BigBee48

I also worked in LTC, it can be soo overwhelming, but also rewarding. Just know you wil always work your *** off. Be careful in body mechanics. I love the elderly people and all their wisdom,stories, they can be so mean, and yet so sweet. I think LTC gets a bad rap, we had residents with wonderful care from our aides, enter the hospital and return with horrible bed sores. So the old addige that don't get good care in LTC is wrong, it's like a family, esp if you can get together and get to know your aides, they can make all the difference in the world. I loved it even it was so hard. Don't be too hard on yourself, it is hard work. Hang in there!!

to Sprinkles85 and ThomasRN thank you both for the info. I will check it out.

I am very sorry for that, I also am an RN who has had a neck fusion, and lumbar fusion, along with 7 herniated discs in the thoracic region (varying degrees, and one fractured vertabre in thoracic). I have been working as a 911 Dispatcher, which is something I did before going to nursing school, but am thinking about returning to Nursing. I have looked at School Nursing, as well as the previous post MDS. There is also Web MD, or Poison COntrol or a call center nurse. Hope you find something soon, Good Luck!!

I don't have an answer for you question, but I have experienced migraine h/a's for most of my adult life, they suck! I found relief after having a total hysterectomy, and also using Maxalt (a troche that dissolves on your tongue). Anyway Good Luck to you !!!

May I ask do you mean Long Term Care, or Long Term Acute Care Hospital? There is a difference. The Later is an acute care hospital where alot of ICU patients go after their stay, at the one I worked at they had to meet requirements for admission, ventilator needs, excessive wound care or some other kind of need that required at least 25 day stay. Anyway you also deal w/family situations. But high acuity and also alot of post Bariatric surgery pts.

Not to be mean, the others did not go to college and get a degree.

does anyone know if they use it for chronic pain patients. My pain specialist said she did not think I was a candidate for it, since I'm chronic pain, but I wonder if it would be better than taking other narcs for life?

Sorry for confusion, I didn't mean to use them together. Benadryl is great for sleep, and not using habit forming sleeping meds, esp. in elderly. And the Acetaminophen worked great for pain, unless it was a long term problem. I'm just saying it worked for most of our elderly residents. Research more options, It's proven elderly don't tolerate narcotics well. Good Luck!!

sometimes plain old Acetaminophen works. Especially with the elderly. I cared for a patient similar, she was always confused, crying out, c/o leg pain. After a battery of tests to rule other causes out, we tried vicodin. Had the same problem, then seitched to Acetaminophen, it worked very well. It may only work for a short time, also we used Benedryl, it didn't knock them out but calmed, and they stopped crying out. It seems the vicodin is not appropriate in the elderly. Good Luck!!!

I would like to add,as far as the company throwing you to the wolves, they did me. When I showed up for my first day, I expected someone to be there to train me, even if it would have been 1 day. Never had any training. That goes for my job as DON (Director of Nursing) no one there on my first day. WOW!! I was freaked, tried not to show it. And I agree with mandykal, don't complain to your staff. And very smart to listen to the long term employees, they will know alot. Some LTC building, companies will allow you to use pre-printed care plans. I didn't want to scare you away, just know what you are getting into. Also you will be front line when State Board arrives, they probably will throw you front line for them. You might research the company and their past history with State Board of Health, what defecencies they have had, what their turn over rate (employees) are, as well as DON and Administrator. well Good Luck it can be an awesome experience, and job to have under your belt.

Ok, maybe being a "better nurse" is too strong, but enhanced my knowledge base. Sharing stories, knowledge and/or experiences makes me feel more like a good nurse. I find there is always new and good information on Allnurses.com, and to be able to compare to other nurses in other states, and countries. Thank you for all you do provide to us, and let us provide to others.

I can tell you frorm experience, it can be overwhelming to be a unit manager. I was one after about 6 yrs in Nursing. I had no idea that people could kiss butt so much, and call you at all hours for the stupidest things. Like an IV came out @ 3:00a.m., what should I do. I do not want to talk you out of it, because I felt I made a big difference, but I was amazed at the stupid people. And the work, never seen so much paperwork, and responsibility. Even when I was not on call, I got calls. I truely love elderly people, and was able to get to know their family. There is alot of work. Good Luck!!

Please remember, it can still happen. I used proper body mechanics, was anal about always having a drawsheet under patients, and having help. Even when we had bariatric patients, using lifts and making them (as much as they could) do it themselves. I have had cervical fusion, lumbar fusion & 3 different compression fractures, spondyllothesis (sp?), also ruptured discs, and 2 vertrabrae w/no disc material between them. Anyway I'm thinking I will have both my children thoroughly checked out by spinal specialist, before they go out in the work force. And they've been told not to do alot of heavy lifting for now. I know freaked out, but I thought I would be fine.

Well hopefully, they have begun to see that there are false+. I know in law enforcement, my husband, who has been in the profession for 20+ yrs, is now seeing things a little differently. Like some of the defendants who have said I am innocent, in associatioin with drug tests, may be telling the truth. He attended the initial and one other hearing, and said compared to real courtrooms, the BON proceedings were a goat rodeo. They made decissions that just blew his mind, but what can you do, they are the final.

And I forgot, when I had the "failed drug test", I called the lab that did the test, and spoke to the manager, who suggested I fight it, which was about $2,000.00 more, he said the people that have disputed their results have won, only a very small group of people had, but that mistakes were made, and he would challenge it. When I said this to my therapist from the program, she said they would not allow me to do this. I might have been wrong on the time, this all happened in 2001. I really don't know if I should even try. I am in pain all the time, and have a terminally ill mother in law, and very sick Mom, a sister with MS, and 2 wonderful children and husband. I miss being a nurse every single day, but don't know what to do.