SWiseRN

Eh, I wouldn't say she was being mean, but perhaps she was providing a little tough love. I graduated from a great, well-respected school, but wasn't given 100% accountability for my patients (although I always took that responsibility), and I got very few chances to speak to the doctors, call families, and supervise CNAs. For me, I feel that the nurses I were with while I was at clinicals, still wanted to have control of the situation so they would talk to the MDs and families. I don't 100% agree with this because speaking with the MDs and families is definitely a weakness for me. However, I still do it and have confidence that I know what I am doing. For my LTC clinical setting - I passed meds for one resident, one time. This in no way prepares a student for this type of setting. I'm not trying to complain though, because there really isn't any other way to learn how to be a LTC nurse until you're on the job. I feel that the best thing you can do is be confident with the skills you've acquired at school and remember that you are still learning!

My first few days were very overwhelming as well, but I had great preceptors to shadow. I cried before work and after work because I was so overwhelmed, but it did start to get better. Take notes, make lists, and write out a tentative schedule for the day. Don't be afraid to ask questions. I never regret asking questions, but do regret when I don't ask enough questions. You aren't expected to be good at this yet, it takes time. The med passes will take forever and probably run into one another but TAKE YOUR TIME. Don't rush. At the end of your shift, just BREATHE and be thankful that you made it through another shift. You can do this!

I can see the nursing home job as being just as stressful. However, it might be a little easier to get some sort of "routine." It is by no means monotonous though.

Well I had my interview yesterday and I've been approved for a second interview. During the interview I learned a little bit more about the company and I'm very excited. If I get the job, I'll probably ask to be PRN (weekends) at the nursing home. Although I'd like to just leave altogether, I guess I'll just suck it up and get a little more experience there as well. Hopefully my boss at the nursing home will be understanding and allow me to just do weekends!

I'm just starting out in LTC myself, and I find it very stressful. I'm not opposed to a little stress and adrenaline, but I too don't know if this is something I can do for much longer. I'm still within my orientation period, so I haven't been "cut-loose" yet. I'm also very fortunate to have a much longer orientation than most new grads at other facilities. However, I can already tell that this isn't something I can keep doing. I didn't go to school to just pass meds to 35 patients constantly throughout the day. Luckily I landed an interview for an adult day care and I'm very excited about it. It's still within the population group that I'd like to be in, but it'll obviously be a little less stressful. If I get hired, I'd like to go PRN with the nursing home (although I'd like to just leave altogether!) My advice to you would be to go to med-surge. Yes, it will be stressful but I think you'll gain more experience. Good luck with whatever you do and please strive to be happy!

I'll definitely give them notice as soon as I get an official offer. I hope to not burn any bridges, but I know they will be disappointed.

Oh I absolutely feel that way as well and I definitely feel like I'd be wasting not only the company's money, but the time of the preceptors who have helped trained me. They've all been great. But, they know that there's always that risk of losing someone who just isn't the right fit. I hope I'm not giving future new grads a bad name there.

I certainly don't plan on leaving until I have another job lined up. I guess I'm just feeling guilty because I've always stuck with my job so leaving so soon feels weird. My first job, I left after 3 years (Subway) and felt that I needed to just focus on school. My second job, I left after 4 years, was seasonal for college students so I couldn't go back. This is my first nursing job.

Hello! First post here, but I've lurked on this site for quite some time now. Anyways, I am a new grad and I've recently started working at a LTC facility. As many new grads do, I applied to many, many jobs and this LTC facility is the first one to offer a job so I immediately grabbed it. I know it's not what I want to do but I thought, "Hey, I need to a job, I need to pay the bills, so take it." Well, I recently was offered to do an interview for an adult day care center which will be tomorrow over dinner. I'm very excited about it. It's part-time, but the setting is more what I'm looking for and the hours are much more dependable than the LTC position (I was hired to be part-time, but I'm basically filling in for whoever goes on vacation.) Although it's just an interview right now, and there are no guarantees yet, I'm having guilt about leaving a job so soon (I'm still within orientation). I just simply cannot see myself being happy within the LTC facility. There is nothing wrong with the facility, and I know I "haven't given it a chance" but I know what the job will entail, and it's not at all what I want to do. I guess I'm just seeking some encouragement and words of wisdom? I know if I take the adult day care setting job, I would probably leave the LTC facility altogether. If I tell the person interviewing me tomorrow about leaving this LTC so soon after starting, will they hold that against me? Thank you!