Thinking about quitting after first day

[SunflowerCat12]

I am a graduate LPN who just had my very first orientation day at an assisted living facility, and it was awful.

When I got to the facility in the morning I had to be with the night shift nurse because the day shift nurse who was supposed to train me up and quit without a notice.

I was with the night shift nurse for about an hour and a half until the assistant director of nursing came in. I was with her for most of the day. She kept disappearing to do things and I had no idea where she was at or what I was supposed to do.

A care giver called out for tomorrow evening shift, and I heard that two caregivers put in their resignations recently.

For the last four hours, I was with the DON. She had to leave to go pick her baby up from daycare. When the assistant DON left I was in the med room by myself with no nurse in the facility for a good 45 minutes.

The nurse that was supposed to be there on night shift ALSO quit without a notice, so we had to give the night time meds.

The DON was pulling meds and handing them to me to pass, which made me feel very uncomfortable. All of the residents were sitting in the dining room and she was telling me to give the med to "name", and I had no clue who anyone was. I had to ask her who that resident was, and what medication was I giving.

While we were in the middle of the night shift med pass, the fire alarm went off. We had to get all of the patient's outside and check all of the rooms to make sure nobody was in there.

She acknowledged that this was a very rough day and wants me to train with just her next week. I am really unsure if I want to even go back.

Should I give it another day? If I do quit, will it show up in a background check and look bad to other employers? And how should I go about quitting?

[Sour Lemon]

I am a graduate LPN who just had my very first orientation day at an assisted living facility, and it was awful.

When I got to the facility in the morning I had to be with the night shift nurse because the day shift nurse who was supposed to train me up and quit without a notice.

I was with the night shift nurse for about an hour and a half until the assistant director of nursing came in. I was with her for most of the day. She kept disappearing to do things and I had no idea where she was at or what I was supposed to do.

A care giver called out for tomorrow evening shift, and I heard that two caregivers put in their resignations recently.

For the last four hours, I was with the DON. She had to leave to go pick her baby up from daycare. When the assistant DON left I was in the med room by myself with no nurse in the facility for a good 45 minutes.

The nurse that was supposed to be there on night shift ALSO quit without a notice, so we had to give the night time meds.

The DON was pulling meds and handing them to me to pass, which made me feel very uncomfortable. All of the residents were sitting in the dining room and she was telling me to give the med to "name", and I had no clue who anyone was. I had to ask her who that resident was, and what medication was I giving.

While we were in the middle of the night shift med pass, the fire alarm went off. We had to get all of the patient's outside and check all of the rooms to make sure nobody was in there.

She acknowledged that this was a very rough day and wants me to train with just her next week. I am really unsure if I want to even go back.

Should I give it another day? If I do quit, will it show up in a background check and look bad to other employers? And how should I go about quitting?

That sounds like an absolute nightmare ...but then again, it's assisted living and might be workable. Just how much assistance do these people need? Do you have other options or is this the one place that called back and hired you out of hundreds?

If the job was hard to come by, I'd probably give it another day and see how it goes.

[SunflowerCat12]

The residents are independent for the most part. There are a few who stay in bed most of the time, but can still communicate with you. They were all precious and amazing.

I turned down another job and canceled an interview to take this job. So, I probably have a good chance at getting another job. However, I will be much more selective next time.

I wish I could spend a few hours at a facility without being hired first to see if I would like it.

[Sour Lemon]

The residents are independent for the most part. There are a few who stay in bed most of the time, but can still communicate with you. They were all precious and amazing.

I turned down another job and canceled an interview to take this job. So, I probably have a good chance at getting another job. However, I will be much more selective next time.

I wish I could spend a few hours at a facility without being hired first to see if I would like it.

You might actually be able to do that if you ask. It's called a "working interview", I think. Shadow a nurse, meet the staff, see how you fit in, how the place is run, etc.

[Aunt Slappy]

That many no shows and people who quit without notice in just one day is a huge red flag to me. Your average decent person doesn't just up and quit a job without notice in most cases. Even when they determine they want to leave and have really good reasons, most people still give notice. What you experienced tells me that there are some very major things wrong with that workplace and they are not being addressed, leading to the kind of frustration and apathy that causes people to no show and quit on the spot.

[Miss.LeoRN]

Sounds like the Rehab I worked at. Rose colored glasses at first. I was oblivious to the number of people quitting and jumping ship. I ended up being forced to work doubles because the nurse would call out or not come in. Aides were calling out all the time, entire units of them. I put on the schedule on the days I was supposed to have off because "there was no one else". I was mandatory doubled on thanksgiving, christmas eve, christmas, new years, and new years eve. I couldn't afford to walk out on my job. Not even for a minute. So I sucked it all up. I loved my residents and my coworkers. I hated the company I worked for. I clocked 190 hours in a two week period at one point. I was NEVER home. And finally, I was so burnt out.... I called out. I was exhausted, I had a migraine, I was just not feeling well. I gave them 8 hours advance notice. My DON spent 5 of it calling my phone, texting me, threatening me on how this would require disciplinary action and how it showed how unreliable I am. Despite everything I had done, all the shifts I had filled..... she wrote me up for calling out. Said my "call out was not accepted" and it was a no call no show. I said that's enough. I wanted ONE night off. That was it. I snagged an interview at the hospital and dropped that place faster than I could blink.

So. Run. Don't walk. RUN.

[Chrispy11, ASN, RN]

Worked in Assisted Living and for me there was no happy medium. Either very good, or very bad. One I worked for had a pattern. Constantly call someone into the office until they're completely demoralized, then force them to quit or fire them. You watch it over and over, then its your turn. Like another poster said, huge red flag. Up to you. Stay until you find something else or cut your losses. Obviously they didn't plan very well for your first day. You're putting your best foot forward for the interview and your first day, yet the place fails you on day one. Sounds like they need you more and you're not going to be trained very well because you're already filling voids. Just my two cents...

[SunflowerCat12]

I totally agree. My husband and family think I'm crazy for going in for another day. If after my second day nothing is any better, I am going to tell the DON that I don't think the job is a good fit for me, and i'll quit. I just hate to quit during orientation, but the place is a mess.

[TriciaJ, RN]

Well, at least it can't get any worse. Or if it does, you can walk away with a clear conscience. The other thing is that you don't have very big shoes to fill. Whatever you do should make them deliriously happy with you.

But don't take your other irons out of the fire, just yet.

[dreamer30]

RUN!!!

[/username, BSN, RN]

Sounds like ALF to me. Exactly why I would be caught dead there.

[djh123]

"My DON spent 5 of it calling my phone, texting me, threatening me on how this would require disciplinary action and how it showed how unreliable I am. Despite everything I had done, all the shifts I had filled..... she wrote me up for calling out. Said my "call out was not accepted" and it was a no call no show."

This person has No. Grasp. Of. Reality. :^) Given just HOW reliable, overworked, etc. you were before this one time of calling off.