sta127

So I worked at a nursing home with a high turnover rate- a one star facility- which obviously has a lot of problems. I started there part time and after about a year went per diem because of how bad it was and have been doing per diem/ child care for a relative. The facility recently hired a lot of new grads and there's maybe only two experienced staff members remaining. Obviously I want to get out. The facility is also trying to sell itself to a new company. I applied for a hospital and a recruiter called and boy, is she tough! She's going to call again tomorrow but after our initial discussion I can tell she is a disappointed... She wants to know why I went per diem and why I would want to work at the hospital now. It's just that my facility was so bad (no supplies, high volume patients,) that I don't feel comfortable working there anymore. I really don't know what to say because I don't want to bad mouth my former facility. She says shell call back later or tomorrow- what else is she going to ask? it doesn't seem like it's going to go well for me...

I'm a new grad nurse in a subacute rehab facility. I don't had prior nursing experience like CNA or anything. I guess I'm having trouble getting the routine down as it seems much different than nursing school. In school, we really never had to personally deal with paperwork (sure we talked about it but student were never responsible for it), doctors, etc. I've shadowed two nurses for two shifts this past week and they don't even have time to finish their work before the shift is over so they tell me I can just go home--so I don't really have the big picture in my mind. I just feel like I have a lot of really stupid questions so if someone could help that would be great. 1. The CNAs in my facility dont seem to chart on the computers or take vitals. They just have their flow sheets. So what am I looking for from them in terms of the logistics--signing off on their flow sheets? do I chart anything from them in computer? I guess I feel like I'm missing something regarding the relationship between CNAs and nurses. It just seems different than the hospital. 2. Charting--- how often does each patient get charted on and to what extent. Do I write a nurses note on every patient every shift? 3. Assessments-- How often are you doing a full assessment? it doesn't really seem like there's much assessing going on in my facility---it just seems like med pass, treatments, call bells. In my facility, if you're day shift , you'll chart vitals on the odd numbered rooms but it doesn't seem like the patients get their breath, heart, sounds checked regularly. It just seems like "the patient is breathing-good". I asked 4. Doctors- so of course you call the doc if there is a major problem, to verify meds for a new admission. But, say a doctor put a new order in a patients chart. I've seen the nurses sign off and fax it back to the doctor. Then what? So what about if I were to get an order over the phone from a doctor? Do I write it down and fax it to him so he can sign off on it? How soon would it go into effect? Anything else about when to contact the doctor? I'm not used to the whole LTC environment because I never even stepped in one in clinical. I'm used to having a computer to roll around with me to look up meds, procedures, chart relatively etc. but I'm not even allowed to use my phone and have to run back to the nurses station to look up even the simplest of things. It just seems outdated. There reall Is there a good med book I can carry around until I'm more familiar with meds---especially meds that are unique (like take BP before and after giving this med, etc.)