I just passed the NCLEX-PN on September 19th and after nearly a month of job searching I finally found a LTC facility that is interested. The facilitiy is about 40 miles away from my home which isn't very good because of the gas prices but when the DON called yesterday asking me to interview, I decided to drive down and give it a try.
When I got to the facility I have to admit that I was a little taken aback. There were residents wandering everywhere without anyone paying too much attention and the office manager was on the floor passing medications and doing treatments because there was a lack of staff. Allegedly it is only today that there is a lack of staff.
Anyway, I did the interview. The DON seemed overly enthuiastic about offering me the job. I filled out paperwork for a background check and peed for a drug test before the interview was even finished. She told me that she had been advertising the positon in the newspaper and on the internet for months and I was the only person to answer the advertisment. I asked her about the turnover rate and she said that an activities director and RN had been there for about fifteen to twenty years but she didn't give me specifics on the others. She showed me the schedule and at least three names (nurses) had been taped across because they would be leaving soon or had already quit. Another nurse has been on a federal jury for 23 months and can't work many hours. The shift is 11pm-7am shared with another LPN. The pay is $17.00 an hour and I would be responsible for 40-43 residents per night. The facility houses 83.
I am desperate for a job but I don't know if this is the right fit for me. I believe that the patient to nurse ratio is high and I am getting weird vibes from the way everything went down. It seemed rather Stepford with everyone smiling at me and egging me on but I have this crazy feeling that it's a lot going on underneath that no one is alluding too. Maybe there is a reason the advertisment went unanswered. I don't want to risk my license but then again maybe I am I reading too much into it? Does anyone have any advice.
Specializes in Day Surgery, Agency, Cath Lab, LTC/Psych.
I wouldn't take that job. First of all, she lied to you when she said that today was the only time they've had to work short. If they've been looking for a nurse for that long they have been working short and will continue to work short. At this point they will take anyone with a license and a warm body.
AlabamaBelle
476 Posts
What everybody else said!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!