out of practice

Nurses LPN/LVN

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Hi all,

I'm an LPN that hasn't practiced in 10 years. I've kept my lince current and also hold a degree as a Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA). For the post 4 years I've worked med/surg and ortho dealing with in-pts as a PTA. This has kept me up to date on many disorders, treaments, and meds.

I plan on going to wotk part-time as an LPN. Unfortunately I haven't given meds in almost 10 years and don't feel safe giving so. I have 3 questions to ask.

1. What are LPN med duties like in extended care

2. any good suggestion for "math for meds books"

3. What is my best option (besides homecare) to avoid giving meds.

I really appriecate any help/suggestions.

thanks,

Lisa

Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho.

Ask at the facility you will start working at if they have employee education department that can give you some resources to help refresh you. If they dont they may be able to send you to the local hospital to get some refreshing on meds. Most hospitals have some type of medication retraining programs for their own employees who get into a rut and have med errors.

Talk to them about it while you are in orientation and maybe they can set you up with something.

They will appreciate you recognizing any deficiency you might have and bringing it to their attention first before you get out there and start having problems.:)

In my area, med passes in long term care/ nursing homes can be very heavy, so the idea mentioned in the previous post might be a good one. I'm sure the facility will train you, or assist you in getting some re-training, but be sure to ask. On average, I pass meds to anywhere from 20 to 45 patients. It can get overwhelming, but I've been doing it for sometime now. Good luck!

Try Pickar, Gloria, Dosage Calculations. Go through it cover to cover. Excellent self teaching book and CD.

In either situation that you mentioned you will eventually have to deal with meds. Get a curent drug guide for nurses and just take the time to look up everything before you give it. In no time you will start to feel like a pro again. Those of us who have been in practice continiously still stop to look up things. Even common things as you do forget, and no one can remember everything about every med they give. Make that med guide your constant companion. Don't worry it is not that bad. I promise you will get back into the swing of it very fast if you take the time you need in the beginning to just look it up if in doubt.

Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho.

OH,, and by the way,, welcome back to the wonderful world of nursing!!!!

Glad you decided to come back!

If this is any comfort to you, I had been out of nursing for 9 years where I went back. When I had worked prior to that, it was hospital work in Ohio and LPN's didn't do the meds, so I had never done med passes but had completed the courses in nursing school. I got out my old med books to refresh myself on the basics and when I applied for the job I told the DON the truth and that if she hired me, I'd be one of her hardest workers and she'd never regret it. She teamed me up with an excellent nurse and told me I wouldn't be tossed out on my own till I felt comfortable with it. There were also some procedures that I had only done in hursing school, so I was scared to death. Honesty is the best pollicy. After about a week, I told her I felt very comfortable and I made it a point to write down meds I wasn't sure of and looked them up on my own time at home. If I had a procedure I wasn't sure of, I asked to observe it the first time, took notes and did it on my own from there. It's not as scary or as complicated as you think and LTC is a great place to start. Just find good reference sources and read everything. If you know you could be facing a procedure you're not sure of, get out your nursing books, read the facility policy and then just ask to observe once. It will all come back to you. In no time I was doing IV's, after certification of course, and many other procedures. If you go in letting them know up front you need some guideance, I'm fairly certain you will find them very willing to work with you. Good luck and hang in there, I'm betting you'll do great!!!!

Welcome Back to Nursing :kiss

I was out of nursing for 6 yrs when i decided to return and I was scared to death!! I began by taking a refresher course that was offered at our local community college. It helped me regain some confidence in myself and helped me brush up on some skills I hadn't used in years.

Much to my suprise I hadn't forgotten as much as I thought I had.

My first and only job since I rentered nursing is on a 40 bed child

adolecent psych unit. The RN charge nurse and I are the only nurses on the unit and I am the med nurse. Giving meds at first was very scary but I did it, very slowly and very carefully!!!

That was 5 yrs ago and even though nursing is still one of the toughest professions there is I dont regret for 1 min returning

to what I also believe is "the most rewarding" profession!!!

GOOD LUCK:kissblush

I am an RN who has been out of nursing for ten years and I was a med surg nurse RN but can no longer work in med surg because of a knee injury and back problems. I don't know where to start to look for a job really and still want to work as an RN I have taken 2 refresher courses in the last 6 years and kept up my license.

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