No jobs for LPN graduates anymore?

Kitnurse · Aug 6, 2006

I was blessed to study under a dying breed, an old school RN who trained on site in a teaching hospital(in dorms and not allowed to marry, or even date, a medical convent). The first semester I was terrified of her, we all were, but by god we LEARNED. By the time we got to our clinicals all we had to do was name the procedure and Mrs D's voice would roll tape in our heads, reminding us of the difference between theory and reality, and she was there in person quietly encouraging us from the side, so subtly that most of the time the patient never even realized we were being corrected. We were one of several schools at a given hospital as it was a rural area. We wore white shirt, pants and shoes, a blue Walmart type smock, our hair up and under a traditional nurses cap. We were the only nurses in the whole hospital (maybe the state)who wore them, but when the time came for an RN to ask for a student, we were easy to find, and they knew we were prepared.

To this day I hear her voice in my head if I get confused and I keep my text books close. Especially so, as now, in a new job. I've been reviewing like crazy the systems I've been working with and scouring the net for pertinet info or new advances. The letters after our names may limit our practice but it certainly doesnt have to limit our knowledge of current advances in our specialty. There's no telling when the day will come when a patient will need what we know, whether or not there is an LV or an R before the N, it is our responsibility to ourselves and to our patients to be the best we can be. There's nothing in the school curriculum that says you cant find the information theyre skimping on elsewhere. If there is anyone at the school you trust ask them to verify what you find, of course, but get that information any way you can. Your future patients may live or die in that information gap.

/lecture.

Best of luck.

pagandeva2000, LPN · Aug 7, 2006

Jaded:
I was shocked to hear that you had to educate those RN's on what DIC is, but then again I'm not surprised. Whether you are an RN or LVN all nurses need to take personal accountability on learing all they can on disease process, their particular specialty area, etc... All nursing school does is provide a foundation of nursing/medical knowledge. It is the schools responsibility to present accurate and up to date info., but is is up the student to learn it and retain it. I have been a nurse for 8 years now and I am always reading something medical whether it is my A&P book, micro. book, or a book related to my specialty. It amazes me how much some nurses don't really know about disease process. Yea, we learned it in school, but unless you keep reviewing it you won't retain it. It amazes me how much I don't remember from school.
I commend you Jaded for being so knowledgeable. I don't think it has too much to do with whether you are an LVN or RN what really matters is what you do after nursing school as far as continuing and expanding your knowledge base.

I also admire Jaded for knowledge, and I agree that many nurses just follow through with the steps and protocol of the hospital policy and do not continue to read and remain abreast of current thrends. I am a new grad who is in orientation (at a hospital; med-surg unit), but, I have my med-surg books available (in fact, next to my bed) so that I can re-read things. YOu can easily forget, and it is up to us to remain current.

My concern is that I am in orientation in a med-surg unit for six weeks and after 8/29, I will be returning to my old clinic to work as an LPN. I am insisting to administration that I want to sign up for the agency the hospital uses so that I do not forget the skills that I am learning. I admit that I am happy to work in the clinic as a main base (who WOULDN'T want weekends and holidays off?), but, want to do extra time on the units to remain current on things such as what Jaded mentions and others. I want to grab my experiences while the iron is hot.

It can be very discouraging to be disregarded simply because RN is not next to your name. In the two weeks that I have been on the floors, I was totally shocked at what I noticed that the RNs did not really know or remember; but I think that it is because of their personal practice and commitment to nursing (or maybe burn out).

zig · Aug 8, 2006

I live in Mass. There are plenty of opportunites for LPN's here. Homecare is huge! The money is great ($22.00-25.00 per hr.) The flexibily is appealing. Good Luck!

Trinity1234 · Sep 26, 2011

I FOR ONE AM A NEW GRADUATE AS OF 2010 IN DECEMBER, AND I WOULD BE SO WILLING TO WORK ANY SHIRT AND HRS ANYWHERE AS LONG AS IT DOESNT SLAM INTO MY COLLEGE HRS. I ONLY HAVE CLASS MON-WED.I AM WORKING TOWARDS MY ADN DEGREE FINISHING LAST PREREQS BEFOR ETRYINTO GET INTOADN PROGRAM HERE...THEN I WAIT A YR. AFTER SIGNING ON FOR IT!!! :uhoh3: MY PROBLEM IS THE CLINICAL TRAINING I GOT IN SCHOOL IS NOT ENOUGH FOR ANYONE THEY WANT ACTUAL JOB EXPERIENCE...SO I HAVENT FOUND A JOB AT ALL:uhoh3:...AND I CAN NOT MOVE TO ANOTHER STATE BECAUSE OF ONE FO MY SONS AT THE MOMENT. SO I AM STUCK HOW CAN I GET JOB EXPERIENCE IF NO OINE WILL HIRE ME?? SORRY FOR THE CAPS I AM SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO FRUSTRATED... :devil:

Help!!! need prayers...got interview next Thursday But I am terrified what will theyt say about my experience they went by my resume and I didn't give experience as in work only stated my skill set, what I learned and my education and willingness to continue my education and my knack for learning fast and be adaptable...that type of resume selling my self big now Im terrified my allergies are running amuck and now a head cold on top of it!! :eek:

Frustrated in Baraboo Wisconsin!!!