Trying to Hang In There

Nurses New Nurse

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Hi, fellow nurses. I am a RN, I have roughly 4 months of experience at my first nursing job in long term care. I work 3-11 shift and I have to vent. I get a lot of admissions on this shift and I always stay and complete them. The problem is my facility does not pay overtime. Meaning I have stayed 1-3 hours after work completing an admission. At my facility if a new admission comes before 10pm it is my responsibility, not the next shift. I end up staying so late because not only do I have to finish the admission but I also have to do Medicare Charting, Quarterly MDS Assesement if any, chart on falls and any other pertinent circumstances. I am trying to get my one year experience and rough it out another 8 months, but I feel drained. Then on top of that the DON is chewing me out about a shower room the CNAs left dirty. I always go behind their work but that one day I remember I had two falls and forgot.

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Specializes in Emergency Medicine.

3-11 is always the hardest shift. You didn't know that?

As for not being paid overtime I would look into that with the US Department of Labor. I know that nursing falls into a special category like farmers and theater workers where normal labor laws don't apply but it doesn't seem right. You might be entitled to compensation but I'm not a lawyer or know the terms of your employment.

Best of luck with your career. I myself would be looking for something better

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Specializes in LTC.

Please hang in there. Nursing is 24/7. When an admission would arrive late on my shift or if all hell broke loose ( falls, emergencies, and etc.) I had to prioritize. Which means get your assessment done and documented, and get orders verified and the rest of the paper work, leave for the next shift. Some times we can't do it all. I have had times when all I could do was the assessment and had to leave everything else. Good luck and this too shall pass.

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Specializes in Cardiac Care.

There is NO way that you shouldn't get paid for OT. That sounds illegal :/

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Specializes in LTC, Psych, Hospice.

I'd check w/ the labor board. Working OT and not being paid for it is ILLEGAL!

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It is illegal to work without pay. At the LTC facility where I worked, if an admission came in at 10 (like your circumstance) and I was the off-going nurse, I was responsible for assessment of that resident, but the rest of the paperwork fell to the oncoming nurse. Nursing is 24/7 as another poster stated. It should not fall completely on you to complete the entire admission, IMHO.

You should never work without pay.

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Thanks, I will be looking into this matter with the labor board. From now on when I get a late admission I will do the assessment and verify the meds, and will endorse whatever I did not complete to the next on coming shift. It's just the first thing they ask you is what time did the admit come. They don't want to do the admission and get angry with you if you leave them anything.

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They don't want to do the admission and get angry with you if you leave them anything.

do they still get angry, even if the admit arrives after 10pm?

leslie

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Specializes in LTC.
Thanks, I will be looking into this matter with the labor board. From now on when I get a late admission I will do the assessment and verify the meds, and will endorse whatever I did not complete to the next on coming shift. It's just the first thing they ask you is what time did the admit come. They don't want to do the admission and get angry with you if you leave them anything.

When they ask, tell them and also tell them that x,y,z was going on and I had to prioritize. The first thing I tell the oncoming shift is what I have already done for the admission, that way they don't feel like they are being dumped on. You give your report, count, tell them what needs to be done for the admission and LEAVE ! One you give report and count the admission is no longer your responsibility. You document also. You chart what you did and that report was given to oncoming nurse.

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You should also being looking for a new job now. That one year experience that your talking about getting, your not actually getting right now. It's one year acute care experience, not LTC. After a year there you aren't anymore qualified in the eyes of a hospital then you are now.

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Specializes in LTC.
You should also being looking for a new job now. That one year experience that your talking about getting, your not actually getting right now. It's one year acute care experience, not LTC. After a year there you aren't anymore qualified in the eyes of a hospital then you are now.

I respectfully disagree. Yes LTC is not acute care experience but it is experience. Hanging in there for a year will atleast show the employer that she can keep a job and be stable. Employers understand the job market and sometimes we have to take a job when it come up. If the OP gets another job offer that is better then by all means go for it but until then, try your best to hang in there.

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They mostly get angry if the admit arrives before 10pm. They feel if the admit arrived before 10pm how come you did not complete it. I have had admits arrive at 5pm, one of the worst times. It disrupts my med pass and families are constantly asking questions. With the admission and family interruptions I may not finish my med pass until around 6:30 (cross my fingers, If I'm lucky). Then I finally get a chance to call the MD and verify meds. Before long it's time for the 9p accuchecks. I am a hrad worker and always go above and beyond. I do the best I can but will have to be more firm and let the next shift handle some of it.

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