2blackcats

Honestly? From a friend's experience, I don't think that at least here in the IL (northern) area it would be possible. I have a friend who was a CNA for 6 years, and an RN for 3 years, and throughout both of her careers she was never able to find summers off which she DESPERATELY wanted as she has a son with a mild disability...and daycare is very hard to find for him...so she's been trying essentiall for the past 9 years!!! She did find one RN on call position... just remember to maintain ur working certification you need x number of hours and such....she couldnt accept it becasue it would require her to re-test (I'm not sure how often) So good luck to you...I HATE being the bearer of bad news....unless you can maybe find a CNA you can "co work" with? Propose that idea...maybe a college student who will work summers...and you can work while they are in school? It's worth the shot! Good luck...let us know if you find anything!

Been there, done that! LOL! I am working right now as a CNA working nights...and I work 11-8am...I had that same problem in the begining. Partially I think I psyched myself out so much like you do about not being able to fall asleep...second...I think it was the stress of going to school trying to get my grades up for nursing school and working full time. My doctor prescribes .25mg xanax for me...I only take it when needed...and 20 of them lasts me a long time...but when I really have to sleep that seems to help put my mind at ease a bit. I took them more in the begining...but I think my mind is now starting to relax whenever I CAN sleep. I AM a night owl...always have been and LOVE it...but it's scary not having a normal sleep schedule like the rest of the "normal" people out there !LOL! Hang in there...I also drink a tea called Sleepytime tea before bed...it has Valerian and Chamomile in it that REALLY help you sleep. Good luck to you...let us know how it goes. Claire

Okay...so since when are ANY nurses allowed to practice with ANY percocet in their system? I understand that she had a prescription for it...however if the drug test came back positive and the hospital was not notified of it...at least at the hospital that I work at they would be dismissed IMMEDIATELY. No questions asked. So I wonder what else is going on...sounds like something funny about the drug test? If she had it in her bloodstream...she should NOT have been working. We have to get permission to work for various reasons if we are taking any drugs, no matter what the dose that may impair our ability to care for patients in any way. Maybe check the employee handbook for something like this? That's such a sad thing.... Good luck to you and your unit. Claire

I have been a CNA now for 7 years...and honestly...the first month is pretty nerve racking...HOWEVER...I have found that most likely you will not drop them, I haven't dropped anyone ever! If you bathe them wrong...most will let you know! LOL! I have over the years found the best way to develop a good repoir with patients is to get to know them, and know what they like. Certain patients like to sleep in...others like to bathe in the evening after dinner...others like to do certain amounts themselves...it all varies, but the advantage to working in a nursing home is you will get to know them. I work on a MED/SURG floor at a hospital and you don't get to know patients that well. Some are gone in 1 day...others are there for 10 days..(some longer but not usually). Be honest with them, ask them what they need, like or want, and they won't be afraid to ask you, and will appreciate you asking. You'll do fine, and Way to Go! You'll do fine!

Now I'm only a CNA working on getting into nursing school...but I think this question isn't really about nursing...it's almost more about work in general. Listen...if you're good at what you do...and liked what you did BEFORE getting fired...it's time to pick yourself up, dust yourself off...and you know what? If they didn't want you...that's their loss!!!! You need to realize that just because ONE place didn't "like" you...doesn't mean they will ALL be that way. I think you're not giving yourself enough credit. I know for a FACT that there are areas in the hospital I would not fit in. I LOVE my MED/SURG floor and wouldn't trade it for the world...and can't WAIT to work there post nursing school if I ever get in! LOL! Don't let one thing get you down...one place that doesn't like you can't rule your whole career. Nurses are known to be the toughest people out there. I say start applying RIGHT NOW! And try something maybe you haven't thought of before. I'm gonna cross my fingers and my toes for you....you just have to find what you like second best to IR. Good luck...but PLEASE don't give up!

I have worked at a hospital here in Rockford IL for the past 7 years off and on as a CNA...I work with some VERY skilled nurses who are overall terrific people...I can't say enough good about them. I have only worked on the MED/SURG floor...and I know of 2 nurses who left for L&D. To get their foot in the door, I know one of them ended up getting her Masters because she had been trying and trying.... Another who normally worked overtime in MED/SURG volunteered to be on call anytime all the time she wasn't working MED/SURG and maybe only 1 time a month was actually called in...but she got her foot in the door...she had to write a letter to the HR person to facilitate this...but I don't think it could hurt right? Good luck to you...I love my MED/SURG and can't wait to get into nursing school and be a full blown nurse on MED/SURG. I can imagine if I couldn't how much I would miss that floor...so good luck with L&D.

I'm only a CNA, and have only been one off and on for the past 7 years...but I have worked at the same hospital on the MED/SURG floor and I think it sometimes gets a bad rap. Not sure why...but I couldn't imagine working anywhere else! I am "hoping" to get into and ADN or LPN program within the next year...and I would ONLY want to work MED/SURG. Don't stress before you've experienced it...I work with some TERRIFIC nurses, who think L&D and other areas are stressful...it's all a personal choice. I like the craziness that sometimes ensues on MED/SURG...my day ALWAYS flies by, and strangely enough...if I had to go to another department and leave MED/SURG..I'm not sure I'd want to stay working where I am. So before you stress...realize nursing is like anything else...EVERYONE has a place where they fit perfectly...and that's the beauty of nursing school...you'll get to experience all of them. You'll develop weird "quirks" like all of us...my favorite is taking care of, changing, or assisting with Ostomies...who wudda thunk it? So hang in there...it's not NEARLY as bad as you think it will be. It IS VERY VERY stressful...I know the nurses I work with well, and all have stress...but if you love your job...and do it well...it's not as scary as it seems. It's a way of life really.

Hi All! Well I'm usually pretty anti-whiney...but I wanted to know if I am the only one out there? I have been working as a CNA off and on for the past 7 years. And over those past three years I have been caring for a Grandmother first with Colon Cancer, a Mother with Colon cancer 1 year later, and this past summer a little brother who had broken neck, back, total collectomy etc because of a trauma accident. My grandmother and mother passed on as expected, but brother is doing magnificently after ileostomy takedown last month. I have ALWAYS loved taking care of people, and my spare bedroom seems to be more of a hospital room than anything...but during this time of caring for family I have DEYSTROYED my GPA at college. I did have about a 3.0 in Gen Ed classes...and was planning on applying to the LPN program, and because I enrolled in school and had to withdraw 3 times late in the semester to care for dying/critically ill immediate family...I have about 8 withdrawls and 5 F's on my transcript. I just don't know if I can pick myself up from this!!!!! I know I won't get into nursing school right now...but I'm VERY good at what I do...and wanted to know if anyone else out there worked to get their GPA up and was accepted with horrible things on their transcripts? My current GPA is 2.226 and I have 60 credits...I'm a "B" student all the way...so pretty average I suppose...but has anyone out there taken tons of Science, Math, and others just to get the GPA up and gotten into the ADN or LPN program? I'm so sad about this...I HAD to help my family...I'm the only one who could...but now it's time to take care of me and do what I want...I'm 27 and want to get on with things! I guess I"m looking for a little support....my transcript just doesn't reflect the student I am...and I'm not sure what to do?