EmmyBee

I agree with this, even though nursing kind of fell into my lap, when I was joining the Army (first as a medic/EMT, then later I became an LPN). I have now been an LPN for 14 years, and have one more semester before I complete my RN program. Over the years, I have worked in many different areas. And for the most part, I have enjoyed all of my experiences. I am thankful that I'm in a field that I have a variety of areas to choose from, if I get bored. I'm glad I make decent pay, and can still earn an extra income (through agency) if I need it. And I like that I can make a difference in someone's life, no matter how small or "cheesy" it may seem to others. Of course being a nurse is not without issues. But then again, isn't every other job out there the same deal? They may not have the same problems, but they do have them. And as others have pointed out, the horrible job market isn't exclusive to nursing. So if this is what you have your heart set on, don't let the negative remarks and venting on these boards scare you away. Besides, I don't think that most of the people on here truly HATE nursing, otherwise I doubt they would torture themselves by continuing to work in the field. They just use the board as a means to vent. It's good that we are able to share experiences, both good and bad. That way those considering pursuing nursing, can see that things are not always rosey. But that doesn't mean that it's always a horrific experience either.

If this is true, I agree that the aids SHOULD start doing rounds earlier. The OP is making it clear that during the time they need help, SHE is busy then, as well. If she stops what she is doing to help them, exactly when is she to finish her own work?

I agree with the part in bold. I never had HJ, so I can't comment. I'm not doubting that he is better, but I don't know personally. And I also had someone completely different for Pharm, who was very hard. But I was still able to pull off an "A". WJ is a decent professor. He answers questions, he knows what he is doing, and he is calm. He won't baby you, but he's not a monster either. I only know him from clinicals, but he did teach us skills in lab often. And I felt I learned from him (compared to a few others). I will have him for Cardio at the end of August. I heard his class was hard, but it's passable. So I'll do my best to be prepared. You might have to read and study more to pass his exams, but in reality, that's not a bad thing. You'll want to really understand what you are doing. And the NCLEX won't be easy. So in a way, it helps prepare you. I always believe that while it's nice to have kind, easy professors, it's up to YOU to pass the class, not up to them to pass it for you. So if you end up with him, make up your mind that you will do what it takes to pass. I know things change almost on a daily basis. But last year with us, it was either you had dates of the immunization, or you got a titer to prove you were immune. And with the Hepatitis B, you also had the option to decline it. However, a lot of times people get the shots, and when they get a titer, they have absolutely no immunity. So maybe they are now asking for titers to prove you are immune. But it seems odd that they would force you to get BOTH a shot and a titer. I would definitely get that cleared up. Also, for the physicals, we had to have the doctor fill out the BC physical form. The dean wouldn't accept it on any other form. But now there is a new dean, so maybe she will take either. Just make sure you find out before the deadline.

The different campus warning happens every semester. It IS just because of the "hospital" location. So no worries. If anyone wants to pm me, I can help with some of the professors, as far as how they are and what to look out for. I think I know who most of them are, by the initials you all posted (but some I don't recognize, so they might be new). But I don't want to guess at who you are talking about, and give you wrong information. LOL Also, I found rate my professor to be pretty accurate. So you can go with that. J C-S, I had for clinicals and simply adored. She is one of the best and actually loves teaching and helping students. I haven't had WJ for any lectures, but am about to at the end of August for cardio. I know it will be hard and I have my work cut out for me. But it's a hard rotation in general, not because he's horrible or anything like that. We had him for clinicals in process, and he is very laid back and calm. Everyone likes him. I don't know who LH and M Mc are. But if I get the whole names, maybe it will ring a bell. I might have heard something through the grapevine. Oh, and if you have the option of KG for math, RUN!!!!! As far as picking professors, I am in the LPN to RN transition program, and we never had the option to pick any of our professors. We all had the same ones for math, pharm, and everything since then, for lecture. And for clinicals, we had different ones, depending on the day of the week we registered for. But maybe since you all are a bigger group, you have more classes. Overall, south is really not bad. And we just got a replacement dean (who I had for Psych). And she is awesome! So don't worry too much, everything will be just fine.

Another thing you might want to do, is to go to the job websites and look up what's available for LPNs, in your area. That way you can see some of the positions being offered, and decided whether or not it is something you want to pursue. I became an LPN 14 years ago in the military. I have gained wonderful experience over the years (both in the military and out). I've worked in almost every area, be it ICU, emergency department, community health, school nursing, case management, chart review, long term care, and now hospice. The one thing I do wish though, is that I had finished my RN sooner for two reasons: more options and better pay. It took me a long time to get back on track and finally commit to it. But right now I have 14 months of my RN program behind me, and 5 more to go. I am surprised that it went so fast, and am excited to finally get finished. With that being said, no, I don't see LPNs being phased out, and no, it is not a waste of time. The only thing I do recommend, is that if you plan on advancing, try not to let too much time pass before you continue. Once you stop, it can be hard to get started again. Good luck in whatever you decide to do.

I agree with the above posters: -they might not have the money for all the required pre-requisites and schooling of an RN program (despite financial aid) -they might not have the time to commit to going to school longer -they simply might not like school, but want to make more than minimum wage -they might want to gain experience and earn a decent pay while enrolled in an RN program -they might not want to deal with waiting lists and such, so they become and LPN first, to make it easier to get into an RN program -they might be unsure if they really want to be a nurse, and don't want to invest a lot of time and money into more schooling, until they test the waters And I'm sure there are many other reasons that others have chosen the LPN route first. You just have to decide what's best for you and your current situation.

I feel where you are coming from, OP. I have been an LPN for about 14 years. I was fortunate enough to gain experience, working in the emergency department and surgical intensive care unit, during the years I served in the military. But since then, most of my experience has been working nights in long term care, and right now I'm working in hospice until I finish my RN program. I think it's fair to say that in the more intense, fast-paced specialties, moments like this are less common. But in a long term setting, I don't think it's all that rare. Yes, sometimes I am annoyed and fed up with the cons of nursing. But I have also had plenty of moments where I've felt similar to what you've described in your letter. I have often had to readjust nasal cannulas, pull up covers, and do little things that might have seemed insignificant. But the patients were unable to do it for themselves. And yes, some have even woken up and said thank you. Many times I've felt sorry for my patients, who had no family or friends to help care for them or come by to visit. I've gotten sad on numerous occasions, as I looked at their bedside pictures, when they were young and carefree, having no idea the end would turn out the way it did for them. More than once, I've felt that I wasn't doing enough, or secretly wished I could make things better for them, when I couldn't. And yeah, I've even watched some of them as they slept, wondering what they were like before they ended up in a nursing home, or dying from cancer in hospice care. Thanks for sharing your letter.

I think we all get lonely from time to time, no matter what our situation is. By reading your post, it's hard to tell what kind of personality you have. You said you were nice and normal, but are you quiet? Insecure? Do you lack self-confidence? Since you don't have support from family, do you think speaking with a counselor or therapist would be beneficial to you? Maybe that would help you identify your weaknesses or insecurities. And once they are dealt with, your self-confidence would improve. Then it would be easier to strike up conversations with people. And the more interaction you have with others, the more you'll find out what things you have in common with them. That could be the beginning of new friendships for you. There are also various websites and self-help books that you can read up on, to help you open up and learn what works, and what doesn't, as far as making friends, building confidence, etc. BTW, I'm not saying that this is your problem. I'm just throwing ideas out there, in case they can be of help. Good luck to you. :)

I'm working as a Hospice LPN right now, while finishing up my ASN. There are a ton of them here in Florida. I definitely think it's a better alternative for loved ones, than a nursing home. But just like everything, some are better than others. Most of the ones I have seen, the owners don't live there. They will hire one or two caregivers, who reside in the home. The residents are usually independent, though I have seen some who are bed bound. It's a lot of hard work though, mostly for the actual caregivers. They are responsible for cooking all meals, washing clothes, giving meds, cleaning/bathing the ones who need assistance, doctor's appointments, etc. And families visit much of the day, since you typically have about 6 residents. And their various relatives work different hours. I'm sure you can find more information on the internet. But I found this link that might give you some sort of idea of how it works: http://www.ehow.com/how_4556944_starting-residential-assisted-living-facility.html

My sentiments, exactly! Like I mentioned in my previous response, I don't wear cartoon scrubs. And I do feel that certain attire, can influence how others (in the field) view nurses, to a certain extent. But I don't sit there in the hospital or any other facility, seething over the nurses who choose to wear them. I don't think anyone is losing sleep over this topic.

I agree with the above post. In bold is my personal preference. I have never been into the cartoons.

I agree that it can be harder to find a job for older nurses, especially in certain specialties or facilities. I am 38 now, and will be 39 by the time I graduate in 5 months. The age factor is definitely something I think about, even though I'm already an LPN and have been in healthcare a while. But like someone mentioned, it would be the same in any field, not just nursing. And if a person started getting their act together later in life, or really and truly became burned out from their first career choice, what should they do? Are they to accept their life as it is, and be miserable in their current job, because it coud be harder to land a job at their age in another field? I'm not for glossing things over. And yes, those who decide to get into nursing or any career, should be well informed. They should be told the good and the bad. But I just don't believe in not making changes, if you are unhappy with your current situation. And that includes going back to school for another career.

Ask yourself honestly, do you really think additional training/orientation days are going to make a difference? Even if they give you another two weeks, do you think that will improve the situation, or prepare you for what's to come? The working conditions just don't seem safe. Like others have stated, go with your intuition. Good luck to you.

The OP brings up a very good point. Some are using the excuse that this is a message board, and wondering why grammar matters. The answer is simple. If your posts are riddled with typos, grammatical errors, and you are unable to bring your point across, chances are, you are documenting the same way at work. And when people read what you have written, like it or not, it’s a direct representation of you. And many times the reader IS judging you, based on how you are expressing yourself. It doesn’t matter how many degrees you hold or how many languages you know. Poor writing skills make you come across as uneducated. And unfortunately, some will perceive you to be lacking in your skills as a nurse, as well. The OP made an observation that many people on here have noticed, and commented on in the past. It has nothing to do with whether or not he has a life. He is correct in what he is saying. No one is asking for every post to be perfect. That’s not possible. But if you know you are weak in writing, it wouldn’t hurt to brush up on your grammar a bit. The problem is that most people, who actually do have a problem, don’t even realize it. So nothing will likely be done on their part, to improve their skills.

If you do get asked and decide to grant them the interview, I agree that you should conceal your identity and place of employment. Despite what you say during the interview, you never know what the final outcome will be. Due to the powers of editing, they can print or air something completely different than what you intended. It might sound silly to worry about, but it happens all the time. Good luck in your decision.