Nurses working overtime - Page 2

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  1. Apr 8, '12 by
    Quote from libran1984
    I only need an RN to do the initial assessment or agree with my assessment and to do the discharge should pt not be a candidate for admittence to the hospital.
    *** Back in the day when I was an LVN I got a job in a burn unit ICU. I was the first and only LVN ever hired in that unit. I only got the job cause the nurse manager had been my supervisor when we were both in the army and working in the burn ICU at Brooks Army Medical Center, her and as RN and me as a medic. That and the fact that they were SEVERLY short staffed.
    We did our charting and assessments on a paper tri fold. My nurse manager would PRE-SIGN these paper assessments for me. When I came to work there was a stack of these pre-signed by an RN trifolds in my mail box. I would just take them out and and start my day exactly like any other nurse on the unit. That situation lasted about 9 months while I was in an LVN-RN program. After I got my RN I arrived at work one day and my nurse manager congradulated me for obtaing my RN and I remeber several of the nurses being shocked that I had been working there as a LVN. They haden't realized I was an LVN.
    Today as a critical care / rapid response RN I shudder at the thought of doing something like that. At the time I was brand new to cilivian health care and had no idea the risk we were taking.
    lindarn and Multicollinearity like this.
  2. Apr 8, '12 by
    Do the research! It's becoming more and more rare for hospitals to hire LPN's. None the hospitals around here hire new LPN's, if a current leaves for whatever reason, they're replaced with an RN
  3. Apr 8, '12 by
    I agree with Lindarn also, the RN is the way to go. My 3.76 GPA and 84.5 TEAS test wasn't good enough to get into an RN program so I opt'd for the LPN to tide me over until I can transition. Indiana is very liberal in their state practice act so I'm allowed to start IVs, administer IVP medication, access ports and PICC lines, draw ABG's and initiate the transfusion of blood per MD order. All of which the hospital has extensively provided RN and LPNs together great knowledge and care with continued education - In this respect the LPN equally as knowledgable and skilled as the RN.

    My particular hospital does not allow the LPN to administer IVP cardiac medication, Conscious sedation meds, or IV insulin. I am not allowed to EJ anyone unless I have a dual paramedic certification. I am also not allowed to be the primary nurse for Level 1 or 2 acuity (Ie: shockroom pts), although I can still carry out most orders and assist during codes, intubation, and chest tube insertions. The RN must also agree with the LPN assessment or perform her own assessment to comply with JCAHO standards.

    So for monetary value, the desire to be more marketable in the nursing world, and to take higher acuity patients as my own I would always recommend the RN route if and when possible.

    My hospital also does not allow techs or LPNs in the ICU or NICU.
    lindarn likes this.
  4. Apr 8, '12 by
    Also, to back on track this...

    My buddy that I work with who IS an RN. Her Critical Bonus pay is $15 / hour extra while mine is only $10 / hour extra. She picked up 24 hours of Crit pay while 20 of it was overtime.... her TAKE HOME PAY..... omg... so ridiculous.... $2,580. WoW!!!

    Overtime is never mandated here in the ER but we're one of the few departments taht offer critical pay to incite ppl to come in on their time off.
    thenursemandy, lindarn, and tokidoki7 like this.
  5. Guide
    Apr 8, '12 by
    I'm sick of overtime. We've been short for over a year, so overtime is common. For us, overtime occurs on any 'x' days or scheduled days off, whether you're part or full time. I've stopped answering their calls, and I say no to requests at work most of the time. By January, I was exhausted from all the picked up shifts. I made a firm decision that this year, I'm reclaiming my life. I'm not working more than 2-3 extra shifts within a 3 month time frame.
    tokidoki7 likes this.
  6. Apr 8, '12 by
    Ok, I have a "spending problem," sign me up for the OT Johanna doesn't want.
    (panting like a dog in a begging position)
    DarkBluePhoenix likes this.
  7. Apr 8, '12 by
    I don't think we do mandatory overtime. They also have made a conscious choice to not do critical pay at our hospital. People aren't safe working the amount of overtime some of you are describing.
    Last edit by evolvingrn on Apr 9, '12
    tokidoki7 and RxOnly like this.
  8. Apr 9, '12 by
    Quote from evolvingrn
    People aren't safe working the amount of overtime some of you are describing.
    *** Different people have different tolerances for work hours.
  9. Apr 9, '12 by
    Quote from PMFB-RN
    *** Different people have different tolerances for work hours.
    This is an argument i hear a lot in the nursing world, but with Large money incentives involved We really can't trust individual nurses to responsibly regulate their 'personal tolerance". Maybe you certainly can work 16 hour days 6 days a week safely.......but most people can't. We need to have standards that do not encourage people to work unsafely.
    tokidoki7 and RxOnly like this.
  10. Apr 9, '12 by
    Quote from evolvingrn
    This is an argument i hear a lot in the nursing world, but with Large money incentives involved We really can't trust individual nurses to responsibly regulate their 'personal tolerance". Maybe you certainly can work 16 hour days 6 days a week safely.......but most people can't. We need to have standards that do not encourage people to work unsafely.
    *** That sounds good. However I hate to see one size fits all rules that apply to everyone reguardless of their strengths and abilities and reguardless of the type of job they are doing.
    I don't doubt that it is an argument you hear a lot in the nursing world. It doesn't seem to be an issue in other fields. The physicians I work with are on 24 hour shifts and it doesn't seem to be an issue at all.