JLMG

This is my life right now too! New RN grad and my first job is on a skilled unit with up to 22 residents. It's a nightmare some days. I only got a couple days "training", consistently have to stay over to get everything done, and the staffing shortage...ugh. I feel like they are sucking the life out of me some days. I've been at it for almost four months and am trying to stick it out until I complete my RN to BSN next autumn.

I'm in this exact situation right now as well. Brand new nurse, first job...SNF with 19-24 patients per night. 12 hour shifts become 14+ hours long. Six days orientation and I'm thrown to the wolves. The med pass and tx's are doable but you add in the admits, discharges, physicians calls, orders, and paperwork for the paperwork. Ugh. I'm trying to see it as good experience that will make me marketable to hospitals. Good luck, you're not alone!

Thanks again to you all! I've regrouped and am prepared to prioritize and delegate more. I've made a "brain" sheet to help me organize my day and am going in with a good attitude. I really appreciate all the good (and varied) info you all posted in reply!!!!

Thank you all so much for the replies and suggestions! I am going to apply them all and hopefully things will get a bit smoother until I can find a position in a hospital!

Hi, New RN grad here and landed what I thought was going to be a great first job to gain some experience and make me marketable to the local hospitals. I found a job in a skilled nursing facility. Long story short: Ive had four days of training and am supposed to be on my own now. I am responsible for 16-21 patients, admissions, med passes, orders from physicians, pharmacy, labs, charting, treatments / dressings. They are 12 hours shifts. Today I got a from my supervisor who said I didn't get a tx done on my shift and it was unacceptable. Ive worked about two hours overtime each night this week and still couldn't get done with everything. I was under the impression that we "passed along" what we didn't get done and specifically heard in a nurses meeting that there is no reason we need to be staying more than 30 minutes past report. My supervisor today (on the phone) told me that if I had to stay until midnight (five hours late) to get it done then thats what I needed to do. All of this occurred while I had another nurse "training me"...which meant, she did the admissions, physicians orders, and labs while I passed meds, did tx, and charted. I asked for more training and she directed me to call someone else to see about it but she wasnt sure. A CNA told me that every nurse only stays a month or two because its too much for one to handle alone. Im not a crier but I have cried all morning. I was hoping this would be a challenging and positive experience and it doesnt feel that way right now. I'm so angry, exhausted and dont know what is expected of me. I don't want her to think I'm not doing a good job but this really seems impossible. Any advice / insight would be amazing. thank you.