I really hope I can make it through this semester. All first semester students at my school start at a Long Term Care facility, some of the LTC places have rehabilitation centers in them but ours has a Medicare section, Long Term, Hospice, Secure Unit which is dementia and Alzheimer patients stuff high wander risk patients and stuff. So our first semester we shadow a CNA and get the basic nursing skills down pat and also do things like Catheters, NSG tubes, Suctioning and so on. I am sure it's much the same in a lot of programs.
I was all excited for today because it was Orientation at our facility, according to all the CNA's in our class my group really lucked out because we are at one of the nicer facilities. So today we are going on tour of the building and it took everything I had not to cry. It was nothing but sadness and helplessness, especially the hospice area.
Seeing these elderly people hunched over in a wheel chair staring at a tv that is off, or looking into at nothing or just laying in bed immobile looking so sad and broken. It was terrible. I can't even describe it. The other girls in my group handled it much better and said I won't feel so bad when they are yelling at me and stuff but I think I will still feel sad for them. I have clinicals here 1 day a week for the next 8 weeks. Next semester we will be on the Med/Surge units of the hospitals 3 days a week.
I guess some people really like LTC but I don't think it's for me at all. I just hope I can make it through these next 8 weeks. It seriously was one of the most heartbreaking things I have seen up close and personal and that was just on my tour.
Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
Thank you, I just read some posts in the LTC forums as well and I will go to my clinicals monday with a different outlook. I really appreciate the feedback it has helped tremendously, I tried to talk to my family about it and some friends no in health care and they don't seem to understand or know what to say so it didn't really help at all. Reading these posts and the other forum has helped a lot. I am back to being excited again!
I have worked in LTC for almost 5 years now. It can be a rewarding experience if you let it be. It never fails that at least one of my residents will make me laugh or smile. They are my family. They need caring people that show they care.
I ditto that those that commented about how it will change when they yell at you need a new career. Dementia, pain, etc. can all cause somene to act out.
Good luck to you, give it a chance, you may find you actually find it rewarding.
Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
I have worked in LTC for almost 5 years now. It can be a rewarding experience if you let it be. It never fails that at least one of my residents will make me laugh or smile. They are my family. They need caring people that show they care.
I ditto that those that commented about how it will change when they yell at you need a new career. Dementia, pain, etc. can all cause somene to act out.
Good luck to you, give it a chance, you may find you actually find it rewarding.
Thank You, tomorrow starts my actual full clinical day so I shall see how it goes. Hopefully at the end of the semester I can come back with a completely different outlook then my original post.
this is it...when I was in NS, I almost got kicked out the first work at the LTC center(long story) and when we were done, i thought "i'll never go back there!"
But here it is, i've been a nurse for 14 months, and work a 2nd job at a LTC. I am good friends with a few of the other rns there, and I enjoy seeing a few of the long-termers. some of them you just have to know how to talk to, some are very sad, but I take great pride in knowing that when I'm there, they get EXCELLENT nursing care. I will take on cleaning, turning, changing, and feeding someone by myself in order to ensure that it gets done.
I don't like having a lot of patients, usually 15-23, but I pride myself on excellent service and am never fast or rushed with someone. it takes getting used to...you will see cases in the acute setting that break your heart too...you just learn how to do it, and cry where noone can see you.
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~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN
5,259 Posts
Thank you, I just read some posts in the LTC forums as well and I will go to my clinicals monday with a different outlook. I really appreciate the feedback it has helped tremendously, I tried to talk to my family about it and some friends no in health care and they don't seem to understand or know what to say so it didn't really help at all. Reading these posts and the other forum has helped a lot. I am back to being excited again!