jessicaRN32

Try to stick it out, for at least 6 months (which is what I know everyone says). I started my RN career in med surg and while I don't absolutely love my job, it where I've been now for more than a year and a half. There is so much to learn. I do understand your complaints though. Just try not to get too discouraged while you're still on orientation. There is so much you will learn, even though you may not realize it now.

I would be up for anything, I think! What makes me the most nervous is moving to a different area and feel like I'm starting all over again - which I know is what is expected for the most part. Going to an ED has interested me, but (luckily for my patients), I have never been part of a code. I have observed and have done what I can, but I usually just end up watching (because everyone has already claimed a spot and I'm just there to observe and learn, or I end up being the runner for needed equipment. I do love to learn, so, as mentioned earlier, I'd be pretty much up for trying anything. I just figured that by now, I would have some sort of particular passion that I could work towards trying to accomplish, but I don't!

Hi, everyone! I am currently an RN - have been at my current (and first RN) job for a year and two months. For 2 1/2 years, I worked as an LPN at a nursing home for one to two days a week. I work on a medsurg floor at one of my town's two hospitals. I enjoy it for the most part, but I know that I do not want to do medsurg forever. I enjoy the fact that I get to interact with patient's and I like that I have been working there long enough that I have a routine, but I still do learn every day. I feel like it's nearing time for me to move on and start a different area of nursing, but honestly, I have no idea where I want to go. I know most people will probably say to just stay where I am in the mean time, which is what I plan to do, but my question is for those people who have been in the same boat as me - how did you figure out where you wanted to transition to? I do still enjoy bedside nursing, but would be open to trying anything. I do love elderly people, but I did not enjoy my nursing home days - too little actual interaction with the residents and too much focus on med pass and charting. Thanks in advance for any replies!

I've been working at a LTC facility for 9 months, and you have VERY accurately explained my feelings/experience while working there. I thought it was just me!

I work in a long term care facility and I have a resident that has a G - tube. This resident is prescribed liquid morphine (1 cc). Some people administer it through the G - tube, and some people administer it orally so that it can dissolve in the resident's mouth. My question is, is there a "most correct" way to do it? Are one of those administration's wrong? How do you/would you administer it?

Thanks everyone for their advice! I'm so excited to learn and practice the skills I went to school for (and learn new ones)!

Could I get some feedback on different people's experiences while the state surveyors were at your LTC facility? And maybe some rules and such that I should keep in mind when I am in this situation in the future. Thanks!

It will get better! I've been an LPN and have been working at my first nursing job at a LTC facility since November '13. We have up to a 30 resident load (depending on residents being LOA, in the hospital, etc..). It does get overwhelming at times with all the charting, med passes, putting in new orders, lab collections, skin checks, looking after CNAs, and dealing with everyday resident requests, but like I said, it will get better! I would love it if everyone were eager to help one another, but there will be nurses, CNAs, and even other staff members who will not be friendly, but in those situations, you will have to look passed that and take care of what you need to take care of. Your number one priority is taking care of the residents that you are assigned to. Being new to the facility, unfortunately you may have to earn the respect of some of the people that have been there longer before they will open up to you and be more willing to help you without you needing to ask. There will be some people out there who will be more than happy to help you with anything you need. Be that person as well! Do whatever you can to help someone if they ask - and if you sense that someone needs help, but they won't ask, then offer your help. If you show your loyalty to people, then they will most likely respect that and return the favor by helping you. When it comes to CNAs, remember that they are not below you. Most of them who love their job will work their butts off and not give you any problems. Respect them as well! If you treat them well, then they will help you without any problem. If they do give you a problem without any good reason, then as the charge nurse, you need to step up and voice your concerns to them. If they still give you problems, then maybe you need to bring this up to your ADON/DON, because there are things that you should be more concerned about (i.e. your residents) than worrying about them giving you trouble. Good luck to you! It gets better!

Would you mind informing me on how the transition program is going? I am hoping to take that class in the fall. I know what information we will go over, but I have absolutely no idea about the structure of the class (meeting times, days, how the information is...). :)

Hi everyone! I am an LPN hoping to transition into the RN program in January '15, so I will be with those that began this semester! I'm taking my last finals this week for my last prerequisites and hopefully taking the transition class in the fall. How are y'all liking it so far?

Hi nurses! I am a new LPN and have been working at my first nursing job in a LTC facility for about 6 months. While LTC nursing is definitely a specialty of it's own (and I love it), I feel that it would be beneficial for me to do some hospital work as well. For anyone who would like to respond, what was your first nursing job on a med-surg floor like? Any tips to offer? Was it overwhelming with all of the new things you had to learn?

I've seen that a lot in the LTC facility that I work at. What have you found that is the best way to end a note? I am a fairly new nurse, so I love hearing different people's opinions.

Hi all! I'm currently an LPN - hopefully transitioning to an RN program in January. My first and only job so far has been in a LTC facility, and I've been working there since November of 2013. It is still overwhelming at times, but overall I feel pretty comfortable working there. At some point, I will need to get a job at a hospital to gain more knowledge and use the skills that I have learned. I am very anxious about working in a hospital with such a variety of things that I have not come across yet as a nurse or even in clinical. I do not feel good enough or feel like I know enough to be a good hospital nurse, and I am very nervous about harming a patient. Any advice/encouragement would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!!