Quitting after 2.5 months? Overwhelmed and scared.

[Disc_Chick]

Hi I am a new graduate licensed March 2014. I was offered a position in long term care and accepted it. I was so grateful for the opportunity and excited to be working even though it wasn't in a hospital. I thought I'd put in my 6months to a year and look elsewhere. Well it's been 2.5months. I had a months of classroom instruction, 1 month of shadowing under various nurses, not preceptors just whoever happened to be working mostly contingent LPNs, and I've been on my own for the past 3 weeks.

I hate my job. I have 26-28 patients. These patients are all 2 person hoyer lift, confused, take their meds crushed. I just don't have time to properly care for all of these patients in 8 hours. I don't pass meds on time and I don't pass meds to all the patients everyday, I just can't. I haven't been taking lunch, I work 8.5 hours straight. When something comes up, a fall, phone call, or what not my whole day is a chaotic mess.

Not to mention management is a mess. Our DON was fired after I had been there a month. The administrator also quit. All of the nurses I work with keep telling me to leave and apply other places. Have you applied here? there? "Well if I was you I wouldn't be working here with my RN." I have my associates, but I am currently getting my BSN at a big university in my area. I will graduate with my BSN in a year and a half.

I'm scared something horrible will happen. And I don't like feeling I'm learning to do things wrong. Every time in my training the nurse would say, this isn't the way you're supposed to do it, don't do it like this when the state is here, but this is how we do it.

I even broke down and cried to our educator and all she said is my routine will come with time, but none of the nurses I trained with are getting it, they all cut corners.

I keep applying, 50 applications Monday, but have not even got a call back for an interview yet. I just keep getting emails saying I haven't been selected try again. I am so discouraged, I hate this job. What should I do?

[Curious1alwys, BSN, RN]

Aw, man. I'm so sorry. I have no words of wisdom since I am a new grad too but I know the grass isn't always greener. That said....don't think I could do it! Nursing is so stressful the first few years, I don't even know how anyone makes it out, LOL. Hope you get some good replies.

[ktenor]

Disc_ Chick, your post sounds exactly like my place of work. EXACTLY. The business just got bought out so there are lots of changes. I was hired to work on their sub-acute floor that was supposed to open two weeks after my hire date (April 1st) the state never approved it so I got pushed back to opening mid May. Meanwhile, my orientation was extended on the long term floors with LPNS that did not really know how to be a teacher and they would say the same things they said to you, about don't do this if the state walks in, etc. Now I am on the 1st floor and slowly we have been getting more patients. They told the unit manager and myself that they wont be getting an aide for us until we have 8 patients total. Well, we have 6 patients as of now, and I feel like my license is in jeopardy. I am alone with no support on the 1st floor. My unit manager who was amazing and got hired with me, was the staff nurse from 7-3 until we had enough patients for her to move back to strictly manager roll. Even though, during her 7-3 shift she was still doing managerial duties, aid work and nursing work. Regardless to say she quit Monday and left after her shift due to not having an aid and having no support when asked. I do the 3-11 shift and it is so busy. I want to resign so bad but I have yet to find another place of employment. I feel like there is no organization to the chaos and my patients are threatened and to top it off I am a new grad. June 1st will be 3 months-which means my probation period will be up. Better to leave prior to that? Any advice appreciated!

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

LTC is a totally different animal that, if a positive experience, can STILL be overwhelming; however, with the right type of blueprint in terms of nursing care and practice, it gets better, and time management is possible.

If you choose to stay at your place of employment until you find another position a few things:

1. Nursing is 24-hours....do your most competent care on your shift-pass what you can on report, and leave work at work.

2. Get a brain sheet or make one; label who gets finger sticks and insulin, who need vitals, who need safety checks, GT/PEG feeds (if applicable), who need treatments, ADL/Medicare notes, etc. It will keep you organized!

Also learn how your residents' baseline; do focused assessments only when necessary- learn how to pick up those subtle signs when they may need more or to be sent out.

3. Make sure you take breaks-pack snacks so that you can graze at work; take your bathroom breaks, and hydrate well.

Many LTC nurses go on to acute care successfully; if you can get organized, leave the mentality of hospital ratios out of one's mind, it can be successful; you have residents who are chronic, some more ill than others but relatively stable; you are able to build rapport and have a lasting nurse-pt relationship.

Best wishes