Passed NCLEX, sometimes nurse, sometimes aide

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I started working at an assisted living facility right after I graduated. My title has been graduate nurse, and I've worked according to the needs of the place-either as a nurse or an aide. I passed my NCLEX two weeks ago, and being that there is now an extreme need for aides, I've been scheduled as an aide lately more than a nurse. I feel a lot of gratitude for the experience while I wasn't licensed, and want to be loyal, but I only want to work as a nurse now that I'm, well, a nurse! I've told my boss, and she says how she believes so much in me, thinks I'm so wonderful, etc., but then turns around and schedules me as an aide after saying her plans for me as a nurse. She is a real businesswoman, and is all about getting residents in to the facility, and I'm wondering if she's giving me the "talk" too, but no show.

I feel like I'm an aide, and not given the respect of a nurse by anyone because I'm willing to work any role...the other nurses are the types who will hardly give a bit of help to the aides, and I'm starting to wonder if maybe they have a reason for this-I see that the more you try to be "nice", help out, and not make distinctions between roles that the less respect you receive. I feel bad for wanting to leave (the place is all about "family" loyalty-type talk), but I'm afraid that the worst career move I made was choosing to work as an aide at the same place I'm planning to be a nurse.

Anyone have any insight on this kind of new-grad aide to nurse transition? Do I just go elsewhere? I'm afraid I won't get hours full-time unless I work some days as an aide. NO other nurse does this-all of them came in as nurses, so that's all they know.

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Are you being paid as a nurse? If being paid as a nurse, not so much a problem. But you might consider looking for another place to work. Don't see that you are being treated with much respect where you are at now.

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Specializes in Psych, LTC, Acute Care.

Is there a position for you as a nurse there? I would give them a maybe 2 more weeks with this back a forth crap but I strongly erge you to talk to you boss and ask them if they are scheduling you as an aide because there are no nursing positions or because they are just short on aides. Sadly the same thing happened to me at my job when I became a LPN. My DON though I was gonna work as an aide and a nurse until a fulltime nurse job came open. I left after being there for 10 years as a CNA. It may be best to move on but I would talk to your boss because she may be trying to make preparation to get you scheduled as a LPN fulltime. Good Luck!

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The thing is, I was hired as a full-time night nurse back in Jan., after I'd just graduated from NS and before taking the NCLEX. At the time, I was just putting out my resume in advance to see if I could get interviews so that I could work as a nurse after I passed my NCLEX. I was shocked when this assisted living place responded and said that according to the laws in MI, I could work as a graduate nurse as long as I graduated from NS, but I need to pass my NCLEX within 6 months.

SO, I took the position, but a week later was told a story about a nurse returning from maternity leave early, and that they'd have to give her first dibs. My boss seemed to want me to work so much (she acted as though she liked me/my ideals), and said she would hire me to both fill in as a nurse and work as an aide. After being sold on the Assisted Living concept over nursing home, I thought I'd give it a try, and invest, so to speak. Long story short, the maternity leave nurse never came back, and another nurse was hired (26 year experience RN who has done everything from losing narcotic keys to being observed not doing a thing about a resident 5 feet from her who has a fall monitor alarm screaming (as an RN, she doesn't seem to think it's her role to touch patients))...

When I talked to my boss about her plans for me, she said that to have me as full-time without being licensed would cost her some $$ amount over some $$ amount (can't remember exact figures, but a lot more) in insurance. Okay. So, I went with the flow, passed my boards, and now feel duped. I'm the first one of my class to get a nursing job offer, the last one to actually be working fully as one.

To speak to my boss, though, she is so positive and hopeful about me, saying what an asset, and how she has big plans for me, loves the way I am with residents, etc. That's the thing, I HAVE gotten to know the residents, and care a lot about them, and really do want to be a nurse at this AL facility. But, it's been 2 weeks since passing my boards, and I will give it another two weeks. During this time, I will be sending out my resume, just to see what's out there. I just feel so misled. And like, the "word" is so useless...you'd think the administrator would be humane enough to be honest with me...she's been taking my valuable new grad time, and I feel really hurt and stupid about this. I still have a tad bit of hope, though, and not quite ready to give up...I should know better, in my heart of hearts I know this, as I think I've had plenty of "lessons" in the past few months.

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Don't feel bad, you aren't the first person to be duped by an employer and surely won't be the last. Look at it as a positive. You will have "work experience" to list on your resume and on job applications. Continue to seek work elsewhere and as soon as you get a worthwhile offer, bid your present employer farewell. Good luck finding a new job.

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Specializes in Psych, LTC, Acute Care.

I C,

I think your boss is going to ride it out as long as you ride it out. Try to find another job. Once you get another job, give them a proper notice and bounce like a basketball. Don't feel bad and don't look back. Sounds like they don't have a nursing position for you and are trying to use you as a nurse fill-in and a CNA. I personally would not do it. Call your local BON because I did not think that you could work below your license. I know as a RN, I could not go an apply for a CNA position. Keep us posted on the final outcome.

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I am in the same position as you I graduated from school Dec 08, and I have been at my job working as a GPN. On my floor there are "supposed" to be 2 nurses all the time but when a CNA calls off or when we are just short they were pulling me all the time. I assumed it was just because I was a GPN. I passed my boards a month ago, and I am still being pulled to the floor, even though they have recently began pulling the other nurse that I work with also we kind of rotate and take turns working as a CNA. We have spoken to our DON and her response was that CNA work is not beneath any nurse to do, so basically I don't think it's gonna change. I have spoken to other people that I graduated with to see if their jobs are the same way and most of them have said no so I have just been putting in applications at other places. I used to be a CNA I don't mind helping out occasionally but this is all the time, and I am in school for my RN now, I am in the whole thousands of dollars with student loans, it sucks to pay all that money to just be working as a CNA! Good luck!

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I am in the same position as you I graduated from school Dec 08, and I have been at my job working as a GPN. On my floor there are "supposed" to be 2 nurses all the time but when a CNA calls off or when we are just short they were pulling me all the time. I assumed it was just because I was a GPN. I passed my boards a month ago, and I am still being pulled to the floor, even though they have recently began pulling the other nurse that I work with also we kind of rotate and take turns working as a CNA. We have spoken to our DON and her response was that CNA work is not beneath any nurse to do, so basically I don't think it's gonna change. I have spoken to other people that I graduated with to see if their jobs are the same way and most of them have said no so I have just been putting in applications at other places. I used to be a CNA I don't mind helping out occasionally but this is all the time, and I am in school for my RN now, I am in the whole thousands of dollars with student loans, it sucks to pay all that money to just be working as a CNA! Good luck!

We do sound to be in the same situation! I'm also in RN school, and sometimes wonder if because I'm known to still be a "student", I get treated like this. No other nurse does aide work where I work, and though I certainly don't feel "above" aide-related work, I do think that I deserve to be given the credit that I've earned as an LPN. It's a big deal-I'm now a nurse. So are you. I'm glad to hear you are applying at other places-it's easier to see the obvious solution when it's someone else's experience. Thank you!

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The same thing happens to me; passed my NCLEX in January and am being scheduled as CNA most of the time. I was also told before I passed that "there is a full time position for me". I do get paid nursing wages in both positions; but why did I spend what I did on school and work so hard to become a nurse when I'm constantly being thrown back into my "old" position.

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Specializes in LTC, HH, Psych, Med-Surg.

i hate to use the phrase "cna work", and i certainly have no problem doing pt care. of course, a nurse can and does do pt care. though i have heard the same thing about once you become licensed you are not supposed to have a position as a CNA at a facility...that there is something about not "working below your license" and you are a LICENSEd NURSE not a CERTIFIED NURSING ASSISTANT or a MEDICAL ASSISSTANT. i am just going by what i have heard, and i have known people who left their job because there wasn't a nursing postion open at their current facility and were told they could not stay on as a pt tech/CNA/MA once they became licensed.

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That's interesting; I hadn't heard that!

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Specializes in LTC, HH, Psych, Med-Surg.

well...i did use the phrase "i have heard" because i have no written documentation as proof to back it up, just a few fellow students that were in that position when i was in school. if that is true, it could also be under what title you are hired...as in if they hire and pay you as a nurse, but you are technically functioning as an aide. i have a friend in particular that is an MA and they told her they don't hire nurse's at her clinic (they don't really need them and don't want to spend the extra money) and she said she was told that once licensed she couldn't work as an MA so she was force to find another job. if i can find some facts to back up what i have heard i will post them.

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