Inkat

Originally I began reading allnurses forums when I was in college for my LPN certificate. I have achieved that and am now working on my LPN-to-RN, which I will complete in December of this year. In the meantime, I am working on an acute care floor at one of our area hospitals. I was given strict instructions and a list of what I could do as an LPN versus an RN. I have tried to adhere to that list. However, I am finding that after sending me to a 6-hour class for "IV certification" where we got basically the same info (on a LPN level) I was considered "competent" to manage IVs. Now mind you, I had never physically started an IV on a live person. I am then placed on the floor and expected to not only start IVs but "monitor" morphine drips, insulin drips, and blood transfusions. I questioned my assignments to these patients and was told that I couldn't "start," aka push the button on the pump, but I could "monitor" after it was started. I say all this not to try to cause problems or an outcry of "you shouldn't be doing this", but rather to ask for some help with information. I am learning more each week during my schooling but I want to be sure that I am keeping the patients safe until I am actually taught about these various IV treatments. I tried to ask the nurses on my floor but the result was a bad evaluation for questioning my assignments and "saying I can't do anything." I was shocked and now understand I need to find alternate methods to obtain my needed information because work obviously isn't the place to find out without repercussions. I need some basic information on what to watch for while "monitoring" the patient on morphine or insulin drips and during blood transfusions. I know the side effects, however, many of the side effects can be the result of other disease processes or medications. I guess I am needing practical information from experienced nurses. I love nursing and I want to be an outstanding nurse. And I want my patients to be safe. Can anyone please give me some help? And thanks in advance.........I have learned there is just about nothing more reliable than experience.

Hey everyone: I just wanted to report back on the results of my rural nursing research paper. I got a 100% on it and came out of the class with a 4.0 GPA. Thanks for everyone's help! Kathryn

Hey again everyone - thanks for the one response I have. I have a feeling most people will agree with you. However, I hope people will post their response anyway, even if in agreement. I need to be able to show numbers of responses and %'s so hope y'all can help out. I am so excited about being able to finally get my college degree and this paper is really helping me make some decisions.

Hello everyone! I just discovered and joined this forum. I am an older nursing student who is getting her LPN and then will continue to her RN (so I can work at LPN wages instead of Nurses Aide wages while finishing up!) I am really excited about FINALLy being able to do what I have wanted to do for a long time. The kids are grown and grandkids are thriving so now it is time for me! As I a way to get to know who everyone is AND as a way to help me with a small research paper I am doing - would any of you be willing to tell me why you chose to be a nurse in a rural area (especially if you are at a rural hospital)? Have you worked in an urban setting? What are the pros and cons of rural nursing vs. urban nursing? I must admit to some ulterior motives for this research topic as I am trying to decide where I want to practice also. I live in a rural area however have several urban hospitals within a 50-60 mile radius. Thanks for your help...... Inkat