursue an entry level position in long term or med/surg. I really am not a big fan of med/surg :/. Thank You I really appreciate any input anyone is willing to give me :)

Thanks again for the tips, support, and the confidence you all have in me. I'm on spring break right now so I'm using some of the time to view skill videos and memorize more drugs. I think on the one hand I'm glad my school does all they can to prepare us for the real world of nursing on the other I would hate to fail out just because I don't have as good a time management skills as an already practicing nurse or because I'm handicapped time wise. This floor has been a little different for us on the other floors we just do it all and go find our floor nurse if we have questions regarding their pts. sometimes on this floor the nurses spend the day with us which is fabulous because they have so much to teach us it just depends on the nurse!!! I'm clinging to two things I'll be as prepared as I possibly can be and our instructor did say if you get into trouble use your nurse....I take that to mean have them do some of the pt. care if needed....so that is my plan. Once again, thank you for taking the time to help a nursing student be successful!!!! :)

Thank You for your comments....I will read and reread them as I finish up this rotation. The nurses on this floor never have more than 5 pts so this is a full pt load.....before you can work in this hospital you are required to go through an orientation that lasts at least 6 weeks so we are handicapped in that way. We were shown nothing absolutely nothing didn't know where anything was. We do have to wait for our instructor to do some procedures which slows us down. We also have a shorter shift making it harder to get it all done we have to attend a meeting before the end of shift. The full pt load is new to us this semester last semester we had 2-3 pts but were able to get all our pt info before we hit the floor ......look up drugs, diagnosis's etc. so this is tough. The other night I had late night clinicals and then early morn the next day slept a few hours and by the grace of God only got two pts ,was assigned to charge nurse, otherwise it wouldn't have been pretty. I would have cried uncle before I would have allowed harm to anyone though. I personally think it is too much if I have 3 pts I get to delve in deeper and understand everything better....or 5 but let me get my info ahead of time to compensate for the fact that we have less time to get it all done and far less experience. I do appreciate the comments and will work on memorizing any meds Idk well, improving my organization (although I think it is pretty good), and praying like crazy Let's face it at this age you don't go to school to be a nurse unless you really want it bad and think you'd be darn good at it!!!

Hello All, I am finishing up my ADN with 9 weeks to go. I'm in my mid fifties. In my current rotation we care for as many as 5 patients on a cardiac tele unit. I am overwhelmed to say the least. I have to make it through 5 more of these shifts and should be home free as my last rotation will be less intense. We are expected to do two assessments per patient, IV assessments every two hours,start IVs, all skills, and pass all meds. The med orders change frequently on this unit and there are many unstable patients with codes etc. I don't mind working very, very hard and forgoing a break but as a student this is a bit much. If we make a mistake depending on the severity we are out of the program . My first concern is for my patients I'm just not sure I can do this and am looking for any advice that anyone would kindly share. Some of the challenges are we do not have immediate access to the med room, have to wait for our instructors for IV pushes and skills, we have not been orientated to the floor...this is tough!!! Thank YOU!!!

I'm a nursing student who enjoys the classroom but finds the clinicals to be overwhelming.....we are just beginning our second year in the adrn program and are down to 42 of the 96 students who began. Our school is tough and very few graduate in the end. Towards the end we will provide total nursing care to 5 patients yet, if we were hired by the hospital we are performing clinicals in we would be trained for 10 weeks to 6 months before we would care for 5 patients. I feel as if we are marginally trained and then thrown out there and then one mistake and you are potentially out.....scares the heck out of me...I truly hate it. I wish to be a nurse and a good one at that but give us a chance. I am one of the surviving 42 but I'm tired and concerned about the stress of the job once/if I graduate. Any comments would be appreciated.