So im a new Grad LPN as of July 17th. And now reality as hit I started My new job this monday and now asking myself ***..
In school they teach you everything you need to know to get started to being a great nurse. Many clinical hours spent in the hospitals doing skills and mastering them. My problem with this is LPNs no longer really work in Acute settings. Most LPNs do either home care or LTC no there is a huge difference in Acute and LTC and thats where my problem begins.
In school clinicals for our med pass we may be given up to 5pts...But we did not have to chart just sign off on the meds, we did not have to call doctors, we did not have to get labs or consults. In LTC the LPNs role is so much more then what we do in school. Yea they teach charting but omg what about everything else. I know there is a limit on what they can and can not teach but they want us to be great nurses and part of that is getting a job and being able to feel confident you can adequately perform.
Yes I can assess and treat and yes I can pass med and sign my book but there is so much more and I see it time and again in these threads how New Grads are overwhelmed because after 2days orientation they are on their own.
Does anyone not see an issue with this, yea you can ask questions but you are responsible and there is just so much room for error in the situation of LTC with a new GRAD on their on 20plus pts and no idea how to even start anything but a med pass..
Give me the med pass im good but im just so baffled at the pluses of the job. I feel like LPN programs should let you experience the hospitals and peds and ob but some time should be spent in the field we are to work. Let us get behind the desk with a nurse to see the paper work come in to get that early am report count the carts and the shifts end.
Im lucky enough my job is willing to train me a 3-4wks because the DON really believes in me and I know I will do great I graduated top of my class and Im just the kind of person to get what needs to be done done but for all those who have 2days orientation and are crying right now its just not fair. Some say you get use to it but dont you think things will be so much better if you were more prepared maybe nurses would not be cutting corners, or so grouchy.
I feel nursing programs, and new grad orientations should really adjust according to the times (sorry for this extremely long thread just wanted some thoughts on this because it has been bugging me)
Also, per facility, there are standing orders or protocols that you can write your orders based off of depending on the situation. And with a change of condition, there is certain paperwork that has to be done: SBAR, incident report (if applicable), notifying of the patient's family, MD and post-review that has to be done.
What is post- review. If someone is going off by protocol so pretty much the nurse is doing things with out a doctors orders. correct.
By the way is a nurse allowed to schedule diagnostic tests for his or her patients. Are they allowed to do anything like obtain a chest x ray or CT scans or MRI and anything else.
By the way is a nurse allowed to schedule diagnostic tests for his or her patients. Are they allowed to do anything like obtain a chest x ray or CT scans or MRI and anything else.
I know you would probably need an order for that by is it with in their scope of practice to obtain chest x rays, do CT scans MRI, cardiac catheterization etc. I know nurses are trained and taught and can obtain ECG readings.
I know you would probably need an order for that by is it with in their scope of practice to obtain chest x rays, do CT scans MRI, cardiac catheterization etc. I know nurses are trained and taught and can obtain ECG readings.[/QY
I feel your pain! I am also a LPN working in LTC and feeling overwhelmed, scared, and inadequate. I graduated with honors from a condensed one year program. I thought I would love nursing and was going to make a huge difference in the lives of others. Truth be told I feel rushed to get in and out of the patients rooms to get to the next in the hopes of getting all my work done. The program did not prepare me for the "real world" of nursing. The snickers I hear from the CNA's and fellow Nurses is really disheartening, but I will continue to ask questions, stupid or not! Hold your head high and just get through it, with experience comes confidence and with each day we gain more experience. :)
true words. you experience mirrors my current situation. a grad w/honors and am totally overwhelmed @ the ltc. the cart, being rushed to hand out meds and get the morning pass done before lunch is off the hook! nothing prepared me for this...30+ pt. i just hope i survive. unfortunately orientiees don't get full pay. which makes us all feel like cheap help. but i'm hanging in until i've achieved my goals. this is the only way and the best experience i can get at this point. good luck to all of us and hang in there. we will all emerge great nurses at the end of our first year on the job.
I taught at the same LPN School that I attended, as as skills and clinical instructor. I made the students in skills lab "call the MD" anticipate what orders they would get, anticipate what paperwork would be done, look at paperwork in charts, anticipate how often that paperwork would have to be completed, do "mock" incident reports etc, and students complained that they had more work than other lab groups etc, and the administration told me to stop doing all the extras and teach off of the syllabus. Grrr.
As an NA Instructor at the same school I was told to cut the class where we worked on resumes and mock interviews out of my lesson plans as well, because Career Services at the school would handle that. My students told me that NEVER did Career Services help them with any of that.
Most schools teach EXACTLY what the BON requires and nothing more, nothing less.
mcclot1993
99 Posts
What is post- review. If someone is going off by protocol so pretty much the nurse is doing things with out a doctors orders. correct.