Hi all... (waves)
I just started my new (first) job at a LTC a week ago, and I really would appreciate some input from others on how long it took them to get up to speed on their routines to the point where they felt comfortable with what they were doing. They only give three days of orientation at this LTC and I do NOT feel ready!!! I've had only ONE day on my own, and everything kind of hit at once, including an in-service that was supposed to be only half an hour and ended up being over an hour in the middle of the day. I share the wing with an experienced tech and she's great, but I hate feeling like I'm slowing her down. I almost feel guilty because we don't have nearly as many residents per tech as some places, BUT the families and residents do expect a LOT of us because they are all paying so much money for them to be there (everyone must be very nicely dressed and groomed at all times, hair and makeup, shave men every day, lots of service, lots of events, very particular and demanding about everything, dot the i's and cross the t's, etc.) For instance, at the end of that first day on my own (which was yesterday), we had to get everyone up and elegantly dressed and made up for the fancy barbecue dinner in the dining room!!
Anyway, I have 8 residents and 3 are total care; we also serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and we have one resident who is on the call light all day and needs to be taken to the bathroom about every half hour. It really seems that once I get into the routine it will be okay, and that's what the experienced tech says too, but it's hard because you can NOT skimp with these residents, their families will notice!! Right now it just seems so impossible to fit it all in and I feel like an idiot for even thinking it's difficult... anyway, I ended up going back to my car and crying at the end of everything yesterday. I just feel like, well, I will work as hard as I have to, I will NEVER fail out of laziness, but I'm so afraid that working hard isn't enough... what if I just never get the hang of it... words of advice please!!