donormom

I am teaching as adjunct faculty at SAU. Most of the local MD's are in the same clinic and many are opposed to the idea of NPs. That makes it very difficult.

Yes, there are several clinics that employee NP's but are not looking for more at this time. AHEC is not hiring either. The state health dept doesn't have any openings either! The closest thing that I have been able to apply for is over an hour away and I can't move at this time due to family obligations.

Attempting to find a job in South Arkansas as a Family Nurse Practitioner and not having much luck! Does anyone know of anything, please let me know!! I worked hard to achieve this and now am stuck in the same place I have been for years. I love where I work, but would like be able to use my hard earned degree. Thanks in advance!

Spacklehead, What is your job like in pre-admissions testing/short procedure unit? I am a new FNP and the hospital that I have worked at for over 13 years in looking to make me a position in that area and I am not sure what it involves. Thanks for any info you can give me! Karen

I just passed my FNP boards and I am not having any luck with job prospects in the rural area that I live in right now. The local docs aren't ready for NPs just yet!

I took it on-line at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (http://www.uams.edu) and it was well organized and very do-able. Good luck! Karen

I am just finishing up a FNP program and have been studying Fitzgerald's reveiw. I found it on EBAY about 9 months ago. Just keep looking. Good luck!

I graduated at 26 with my LPN, 31 with my RN and 41 with my BSN. Now at 44 I am graduating with my MSN. It has been a long road and I have raised a houseful of kids and worked 2 jobs at times, but it has been worth it!!

Steve, Thank you for remembering our angel. It is hard to believe that should would have been nine this month!! The little boy, Sam, who received her heart 9 years ago, received a bronze metal in bowling at the US Transplant Games. This is Olympic style games that take place every 2 years for recipients from little kids to senior citizens. It is awesome to see people who would have died, participating in track, golf, swimming and all kinds of sports. Another great update, Sam had a heart cath again this month and got a perfect report!! Our God is an Awesome GOD!!! Hugs to all, Karen

I have worked in many different areas of the hospital setting and I would not say any one of them was "the most difficult". They all have their own challenges and rewards. Karen

From a chronic pain sufferer, I thank you for your input. I am going to print out your posting and give it to the ER where I work. They are more concerned with addiction than pain control. I was appalled at their attitudes before my pain escalated, but now I have a much better understanding. You have a very caring and empathetic personality. Karen

For the most part, I am amazed that most of these posts (and I have read everyone of them!) are pro pain relief. I am a chronic pain sufferer myself and have worried for years about addiction. There are many stories of nurses being addicted to medications. The ER at the small, rural hospital where I work are very judgemental when it comes to pain medication. If I had a trauma or an MI, I would want to go to our ER they are great. But when it comes to a flare of chronic pain, they feel everyone is either a drug-seeker or they should handle their chronic illnesses during normal office hours. I guess that I should try and schedule my pain!! If I could I would write if off my calendar!!! Even people with chronic pain and high tolerance to pain meds need appropriate medical care during non-office hours. This is a touchy subject for me because I have been to the ER for relief of a migraine and received Toradol. If something like Toradol would work, I could take it po at home! This is just my humble opinion that I felt the need to voice because this is a subject that affects my everyday life. I wish non-pharmacological methods would work for me. I have too many obligations that are not optional to slow down at this point in my life. We are a long way from making pain control a settled issue. Karen

I got pregnant in my 3rd semester and was 7 months preg. when I graduated. I worked full time as an LPN also. Anything can be done with strong motivation and good family support. Be sure and follow your ob's orders. He may want you to slow down for any number of reasons. Karen

I am so sorry for your experience. I am 110% behind you on following up on this and not just "letting it go". Despite the fact that JCAHO considers pain the fifth vital sign, it often goes without treatment. In our PACU they are very good about medicating before moving the pt to the wing. But our ER doesn't seem to even try to understand pain (esp. chronic pain) unless you are having a major MI or trauma! Good luck and let us know how it goes. Karen

I have given birth 4 times. 2 lady partslly and 2 by emergency c-sections. The vag deliveries are 200 times easier to recover from. The first c-section was after extensive labor with major complications for both me and the baby (the baby already had problems prior to labor/surgery). It was easier to recover from the second section because I did not labor first, but it was still not as easy as recovery from a vag delivery. It worries me that we deliver most babies at the convenience of mom and or the MD. Like was said earlier, some day mother nature is going to push back! I hope that I am not in the delivery room at that time!!! Karen

I think it is wonderful that you want to bf when you return to work. If you really want to do it, I know that you can do it! Plan ahead and talk with your supervisor. I bf my last 2 exclusively for the first 6 months and then one weaned herself at 15 months and the baby was weaned against her will at 2 1/2 yrs. (my will, too! I still miss it and she is almost 5!!) The bond is so strong with my baby that I was recently asked if I was still bf her!! Good luck!! Let us know how it goes. Karen

I have never been a home health nurse, but it sounds that you have found a good position to start in. I am sure that you are used to doing assessments, foleys, and blood draws. The hardest thing will probably be the paperwork. Isn't it always!!! Karen

I don't usually volunteer that I am a nurse. But I have worked long and hard to get where I am today and I am very proud to be a nurse. I don't mind telling someone it is out of my area of expertise. I usually do not tell people when family members or myself are being treated unless necessary. I does make things simpler. I try to build a rapport with the staff before that because common knowledge. Usually I say or do something to give myself away. There have been times when I have volunteered it because we were there about a complaint that IS in my area! Karen

I agree that all nurses make mistakes. I have made more than I like to think about. Thankfully no one was ever harmed by one of my mistakes. I agree with Puggymae. This nurse overlooked basic nursing steps. These steps are usually ingrained during nursing school. I cannont imagine a situation where she would even need to take an epidural bag into the room when one was not ordered. How could she miss the bright stickers? I feel bad for the nurse and her family regarding loss of income and the emotional stress that they are experiencing. This is the biggest fear I have. That is why I have a respect for meds and would never knowingly take something like that into a pt.'s room that it had not been ordered for. I agree (from the facts as they have been presented to me) that negligence has occurred. The only way to truly evaluate the situation and the necessary punishment is to take it to trial and let a neutral jury make a decision. I just pray everyday that I do not make a mistake that could potentially cause anything close to this outcome. Karen

I wish that I had seen this on 20/20! I realize that people will know that these are not real nurses, but it offends me because I have worked very hard for many years to reach the point I am at now. I started as a single mom going to LPN school, worked hard to get pre-reqs for the ADN program, then worked to get pre-reqs for the BSN program. I graduated 5/06 with my BSN degree (YEAH!). In Jan. 2007 I start my FNP program. Most people don't realize all the education that we have to have to have these degrees and licenses. Most people who had all the college hours that I have would already have a Master's degree! After all that work, I don't appreciate be degrading by a restaurant like that. One person wearing a Halloween costume is not the same as an establishment promoting "naughty nurses". I feel that this does give the wrong image to the uneducated person who eats in that kind of place. If we don't stand up and speak out for ourselves, others may think that we don't see anything wrong with it. If we don't stand up for ourselves as a profession, no one else will. Of course, all this is just IMHO! Karen

I would imagine that my scrubs after my worst shift would have less germs on them than the handle of a Wal Mart shopping cart!! And, with regards to the kids and the floor, how many times have you seen someone wearing the stained shirt and pajama bottoms and slippers coming to visit someone and their toddler walking around barefoot!

Here in Arkansas it is illegal to smoke on any hospital property. Patients must have an order and then they must be escorted off the edge of the property. I am so glad that is one bad habit that I have not picked up! (I have enough others!! )

I was proud when I achieved my LPN status as a single mom. I was proud when I achieved my RN status with an ADN while working full time as an LPN, pregnant, with a preschooler. I was working in one town, living in another and going to school in a third. I graduated in May '06 with my BSN while working full time and getting pregnant and having my fourth daughter, and doing volunteer work. I am proud of all my titles and would put them all on my name badge if I could!! My family is just as proud. I will be very happy to have my name badge show my MSN, FNP in 3 years or less!! Karen

I work with local doc named Dr. Dedman. (Pronounced Deadman)! If I didn't know him so well as a good physician, I sure wouldn't pick him out of a phone book!! There is a street in town that is named after his dad (also a doctor) and at the end of the street is a man named Richard Butt. We all know the nickname for Richard!! He is in his 70's now!!

I think these are some great ideas and have a greater chance of acceptance in your hospital. Good Luck!!