kelly65rn

I know LPN's that work in Dr. Offices or clinics...like immediate care clinics. Have you thought about any of these? I have one friend who loves it because she isn't dealing with too much yuck stuff. She takes the patients in the rooms, takes care of the doctors orders, gives a few shots..except flu season when she said she never stops giving flu shots, and she also does simple labs and she is off weekends and holidays. I know you must be frustrated, but there is something for you. Unfortunately, it usually pops up when you least expect it. Good Luck and Don't Give up Kelly

I graduated from EC/Regents in 1999 and have never had a problem. I've never had one person say anything to me in a negative manner regarding my education. I also was an LPN with 3 years in a LTC...no hosp exp..... and passed CPNE the first time. I was anxious and nervous, but I knew those critical elements up one side and down the other. The rest was basic nursing and using common sense. I would tell anyone to not try the CPNE if you are having personal difficulties but to wait until you can devote every waking thought to it. Just being nervous made me second guess myself during the CPNE. I couldn't have passed if I was overly stressed in other areas of my life. Kelly

A couple of years ago, I was offered a position on an Oncology floor. I had really wanted to try it. I was (am) an experienced Dialysis nurse but had never worked on a hospital floor before. SO....the nurse manager makes me think I've been hired into the greatest place and answers my questions with credible sounding answers. I go through general and Nursing orientation then on to the floor. Well.................It took me about 15 minutes to know I might be in trouble. They put me with a nurse that turned out to have 8 patients and was charging because she was the only staff nurse on the floor. All others were agency. After about 2 hours, she was called to avert a crisis and I was left to care for 8 patients with no help and no hospital experience. I called the nurse manager who was conveniently unavailable. I called the nurse supervisor who was dealing with a code. I was stuck. I felt I couldn't leave these patients without a nurse, so I did what I felt able to do and anything I was uncomfortable with had to wait. I gave meds (that was ok) but when I had to start fooling with pumps that I knew nothing about I drew the line. I asked for help from the agency nurses but they had, you guessed it. Ten patients a piece. They did get to share an LPN for PO meds (woohoo). When that acting charge nurse reappeared, I blasted her first for leaving me....any nurse....on a floor her first day with 8 patients and no help, then I proceeded to track down the Nurse Manager, who I let have it. I was an unhappy nurse and after 6 hours of hell, I told them both that those 8 patients were never assigned to me so I was leaving as they could not claim abandonment. I never, ever, ever went back and I told every nurse I knew to stay far away. I suppose what ticks me off the most is that the hospitals are screaming nursing shortage and promising bonuses to new hires, but are working there staff like dogs to keep making a buck. If the nurses aren't available, then they aren't available. Close some beds until you get more nurses hired and oriented. It will save money in the longrun by cutting down on the lawsuits. SO Sorry....went off on a tangent. Jnette-------I'm glad you won't have to face what the other nurses at that hospital are, but don't you all think that as long as any nurses let admin get away with something like that, they will just keep sticking it to 'em. They all need to leave! Just my $.02 cents (ok more like 10)