Umm...I will have 47 residence to care for !!!!!

Specialties Geriatric

Published

I am oreintating as a new grad for the 3-11pm shift. I have found out that I will be doing all the meds, charting and treatments for all 47 of them. Is this even legal?

The unit manager doesn't help with anything on this unit, and the last two people hired on the station both quit after 2 weeks!!! How in the world can a new grad ( me) that doesn't know any of these patients, or have any prior LTC experience get all this done? Meds I could do. But add treatments, charting, and doing the new admits..NO way! I am starting to think I went into something that I won't be at very long.

After a couple days of orientation I am learning a little about the paperwork but it seems like such an uphill battle. Any advice from TLC works?

Your manager is a disgrace. After two nurses have quit you would think she would get her butt out there, help you out and make sure you are happy.

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Specializes in Knuckle Dragging Nurse aka MTA.

My friend used to work in a nursing home & I don't know how she handled doing so many tx, meds, etc on so many patients! But I agree with the others here: that does not sound very safe to me & I would be afraid that not only would I lose my mind that I'd be making errors left and right. Hope you find a more reasonable workload.

-Christine

From what I have seen in orientation, a lot of treatments don't get done. I just found out that of the 47 residence on my "future" station, 24 are diabetic!!! I can imagine med passes/ finger sticks taking 3 - 4 hours. :o

I never intended to work LTC for very long, as I started the hiring process with the Dept. of Corrections last August. I have completed everything with them including the final interview about 12 days ago and I am hoping and praying the local prison I want calls me soon. I let the LTC facility know of my plans to go to corrections once I get a place, so they know I won't be here long.

The main problems I have is with me having to do all the paperwork as an lvn. With the unit manager not helping, I have to do all the telephone orders, admits, call the md, file the incedint reports, etc etc. I think I will go part time, but they want me as full time.

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Wish when I started that I only had 47...try 60.. 30 each hall.Even with the 1 hour before 1 hour after rule I was sunk 8a to 10 a for begging conjoiling bribing getting hit pinched bit cursed...(that was an easy day) and get those folks to take med. I had a charge nuse who took care of every thing else.Now 11 years later I work those same halls only now have a 2nd med nurse and I only give to those 30 residents,they are much more confused less cognitively able to take meds in TEXT BOOK manner so I still beg plead get beat and those 30 take the same 2 hours more PEGS with bolus feedings I very much understand where your coming from but do you have a charge nurse and what did the nurses that trained you say about how they did it..

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Specializes in Knuckle Dragging Nurse aka MTA.
Wish when I started that I only had 47...try 60.. 30 each hall.Even with the 1 hour before 1 hour after rule I was sunk 8a to 10 a for begging conjoiling bribing getting hit pinched bit cursed...(that was an easy day) and get those folks to take med. I had a charge nuse who took care of every thing else.Now 11 years later I work those same halls only now have a 2nd med nurse and I only give to those 30 residents,they are much more confused less cognitively able to take meds in TEXT BOOK manner so I still beg plead get beat and those 30 take the same 2 hours more PEGS with bolus feedings I very much understand where your coming from but do you have a charge nurse and what did the nurses that trained you say about how they did it..

I will be the charge nurse as an lvn over all 47 reswidence on the 3-11pm scedule. We do have a unit manager that does not do her job such as clarifying orders, admits, calling md's etc etc). That is stuff that I will have to do while passing meds, treatments, dealing with anger family members etc. This unit manager RN has been reported to the DoN at least 7 times by angry lvn's who repeatedly do her job.....nothing has happened to her and nothing will happen to her. She is lazy, and this place has such a hard time keeping RN's that she could get away with murder.

The nurse that is training me has said repeatedly that "I will be on my own and to not expect help from the unit magager as I will not get it." Two nurses before me at this station didn't even last long enough to put in a two week notice. They left after a couple weeks never to come back. These were experienced LTC lvn's, if they can't handle the load I don't see how I could as a new grad with little LTC exp.

This unit I will work has 47 patients, incluuding 22 diabetics, 5 GT patients which will make for a LONG med pass. They call it "hell hall." That 1 hour before, one hour after rule will go out the window as there is no way I can pass to that many so fast.

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Specializes in Case Management, Home Health, UM.

ONLY 47??? :uhoh3:

I think I would be getting the hell out of Dodge...RIGHT now.

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Please think about your lic. 47 is way too much for anyone let alone a new grad.Once you take charge nurse anything that happens falls on you...

Two days ago i picked up a shift in a LTCF through a agency

it was the eve shift 65 pts 1 supv, 1 nurse 4 aides, i had 35 pts 12 were diabetics,5 were mental health pts,had 1 pt who was critical but do not transfer to hospital.. my night was a mess, no break...LTC is getting very scary in my area the workload is just to heavy for one person...what can be done....:o

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LTC is very scary for both new grads and experienced nurses. There was some kind of incident at the local LTC here. A patient with an NG tube started vomiting and died before they could get her to the hospital.:o A new grad was in charge and the newspaper was saying that criminal charges might be filed against the new grad.:crying2:

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I will be the charge nurse as an lvn over all 47 reswidence on the 3-11pm scedule. We do have a unit manager that does not do her job such as clarifying orders, admits, calling md's etc etc). That is stuff that I will have to do while passing meds, treatments, dealing with anger family members etc. This unit manager RN has been reported to the DoN at least 7 times by angry lvn's who repeatedly do her job.....nothing has happened to her and nothing will happen to her. She is lazy, and this place has such a hard time keeping RN's that she could get away with murder.

The nurse that is training me has said repeatedly that "I will be on my own and to not expect help from the unit magager as I will not get it." Two nurses before me at this station didn't even last long enough to put in a two week notice. They left after a couple weeks never to come back. These were experienced LTC lvn's, if they can't handle the load I don't see how I could as a new grad with little LTC exp.

This unit I will work has 47 patients, incluuding 22 diabetics, 5 GT patients which will make for a LONG med pass. They call it "hell hall." That 1 hour before, one hour after rule will go out the window as there is no way I can pass to that many so fast.

Sorry, but you may not even make it to corrections, especially if that LTC gets a visit from the state. If treatments are not getting done, and meds not passed, that is a big NO-NO and your place of employment is going to hang it on your neck. You worked too hard to get your license than to lose it and never be able to work as a nurse again.

There is a reason that the others before you left without even giving two weeks notice. And a big shame to the administrators there. They definitely need a visit from the state to get them off of their duffs.

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And they are making you the Charge Nurse? Get the blank out of there. Everything is going to come crashing down around your neck. You are the Charge for the shift, so you will hang first. Trust me on that.

And as a new grad, with no clinical experience?

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Sorry, but you may not even make it to corrections, especially if that LTC gets a visit from the state. If treatments are not getting done, and meds not passed, that is a big NO-NO and your place of employment is going to hang it on your neck. You worked too hard to get your license than to lose it and never be able to work as a nurse again.

There is a reason that the others before you left without even giving two weeks notice. And a big shame to the administrators there. They definitely need a visit from the state to get them off of their duffs.

BibB, I have to agree with Suzanne. We all know how much you wanted and worked for that license. You just passed the NCLEX exam, so you don't have to go to your plan B. But don't take on this position and be forced into a different plan B, you know? You need to get out of there.

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Hi, I work in 44 bed LTC facility, I work 2p-10p I am the only nurse in the building with 2 aids and an extra aid from 4-7 just to watch the alzheimers patients. I do all the meds/tx's/charting/medicare assessments/etc. It helps alot that I have worked there as an aid and an Lpn so i know the res. and the routine. I don't usually have a problem with getting all this done, unless there is extra dressing changes or treatments than usual. But if I get a little bit off track from my routine it can be a very hectic night.

Good luck!

How is it possible to give meds to all of these pt's in a 2 hour window?!! What about tube feeders? What about all of the patients that need their meds crushed? What if you have 20 insulin dependent diabetics that need accuchecks and insulin before supper? I just can't imagine being able to do this without super human powers.

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I am also a new LVN grad and my first job as a nurse is working in a LTC facility,my orientation was a joke, on the second day I was expected to pass meds to 20 residents, do treatments charting, etc. much of it by myself, with little support or training. I am now considered over my orientation, (yeah, right) should be able to handle my job with little or no supervision, and also handle respite and hospice patients, some on CADD pumps. How overwhelming is that? How many times I just wanted to quit. Your situation sounds similar to another new LVN that was just hired at our facility, 3-11 shift med pass to 40 something residents, one other nurse on the other end, 40 something residents on her side. It seems so rediculous, and makes me wonder how these facilities get away with this. And if something isn't done right, or you have to stay overtime, look out! It has gotten better for me, but this is not where I plan to stay. Goood luck!

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