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.

I have chronic pain, neck fusion & lumbar fusion, was turned into the BON for taking meds, they had a hearing could not find any problem or anything I did wrong, but then decided I would need to be monitored b/c I am on pain meds. Went downhill from there, a few months into the 5yr contract I had a "failed drug test", several meds showed up, that to this day I have never taken. It was when the program was just started here, with a group out of Michigan, I feel like they needed someone to make an example of. I was told that I was non-compliant with the program, after getting permission from my therapist to do my drug test the next day instead of that day. I drove for my job, and had to go to another state that day, she then denied she ever gave me permission. And was in the room with me on several ocassions, and then tried to say I never showed up. Thank my other Therapist who was also there, stood up for me. Anyway long story short, I ended up hiring an attorney, spending in the neighobrhood of $7,000.00 to an attorney who wanted me to plead guilty to the non-compliance, and sign up for 5 more yrs, and I refused, so I was suspended for 3yrs. It has been 6yrs, but the way I was treated, I've been afraid to go back in front of them. Plus I just found out I have eight (8) herniated discs, 2 vertabrae w/no disc material in between them, and a compression fracture, so I've been told I will be on some type of pain medicine probably the rest of my life. I'm sure they want me to sign up for another 5 yrs, When in fact I never did anything wrong to begin with, my old boss even went with me to testify on my behalf, it seemed to make them harder on me. I could go on, but won't. I'm sure I've left some things out, I hope this makes sense. And by the way I went back to work in Law Enforcement where I worked prior to being a nurse, pass all the random drug tests, and have a very good working relationship with my bosses here, and a very good work record.

I totally agree with Redhairednurse completely, for whatever reason it seems harder to work with women than men. You have to sometimes "fake it" because it is a job, not your life. Please don't leave nursing, it is impairative you find something positive and fun on your off time. Remember you only have to be 100% happy with yourself, there will always be someone to put you down, or talk about you, or even make you feel like they are doing that. I have worked in several professions, they are everywhere!! Good Luck

WOW!! If there are soo many problems with this, why do they spend millions of dollars doing these? As for me it has been a nightmare.

I first would like to agree with almost everything you stated. I am an RN w/long term chronic pain, have tried soooo many different meds (to not be impaired, and yet have some sort of pain control, so I can do my job). I have had so many procedures, and 2 back surgeries to try and correct what is causing the pain, still have 4 herniated discs in my thoracic region, causes so much pain, can't fold clothes w/o pain, wash windows, cook, do dishes, read a book, certainly being on my feet, working as a floor nurse, also I tried a position where I sat most of the day, that also causes alot of pain. I have worked as a nurse for 18 +yrs, I have taken a break to try other jobs, to see if I can do them w/o pain, still having it. I really don't want to go on disability, I'm only 48 (be 49 on 6/19) and I'm not ready to give it up, I miss it every day, :heartbeat but certainly would never want to be imapired on the job, anywhere, and I have found a low dose of my meds, and regular exercise keeps me going pretty good, there are days when I really want to do more, and just can't, cannot vacuum, sometimes my family wants to go somewhere and I am having a really bad pain day, where I just cannot go with them, they have certainly made sacrifices also. You are 100% correct that there is always one or a few who make everybody look bad, and give us hard working professionals a bad name.:angryfire

Getting back to original posting by k r ah, I really think after yrs of experience, it is impressed upon you how so many people cheat the system. I started out being so nieve, never knowing who had ins or what type of payment. I sometimes think we let people get to us to a point where we make these judgements to vent, we as nurses work very hard for our money, so when others get stuff for less or nothing, it outrages us. I now always get the whole story before I make judgements. I am currently working in law enforcement, answering 911, really opens your eyes, unreal what people call 911 for (or the police in general, I would never think about calling for some of the things they call for) anyway the same thing here, people call and disclose some of the most different things and you want to talk about prejudice, the general public is very judgemental and prejudice. my 0.02

I have seen cases where, like in any other profession, there have been examples made of nurses, when the new company took over the SNAP(State Nurses Assistance Program). I personally watched a nurse (RN) who had no previous history of any kind, get ran through the mill for something that she was acused of but proved to just be an acusation. I was terrified to what extent the rep from the AG's office was ready to go. This nurse even had her Boss with her to testify on her behalf. And this nurse is still trying to prove to them they went to far. Like April&em, I was very disappointed in their approach, I currently work in law enforcement and my husband has for over 20yrs, he said it sounded like a "goat rodeo" in that there were all kinds of acusations being made by the BON and the AG's office rep.

I think that is a great idea. I am currently an ASN graduate and I'm thinking about getting a BSN in Healthcare Management. It would sure give you a good background when you do start, not to mention the recesson might be over or near over. Good Luck!!

I always wanted to be a nurse, then my brother was in a horrible car accident, I was standing at his bedside, he had a cut above his eyebrow, with brainmatter coming out. I knew then I had to be there for other people as they or their family needed someone to care for them.

I had spondolythesis in my neck and lower back, I was told I had too much damage for the front minimally invasive surgery, and had the same problem in lumbar area, alot of arthritis, and stenosis. And it was in early 2002, I think it was just starting around here.

http://www.stvincent.org/ourservices/Ortho/spine/Minimally_Invasive.htm I do not personally know of anyone who has had this. Dr Rick Sasso, has been instumental in this type of surgery (Indianapolis,IN). Look over this and see if it helps at all. I had to have the traditional neck, and lower back surgery. Dr Sasso did my neck fusion C4-C7, I have not had one single problem with my neck since, that was in Febuary 2002. I had lumbar fusion, went well also, just have alot of pain from other injuries. Hope this helps