txwildflower57

I love working my 7p-7a shifts. I worked those for almost 10 years. Decided to go to days with a different type of job - hate it, hate it, hate it. I stuck it out for a year but now I am going to searching for a job where I can work my nights again. I agree with macgirl, if you love waking up early in the morning - go for days; if you are a night owl - go for nights. Pay is usually better at night too. See here it is almost 11pm and I have to be up at 5:30am - still wide awake. So ready for my night shifts - give me a 4:30pm wake up call any day!!

I don't know about debriding a burn wound - have done other types before but to me the question here is "Did she break the rules and not follow Dr.'s orders?" I hope the patient is ok.

I work in LTC and I think that we do still have feelings about death but we have to protect ourselves so we don't "fall apart" everytime someone passes away. Especially if you work in LTC or Critical Care where it can be a daily situation. I do feel something when we lose a patient at our home but I also know that it's like most anything else in nursing - we don't have a choice but to suck it up and keep on going - we have other patients depending on us. We live in a small town and I know people get upset sometimes because as the DON I don't go to the funerals but I can't - that pushes me past my protective zone. We have to take care of ourselves or we aren't any good to anyone else.

I work with a doctor who believes that the elderly in the LTC shouldn't have anything more than Tylenol! He's a jerk! Patients should always have all comfort measures at end of life.

I am a DON in a smaller facility, don't have an ADON or MDS coordinator. I do it all and still have to cover the floor if I don't have a nurse. I do my best to keep my hours to 40-45 but many times it isn't possible. I feel that I get paid for 40 hours a week because I don't get paid extra if I work a shift on the floor. It's your choice to work that many hours so rethink your priorities. The damn work will be there tomorrow and the day after and the after. Take time for your family because they love and care for you - if your company is like mine you are just another warm body they have to pay to make their millions. Good Luck!

I know that a lot of LTCs do have LPN/LVN as the ADON. I think it does come down to the money part. I agree, I would have a very hard time having a LPN/LVN supervising me. I really don't think they are ever in "Charge" perse, I think they would have to refer to the Charge Nurse if she were an RN. It is a money thing but let me tell you here and now - I would take an LVN/LPN right now as an ADON because I don't have one and it sucks big time. If I had an LVN/LPN as an ADON she would probably have to answer to the weekend RN because even in the administrative level the scope of practice is limited.

I know that a lot of LTCs do have LPN/LVN as the ADON. I think it does come down to the money part. I agree, I would have a very hard time having a LPN/LVN supervising me. I really don't think they are ever in "Charge" perse, I think they would have to refer to the Charge Nurse if she were an RN. It is a money thing but let me tell you here and now - I would take an LVN/LPN right now as an ADON because I don't have one and it sucks big time. If I had an LVN/LPN as an ADON she would probably have to answer to the weekend RN because even in the administrative level the scope of practice is limited.

I am a DON in LTC and I have found that several of you have the right idea. I tell my CNAs all the time that they are doing a great job. I have also found that if a situation occurs and "no one" knows exactly who's doing it that I can cover a good "counselling" to all during an inservice. I do praise them and thank them in public and so do my nurses. Work with them for a few shifts and you will get to know who's doing their job and who isn't then talk with them privately and let them know what you expect of them. Remember unfortunately some of our CNAs are not really strong in understanding their scope of practice and some think that they do all the work while the nurses sit on their butt and do nothing. We just went through our open book survey and we did not get any TAGS or Deficiencies - my people rock! My nurses do show them respect and help when needed - it's a team effort to care for your residents. Listen to the CNAs - they are your first line of patient care - they are your eyes, ears, and hands where the patients are concerned. The more you do that and respond to their comments, reports, etc the more they will respect you. Good luck - if you are close to Waco, TX - I have an opening, lol for and LVN.

Well, you must not be working in Long Term Care because it's biting us in the butt! Our patients benefits are being cut so bad we can barely do therapy or any other types of care that can improve their lives.

As a DON in a LTC I think they are really doing you an injustice - it would have to be really an emergency before I would put one of my nurses on the unit as an aide. Do I expect my nurses to be helpful & assist the aides when needed - absolutely - it's a part of their job. However, they are right when they say that you are held accountable for everything under your licensure when on the unit even as an aide. Be very careful. I think these facilities are taking advantage of the situation and not trying to hire more aides. Cut back on your hours but make sure they are the CNA hours. For the aide who wanted to know how to approach the DON - you might start out with "Do you know when we may have more CNAs hired? I don't mind helping out occasionally but it has been almost a year and I really want to work more as a nurse." Maybe that would help. I do know that sometimes we in management get busy and forget we have things going on that we need to work on so they may need a little "reminder" of how long this has been going on. And for all of You that are working as CNAs YOU should Never be paid CNA WAGES when you are a nurse even when you are working as an AIDE -it's against the law! If they want to use you on the unit as a CNA that's fine but they have to pay you your nursing pay!!! Good luck to all!

I am a woman but I was over 50 when I got my RN. I have found that many of your elderly patients want the us "older" nurses because they have more confidence in our abilities. Your age will be advantage for you. Patients don't care how cute or young you are, they want to know that you are there for them and know how to take care of them. My suggestion - study hard, learn it, and always put the patient first. You will do fine.

I think the best way to go about this is to contact HR and find out if you are rehirable first. Then submit your resume' with a cover letter, don't say you quit - say you had to adjust your work schedule to accomodate your school schedule. Let them know you are wanting to come back PRN and are interested in a full-time position in the future. You could also call the new manager and set an appointment with her - if she was there when you left she may know the whole story and help you get your foot back in the door. It really sucks when older nurses and nurse managers don't work with people who are good employees who are trying to continue their education which in turn means they have an employee who isn't at work just to draw a pay check! Good Luck!

Well, as a DON in a LTC I would like to let you know that my resident's care is #1. I make sure I see and talk with each resident each day. I also listen to my nurses and aides so I can try to make a better work environment for them. As for the paper work. I don't call the shots on this - the government does. These weekly, monthly, and quarterly reports are how the facility gets paid - oh yes and this is how you get paid too dear so you might want to pay more attention to what you are doing so you can get more money so you can have more help so you can spend more time with the residents. Just saying - that's the way I run my facility.

Oh my this is a catastrophy waiting to happen. I feel for her patients. She better wake up and smell the coffee because if she doesn't she will not have her license for long. You are doing the right thing - take your time and CYA because no one else will. Hope it all works out for you. My question is this, "Why doesn't your facility have any seasoned veteren nurses working with ya'll?"

I recently started working at a LTC facility as a DON. I was a CNA then went to nursing school to earn my degree. I have seen the same type of disrespect shown to my nurses by my aides. I talk to both my nurses and my aides to let them know that this is not acceptable. And anyone who stands in the hall and yells at a resident or another co-worker will have disciplinary action taken. It is unprofessional and totally disrespectful to everyone. As a nurse you will have to step up and let the aides know that you are willing to help them but the key word there is "help". Let them know that you have your own duties and responsibilities that have to be done and set a standard for what you expect from them. If you don't set the bar they won't know what you expect. If you have to take each one separately to a private area and discuss this with them, because you are right - if you don't get control then the DON will hold you responsibile.