mickeypat

Is there an unwritten rule somewhere where a new hire that is a graduate nurse, needing to take boards yet for RN, gets the open hours over someone who is just an LPN and would have seniority over this other person? Reason I ask is that I am the LPN. I have been working both day shift AND night shift because there were not straight day shifts open. But now I was told by other staff members that a former employee that worked at this facility as a CNA was hired and will be getting all the day hours! I'm frustrated because I have been working both shifts since September and have been picking up an extra shift every pay period. We have had someone who just put her 2 week notice in and is going casual, and she had all day shifts. All of the day shifts are med shifts, which is what I have been doing but I also do charge on 2 of my night shifts. I currently work 3 night shifts and 4 day shifts. I would really like to get off of the night shifts because they are so hard on my physically. Like this weekend, I worked last night (6p-6a) and have to go back tomorrow morning at 6a. I am the only nurse in the whole facility that does that. I guess what I'm really asking is, do I have a snow ball's chance in hell to get the straight day shifts? Thanks in advance for your opinions

Is there an unwritten rule somewhere where a new hire that is a graduate nurse, needing to take boards yet for RN, gets the open hours over someone who is just an LPN and would have seniority over this other person? Reason I ask is that I am the LPN. I have been working both day shift AND night shift because there were not straight day shifts open. But now I was told by other staff members that a former employee that worked at this facility as a CNA was hired and will be getting all the day hours! I'm frustrated because I have been working both shifts since September and have been picking up an extra shift every pay period. We have had someone who just put her 2 week notice in and is going casual, and she had all day shifts. All of the day shifts are med shifts, which is what I have been doing but I also do charge on 2 of my night shifts. I currently work 3 night shifts and 4 day shifts. I would really like to get off of the night shifts because they are so hard on my physically. Like this weekend, I worked last night (6p-6a) and have to go back tomorrow morning at 6a. I am the only nurse in the whole facility that does that. I guess what I'm really asking is, do I have a snow ball's chance in hell to get the straight day shifts? Thanks in advance for your opinions.

Ok, I don't know about your facility, but the one I am at has LPN's that pass meds. RNs are charge and LPNs pass meds. So, would totally make sense that the LPNs are the ones who make the med errors. Also, sometimes the errors are not caused by the LPNs, it may be because of the person putting in the orders had the wrong information. I had to redo a bunch of orders that had been put in from one set of orders sent earlier in the day and then a second or third set of revised orders came in later!!!!

Thank you for posting this!!!!! So incredibly true!!!

Ok.... I have a situation/question I need some help with. I work with a nurse that has been doing a lot of things that should not be done by a nurse. I have been asked to work under this nurse, she is a RN, and I'm only a LPN. I am very anxious about working under her! My concern is that if she does something stupid, like incorrect documentation, not doing her job, etc.... that she may turn it around and blame it all on me, thus putting my license at risk also! I'm planning on keeping documentation of my own when something goes bad when I work with her, and covering my butt. She has also been known to not do her paperwork, pick fights with residents, do her homework while she is suppose to be working, and is well known for hiding from other staff. So, am I wrong for not wanting to work with her and wanting to protect my license? Opinions please. I know that we can't always not work with someone we don't like, but I just don't want to lose my license, which I've had for a long time and have worked very hard to get and keep!

Ok, I do totally understand what your thinking is. Here is where I was! When I started my LPN classes, I had just found out I was pregnant! My oldest was 2 at the time. We started classes in November. In January, I found out I was pregnant with TWINS!!!!!!!!!!!! Ok, so major shock with that!!! Fortunately, we were only going part time for classes and hadn't started with clinicals yet. So, my twins came along a little early and by C-section, I was able to keep up with the classes. Even with my son in the NICU! My instructors were willing to work with me and I was able to finish my classes then. Wasn't easy having a set of twins and studying, but I did it. I wasn't working outside of the home at the time either. Well, the following January, I found out I was pregnant again! (Long story on that one!!!!!) So, in August of that year, my youngest was born. I was able to continue with my schooling, clinicals, etc. I had 3 babies under the age of 18 months!!!!! Mind you, it was a challenge to get everything done, but I was able to do it! It meant a lot to me to finish! And when I could walk into my externship and have the nursery nurse ask me what my experience was with babies, and to have her tell me, "Well, I don't think I really need to tell you much on how to manage that many babies!" and "Go for it, you know what you're doing!!!" (There were at least 3 babies in there) I passed all my classes and all my tests and even state boards without much trouble! I wrote all of that to say this, you can do whatevery you put your mind to!!!! I did it and I'm not the brightest bulb on the tree! I had to make my studying a priority for me and the family knew that also! You can do it, I know you can! If it's something you really want and to have kids too, you will find a way! Good Luck!!!!! Michelle

I use the report sheet to write down important stuff from report and have a second sheet that I use to cross off which residents don't have meds, in one color of highlighter, and then cross off the other names when I finish giving their meds and treatments. I also use that 2nd sheet to write down PRN's given so I can always write that stuff in later. I have also used a report sheet to write in how get their meds crushed, in applesauce, etc. It's a good idea to keep all that info handy! Never know when you might need it! Good luck!

Your experience sounds just like mine has been! I can see your frustration and feel it too! But.... I can give you some hope! It may all seem so very difficult right now... but it does get better!!!!!!!!!!! Please remember that you are in your first weeks of orientation and working on the floor. It does get better!!!! I promise! Once you get to know the residents, routines and what not, that will help! Write notes for yourself and keep reviewing them. For this old brain, it helped! As far as the med pass and therapy thing, go ahead and find the resident and give them their meds! Unless the therapists are bucky about being interuptd, they will let you give the meds. What is a 2-3 minute interuption in comparision to a resident being in pain because they did not get their meds or whatever. If you have TMA's, use them for your treatments. They are trained in doing that! But, they do need to earn your trust! You could even have them do your vitals for you, etc.... Keep your head high, don't let it get you down, it does get better! Once you get the hang of it, you'll be fine! :redpinkhe Michelle

I was still in nursing school and pregnant when I had to do CPR in a store parking lot! I was the only one there at the time and a by-stander did stop and helped me. It was unsuccessful, but I remembered from that day when K+ is high, it's not good! Funny part was when the ambulance got there, my mother in law at the time got really nervous, cause she thought the ambulance was for me...

My answer to the OP's question would be this.... it could be because of the stress and lack of respect from the company you work for, from the public and co-workers.... Who needs to be treated like a piece of dirt or who wants to be treated like that..... NOT ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We have to look out for our own sanity and well being!

Boy, I have to say... it sure seems like you're bitter and pissed off at the world right now and pissed off about your work... We are just trying to answer the question that the OP had and offer some suggestions....these are just the feelings I have been getting from your posts Mulan. We all know that the ratios are crappy, and that people are getting sicker when they come to the hospital, LTC and what not... the only way to change that is to take a stand for ourselves and not let the higher ups roll us over like a steam roller. Believe me, I do know what I'm talking about... I just left a job that I really enjoyed and was good at because they took advantage of me.... expecting me to take care of all of the little details and doing things that the other nurses wouldn't do. I told them my position many times, if this continued, then I was leaving and I did. Does it bother me that they are short 3 nurses... yes it does because the residents aren't getting the care that they should... but then when you don't have any one who comes to apply for a job and wonder why, maybe they should ask the people who left, why they left and actually listen and do something about it. As someone said here prior, we are not the only ones who have a harried job... many others do also...but we are dealing with peoples' lives here and that is not easy and without stress... we need to be open and honest with ourselves and know when we need to take a break, take a day off, make time for yourself... find ways to take care of ourselves... we are the only ones that can speak up for ourselves and make our voices heard and get the changes made!!!! Sorry this got long.... Mickey

I must agree with Sandi.... that response was so uncalled for! It doesn't matter if you are an RN, LPN, TMA, CNA or whatever, we all have experienced the not being able to take a break. YOU HAVE TO STAND UP FOR YOURSELF, OR THE JOB WILL EAT YOU ALIVE! I may only be an LPN, but have been one for many years, and have had to skip many 1/2 hr breaks, and gulp down a sandwich, or walk outside just to get away from the chaos... but you need to look out for yourself. If other nurses on your floor won't cover for you, then why be in a place that doesn't believe in teamwork. I understand the frustration, but please don't say that no one understands the situation, we do..... if you choose to not take some of this advice, then, be the next one to leave this calling!

Boy, do I ever understand what you're saying! I just left a job that I really liked to get away from the crap that keeps coming from administration! I was working night shift, expected to do all the cleaning because the other nurse is a male, and males don't clean or defrost fridges! (sorry guys!) Went to day shift and was told that I wouldn't have to do anymore nite shifts.. well, long story short, they had me work Fri & Sat nite and come back Monday morning! With little to no sleep, and then when I told them I stayed because they had said I wouldn't have to work nites, would have days only. I was told that I would have to work the nite shift because none of the RN's would do any other shift and because I am an LPN, I needed to be greatful to have a job. They also told me that they couldn't afford to have a LPN working med cart with an RN as charge, but scheduled me to work the cart! Talk about talking out of both sides of their mouth! It was the administrator that was doing this, the DON was behind me 100%! She even told the Admin that I would leave and went with me to the meeting with the administrator! Have been lucky enough to find a job in a different area of nursing and am excited but scared to start this job.... It will be different.... but at least I know I won't have to work nites!

Hello.... Got an update on my original post..... Last nite this rezzie fell in their room. When staff found him, he had his O2 off, had a pack of smokes and a lighter on the floor beside him and a partially burnt cigarette on the floor also, and the O2 tank was still on. Well, needless to say, the nurse on duty took the smokes and lighter and put them in the med room where I wanted them to begin with. Upon further discussion with the DON, he now has to turn in his O2 tank to get a cig and the lighter. We take the lighter back and he gets the tank back. BTW, his spO2 was 50% when he was found! I sent a fax to MD requesting that we get his license pulled, and MD basically said that there is no reason to pull the driver's license and that we should do what we are doing.... needless to say, still not happy with MD, and that we will be chatting with the Medical Director for our facility, since we are getting absolutely NO help from the current one! DON is also quite frustrated with this whole situation too! I'll try and let ya know how things might work out....

I am so frustrated right now! I usually work the day shift at a LTC, where until May, I had worked overnites. Well, I have requested verbally, and in writing that I stay on day shift, all the time, including weekends. Well, not so lucky! I'm just a LPN, and I was told that I "can't work as day charge on the weekend, because we have to have the RN coverage and the only shift the RN's will work is days. And we can't have 3 nurses on at one time!" So, since I'm not an RN, I get stuck with the SH** shifts... and seniority means absolutely nothing in this place! New hires are given my "good" hours and I get stuck with the crap. The last new lpn that was hired supposedly could only work the other weekend, because then she can work with her live-in, which btw, is the charge nurse on that weekend... and they both have jobs at other facilities! So, I get stuck with having to do the nite shift! That means that I don't get to see my husband who doesn't get home until late Friday afternoon, and works evenings at a local pizza place. He is a trucker and is not home during the week. So, I have NO time to see or even talk to him cause I have to sleep. And my kids get to spend most of their time alone or playing with friends.. I am looking for a new job that will be day hours. Sure, I would have to drive a distance, but to not have to work weekends would be so awesome! The only bad part of leaving this place are most of the people I work with and the rezzies.... Sorry that this got long, thanks for letting me vent.