Late last week, the Chicago Tribune reported about the housing of mentally ill criminals in nursing homes and the resulting violence against vulnerable older residents. The Tribune alleges that it has documented instances in which nursing homes failed to report attacks to the state health department, which is required by law. The ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses states that the nurse's primary commitment is to the "health, well-being, and safety of the patient" and that we must take "appropriate action regarding any instances when the rights or best interest of the patient are in jeopardy."

What would you do if you worked in one of these facilities?

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Hello,

Just wanting to see if anyone out there has any words of advice for me. I just passed NCLEX in November. I graduated with my AA in nursing in 2010. I started my first nursing job at the end of December. I work at a small nursing home. I work overnights. I had about 4 weeks of orientation and have now been on my own for the past few weeks. I am looking for advice that some more seasoned nurses may have for me. I have had some really great nights as well as hectic nights in which I felt like I was an idiot and not meant for this field that I put so much time and energy into obtaining.

If anyone has some advice or just words of encouragement....I would really appreciate them.