ursus57

50% hearing loss...58 yr old Male LPN...Medically fragile pts and beginning to work with adults with developmental disabilities. Most see my hearing aids behind my ears as being part of the club. "you too, understand being enabled in different ways." Amplified stethoscope, bought on ebay UK at 1/3 the outrageous price. I advocate strongly for the pts in my care and never had a problem with being hired, due to hearing loss. My older family members of pts have zero issues with my partial deafness. In my most recent job I marketed my hearing loss as a bridge to those struggling with their disabilities.

When this occurs most of the time it can be ignored. If you have supervision that will work to improve the situation you can often have a better situation. I had a small teamwork issue that aired in front of several coworkers, I fianally had to write a letter that the DON read and commented on. The situation also involved an apology pleading health issues that helped create the non team work attitude. @ our facility, in long term care we have audio and video recording in key places. All of these factors helped to create a better out come. The person was able to have less influence on me and the situation improved. Usually a Bully will do one on one and go behind the scenes to undercut the target of thier bullying. If the bully has long association with the administration the out come can be poor for the bullied. Decide what you are willing to take, address the matter to the bully, and try to work with the administration, and decide when you walk. Many times a person will choose to walk.

Some people feel giving gifts improves care for a family member in a facility. An atmosphere of having to give gifts to staff can develop. Compentency is not the issue, providing gifts and gratuities is the issue. Illegal, morally wrong and violation of policy. A person insisted I take $25 in a card one time because she felt I gave great care to a family member. She refused to take it back. I gave her a thank you note explaining that I was happy to pass her very generous gift on to the patient general fund in the LTC where I was CNA. Never allow anyone to think 'extras' would be appreciated. This can undermine a person's proffessional standing. I may accept a piece of candy, or a piece of cake if all care members can partake. People are wonderful and want to be generous, it can create a situation where people fell they have to be generous in order for thier family to get the best care. NEVER accept gifts. NEVER.

I usually go dressy/casual, nice shirt, dress pants, belt, dress shoes. Then I put on my lab coat.

Do your best to get this addressed. Someone can call the number on the wall and everyone's hide will be in a sling. LOOK FOR A JOB. Tell them in the interview why you are leaving, most places have a reputation in an area, the interviewer will likely already know about the problems at the old job. Be an advocate for pt care and safety, even if you may have little support. I'm so sorry you have to start out with this kind of bad situation.

West TN 14.50 an hour, really expensive premium for health insurance, some want 300.00 to 800.00 each month, with 20/80. This is to start, our economy to live is pretty low, though.

Please note, I was willing to start anywhere. I am in west Tn. I am also a 53 year old male. Passed boards in Jan 2010. Get cheap fax machine for computer at house. 89.00 buys an all in in one fax/printer/scanner combo in most markets. Brief cover letter, one page resume sent to DON or person hiring for the nursing dept. Go online and down load list of nursing homes, hospitals and any facility that uses LPNs. Google those 15 minutes from home, then 30 min from home, 45 min from home and 1 hr from home. Call and ask who does the hiring for the nursing dept. Write this name down as you ask for the fax number. Type up the name along with fax number and name of facility in top area of your cover letter. Send a fax cover sheet, cover letter and a one page resume to the facility. Closest to farthest away, wait 7 days in between batches. Reply by phone to all replies, go to each interview you get, be positive and relax. I tried this method and contacted every possible facility that hires LPNs. First job lasted 6 weeks, the second job is going 7 mos and I recieved a small Christmas bonus and a one dollar raise in December. Please note, in school I had nearly perfect attendance. At each job I have had, I never get defensive and I try very hard to remember who pays my paycheck, the pt and thier families. Tell us when youstart working.

I hope you can heal and thank you for the window into your life. You are helping me decide how far to let hings go when my time comes to draw a line. I have a great LPN job now. All things change. You will come out of this stronger and wiser.

Recently licensed, JAN2010. Faxed my resume to ALL places that hired nurses. I'm in west TN. I bought the 89 dollar all in one fax machine, and faxed cover letters with resumes to the specific person hiring for the nursing dept in EVERY facility that uses LPN's. I was let go after 5 weeks on my first LPN gig. About to hit a 6 month milestone in my second LTC job. I faxed to the closest first and went up to an hour from the house. I drive forty minutes to KY in order to work. This is what it took to get a position that uses my training. I am currently working at a great place, I am still looking for a job a little closer to the house. Tell us when you find your job and happy hunting!

Buy fax machine, if you don't have one. Put resume on one page. Brief cover letter. Print list of LTC providers, these are online, determine which are 15 minutes from home, then 30 minutes from home, then 45 minutes from home and an hour from home. Use Google to figure out how many miles each place is from home. Call each facility and ask for the name of the Don and thier fax number. Week one do the closest, weeek two, the next closest, and so on. This is a way to carefully cover all options. LTC facilities respond really well to faxes. Address each cover letter directly to each DON, most won't read through a two page resume. How do I know this? Jan 2010 became licensed as LPN. Was working by March, 5 weeks later loking for work again, in May started my current job. I'm in west Tn, accepted a job 45 minutes away in the next state. This worked for me in my situation, as I am new to nursing and it's rough to get in the door with no experience. Wishing you good success.

LTC is bottom of the barrel, a growing segment of nursing, and easier to get a start. Yes I'm only 'LTC'. I have had my license since JAN2010, and jobs are extremely difficult in west Tennessee for anyone right now. I am going to learn all I can, and get any certifications tha I can, and when I move on to something else I'll just take my lumps. LPN, LTC, BOB and proud.

Licensed in TN Jan 2010, sent faxed resume with cover letters to every LTC within 1 hr of my house. Started working in March, then they let me go after 5 weeks, sent out resumes with cover letters again. In May started working, just hit my 90 day anniversary, I am working, and it is hard to get a position, anywhere. This area, west TN, is very sorry for jobs, right now. I actually am working across the state line in KY, 45 minutes from my house. Faxing a resume and cover letter seems to do much better than personal interviews and you spend less on gas and hassle of filling out apps with no chance of hire. In school and in my previous jobs, they pay attention to my nearly perfect attendance when they consider me for employment. Male, wear hearing aids, 53, and started with zero experience. Many things work for different people in the job hunt. This worked for me. You will get there. Easy? No. Doable ? Yes.

Live with the current NCLEX exam book. Most of the top names wil do very well. 50 questions each day for 6 weeks before you sit for boards. Programs that use the computer format of the test are very useful. Next time you take the test you will pass, come and tell us when you do.

If you are in a compact state and wish to practice in a different compact state, don't give NURSYS any money. I live in TN, I was hired in KY, so I paid $30 to verify into KY. I did not need to do this and NO REFUNDS from NURSYS. Call the bon in your current state, then call the bon in the state you wish to practice in for your best info. Your new emlpoyer may also know how to take care of licensing for the new state you have hired to.

Think about any other time the government has been involved with anything. We do have huge problems in health care. We, in spite of the huge problems in health care, have the best medical delivery system in the world. The free market has been bringing medical care in different ways, clinics in drug stores for minor ailments, educating the public about ailments and what drugs can do, and what they can't do, along with side affects. The huge problem is cost, and the access to care is limited by how good your insurance is. We have a large population of very sick people now, that need care. The government will regulate the costs and services allowed, and place many providers out of the government system. The money for health care will be less, the services needed will expand, so we can't avoid rationed care. While this is playing out the nurse's job continues to be one that encourages each person to be in charge of their own health as much as possible. teach what promotes good health by example and sharing knowledge. For those already very ill and with limited resources, our job is to be advocates for our patients. Educate ourselves about resources so we can direct our patients to them. Nurses are all about providing care that is not drug based, while we do administer pharmaceuticals, our focus is comfort, care, and education. Each person can only do the best they can for their own patients, we can improve the lives we touch and promote the best quality of life possible within our capabilities. Nurse continue to be on the front line in medical care and we have brought many needed changes over the years to health care. Join and promote groups that are working on common sense solutions to this huge problem, at the ballot box, and where we work. Nurses continue to be the among the best sources of information for health and well being. Teach what you already know.

53, grandfather of eight and just landed my first LPN job after going to school while working. DO IT.

Buy fax machine and send out resumes ANYWAY. You have a huge fight that you have come through. Try to talk to others that are trying to be employed after being in similar situations. I hate the idea of you going through this. Your post needs to be a warning to us all that this can happen very easily. I personally know an RN in a similar type of situation, she was reinstated, then relapsed into drug seeking behavior. When you do get employed and prove to yourself that you can move forward, tell us about it. Your post was a picture of pain, yet there is hope. Keep looking and consider all options, maybe even relocating to another state. I am beginning my first LPN job very soon, your hard won knowledge reinforces the idea that all of us must watch out for these kinds of things. It can happen to anyone, very easily. You really are stronger than you think you are. Hoping for your success.

STATE tech school-You determine wether you pass. Period.

Go buy cheap fax enabled computer printer, Google all LTC facilities within 1 hr of your home. Divide the list into three parts, those within 30 minutes, those within 45 minutes and those close to an hour away. Call facility and ask for fax number and ask who hires nursing staff, for each one you will be faxing to. Make very brief cover letter to the person hiring, along with a reume. Send to your first group, then send to you second group, then send to the third group. This may get you some interviews. At interview be as flexible as you can with what they might need in LPN staffing. Out here in Tennesse I was able to get interviews this way. They only wanted PRN. I am starting PRN @ my curent LTC facility, switching up between CNA and LPN, based upon what they might need. This is expected to end up in a full time LPN position in a few months. There are so many different approaches to the job search. If you treat your job search like a job you may realize success in landing an LPN position. Hoping for your success....Ursus57

:yeah:Thanks, gold foil star applied to name badge! Soon to begin LPN prn @ my facility.:hpygrp:

CAN DO...Many succeed in CNA work while going to LPN SCHOOL. I worked 32 hrs a week, school 20-22 hrs a week. Had small other income and low bills. Also helped that I was on an 18 mo part time program. 1st 9 months I was on unemployment, until I found the CNA job. Still had something going 7 days a week most of my school time. WIA helped with gas and I have great family support. Scored highest in my class on the HESI, 905, I think. Looking to complete my NECLEX-PN test 21JAN2010-Any advice on acing the boards gratefully accepted. 52 year old, male, with wife, grown daughter and four grandchildren living at home with me. Most employers who use CNA's often work your hours around your school schedule. Have my diploma and a promise of a job, only thing left is to pass boards. Go for broke and tie a knot and hang on, it will be a long, hard ride. Easy?. No. Can you do this? Yes. CAN DO!:bowingpur:monkeydance::clpty::stdnrsrck:

My class had 23 students. The HESI was our exit exam. I studied the NCLEX-PN book 2 hrs each day for several weeks before the exam. Was top in the class on the test. @52, though a good reader, I benefit from daily study weeks ahead of a major test. This works well for me. Score 988.:specs:

My instructors promote three things for boards...1.Sleep well, eat something , go pee and relax. 2. Over 80% of 1st attempts pass. 3. If the questions get really hard, then you are doing good. Due in 6 weeks to taKe NCLEX-PN, thank you guys for talking it up. The huge majority of you all pass, so that's encouraging to me.

Just before the HESI, I had studied 2 hours a day,for a few weeks, writing the questions along with summarizing the rationales. I was surprised when I hit a 986 on the test. While this is no guarantee of acing the NCLEX-PN, it does show the chances are very good for passing. I used a two year old Lippencott's review for NCLEX-PN. Since this method works for me, I am going to study this way until my boards in about a month. I also have the Mosby's Review For NCLEX-pn. If you use any of the major names, Lippencotts, Mosby's, or Suanders you wil get the information you need. From talking to others who have passed boards, the publisher is much less important than having an idea of the rationale behind the question. The Mosby's has a cool CD mimicking the NCLEX style of the test test, complete with pop up calculator. When you pass, tell us about it!

Haven't done NCLEX yet, maybe in in JAN 2010. I am finished with my LPN program @ 52, male and a CNC in LTC. It is very hard to finish this type of school, very rough to think about landing a job as a freshly hatched LPN/LVN. While your'e discouraged and getting better from your surgery, get the phone and make a goal of contascting three facilities each day, by phone and by mailing resumes. As you may know, doing even a small thing while depressed is better than doing nothing. The jobs are out there and the work needs to be done by someone. In a month or two come back to this thread and tell us about the experiances you are having at your job as an LPN. By that time, I will need to be encouraged by you to keep plugging away at getting a job as an LPN. You voiced some of the thoughts I am having right now, thank you for telling us how you feel, it helps to know others are in the struggle also.