skwlpn

I didn't find the notes on Ebay or Half...so I don't have them! Thanks for the heads up!

Thank you, thank you! I have gotten 5 books on Half.com for the various gen ed classes that I need and have spent less than $35.00 for all five. I am excited. I will go to the site you suggested NOW! Thanks again, Stacey

Yes, State Farm has a policy available. They are the ones I was talking about with the homeowners policy. I don't know if they offer it to people as an independent policy. Check it out anyway. It is worth a try. For me, it was half the cost of the full price policy that you got...and I bought it when I was just out of nursing school.

We have a malpractice policy available under our homeowners insurance. It is specifically for nurses and is very inexpensive. If you own your home, check with your agent.

Thanks for the information. I didn't even know that there was a distance learning forum. I will check it out. Congrats on finishing PN. I graduated in may of '06 and love it.

I am sure that I am not the first to ask, but everyone's experience here is so valuable. I am just starting the LPN-RN bridge via Excelsior and got my study guides for the gen ed classes that I am short. I am studying to take the microbiology test now. Anyone have any experience with the information/test? I just would like to be reassured that it is not going to be a horrible test where I am left staring at the screen in total ignorance. Also, how long did it take to study the material. I am hoping that I can get an idea of what to expect. I am very excited about this new adventure. And I am terrified! Thanks to all inadvance.

More genius. You guys are great! LOL!

Gettingupthere, that is just genius! Thanks for making my day!

Ok, this subject has probably been covered a million times on this site, but I haven't seen it yet. So, a little insight, please... I work as a floor nurse (LPN) on a med surg floor in a small hospital. I took care of a patient s/p ortho surgery. This patient was, after a few days, discharged by his ortho doc, but was held over one day by his family physician who was following his steadily decreasing H&H. Apparently these two MD's did not communicate, but I cared for the patient overnight awaiting AM bloodwork (which by the way showed a hbg of 7.2) and orders from the family physician for type and crossmatch. In the mean time, Ortho Man came in, glanced at the charts in the rack and, seeing the name of the patient he had discharged from his service the day before, asked in a loud voice (in front of seven second semester nursing students, "What the h*** is he still doing here?" Taken aback, I answered, "Well, he will be getting blood today." The doc said, "So!" As if we give blood at home or something. He then shouted the big "F word" and threw the chart against the rack with enough force to thrown papers on the floor. Is this normal behavior for docs? Do we suck it up or do something about it. I have great respect for MDs, but I felt a little abused. I have always worked overnnight shifts and had very little contact with docs except to call for orders and take a little cold sounding tones. I am still pretty upset by this. What do you think?

I worked through LPN school. Much depends on the type of student that you are. I worked full time in the ER of our local hospital as a tech. I didn't make a million dollars, but I made enough to live on and the experience (both the environment and the access I had to experienced nurses and doctors) was worth a million. I watched and assisted with procedures and saw things I haven't seen since then. I gained a vast amount of knowledge from that time. It enhanced my schooling. Because they were understanding of my education, they were also eager to work around my schedule at school. I am with Jules, BTW. The "focus on school" thing is over rated. I still have books that have the plastic on them...never opened. I just didn't find the need to study that much. Even working full time, I graduated among the top of my class. I also have a husband and 3 step-kids at home. If you can find something like I did, consider it school that pays both financiially and, more importantly, in experience. Best of luck to you!

Just beautiful....

I have to agree with TheCommuter. By and large the facilities that need to offer huge bonuses are having some kind of retention/reputation problem. I am sure there are exceptions, but I am betting they are few and far between. Stacey

I have found that the older the patient/resident the less respect I get from them. For instance, at the LTC where I used to work I would routinely have people call me the "little medication nurse" or ask "are you a nurse or just an LPN?" I think this may be just a cultural issue. These are the same people who grew up before racial integration and would sometimes make terrribly inappropriate remarks about race issues as well. Just has to do with what was appropriate and relevant at the time they were the generation "with their finger on the pulse". There was a time when LPNs were more like "little medication nurses" I guess. I am proud of my title, I just carry myself like a capable, competent nurse and I have never had anyone question me in the hospital where I now work...

I am about to start a similar program through Excelsior after hearing from co-workers (and my mother-in-law who is a nurse, too) that if I have the discipline to do it, this is a great way to get to my goal. I am excited! Go for it!

Yes, in nursing school you will learn dosage calcs that involve very basic, simple algebra that you will find a breeze because you understand WHY you are "solving for X". The problem that I always had with algebra was that I had nothing to relate it to. Heck if I knew what "X" was, I would have just used a number instead of a letter! You will have no trouble. Don't let fear of anything interfere with your dream. Your school will teach you well, you will have opportunities for extra help if you need it and, if your class is anything like mine, we became like sisters on a mission to make it through this common experience. God bless those girls! We got each other through. You will be FINE! Go for it. Stacey

I had very similar experiences with a nurse in my first "real" job in LTC. The nurse who tormented me worked 5 weekday shifts (days) and would relieve me every Monday morning (30 minutes late for 2 years) and was somehow able to blame any of her problems during the entire week on "that new, ignorant nurse who works weekend nights". This woman had been in her position for 10+ years and management was not interested in anything she was doing that was wrong, ie: my finding 4 day old dressing with her initials and the date that she signed off she had changed daily, her continual tardiness, huge med errors, etc. She never took a written report (she knew everything about all the residents), would make coffee and toast while I attempted to give report and I would have to chase behind her after she was done making breakfast so that she could take "the rest of report in the courtyard". It was a disaster. After the second or third report I made on serious problems and was ignored each time, I decided that the only thing I could do was document, document, document. Not necessarily in an accusatory way, but a fact based, cover your bottom, this is what I did and what happened during my shift type of daily "diary" careful not to violate HIPPA. Otherwise, I stood my ground. I did MY job to the best of my abilities. Truth be told, management knows about everything you have just discovered about this woman. Your good work, rapport with your residents, great charting and good attitude speaks for itself. When he was teaching me to drive and I would complain about someone tailgating me, my dad used to say, " you can only drive YOUR car." This is kind of the same. You can only run YOUR cart. Do it to the best of your ability and let her "expertise" roll off your back. Once you decide that she is no longer going to affect your day you will be so much happier. And when she sees that she is not annoying you, she may stop since the "joy" will be taken out of her actions. Hang in and do good work. You already know that your reward is not in accolades heaped on by others, but in the personal satisfaction of a job well done. I can't think of another profession where this is more true. Outwardly thankless and deeply, personally gratifying. Love your job. Taking care of others is a noble business. Stacey

It took me 35 years of knowing in the back of my mind that a nurse is what I was meant to be. I started dreaming about it when I was 5 years old. If you have that voice in your head telling you the same, don't ignore it. It only becomes harder to go back to school after you have started and been successful in another career and the nagging voice, in my case, never went away. I think it is a "follow your dreams" thing. Since starting in the medical field (first as a CNA as a requirement for my particular school of nursing) I have NEVER had any trouble finding a job. And each new experience just reinforced that I was finally where I was supposed to be. Follow your dreams, but be smart about it. Study the things you are weak in and get yourself a good NCLEX review. You do need to check with your state nursing board about eligibility, then go at it like a bulldog. Keep in mind that graduating from HS with a diploma and a nursing degree means you soaked up a lot of information in a very short time. Most of us went to nursing school after HS graduation. I can also say that all of the time I spent working as a tech in the ER and in LTC was a huge learning experience. I felt like I had real world experience that I could use to relate to my nursing studies. Huge advantage in my opinon. That is something to consider. Just do what makes you happy and don't take no for an answer. Find a way to make it work. Stacey

Congrats on going to school! Yes, we use algebra in dosage calcs etc. I was terribly intimidated by that prospect. I am a math moron and algebra might as well be a foreign language. The difference is, in nursing, algebra is not just an abstract problem in which we find for X. In nursing, there is a reason for finding X and the fomula makes sense! Nursing school pharm was the first time that formulas and equations ever made sense. That is the difference. Don't be scared. Just clear your brain of all of the scary feelings and, in my case, the huge sense of failure that you may have from past attempts at this subject and let it be a new experience. Good luck to you!

Always amazing...thanks. I will make sure that the other nurses with whom I work are aware as well. We were all living in pure ignorance.

i googled...apparently my skills are lacking because i can only find references to florence n. and some other female pioneers. can you enlighten me?

It has been said that nurses eat their young...and that is very true in LTC. I have worked in 3 LTC facilities either as a nurse oringinally as a CNA. They are breeding places for mean, backstabbing behavior. I finally made it out. I took a nearly $10 on the hour paycut...and saved my sanity and my license. A vindictive nurse (or aid for that matter) can cause you much trouble. Don't give up on nursing. We need caring, respectful and eager nurses. Just try another type of nursing of you can possibly get out of LTC. Something new will likely pay less, but how much is your mental health worth? Hang in! We need you! Stacey

True. RNs should earn more based on college credits, I suppose. But, the gap is narrowing as far as scope of practice. I think the difference in pay rates doesn't reflect that.

Amen! I have been beaten by more 80 year olds than I can count. I now have a herniated disc, a shoulder injury and many scars from bites and finger nail...and that was just from one patient! LOL! The compensation is reallly sad considering the level of knowledge necessary and the skills required. I love my work, but would love better pay. By the way, in KY, we used to be allowed to hang blood. That was in our scope of practice since 2006. Apparently there were errors made and the Kentucky Board of Nursing changed its advisory opinion. It was not something that we did for years and years. It was one of several changed made in 2006. Only this one has changed. Stacey

Believe it or not, leadership skills can be and are learned in many areas other than the military. I speak as the wife of a Marine (semper fi) Drill Instructor who is now a firefighter/paramedic. I have the utmost respect for the leadership skills one can learn from the armed services....but Stanley, sir, I am afraid that you are over the top with your authority. Keep in mind that you are entering a field DOMINATED by women. Nursing has been founded by, lead by and worked by women for generatrions. Perhaps one of the skills that they do not teach in the military is the ability to relate to your subordinates. I have found, as a leader in my workplace, that my subordinates (who are always treated with respect and dignity) are harder workers by virture of a mutual respect vs the "drop and give me 20" mentality. That is not to say that when discipline is necessary, I am unable to administer it. But my reputation as a fair, ethical and competent supervisor as well as nurse gives my subordinates the confidence that they will be treated fairly. Just for the record, when you DO become a nurse, you will be seen as a leader and your attitude is what will make the difference. Why even mention that you are a CNA. You are a staffing coordinator. You may have CNA credentials, but your job is staffing. It seems as though you are trying to pull rank. It seems you just want to incite chaos by your "I am a CNA and I own the nurses" attitude. IT IS NOT ALWAYS NECESSARY TO BLOW YOUR OWN HORN. Keep your gajillion years of military experience and your political views to yourself. If you are truly effective, your work speaks for itself. Who cares that you spent years in the military and can speak multiple languages. Nursing is about other people, not ourselves. My whole point is that I know that you have offended me in several areas. I am sure I am not alone. God help the CNA who had to work WITH you when you are a nurse. Will you own (dominate) them too? and how obvious will it be that you feel that way???? Stacey

For years I gave my husband a hard time about his back pain (herniated disc at L5). I told him it could not possibly be as painful as he made it sound. I called him a whiner, etc....then, I got what felt like a bolt of electricity down my R leg followed by the most excutiating pain I have ever had....and I have had many treatments related to CA and other health issues. All of the rest seemed like cake compared to back pain. I have had one flare since the initial accident and I am living in fear of the next. God bless you for going to work with pain and we can only assume that the "meanies" have never suffered the same. I berated my spouse...and I got my just reward...funny how things even out! Hang in there sweetie. You know you are a better person. Stacey