kbvn3210

I'm a new nurses in an LTC and I'm thinking about quitting. I have been orientating for a month and just recently had to experience the full patient load. We have 30 patients days. I passed meds all day. My preceptor had to send a patient to the hospital while i finished my med pass. I wouldn't have finished I were on my own. I came home feeling extremely stressed and incapable. I don't know what to do at this point.

I am going through exactly what you're going through, except it takes me even longer to pass meds. I had bad experiences with two of my preceptors. The third is much better, and I've learned so much, but she is pressing me to get faster. She passed meds by memory. She has 30 patients and passes their meds in two to two and a half hours. I saw her make a mistake, and I thought, my lord, how many mistakes has she made in the two years she's been there? After watching her process, I realized she followed the med card, not the Mar. I don't know if that's the safest practice. I'm thinking about looking for another job with less patients. You seem to be handling things much better than I am. Don't ever feel bad about your time. It's unsafe and unethical to expect one nurse to give 30 patients medication and care in two hours. There should be a federal law limiting the number of patients one nurse can have.

I can see why this facility is constantly losing nurses. That nurse in particular sets a terrible example for her hall. She has an abrasive personality. Her favorite thing to say is "I know I'm mean." She cusses at residents and talks about them and their families when they walk away. Her favorite CNA likes to talk threateningly about staff. The good people working there don't even want to walk down that hall. I think she acts like that because she has the largest patient load and no one wants work her cart. If I were the DON I would have fired her long ago.

It's a complete nightmare. I second guess myself constantly. I'm starting to feel like I'll never be fast enough to get my work done on time.

I have been training with her for one week. She made is clear that she didn't want to train me from the beginning. She decided to let me have the cart by myself while she sat in a patient's room and didn't do anything. I passed morning meds for four hours! As I began, she walked over and told me signing as I go will mess up my time. When I finally finished she told me to chart but failed to tell me I had to chart four different places on the same patients. I stayed with her an hour after work to finish charting. I get a call this morning from the DON saying she was very concerned about the feedback she was getting. Apparently the nurse told her I gave the wrong dose to a couple of patients. This really upset me because I know I checked the chart before I have each med three or four times. I told her about my experience and how my preceptor told me signing as I pass would mess up my time. She told me I was right and she would put me with another nurse. There are about 28 patients on that cart! She knew that load would be too much for me and allowed me to drown. I try not to take things personal but this nurse made a point to be nice to everyone but me in front of me! Whatever the case, I went home exhausted and discouraged every night. Is this a normal experience for first time nurses in LTC?

I got my license in 2011 and just got my first nursing job at an LTC. They are allowing me to have one month of orientation and more if I don't feel comfortable on my own. It's rough. My preceptor is a goof nurse, very smart but she's stressed out. The facility is old and set in its ways. She got a new admit and no one told her, there were labs left on the fax from a month ago, med don't get ordered when they should be and they take forever to come in, the aides aren't trained well, and we stay busy from start to finish. I always stay an extra hour to do charting. None of that gets to me. What i struggle with is feeling dumb and useless. A patient was unresponsive and I ran with my preceptor to the room and she turned to me and asked me to go help another nurse with paperwork. I almost gave a pill po to a patient with a g-tube and my first day I drew up 20 units of insulin until my preceptor corrected me. I cried my second day. I was originally hired to work nights but the director moved me days. She told me it might be more difficult but in the end it will make me a better nurse. I agree. I say all of this to say no matter where you choose to go just make sure the staff is aware of your situation and that they're supportive of you and willing to train you green. All you can do is try your best. Hope this helps.