Your First Nursing Experiences Working in Locked Units?

[Newgurl17, CNA, LPN]

Hey all!

I've been working in a locked unit in a long term care facility for a couple of months, had 9 3pm to 11pm shifts, two 4pm to 8pm shifts, and a couple of morning shifts, I've only been working prn. It has been challenging for me and I feel twice as dumb on this unit than on another unit that I also work prn in the facility and have just felt unsafe, not because of the residents, but I guess because of my own abilities. I felt like working on this unit was a curse and that I was getting signs that I should NOT continue to work on this unit. I feel like it is the most under-served unit in the facility, always having problems with pharmacy not sending things for the unit. For all of my 3-11's, there was only one time that I actually got off of work on time and they've mostly been CRAZY shifts with residents pulling the fire alarm or being aggressive, or just having a palliative resident on top of the 24 residents that are under my care over the weekend. I work with 2 cna's who are there from 3-11 and one float who is there from 4pm to 8pm.

Every shift that I've worked so far, I just felt like calling my manager saying that I'm not ready for this unit and before coming to work, I have felt frustrated that I have to be there on the unit. Definitely been a struggle for me working there!! One of the nurses working there in the evening said that prn LPN's don't want to work there and after I took some shifts there, I could see why. I always feel TERRIBLE for the oncoming shifts because I've for the most part felt like I'm always leaving them more work to do and I'm not trying to do this on purpose.

What was your first experiences like working as a nurse in a locked unit?