Ling07

This is a good thread. Very informative. I too, have a Bachelors but I want to pursue an Associates in Nursing.

Wow I'm in amazement at the way this thread has taken off over the last two years. Congratulations to all of the nurses that have received jobs. When I originally created this post, I was referring to non-nursing jobs. But I'm really glad it's been beneficial for some of you seeking RN positions. Would anyone happen to know if the Nursing Recruiters also handle the Patient Representative positions?

I know that they quit without calling. The DON would make sure the floor was covered.

The facility where I work has had two 11-7 nurses quit within four months. But what I find interesting, both quit without notice. No call/No Show. Why are they doing this? Isn't it common courtesy to leave a resignation letter?

I think there are so many RNs looking for jobs that they are ignoring the LPN apps. Are you applying to nursing homes?

WOW, some people need to get out and get some fresh air. STEP AWAY from the computer....... I NEVER said they weren't important. I think they are very important in improving the quality of life for a resident of a nursing home. I just said it was easy. Wow a lot of ASSUMPTIONS being made. And I just love when one person posts a coment and then FOLLOWERS are right behind. Oh and I never said I was a nurse.

I just want to put a *WARNING* post out there for those of you considering quitting your job. Do NOT QUIT your "good paying" job for a CNA class if you don't know exactly what CNAs do. I currently work at a Nursing Home and CNAs are required to do a lot of work. You smell poop most of the time, change briefs, deal with moody nurses, moody residents, make beds, clean up pee, empty comodes, and you have to be on your "A" game most of the time. It's a lot of hard work!! If you want to pursue something like nursing, then that's different. But if not, go visit a nursing home before you quit your boring job!!

I totally understand where you're coming from but I'm moreso referring to the Activities Assistants. I know most Directors of Activities are very busy.

It does seem a little boring.....

Is it me or does the Activities department have the easiest job in the planet?? Watch movies, paint nails, bake cakes, coloring and listen to the radio, so easy!!

I think all of the rules and regulations sometimes leads to a resident's failure to thrive. Sometimes I get annoyed with all of the "regulations."

I currently work in LTC and I'm thinking about pursuing LPN. I already have a Bachelors degree but I would like to be a nurse. The facility I currently work at hired three new RNs. No LPNs. The LPNs that work there have years of experience. So I was just curious, would be wasting my time pursuing LPN.

I wasn't referring to the "fall risk" and "sociable" residents. There are residents we allow to sit near the nursing station because they like it. I'm not talking about the residents that "choose" to sit out in the hallway. I'm talking about the residents that are rolled out to the hallway because the CNA doesn't know what to do with them.

Bronx_RN, Your perfect nursing home isn't too far-fetched. Where I'm currently working, the residents have options on what they want to eat, they can wear whatever they want and if they want to stay in their room, most of the time they allow it.

YESSSSSSSSSSS! I am so tired of knocking residents into the doors by accident. It's especially embarassing when a visitor sees it!!

No, I have not heard of that facility. Sounds wonderful though!

If I could create a perfect nursing home, it would be like: -NO CNAs with attitudes. You can not have a nasty attitude and work in Geriatrics. It takes a lot of patience and compassion to work with the elderly and if you have a nasty attitude, how will that work? -CNA/Resident ratio will be 5:1. I think it's unfair to give CNAs 10+ residents. Many of them are stressed out because of all the work. I would want them to spend time with the resident. Have them play games with them. I would want them to create a bond with the resident. -Nurse/Resident ratio will be 10:1. The workload for the nurses is ridiculous. I'm not a nurse, I work with the administration side of things, but I can clearly see that the nurses have a lot to do. Like the CNAs, I want the nurses to build a relationship with the resident. How can you create a relationship with a resident if you're busy talking to pharmacy, passing out meds, charting, paperwork for administration and serving the residents for whatever need? -I would pay CNAs $15 minimum. I think some of them would care more about their jobs if they made a little bit more. -NO CELL PHONES ALLOWED. They must be locked up somewhere. It annoys me when I see a nurse on a cell phone. -An equal amount of male and female nurses. Too many female nurses creates too much drama. -No residents in the hallway!! That irriates me!!!!!!! That is a pet-peeve of mine. I do not like to see residents sitting in the hallway like they're useless. All residents must be placed in an activity room or sitting in their room watching TV. If a resident is in the hallway longer than 5 minutes, then the CNA will be written up. -There would be a gated park outside of the building for the residents to sit around and get fresh air. GIVE THEM FRESH AIR!! Sometimes I want to shout this out loud when the nurses are wondering why a resident wants to escape. Give them a change of scenery!! So there you have it, my perfect nursing homes. :)

Well I finished my CNA class about 8 months ago and it did usher me into the health care field. It was tough in the beginning because I couldn't find a job so I just kept applying and applying to any and every job. The best advice I can give is find an evening CNA class. Keep your job until you find a job in health care. I really like my job now. I'm making less money than I did at my other job, but I'd rather help an elderly person sing happy birthday than run excel reports and stare at a computer all day.

I think that's a little harsh since we are in a recession. People are doing whatever they can to get a job.

HERE is a perfect example of what I'm referring to. This just happened. A resident dies. The nurse is in the room tending to the body. Family outside the room crying. Another resident's family member walks through the grieving family members looking for the nurse. The disgruntled family member actually pokes her head in the room of the dead resident to look for the nurse. The nurse comes out of the room and the disgruntled family member starts to complain about her mother's missing bras. WHERE IS THE COMMON SENSE? Someone just died, people are crying and you still feel the need to interrupt everything to complain about your mother's missing undergarments? Where is the respect!

Oh I don't need advice on dealing with family members. I am very respectful towards all of them. ALL of them. And I don't understand this notion that nurses or healthcare workers need to be reminded to "put the shoe on the other foot." As if we don't have family members in nursing homes. My grandfather was in a nursing home but we were still respectful towards the staff.

I think you're taking things out of context. This post was meant for the unreasonable family members. I've seen family members come off the elevater angry, wanting to cause problems. The nurses at LTC, for the most part are unappreciated. There are a few family members that are thankful, but there are people out there that want you to stop caring for others and focus on their loved one.

The lady I'm referring to is the same way. She's very pleasant and only uses two phrases. I think if we spent more time with most of the dementia residents we would be surprised. It's amazing how the brain operates.

I SO AGREE. Annnnd you may disagree with this, but I feel sorry for the residents that are constricted to a wheelchair because they had a fall. I think they should be able to walk with a walker, AS LONG as they are in eye view.

If I hear one more family member say, "I'm an RN." What did my mother eat today, I'm an RN. My mother likes soup, I'm an RN. Ok, that's nice, do you want a flower?