newbieRN724

The ratio. 1:10 is a lot in my LTACH. The most I have ever had is 6 and I had my own pct for my patients. The patients that come into LTACH are very ill with multiple issues.

I work FT 12 hour nights and I have my child in daycare FR. My husband works in the morning and has school in the afternoon. He drops our child off and picks him up. So I'm able to sleep and on my days off he still goes to daycare. It's consistency for him and I get time for myself. Sometimes I will keep him home so we can have more time together. It's hard but it works for us.

I work 7p-7a

The one I work at the ratio at most is 5-6:1 and 6 is rare but it happens if there are call offs.

Kindred ' s icu ratio is normally 1:3 at most. At l least the one I work at

I was always told not to worry about what other nurses do but to do what YOU know to do. When I worked in LTC it was said that the ones that can get done with everything on time cut corners somewhere. Unless the hall was not med or treatment heavy. Not to say everyone that did leave on time had to cut corners. If I was on an specific hall for a while, I knew how to plan my shift and what my treatments were and when was best to do them.

Thank you! Coming from a LTC/SNF to LTACH what would you suggest I review?

If I were you I wouldn't go in on my nights off unless they gave u another night in that week off. Your nights off is for your own sanity an to spend time with your family. Having a work and family balance is so important

Thank you!

Thanks!!! I'm so excited!

Hey everyone!!! I wanted to update everyone that commented on my thread. After the job fair I did receive an offer that I gladly accepted!!!!! :-D

Thanks for replying! It sounds like a busy shift but a nice change from long term care and rehab facilities.

Hello to all!!! I am being considered for a night position at a LTACH! I'm excited about the possibility even though I know it will be challenging. So I'm curious to know what a typical day or night shift is like? (My experience is in a SNF)

Ppl means people. Short hand way to say people when texting or online

I'm getting nervous thinking about this job fair. ESP since on the website it's saying "1 year minimum experience required at this time". It's so easy to talk myself out of going. I've been reading about the nursing care of vent patients and other critical care forums. To my benefit I did have a clinical rotation for 6 weeks in MICU and with my preceptor cared for two vented patients. So I know a little something.

Thank you everyone for all the comments!!! It has encouraged me. I'm a little nervous so I'm definitely going to practice what I'm going to say so I can sell my experience and skills. I'm confident in my abilities if given the chance and definitely eager to learn. The cover letter I will work on too.

Hello everyone!!! There is a job fair at this LTACH in my area, when I called the recruiter he said I could go and give it try. But the manager only wanted RNs with at least 1 year of experience with vents and trachs. I found the link for the job fair and it's saying you have to have one year of acute care experience. Well I have 10 months experience as a RN and I work on a post acute care floor at my current employment. We get ppl on PD, TPN, trachs, NGs, chest tubes, IV ATBs n fluids, post op ppl, etc. Is that considered acute care??

Where did you get your first nursing job? LTC/SNF How did you get the job? applied online Are you still working there?? yes still employed but looking for an acute care position Do you like it ? I used to like it because I learned so much within a short time. I really enjoying caring for my residents and patients. Do you hate it ? I hate the patient to nurse ratios, and how management doesn't appreciate the nurses. There's a lot of patients coming in with various conditions, some that I haven't had experience with since nursing school. No training or in service provided, just a learn as you go and ask questions. Google is my friend. Or just surviving and why. I'm just surviving right now d/t all the reasons, plus some. Everyday I am expecting a phone call with a hospital or LTACH to call me for interview.

My facility has no set rotation, which sucks. So if your scheduled days falls on the holidays you work it unless you can find a PRN person to cover it. Because of my schedule, I work every holiday from Oct. 31-Jan.1st. I've tried to question it and ask if they could do a rotation schedule for holidays. But I guess its easier for them to do it the way it is.

I work at an SNF and I work the dreaded 3-11 FT. I really don't mind the shift, but with a family it feels like I'm never home and work runs my life. I am starting to feel burned out. My days off are spread out an i work every other mon/thurs. It's def not the best schedule. My last facility was 12hrs and I can do 12s no issues and I prefer it. The only con is that you do eat, sleep and go back to work. But I can handle that just because it would mean I get 4 days off

I graduated this past December, passed boards in January, found a job in February, had 9 days orientation. My second night by myself I was made supervisor because I was the only RN in the building. I work at a LTC and it was tough! It's still tough, I've said to over an over I didn't feel comfortable and I need to get used to what's expected of me and grow into my role. They agreed an I wouldn't be supervisor one weekend but the next I would be. I got the looks an an people talking bout me being new there an a new grad and being a supervisor. I don't know what's all expected of me as a supervisor. I was never oriented to be a supe. It's hard to deal with staffing and other issues while attending to your own residents an making sure your STNAs are still doing what they are supposed to. I'm not even sure how much of a responsibility I have when I'm supervisor. If something happens does it fall on me or the primary nurse? Idk. But I'm in search of a new job. :-)

Thanks everyone for the responses!! When I oriented today we charted the correct way (different nurse). My first med pass was painfully slow but I'm looking forward to going to work!

I'm a new grad RN and working for the first time as a nurse in ltc. I orientated for the first time last week on the floor. The nurse I followed prepared most of her medications before starting down the hall. She labeled the med cups but she said it saves her time. She charted on things that hadn't happened yet an she said she did that because she's been on the unit and knows the residents. Like so & so never complains of pain, etc. and if they do then she just cross out what she charted before and document it. As the day went on I decided that I'm def NOT going to prepare medications for several residents at the same time. I'm too new an I don't want to make any preventable mistakes. So how do you manage your time during med passes?

Congrats!!!! That is awesome!