hiddenheart

I have worked hospice for several years and have noticed a tear on many of the patients. Usually just in the corner of the eye, not actually running down the face. I have always wondered about this, I know it's not a coincidence because it happens frequently, . Sometimes i am with them at the time of death holding their hand while they pass I know they went peacefully.

Hiddenheart, I wear my heart on my sleeve, everyone can see what's in my heart...good or bad, sometimes I wish it wasn't so. I wish I could hide my heartfelt feelings and emotions.

Some people are good going to bed as soon as they get home and others need to stay up most of the day and then go to bed later and get up right before they go to work, you have to find out what is best for you. Make sure the room is completely dark, that that helps me. sleep has to be top priority. And i agree with cutting out caffeen by around 1am, if I have any after that, I don't sleep at all.

I work normally 3 - 12 hr shifts. I like to pick up an 8 hr shift every week or every other week, that gives me extra fun money. I have worked as many as 60 to 72 hours a week, but this was too much, took too long to recover afterwards. although the pay was nice and after 2 months of this I was able to pay off my husbands car as a surprise, if I have a special goal in mind it's not too bad as long as it is short term.

Keep a small cusion, but put as much as possible on the loan to bring down your balance, I will give you an example, on a 20 year loan, if you only borrowed $20,000 at only 5% interest you would have paid back over $31,000, WOW!. if you put that $20,000 in the bank at 0.5% interest and let it gain interest, you would have only earned just over $1000 (Yes, I know we don't earn that much interest in our savings accounts and probably you are paying more than 5%interest on the loan and you probably own more than the $20000, but is is just an example). I don't believe in giving away my hard earned money, by bringing down the balance you won't be paying as much in interest.

Sounds like you've given this some serious thought. In my family we all started with the LPN program first, some have gone on and got their RN, some havn't. LPN is affordable and gives you great experience, it also can be a way to afford to go on to RN if you choose, and there are many companies with tuition re-embursement. Although I don't know what JC starting wages are, I can tell you that you will make decent money, much more than other young people your own age. Check into government assistance, check out the different schools in your area, some will help you with financial aid. Look into scholarships, ask at your local high school, library, ect, they are great assistance when looking for financial help, take advantage of all the assistance you can get. Good luck, I hope everything works out for the best.

I am really bad with names, I usually have to refer to my assignment sheet many times throughout my shift and usually can call them by name by the end of my shift. By the time I get home I couldn't tell you one single name nor diagnosis. I guess this is good because of HIPPA.

Great, I am so happy for you. I said a little prayer for you.

I just read an article about nursing that said 1 in 6 new grads find a job right out of school, the economy is bouncing back but it will take time. Just hold in there and don't be afraid to take want you can get, prn, part time, etc to get your foot in the door and gain experience, don't be picky, sometimes we find out that areas that we didn't think we would like turn out to be a perfect fit. God has a way of giving us what we need not necessary what we want, keep calling those places that you applied, keep your name in their mind, that way when something does come up and they are looking at their apps, they remember you.

I work at a hosp but I worked at a ltc as well. I picked up many 3-11 shifts, it was a great experience. After getting report it was time for Vitals, treatments and time to start meds before dinner. THe hardest thing was identifying my residents, made sure I asked if I didn't know someone. The biggest asset and the biggest problem for me was organization, if I took 20 minutes before I started, I would organize my day, deciding which residents needed treatments, which needed vitals, etc,. When I passed meds, I would also do my vitals or simple treatments on these people as well. The much harder treatment I would wait until I was finished with meds to do. I tried to do as much as I could with one stop, this prevented running back and forth a hundred times, even though it was a little more time consuming at the time, it saved me time and steps in the long run. Once the residents went to bed, it gave me a little time to finish up the things that I didn't get completed. I really loved this job, but because of insurance needs, I decided to stay at the hospital. At first you will wonder if you will make it, but, trust me, with time it will get easier with time, take full advantage of your orientation, don't just sit back and watch, jump in there and help, this will make it much easier on you when you are on your own.

Male nurses are great, in most cases, to work with. My daughter and I both did an LPN program, she wants to continue on but I do not (partly becasue of my age). She chose the LPN program first to see if this was really the career for her, she felt if she didn't really like it after she finished she was only out one year and $10,000 vs wasting 4-5 years and a many $$$ to find out it wasn't the career for her. She also realized that most facilities would help pay for her education when she starts back, they will even work with her schedule in order for her to go back. Probably with your religious training, you could be an asset, most pastors and clergy that I have met are very compassionate with the patients especially when it come to death and dying. Good luck, I hope you find the right path for you, it is not aways easy, but it is worth it in the end.

congrats!! I have heard many good things about Medina. Best of Luck

Summa has many locatoins to choose from, Akron, Barberton, Wadsworth, St Thomas ect, and you can transfer easily from one campus to the other without losing your service. they have good benifits & pays well, My daughter started at Summa and found that they pay a little better then some of the others.

There are 4 schools that I can think of between Akron and Wooster, one or two even has night and weekend classes. Cleveland state is the only one I can think of up North. Medina Joint Vocational offers it I think. Check with your Vocational Schools, many of them have adult classes and some has LPN programs. If you can't find vocatoinal schools, call your local high school for info. Best of Luck.

My daughter was the same way, she alway gaged or threw up just thinking of spit, vomit or bm. She now works in a nursing home-it was the best thing for her (I didn't think it would last more than a week or two and she has been there 2+ years). She just graduated from LPN school and is doing great, in fact when she had a patient throwing up, she was the one holding the bag when the patient and her co-worker was vomiting!! You would be suprised how strong you really are when it comes down to it. (although I have watched RN's & LPN's turn green and have to leave the room at the sight of some things--everyone has their weakness)