lpnornot

I've been reading alot lately about how nutrition and avoidance of toxins could be the most important key to staying healthy. People in traditional societies dont have the chronic diseases we do in the industrialized or maybe even agricultural world. Diseases like cancer, heart disease, diabetes, MS etc. People from these socities start eating our "western Diet" and start getting these modern diseases. People have been cured from cancer and arthritis and asthma from eating organic foods-mostly fruits and vegetables (Gerson therapy). Read Michael Pollans books "In Defense of Food" and "Omnivore's Dilemna". We should be eating lots of fresh local, preferably organic fruits and vegetables, meat and dairy from grass fed, (non chemically fed) animals. This is nutrient dense food, non-toxic, fats full of omega 3 and heathly lanoielic (sp) acid. No refined sugars (sugar, dextrose, maltose,prob even honey and syrup if it is refined and filtered,) no refined grains or oils. No processed foods ie make it yourself from whole foods. Yes it takes time. It also makes you healthy, reduces, maybe eliminates your dependence on drugs, and doctors, saves on medical bills, helps to prevent pollution, gives farmers a decent living and wage-not one of pesticide induced cancer, reduces our tax burden to pay for corn subsidies, reduces our dependence on oil and the wars involved-costs included, takes money and power away from the monoplozing huge processing and seed industry, reduces antibody residence, land is protected from Monsantos evil grip(with thier genetically modified seeds) and animals are not tortured, yes tortured on factory farms. What I have learn has almost completely put me off the idea of a career as a nurse esp an lpn who I think spends most of thier time giving and almost pushing drugs (cause they have to follow doctors orders)that very likely are unnecessary.

Hi kstec just wondering where you live, where the job opportunity is so great. Thanks.

You're right. I've thought of leaving for a while but havent made the effort-esp with this economy. But I really do have to at least try to see what else is out there. Thank you!

_have you ever had bosses who only comment on the negative aspects of their staffs performance? -Who assume and expect the worst out of you. I work so hard to please the clients and go out of my way and do more than expected of me. I get so many compliements from the clients and family members but my bosses very rarely give me any encouragement at all. The only time I ever heard an employee praised was when one of us went to work right before an operation. Do we hve to risk our health to get any sign of appreciation? Ive worked for over a year and have not had a raise since the first 3 mths. it took a month to get them to say they would renew my CNA certificate and then on the day before it was due to expire. So I contacted my other agency and it was done with in 12 hrs on line. We had a mandatory meeting-the whole thing was about what caregivers are doing wrong, how busy the staff (so busy they dont communicate well with employee or clients), if we dont answer our phone we were accused of avoiding on call work, how we are not guarenteed a vacation even if we request it one month in advance, it is now mandatory to be on call to work weekends!! When I started this job there was no mandatory weekends. Thats why I work for this agency where I have no job security, no paid vacation, have to work holidays, no health insurance, no paid personal days, because I dont have to work evenigs and weekends so I can be there for my kids and not loose money to daycare expenses.They say we would be abandoning clients if we took a vacation or didnt do a weekend. No!!!! the onus is on them to cover a shift we did not agree to take, they can hire a temp and hire per diem staff. I love the other agency I work for part time. That boss treats me with the respect Im used to experiencing from an employer.

I couldnt agree with you more about disliking powerpoint. Too many professors use it to cover what they have to teach w/o being able to explain the material themselves. I had one prof, wiht a master in education, who it seemed took notes on a topic and just posted them on the powerpoint mistakes and all-they were badly organized, almost incoherant at times and sometimes in accurate. And when I asked for explanations on a deeper psysiological level she wasnt always able to explain. I went often back to my A and P book or a the pathopysiol book. A masters level pathopsy might have helped cus ours wasnt too great. Be that as it may its important to learn the material the best you can in as short a time a possible and dont spend too much time dwelling on her inadequacies or loosing any morale, fortitude or positive attitude which you will need in spades. Write an anonymous note to maybe help you and your classmates and those in the future and dont expect it to do any good, unfortunately. best of luck.

I had professors who read material and took notes and posted them on power point and that was our lecture (regurgitation). There were a lot of mistakes-content, grammer, spelling. some of it was incomprehensible. I spent so much time teaching myself from the books, even goin back to A and P text to understand the underlying physiology for what we were learning because the profs couldnt explain it on such a basic fundamental level. But they are like Gods and you have to be the sheep and suck it up and let it go and hold on to what is valid from the lectures, focus on what it good. Acknowledge what is wrong and injust, and save it for the evaluations and dont count on them doing any good. All that matters to many of them is the money they get for the NCLEXs that are passed. You cant do what I did and consume yourself wiht anger and indignation, it really gets in the way of your learning and happiness.

Just wondering about how different RN school is from LPN. I want to do LPN in a year or so. I completed the first semester and a bit of RN school. It was too much for me as a single Mom. Also, I'm very theory oriented and wanted to understand on a deeper level-like the level of A and P. I'm re-reading my A and P book and will read HUETHERS pathopysiology book to prepare for LPN. Please tell me it is less intense than RN school. I welcome an emphasis on skills. If they dont focus on the why of things I'll have that covered myself. I also dont want to be sleep deprived during lab time like last time. Thanks.

I agree lepspn, the judgmental comments about who you were hanging out with were out of line, arrogant in fact. I hope the second hand smoke didnt effect your test and you succeed in your LPN career!! Best of Luck

Urine is urine even if it is dilute.

Just wondered how you find it. -What are the hours over the weekend? Its T,Th,F 5:30 to 8:30, right? -Is it very intense -time consuming? If anyone has done any RN semesters at AACC, how does it compare in terms of work load. The NCLEX questions look easier. -Are the instructors good-good lectures that actually make sense of the material or do you have to teach yourself? I know next year there will be a new coordinator and heard the last one was nice. -Where are they telling you the jobs will be? and what kind of job prospects for grads esp in this ecomomy. Are there jobs that dont involve heavy patient lifting? -sorry for so many questions. You cant always get the straight answer from profs who want to promote their program. Any help at the earliest convenience(were in the middle of holidays!) would be greatly appreciated. I'm confused about what to do and want to move on in my career.

I didnt use Saunders myself,I should have. It was a recommendation from a wonderful nurse who graduated from AACC around last yeae. She said the questions for exams are similar to the questions in that book and that it is a great summary after you have read the the assigned chapters. I didnt mean to be too negative about AACC but realistic. They do churn out great nurses who can actually pass the NCLEX, I think 100% of the time which isnt the case wiht other colleges. I had one good professor and clinical instructor and heard of some great clinical instructors and I wasnt there for long.

From the semester and a bit that I completed I can advise this: Try to get enough sleep, though that will be tough. Try to do as much exercising as you can even 15 mins a day. You will need it as a stress reliever. Prepare to teach yourself to a great extent-these professors are not like the ones for prereqs. Brace your self for injustices. Use a lot of postive affirmation-dont expect too much encourgement from professors. Its a weeding out game they play but you can win. Get the Suanders NCLEX book for a summary and do the problems for every semester. Make freinds to study with and for support. Take a lot of deep breaths. Best of Luck!!

Thats good to know there are jobs, thanks. So the "no-lift" policies that should be in effect essentailly aren't? What about assisted living wiht residents who are more independent, pediatricians office, pysh nursing-there cant be too much heavy lifting there? Heavy lifting is really dangerous for any one no matter your muscle mass or frame size-vertabrae get compressed, period. It scares me. I've hurt my back minorly already-but that was ridiculous lifting as a CNA. Thanks again for the imput.

bring in your resume to every place you want to work whether you know they are hiring or not. When they need someone they have you on file anyway. Dress really well and make a good impression. Dont rely on adds in the paper-too much competion. Go in person, dont mail a resume.This is the advice I got for job hunting in general-not LPN in particular. best of luck!!!

Hi, I'm sorry to hear your discouraging news. Can i ask what state you live in. I'm considering an LPN career but not if I cant find a job! There's supposed to be a nursing shortage! But hang in there. Have you tried subbing as a nurse at schools, private and public? The PCTidea sounds good too. Best of luck!!