marshahousen

Being a nurse and not working in a hospital does make you feel less than as a nurse. Personally, I went into Home Health and I regret not having hospital experience. Home Health was more conducive to raising a family when I graduated from nursing school. I was also told that nursing was going to move into the home environment. Nursing has moved into the home environment but the pay and the respect have not followed.

What I do know for sure is, a sealed or expunged record does not always wipe the slate clean. Some employers especially healthcare will ask you if you have a sealed or expunged record. This is disheartening because it prevents you from moving on with your life. No matter what, if you were fingerprinted you have a charge on your record. The BON (Board of Nursing) in Florida is governed by an agency called AHCA (The Agency for Health Care Administration). The BON and AHCA are usually forgiving especially, for charges that are twenty years old. However, in Florida an organization such as DCF (Department of Children and Families) will hold you to a higher standard no matter how old the charge. You can apply for what they call an Exemption. You will have to disclose sealed and expunged records. DCA will prevent you from working in many Health Care facilities in Florida especially, with an assault charge guilty or not. I would recommend to any nurse with a criminal record to find out from the state of interest what organization(s) besides the BON can impair your practice. Good luck to all.

I stand corrected a nurse who graduated should know better than to sleep on the job (night shift of course). I wonder how many of you who responded ever worked a night shift? It is a natural phenomenon for the body to want to rest/sleep at night. Most people shy away from graveyard shifts but, someone has to do it. I think it wise to combine breaks and dinner time together to allow staff to have a catnap which has been proven to keep you alert and attentive mentally. Supervisors, if they are smart instead of trying to play "gotcha" they should cover their nurses caseload so they can get a catnap on graveyard shifts. Yes, I do believe nurses eat their young, this too is a known fact. Instead of offering solutions to help your fellow nurses stay awake, there is an automatic negativity placed on napping on a long shift. Also, I find people who are usually appalled at a thing are usually the ones who are more guilty of worse offences. To aggravate you more, when I worked day shifts and I had the option to combine lunch and breaks, I jump at the opportunity to get a catnap in my car. You should try it, maybe it will help to not be so prickly and self righteous.

Nurses can never be paid enough! How much do you pay someone for saving a life an tolerating all the abusive patients? Nurses are underpaid just like teacher, yet we touch the life of everyone we interact with on a day to day basis.

Home Health Nurses do not get paid enough. Patient’s are being d/c home with more acute medical needs. Fifteen years ago, a Home Health Nurse focused on chronic illnesses. Since the trend of health care is moving to the patient’s home the pay should increase. On the other hand Home Health Agencies should be required to train their nurses accordingly. Home Health Nurses do not have certain nursing task frequently. If the agency is not equipped to offer refresher classes there should be more availability for refresher courses and the like for the nurses to access independently. Home Health Nurses do not have the ability to draw on the experience of other nurses in their work environment.

Wow, I have a private duty 12hr over night case that I take a nap on. The family is aware and they don’t say anything. I know it is grounds for immediate termination but now that I am told it is considered patient abandonment I will stop immediately. I really do see why they say nurses eat their young. You nurses are merciless on each other. When you know better you do better.

Does anyone have information on the StaRN Residency with HCA?