labvampire

I understand. Nursing is top heavy, and women are different managers than men. But, LTC will suck the life out of you. It is a very emotional and physically draining type of nursing. All aspects of nursing can be draining. It's the job, it doesn't matter what type of nurse you are. There will always be someone in another healthcare profession who thinks they can do your job better. I just quit an office nursing position because the office manager and respiratory therapist THOUGHT they were nurses. No one is walking in your shoes and you know what you have to do to make ends meet. We don't have the right to judge her, we need to support her and her frustrations. The CNA who is going to get her BA will find out soon enough the frustrations. Everyone who graduated intended on using their license for changes for the better. We soon find out we are beaten down by the system, and we are warm bodies filling positions. Don't let that cloud why you went to school. Take a deep breath, and remember why we all did this career to begin with. I am here if you need to vent, just email me.

I agree with the second post, it has to be your area. I would expand my search and consider moving. Secondly, by your post, did you go through class because of the love for nursing or because of money? If you wanted to be a nurse, endure all those classes and clinicals, sweat during the state exam, pass, then want to go back to your old job? Job opportunities don't come looking for you, you have to go get them. I think you should take a deep breath, blow it out, and really think this through. Prioritize. Make a list of pros and cons about being a nurse vs your old job. You have children, this effects them also. I understand you are frustrated. You will be frustrated alot as a nurse but you can't give up or quit. If you can endure nursing school, you are a strong and outgoing person. Believe in yourself, buck up, and go forward!

I am an LPN and work in an ER. I do assessments and give meds daily. I participate in all codes and get the meds for the RN to push by IV when she is busy, I do everything except push IV meds and hang blood. I can hand antibiotics if they are premixed. I take chest pains when they come into the ER, follow protocol, etc. I am unlimited to what I can do except the above mentioned. I put NG tubes in and check for placement. That's why the RN's prefer to have us there because unfortunately, even though CNA's work their butts off, they can't give meds and we don't use them in our ER. I wish we did, good CNA's are critical to healthcare. They are the ears and eyes for the nurses and should be treated with upmost respect!

i am an lpn in the er. that doesn't happen around my area, but this hospital does utilize lpn's. i am so happy i became an lpn first. the knowledge base i have obtained in the past two years is unreal. i feel ready to bridge and start class this fall. i worked with a dr. that called me a jr. nurse and before i could say anything the rn was up out of her chair giving her hell. she told that dr. she would rather work with me than most rn's because she trusts me and doesn't have to worry about me doing my job. that has been the third time a rn has stood up for me and i am a very forward person. it's not the initials after your name, it's the confidence that you exude. i have great respect for my rn's because i see the paperwork load on them and the other crap they get stuck with. they have been my mentors and study partners. they have made me for whom i am today and i can't thank them enough. they don't look at your initials, they look at what type of nurse you are. you follow what is right for you. get experience under your belt and go from there. you will be a nurse period. most people that aren't nurses i find are jealous that you have taken that extra step to better yourself. to hell with them, get your lpn, you won't be disappointed. have a strong backbone and you will go far. nursing isn't for the weak, emotionally or physically. do your job, do it well and stand proud. you will be fine.

I went to Illinois Central College in Peoria, Il.

Hell no! You keep your license and give them a copy. They can look it up online. Mine is on my wall framed. Illinois looks it up online for verification.

To avoid a bunch of air bubbles, while I'm spiking the bag I pinch the resevoir so once the spike is in it sucks the IV fluid in and the air bubbles go through the line, then I open up the other end and let the air bubbles out and when they are gone I roll it shut. It's primed before I hook it up to the patient.

Don't get frustrated, get motivated! Assert yourself and tell them you want! Be outgoing and curious! Tell them you want to pass meds, get familiar with charting, do what you are trained to do! Nobody is going to do it for you! If your employer sees you craving more responsibility it will make you look good and possibly place you in a different position. Believe me, if I don't know something, my employer is more than happy to show me. That is just me, want to know everything, be as efficient as I can, as knowledgeable as I can. Go Get Em'!

I have worked in an ER for 1 1/2 yrs. I am an LPN working on bridging to RN. There is a huge difference between us. The RN's are ultimately repsonsible for everything that happens. Pt. care, charting, educating, etc. I am a damn good Lpn, but, without my RN counterparts I wouldn't have the knowledge base that I have now. Their education is more indepth, knowledge base is bigger, responsibilities are extensive. I just ran a code involving a 1 yr. old on Saturday. It took EVERYONE, Dr., paramedics, lpn, RN, lab, xray. The little girl was sent to a pediatric ICU and is doing fine. The RN was responsible for pushing the meds, I charted everything given and took turns bagging. I filled all the paperwork out to transfer and she trusts me enough that she just signed it. It's not the title, it's how you perform your duties inside your scope of practice. The RN's I work with have encouraged me to go on and get my RN and helping me every step. Walk one day in their shoes and you will see the difference. I am not sure about LTC, I was lucky enough to get into an ER. I worked LTC for a little while and didn't care for it. I don't know what happened in the 80's, all I know is the present. Go on and get your RN!

Stop worrying..........Totally normal feeling. You have to believe in yourself and project that during an interview even if you feel unsure. Just ensure the proper orientation will follow being hired. They understand you are a new nurse. What they taught us in school is just the tip of the iceberg! Feel confident in your skills and project that, your insubordinates will follow your tone!

I agree with alot of the posts. I had problems because I was older and didn't hold my tongue and that got me into alot of trouble. The intimidation crap didn't fly with me at all. I wish there were more male instructors. I had all women and they had their favorites, not to mention how ****** they were. They did a great job preparing us for the NCLEX I will give them that. They made some of us feel that it was a priviledge for us to be in that program. I had a 3.0 all through the LPN program, but I just wasn't a favorite.

I am an LPN in an ER. I do 95% of what an RN does. The only thing I don't do is push IV meds. The RN is paid more because she is ultimately the one everything falls back on. Charting, patient care, medications, supervision, etc. Yes, my RN's respect me and treat me with the upmost dignity. I do the same to them. We may do alot of the same things but she is the one that will get her head chewed off. I need that RN around to ask questions or to show me something I am not familiar with. I plan to bridge over soon to RN, but in the mean time I see where our job defintions are divided and respect them for their knowledge. I believe they are taught more in depth about things that we brush over in school. Do your best, don't think of titles and take advantage of what they have to tell you.

Lighten up on yourself!! You probably have instructors breathing down your neck, scrutinizing every move, no wonder you're a mess! They are supposed to do that. Don't freak out, be prepared for class, think of what you are going to do, take your time. Make your mistakes now! You will be just as nervous after you are done and passed your boards!

Thank-you for this beautifully written piece. You didn't fail this patient. I know it feels like it. Unfortunately, after that tube is placed, DNR is over with. You handled it professionally and the best to your ability. You would have found me in a closet crying after this was over. You allowed dignity to show through in this patient's last breaths. Don't ever feel guilty about having feelings. When you stop having them is when you need to get out of nursing. You are a beautiful person.

You guys also have to remember that 20 of those questions are just throw in questions for future exams. I had 3 med calculations, 20 drug questions of which I have never heard of, and the rest was just the A,B,C's and med surg. I believe the drug questions were my throw in's. My school had a high pass rate and I was well prepared. I also purchased the Lippincott LPN N-CLEX review which was very difficult. The first 10 pages about the test questions helped tremendously!! My school's tests were in N-Clex form, so I was pretty used to the question form. I passed with 85 questions. It doesn't matter, my friend had the full test and passed. You never can tell. Hang in there!!!