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I thought the prospect of nights would be perfect for me because I am a night owl. I did like that I could physically adjust to night shifts. I didn't like, however, the lack of support most hospitals give the night shift crew. They seem to think patients sleep through the night. Hah! During the day, there are a lot more people to help keep patients occupied; family members, cna's, going to procedures. Not at night. These patients still need to be turned, taken to the bathroom, etc. And oh the joys of calling a doctor in the middle of the night!

Take all nights. I have worked both and day/night mix is so much harder for your body to adjust too. I'll never do a mix again!

Mashira, I am so glad I could help :) Having went through it with my first drug screen, I know exactly how you feel...even though you have done absolutely nothing wrong. I was truly shocked when the gal who tested me said that my screen was positive for amphetamines. I literally almost fell over, no joke. I have never done any drugs in my whole life (and I am 38 years old) or even smoked a cigarette! So they sent it out and I had to wait a whole weekend for the results! Longest weekend of my life...Then they called and said it was fine. So no worries! And congratulations on your new job

You're fine. I also take Primatene tablets and have tested positive on the rapid screen. You will not have a positive on the lab test, though. Lots of things can give a false positive on the rapid tests, even ibuprofen can test a positive for opiates (I think it is opiates). I did a senior research paper on these rapid tests. I think they are useless and they make you feel like you did something wrong (even when you didn't). So don't worry anymore, you are fine :)

I agree, stay as FAR away from all HCA hospitals...I worked at Research (for a very brief period) and it was dreadful! Never, never, never, never will I ever work for HCA. I would work in a nursing home before I would ever go there! Not that I think working in a nursing home would be bad, it's just I've been told many horror stories about patient-nurse ratios. I did clinicals at Centerpoint in the ICU and that hospital is horrible (except the ER, had fun and learned a LOT there). And not to forget Meditech (their charting system....YUCK! Looks like DOS). Truman is very new-grad friendly. Worked there for a while until I decided I didn't want to be a bed-side nurse. But I would recommend them out of everywhere I have worked. You learn a lot, and they've updated a lot.

HeartsOpenWide, I am with you sister. I have suffered from this same horrible affliction since I had my last daughter (10 yrs ago)...Periods so heavy that I could swear to God I was bleeding to death and unbelievable pain! And my daughter has months like this too. And you know what, I let her stay home from school if she can't get relief from Advil. Sometimes just staying still helps! Chiefswife - You are jaded, too bad. As previously mentioned, pain is what the patient says it is, not what you determine it to be!

I bet she had an emboli as well...The high sugar didn't factor into her dying...This is exactly why I work hospice. I no longer have to worry about my patients dying. They're supposed to die....oh the relief! So many people I saw in my previous position before hospice, where dying and put through so much because they and their family were not introduced to the benefits of hospice.

Don't go into nursing just for a job. It looks bleak for GNs in a lot of areas of the country. But it you are doing it because it's what you always wanted to do, things will work out. At least that is how I feel.

I have recently came to an inpatient hospice facility. We have a lot of LPNs who have come to hospice from LTC with the same story you have. They love hospice and are glad they made the change. LTC is so tough! The staff is stretched so thin in a place where it shouldn't be. Our elderly deserve so much better... Don't give up on what you worked so hard to get. Maybe it is time for a change. I myself, felt at one point that I wanted to get out of nursing. I'm an 09 grad with a BSN who worked tele in a hospital and hated it. So, I got out. And although my resume may look crappy for jumping out of my first job so quickly, I know I made the right decision. I love where I work now. Hospice nursing may not be for everyone, but I get to really CARE for people who need it the most. And the families of the patients I care for are so appreciative. I finally feel like I found what real nursing is all about... So before you throw in the hat, give another area of nursing a try. There are so many different areas you can work in and you may find one that fits you better!

If you think that nights will be easier, then you will, most likely, be in for a rude awakening. I have worked days and nights, and nights are by far harder (in my opinion)...generally less help (none or fewer PCTs, CNA's) and often higher patient ratios. And don't think for one second that your patients will all sleep through the night...that is rare. Mostly because we have to wake them all of the time for vitals, labs, etc but also because it's just noisy in the hospital. You will be caring for your patients your whole shift because they won't be going off the floor for radiology and no PT coming in as they do on days...They'll be all yours :) With all that being said...There are positives to working nights too. It's generally less "busy" in regards to the number of people passing through the unit such as doctors, students and family members. Because of this, I love nights. I won't work days ever again. And the pay is better... So honestly, it depends on what you are comfortable with. If you don't mind all of the people around, then days are good. If you prefer it to be a little less "busy" (and you don't mind calling doctors after hours) then nights will be for you. But whatever you choose, do what's right for you and your baby. Juggling kids and nursing is hard. No matter which shift you work, you may not be able to see them off to school (when they are old enough to go). And that is what I find personally hard. Before nursing, I used to get to see my kids off to school every day. Now I don't get to do that a few days a week. But the upside, is that I am available during the day for school events, and that is very important to me (or even if one of my kids gets sick). Which ever shift you choose, I wish you luck and hope that everything works out for you!

I think they are hiding how crappy the job is. I would run as fast as I could from that job! You would probably end up with 30 pts. (or more) all by yourself. Probably be the only RN among LPNs. I don't care how bad the job market is, there is no use in killing yourself (which you will as a new/old grad) or risking your license and/or getting sued. I shadowed a nurse for half a shift before accepting my current position (hospice, in-patient facility). In fact, my manager has all potential nurses shadow to see if it is what they want.

I meant there is a LOT of ageism. A typo, sorry. I was typing in the dark...

You are not alone. I graduated last May, and I want out too. I hate being a nurse AND a cna. Because that's basically what I am because of total patient care. I am just realizing that I am not meant to be a bedside nurse. Four years of college and I spend most of my nights cleaning up incontinent patients. If I didn't have student loans to pay back I would be long gone....

There is a log of ageism in nursing, fyi. It may be hard for you to find a job as an older new grad. Just from what I have seen.

There's so much backstabbing and what-not in nursing because it is a field made mostly of women. It is just how most of us naturally are, unfortunately. Many women feel better about themselves by bringing other women down who threaten them. What a shame....I knew that I would encounter this when I got in this field because it's just how it is. I worked construction with no other women out of high school and this kind of backstabbing and gossiping just didn't happen. Men are not as petty as we women are, for the most part. I actually welcome men into the nursing field...Please, more male nurses!