RN_Vinny

First off, Congratulations. I worked in LTC before going to my Cardiac floor so I feel your pain. The ratios in those rehab facilities are absolutely ridiculous. Once you finish once med pass, its time for another one. Any, I worked as a Rehab Director in a SNF, and worked on the floor when they were short at times, then worked in Rehab before finally making the transition to my current position on a Cardiac/ Neuro PCU. I was so nervous about the transition and trying to study up on everything but I am here to tell you that it is ok. It will all come back to you. You will have to take ACLS, and EKG classes so you will be fine. I didnt buy anything, just brushed up on a few things and so far, All is going well. Ive been on the unit now for about four months now and I love every minute of it. The EKG class will more than prepare you to know all the rhythms that you will need and ACLS will fill in medication gaps. The hardest part for me was figuring out the charting system, that's always the hardest. Use the nurses on the unit as your resource as well, you're never alone. I have nurses on my unit that have been there since I was born, that's a wealth of knowledge right there and they help calm me when I'm freaking out about a septic pt Im getting coming up on a cardizem and heparin gtt, because they had afib with rvr, didnt know and had a stroke.. EEKK. And of course an untreated UTI that has now made them septic. There's too much to cram in all at once so take it one shift at a time, and use your time at home to rest and sleep, lol. I promise, it will all fall into place sooner than you expect. Good luck, I love being a tele nurse though. I work nights and our ratios are usually 4:1 but if a tele bed is needed we can go to 5, but thats usually if we have med/surg overflow pts

Oh and its even harder for me because I don't have my bachelors and a lot of hospitals in Chicago are magnet and only accept those with bachelors.

When I accepted this position, the then Restorative Director was alone as well, and had been for 6 months. I told the administrator that I wouldn't do this unless I have a second nurse and we did. I was excited about having help and not being swamped and overwhelmed like the previous nurse. Unfortunately, my nurse who is an LPN started a bridge program and quit on me, without notice by the way. So its been about a month now and I am so afraid, because our state window opens next month, that all of the tags will be because of me. But they know that I am behind, I remind the administrator on a daily basis that I'm behind and need extensive help. I am salaried but IM also a new mom with a 7month old who cant devote her life to a 60 hour work week just to make up. I shouldn't have to. They say that they are looking but the teamwork and the way this place is right now, I doubt we will find anyone anytime soon. It took them 6 months to find help for the previous Nurse and I cant last that long. I've been filling out applications like crazy, everyday, all the time, on my phone during my lunch. The longer I am here, the more depressed I become and nervous. I feel like I got this opportunity and now I'm tanking and its frustrating. The only skill that I utilize are my assessment skills, and even then I get reminded of things that I should have done or forgot to do. Its just a lot to deal with. Thanks for your comments!!! It also makes me nervous because we have had state in here a few times and the last time, the surveyor asked for me. I handle all the falls and the interventions on top of everything else and I was so nervous about my interventions and my investigations and everything. She started asking for lists and I have not been able to update a list since the last RN left... ugh just a lot :'( and im trying to be patient. I don't want to leave here and go to another LTC facility when I want bed side hospital experience but to keep my sanity I may have to.

He, I'm a new grad and I've been working in a LTC facility for about 5 months now. I am an RN and when I first applied for the job I was under the impression that I was going to be a staff nurse. Well the administrator liked me so much I went straight into being the Restorative Nurse. I HATE EVERY MINUTE OF IT. This is going to be long. OFFICIALLY i have been the restorative Director for about 2 months now. The previous restorative director was moving to Seattle and they needed an RN to replace her. I was ecstatic about getting department head experience straight out of nursing school. However, I am drowning. Our current census is 204 residents, it is just me and 3 RNAs. I hired another nurse to work with me who then quit on me soon after. It is impossible to complete the amount of paperwork due weekly, handle all the falls for the facility, buy and manage all assistive devices and fall preventative devices, run all the restorative programs, assess the residents quarterly and new admits by myself. I am drowning and have become depressed as my work gets further and further behind with no new prospects. Not even the nurses on the floor can help because we have a huge staffing issue where there's 1 to 2 spots open per shift that either aren't covered, leaving a nurse to work 2 floors or calling an agency nurse to help. It's horrific, truly. That's not even my question just a rant really. As I sit and pound out this paperwork everything that I feel like I learned is leaving me. I feel like I can't even really call myself a nurse because I am still so clueless about a lot of things. Th e patient loads at this facility are ridiculous. 50 on th e psych unit to 1 nurse, 45 on the dementia unit to one nurse and 30 on the skilled unit. Ive had to work the floor before, after only being oriented 2 DAYS before they threw me to the wolves, I cried that day. I had time to pass meds only which took me 4 hours to pass am meds with the next med pass schedule the next hour. Anyway to my question, how do I keep my skills so that I don't look like a dipshit if I get a hospital job which I've been trying to do for months. I can't remember anything it seems, and I feel like such a fake and a failure. Any nurses in ltc that then transitioned to a hospital ... how did you keep on top of your skills you worked so hard to learn?

Hey, I'm a new grad and I've been working in a LTC facility for about 5 months now. I am an RN and when I first applied for the job I was under the impression that I was going to be a staff nurse. Well the administrator liked me so much I went straight into being the Restorative Nurse. I HATE EVERY MINUTE OF IT. This is going to be long. OFFICIALLY i have been the restorative Director for about 2 months now. The previous restorative director was moving to Seattle and they needed an RN to replace her. I was ecstatic about getting department head experience straight out of nursing school. However, I am drowning. Our current census is 204 residents, it is just me and 3 RNAs. I hired another nurse to work with me who then quit on me soon after. It is impossible to complete the amount of paperwork due weekly, handle all the falls for the facility, buy and manage all assistive devices and fall preventative devices, run all the restorative programs, assess the residents quarterly and new admits by myself. I am drowning and have become depressed as my work gets further and further behind with no new prospects. Not even the nurses on the floor can help because we have a huge staffing issue where there's 1 to 2 spots open per shift that either aren't covered, leaving a nurse to work 2 floors or calling an agency nurse to help. It's horrific, truly. That's not even my question just a rant really. As I sit and pound out this paperwork everything that I feel like I learned is leaving me. I feel like I can't even really call myself a nurse because I am still so clueless about a lot of things. Th e patient loads at this facility are ridiculous. 50 on th e psych unit to 1 nurse, 45 on the dementia unit to one nurse and 30 on the skilled unit. Ive had to work the floor before, after only being oriented 2 DAYS before they threw me to the wolves, I cried that day. I had time to pass meds only which took me 4 hours to pass am meds with the next med pass schedule the next hour. Anyway to my question, how do I keep my skills so that I don't look like a dipshit if I get a hospital job which I've been trying to do for months. I can't remember anything it seems, and I feel like such a fake and a failure. Any nurses in ltc that then transitioned to a hospital ... how did you keep on top of your skills you worked so hard to learn?