Considering a switch

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Specializes in Internal Medicine.

Hey everyone, just looking for input from people here...I am considering a switch in my hospital that I work in, and was hoping someone could tell me some details.

First off, I am an LPN, and I work in Internal Medicine- which is nice when I actually get acute patients with real issues! It seems to be the norm at my hospital to assign the LPNs to the (awaiting) Long Term Care patients, which is fine, I mean we have NAs on the floor who do a large part of the personal care, instead my job is essentially doing meds for these patients, (usually 8-12 per nurse with LTC patients), and it is BORING. The manager on the floor is very foolish in how she books the staff, so nurses with LTC patients will have 8-12 patients, while the nurses with acute patients usually have 4-5 patients. So here's my dilema, and I think it lies with the fact that I am in Medicine- when I have LTC patients, I am busy doing personal care, and the sheer amount of meds, but it's boring- the same thing day in and day out. On the rare rare occurrence that I actually get a load of acute patients, I am bored because there is too much staff with acute patients, so I have 4 patients...

So there is my feeling in a nutshell, NOW I am considering a move to the Emergency Department in the hospital, but my dilemma is, I don't really know what I would be doing down in Emerg... SO- to all those who work in emerg, what would be the usual patient be? Vitals, Assessment, IV meds than D/C? Saline locking people? All I know is I feel sick of feeling like my job is cleaning up poop and giving colace to people...

Anyways what do you all thing- I'm a male, 22 years old, and I've been working for a year in Medicine. IV experience and everything.

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Medicine sucks. The holding hole for transfers to LTC.

Have you discussed the staffing issues with your manager or even AUPE? The funding level is different for an "active" medicine patient and for a "wait placement".

It depends on your hospital's policy towards LPNs in the ER. My hospital utilizes to full scope.

Trust me after one year, you haven't experienced everything. I thought that in LTC until I found a 89 and 90 engaged in oral activities in the tub room.

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Specializes in Internal Medicine.

ughh.... can't stand medicine much longer...!!

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