What's it like working in ltc nursing?

[studentenurse]

Hi,

I am thinking about going to school to be an RN. I really don't know if this is the right career for me. I am also scared too because of the responsibility involved. Can anyone tell about what it's like to be an RN in a nursing home? The typical day, the abuse, the hours, is there alot of overtime?. If I do continue in this career, I was thinking that I would just work and stay in the nursing home field. Would that be weird? Out of all specialties, this seems most appealing. Well, this and psychiatric nursing.

[alexg524]

I have to say that all of this is really awesome information! I'm so excited about working in long term care as an LPN, that it might make some people sick!! Hee hee... but I love old people. We'll see what happens .

[proudtobeRN777]

i dont know how other places are ...but am telling u LTC is very very stressful job.. either u take up night shift or you go to alzheimers unit..but working AM shift and PM shift is like hell..it will wear you out ..may be other people have more potential than i have but thats my personal experience i sarted feeling like being in depression so i decided to quit right away....it actually depends on facility but my facility they were adding one paper every day...we would have meeting every week and they will say.." ok..from now licensed nurses have to fill up this paper "if we would say anything they would say "ok..we understand what ur concerns are but dont forget you are working for the company ,company is not working for you, if you dont like the policies ,go ahead and quit. " i couldnt quit because of job freeze in my area and financial issues .i stayed in that stressful environment for 7 months but i ended up not being able to work anymore(am so stressed and worn out , doctors advise).....there was no treatment nurse ,no supervisory nurse .one LN for 30 residents and work included ..passing meds (which would eat up half of your day) , charting, weekly summaries , daily notes (charting on computer , printing out and pasting in chart) doing BE 123 , call family , call doctor , do orders , do IPN ,for every fall , altercation , skin tear( even if a very small scratch ) sending them to hospital for every unwitnessed fall, do neurochecks. no time for breaks , attending all phone calls ( no body wants to pick up the phone ,u have to ) phone rings like in call center , ....and they would admit anybody ..no matter how serios they are ..putting your license at risk because you are not able to give that care to a serious because of no time ... one time they admitted a resident suffering from respiratory failure , i had to send him to the hospital only after 30 minutes of admission and he passed away in the hospital .......