New nurse, new to the site

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Specializes in LTC.

Hello everyone, I am a newbie here and a new LPN. I finished school and took my boards in May 2009, worked a few months as a nurse in FL before moving to Minnesota. Nursing is very different up here, they have a higher standard than FL and it took me a while to get a good job. I work in a nursing home in a small town and I love it. I have only been there just over a week and I feel like a part of a special family.

My nursing goals..hmmm...I have plans to get my RN, I would love to become a labor and delivery nurse but a huge part of me loves working with the elderly and can so see myself working in this field as well. I would love to be a nurse practioner too...there is just so much I can do...so for now, I am just working and lovin it!!

My family, I have five wonderful children...my oldest is 13, then 12, 5, 4 and 3....the last group...I call the IUD..the pill and the patch that didnt work...I love my children and my house is always busy!! My husband is 7yrs younger than me and he is a hard worker....

I found this site while I was in school and it was very helpful...and I just joined last week. :D As new nurse, I have TONS of questions and I am open to any advice. :nurse:

I hope everyone has a great holiday weekend!!

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Welcome to the site!

Nursing is very different up here, they have a higher standard than FL and it took me a while to get a good job. I work in a nursing home in a small town and I love it.

BTW, I'm from Florida. I'm curious to know what makes you come to this conclusion? Is it based on the one place you worked for 3 months? Please enlighten me. ;)

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Specializes in LTC, Psych, Hospice.

Welcome! There are many avenues for nurses. I love the elderly, also. I work in hospice and couldn't imagine doing anything else. Good luck in your career.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

Welcome to nursing and the site. Feel free to ask any questions you have along the way!

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Specializes in LTC.

To Honey Bee

In Florida, I worked for 10yrs as a CNA in three nursing homes and as an LPN I worked for a total of 5 months in two different nursing homes. I have learned that every place is different. In FL, as an LPN, I was able to do IV meds, (not push, just hang) picc dressing changes ect....but up here, most places its strictly for RNs to do...and most RNs are on the floor up here...and when I transferred my nursing lic..it was hard bc the state nursing board doesnt except lic from other states unless you meet a certain criteria. In some cases, they make you retest...

And when I was working with another nurse while I was orientating, in FL, she would she show how "she" did it and then tell me how to do it when "state" comes ....up here the nurse I worked with last week was different, she showed me how to do things per policy, no short cuts are allowed..and I did noticed that no one pre pulls meds for the med pass or gives meds in the dining room. So maybe a "higher standard" was a bit harsh and I am sorry...but I can see a huge difference....

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I am from NC and I, too, have heard that FL had lower care standards than other states. I know 2 nurses who are from FL and now live in my area and both of them say that the differences are a real slap in the face.

**Disclaimer** These are things I was told and I don't know firsthand.

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Specializes in OR, OB, EM, Flight, ICU, PACU.......

Welcome to the site!

Enjoy, and have fun!

Ski

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Specializes in A myriad of specialties.

Welcome! Hope you glean many helpful tips from this site; I certainly have!

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To Honey Bee

In Florida, I worked for 10yrs as a CNA in three nursing homes and as an LPN I worked for a total of 5 months in two different nursing homes. I have learned that every place is different. In FL, as an LPN, I was able to do IV meds, (not push, just hang) picc dressing changes ect....but up here, most places its strictly for RNs to do...and most RNs are on the floor up here...and when I transferred my nursing lic..it was hard bc the state nursing board doesnt except lic from other states unless you meet a certain criteria. In some cases, they make you retest...

And when I was working with another nurse while I was orientating, in FL, she would she show how "she" did it and then tell me how to do it when "state" comes ....up here the nurse I worked with last week was different, she showed me how to do things per policy, no short cuts are allowed..and I did noticed that no one pre pulls meds for the med pass or gives meds in the dining room. So maybe a "higher standard" was a bit harsh and I am sorry...but I can see a huge difference....

Thank you for clarifying, because I genuinely wanted to know what you meant by your comment. Because of your thread, I actually took a few minutes to google where the different states ranked in health care. And according to a 2007 reference (most recent I could find in my quick search), Florida did come up in the bottom 10. So I learned something today! LOL

I became an LPN in the military, and have worked mostly in Texas and Florida. And I never bothered to research where either state ranked. I'm sure I'm not alone in that. I just figured some places were better/worse to work at than others. I've seen both good and bad. But anyway, it's actually good to know information. :up:

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Specializes in Psych, Skilled Nursing.

Welcome to Allnurses! :)

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