Gamom2three

I also work in detox. I work at a narcotic addiction center. We specialize in medication management therapy. Another common name is a methadone clinic. I hate that because there is such a negative attitude towards methadone. I had the same attitude about it until I understood it. People who are addicted to opiates like lortab, oxycodone, and even heroin can go thru horrible withdrawals. A lot of time, people will not obstain from using them due to the withdawal symptoms. What we do is start the patient on 20-30mgs methadone and gradually increase until their withdrawal symptoms are alleviated. The reach a "maintenance dose" that stay at for about a year while they get their life back on track. Then, the are gradually tappered off of the methadone usually at a decrease of 5mg every 2weeks. This has proven to be highly effective for many patients. It is also very rewarding. It is amazing when you have a patient that starts treatment taking up to 15 lortab or oxycodone a day, don't have a job, lost custody of their kids, and feel helpless. Then you see them slowly build their life back and remain abstinent of drugs! I love what I do. Although it is not for everyone. GAmom2three:nurse:

I am not sure where you live but if I had to do it over again in Georgia, I would go straight for my RN. Don't get me wrong, I love being a nurse but LPN jobs are hard to come by in middle Georgia. The ones that you can find don't pay what I think we are worth. It took me about 18 months (with core) to become an LPN. My first job I took paid $12.50 an hour. That was after I turned down at least three that only wanted to pay me $10.00-$10.50 an hour. I just changed jobs to a 33 hour/week job that pays $30,000/year salary. The hours help me to go back to school (online). The main reason I say go ahead for your RN is because so many schools are eliminating their LPN-RN bridge programs. That is the problem I am having. I live in Macon, Ga and there is no local school that has a bridge program. There is a school on Tifton, GA that has an accelerated bridge program that is one day a week but it has a 2 year waiting list. That's why I am doing it online. If you can go thru a conventional program year RN program then I would suggest that. I couldn't because at the time I had 2 kids and I needed to do the quickest thing to start earning a paycheck. My poor husband supported us by himself for long enough! Anyway, this is just my suggestion. Whatever you choose should be what is right for you and no one else. Good luck and I hope you enjoy nursing as much as I do!! Gamom2three:nurse:

Has anyone had any experience with The College Network? I signed up with The College Network to do my LPN-RN bridge program thru Excelsior. Only now I find out that GA BON isn't recognizing Excelsior anymore. (I signed up prior to this information becoming public knowledge) They also offer the LPN-BSN thru Indiana State. They even guarantee your acceptance there. I can change to this program if the Ga BON doesn't change their mind about Excelsior. Does anyone know anything about this LPN-BSN program? Thanks. GAmom2three:nurse:

I worked in a hospital in Fort Valley, Ga. for two years and pushed Lasix many times. There is nothing listed on the BON website that says what we can or cannot do. It IS up to the facility that you work for. I had to call the BON to find out because I wasn't sure if I should give a patient a blood tansfusion. The hopsital that I worked for had a policy that the RN had to sign with me when we verified that blood from the lab and the RN had to actually start the transfusion and be in there for the first 15 minutes. After that, it was my responsibility to take care of that patient. I had patients on Heparin drips that I had to titrate up and down. I felt comfortable doing this because I did have a RN charge nurse that would help me whenever I was unsure. Anyway, do check with your employer to see their policy and procedure manual. They are required by the Office of Regulatory Services to have one.