ropernurse

I agree. I have been an LPN for 18 years and I remember the first mistake I made--a med error--because of the way my manager approached me with it. I have seldom made mistakes, but I have made them, and none of them have gotten me even suspended, so it had to be somethng more than just a "simple" med error

My first comments are for hissteps4u. You wrote a wonderful letter and gave only positive feedback. Too bad others in the thread couldn't do the same thing. Failing something you have your heart set on is devastating. I know--I failed the CPNE for the first time in April and the CA told me, "Well, maybe when you think about this you will decide it is too much trouble and you won't come back." I told her I thought she was extremely negative. I failed because when I drew up insulin I was supposed to draw up 8 units and the CE said I drew up 9--her word against mine. When I redid the lab I had a SQ injection--did it all ok, but forgot to use gloves--and it was because I was so anxious. I am now waiting for a new test date to do it again. After all the time and effort I put into this program I am not going to let some rude CA run me off. My second comment is for bmw10. If you were a nurse for 18 years and then made one mistake that ended your total career, it must have been a real winner. I'd love to know more of THAT story. I also don't believe you have gone 18 years and never made a mistake. I don't care how good you are, no one is perfect. I too have been an LPN for 18 years and have made mistakes. Never anything that did real harm to anyone, but still I've made mistakes. Not on a daily basis, not often, but I am not now nor have I ever been perfect. For one mistake to end your job, career, life you had to do something really big--it wasn't something like giving two percocet when only one was ordered.:stone

If I were you, I'd take the PN exam. That way you can get some experience as a nurse and maybe calm down a bit. I am an LPN and am very defensive when people say no to becomming one. I am also working toward RN, but I will never regret I have been an LPN first. I have also had more people than I can count tell me there is a difference between RNs who were LPNs first, and RNs who have only been RNs. You can pick out the RNs who have been LPNs. Take the LPN boards. It can't hurt, but can certainly help.

I'll bet your hospital will do the same ours did. About two years ago they provided training for everyone, and we now have monitors on all floors. Believe me when I say not all of us can read every monitor--everyone knws SVT, AFIB, Asystole, etc., but first degree blocks, second degree blocks, etc., well, we are n ot all sure. Wonder what the new year will bring. I agree the who situation is sad--too bad they can't get a national agreement as to what RNs, LPNs, PCAs, ACTs, etc. can and can[t do. Then there would be no question. Have a great day.

Thank you for your response, but I am not the LPN who wrote the original message, I was just responding to a message written to the LPN who was in trouble. I have been an LPN for 18 years and our PCAs have always been able to do fingersticks. You are correct it can cause infection, but I have rarely seen that happen. As I also stated it doesn't take a rocket scientist to do a fingerstick. We also have unlicensed personnel who sit tele and place tele leads. Quite frankly, they know more about tele than I do, but I am also not a cardiac nurse--I work in Nephrology. These people are not licensed, yet we trust them to read the tele monitors correctly, but we are then going to tell them they are not capable of doing a fingerstick??? I would much rather take the responsibility of a fingerstick than the tele monitor. This is just my opinion though, and we all have opinions. I'm sorry, but I do not think allowing unlicensed personnel do fingerstick is that big a deal.

Your thinking is ridiculous!! CNAs, PCAs, ACTs, whatever you want to call them are more than capable of doing fingersticks. The machine gives you the reading and it does not take a rocket scientist to do one. Most facilities, including mine, credential everyone including licensed personnel) on the fingersticks once a year. As for the doctor depending on reliable personnel to provide the correct reading, about about his patients who do their own fingersticks at home?? This LPN should not be in trouble for allowing an STNA to do a fingerstick--anyone can do one and it doesn't take any real skills to do one. I hope all goes well for her.

At this point I would just lke some idea as to what to expect. I just took the last of the nursing tests on Saturday and all my general education is complete. I have no idea what to expect next, and I have written to Excelsior and read on line what they say. I see peole talking about "Grids" and mneumonics and critical points--where do these grids come from? Once you get the study guide does it help you with this sort of thing? Anything at this point would be more than I have. Thanks. Monica:balloons:

i would appreciate any inforamtion you can send on the cpne. any help is appreciated.

Where and when do you get these mneumonics everyone is taking about?