[dijaqrn]

I work in an ambulatory care center urgent care. It can get to be only a step down from ER at times. You need CPR, ACLS, PALS , IV and critical thinking skills for this job. I do think all nurses should have some acute care experience, it helps with organizational and critical thinking. Good luck with whatever you decide to do!

[catlynLPN]

I work for the state in a facility for the mentally and physically challenged. I love it. I've been there 27 yrs and 9 mos.
I don't plan to retire until I'm 62. {54 now}
My typical day is spent passing 2 rnds of medications with the HS round being the heaviest. We have a few treatments to do, but no decubs, or anything bad. It's a great job, it's not hard and the people are well cared for. We pass inspection with flying colors everytime, and our facility is one of the highest rated in the USA.
It's a very good place to work, alot different than what you would think a state facility would be. I've heard bad things about other state facilities but this one has none of that.
It's well run and that's due to the administration being very strict.
So I don't mind doing a little bragging.

[fultzymom]

I am a MDS nurse in a LTC facility. I do assessments to get payment. I have worked at my facility for five years. I started out as STNA, went on to LPN, then got my RN. I worked nights, evenings, et day shift. Worked as a floor nurse, then RN supervisor, and now I have the MDS position.

[tencat]

I work in hospice going into people's homes to care for them. I love the autonomy. I did work in med/surg for 8 months prior to landing this job. In most cases you do need two years of experience before entering, but they hired me with 8 months' worth. The 8 months I spent in the hospital were the foundation for what I am able to do now. So I would say that you should spend some time in a hospital setting to learn basic skills and time management. Most people recommend a year of hospital work before branching out. I really did not like the hospital and felt that I was ready to try something new. I'm not sorry I left 'early' as I love hospice.

[NEWATTHIS]

I am a LPN working for a government contractor. I work in the Ambulartory Care Center for a ENT Dr. I also work in a nursing home as a Charge Nurse

[MadisonsMomRN]

Originally Posted by EnigmaticParadigm

I work as a Correctional RN at one of the State of California's prisons. I run one of the "yard" clinics (one of five) during the day shift (0600 to 1400). There are approximately 200 inmates per building and six buildings total...1200 inmates to one RN, rofl. Some days are tougher than others, but all in all it's a blast; never know what you're going to get.

The pay more than makes up for the craziness: $5100.00 take home for a normal 40 hour work week/ month + approx. $3000.00 take home in overtime/ month (about $11,000.00 per/ month before taxes).

Not too shabby for an out-of-hospital RN.

WOW! I am a Correctional RN too but do not make 11,000 a month. Its good pay but not like that... I need to come work with you!!

We house a lot more inmates too!!

[silmas RN]

After a lifetime of hospital nursing, my knees gave out. I knew I couldn't stand or walk for long periods anymore. I became a nurse paralegal and am sorry I didn't do this sooner. I am employed full-time by a plaintiff's law firm, so I can still function as a patient advocate. The work is interesting, and the days just fly by. I do everything from interviewing clients to writing submissions to the Medical Review Panel to doing research and locating expert witnesses. I am treated as a professional. The attorneys I work for respect my opinions and are always giving me positive feedback about the work I do. (something sorely missing from hospital work). The more nursing experience you have, the better, but a lot of attorneys are really just looking for someone to interpret medical lingo for them.

[NEWATTHIS]

Originally Posted by silmas RN

After a lifetime of hospital nursing, my knees gave out. I knew I couldn't stand or walk for long periods anymore. I became a nurse paralegal and am sorry I didn't do this sooner. I am employed full-time by a plaintiff's law firm, so I can still function as a patient advocate. The work is interesting, and the days just fly by. I do everything from interviewing clients to writing submissions to the Medical Review Panel to doing research and locating expert witnesses. I am treated as a professional. The attorneys I work for respect my opinions and are always giving me positive feedback about the work I do. (something sorely missing from hospital work). The more nursing experience you have, the better, but a lot of attorneys are really just looking for someone to interpret medical lingo for them.

Have you heard of any LPN legal consultants. I just ran into this website that offers the course to LPN's

[silmas RN]

It depends on where you live. I would contact the program for LPN's and ask where their grads are finding work. The program I enrolled in doesn't accept LPNs because they couldn't find jobs here in New Orleans, and that was several years before Katrina.

[woody62]

I worked as a major case manager for almost ten years before I got injuried. My clients (that is what we called them) were out on Workers Compensation, along with a few on liability. I had to assess the client initially, obtaining information about him, his family, what type of work he did, requirements, his knowledge of his injury, a physical assessment on his job. I also met with his employer and doctor or doctors. As they progressed, I did vocational assessment and counselling, as well as prepared them for job searches, did job searches for them, met them at their doctor appointments, arranged PT, OT, ST. I was a Jill of all trades.

I loved my job. It meant I had at least one or two new clients a week, traveled all over the State of Florida. And traveled to other states to arrange transportation for those injuried workers back to Florida. The one thing I didn't like was the long hours and writing reports. But the money was great.

Woody