deadend

I took hesi in May of this year. My advice to you is to know the "hesi hints"(the shaded boxes) there was some math on the exam and it was multiple step dosage calculations. Know your peds dosage calculations well. The hesi test, to me was nothing like NCLEX. the NCLEX was mainly critical thinking but the hesi is more knowledge based. It was composed of every area of nursing so do not rely on your med-surg knowledge. It is a very good predictor of how well you will do on the NCLEX in my opinion. If you did well in class on the exams you will do well with hesi. My classmates who were barely making in school did not do well on the hesi and a few will have to do remedial work before they can re-test and graduate. I scored a 99.99 on the hesi and passed state boards the first try. Good luck:)

Welcome to long term care:) If the DON starts talking about working on the skilled unit, run for the hills!!!!! 30 patients on a long term care intermediate unit is not uncommon in my city, actually as an LPN I have had as many as 58 residents on one unit however 95% were DNR and their conditions were stable and predictable (usually) I would be very cautious if I were you because if you get stuck on the skilled unit you may be overloaded with medicare daily documentation, MDS/Careplanning, treatments, G-tubes, IVs, Accuchecks, Insulins regular injections and sliding scale all the meds and concerned family members. While you are in orientation, observe and get a good idea as to what the acuity of the residents on your unit will be

rosieposie; I heard an alarm go off in my head when you said that your former employer is being audited by medicare. This tells me that Medicare not your boss imay be having your license reviewed. When medicare auditors show up they look at licenses, documentation and will randomly pick a nurses license to review. Unfortunately yours was picked and the original date of licensure is public knowledge. The services that the office billed for was most likely for a licensed nurse if you were not licensed at the time of the audit this constitutes fraud. Your bosses are surely trying to cover for themselves and you know what happens to the last man on the totem pole. This is still not an excuse for them to not have verification of your qualifications to practice but they are trying to save face. I am not trying to frighten you but If I were you I would also be preparing for a hearing with the the office of inspector general because this may be next. Does your attorney truly know all the facts?

I don't know where you are from but, I just completed the LPN to RN AD program in May. My school 's critera was that you must have completed the LPN program from an accredited program. So be careful you may receive your license but may not qualify for the LPN bridge program. In my state you also must complete a year of nursing in a clinical setting. The hours you received from the LPN course went toward your degree. 60+ credit hours Good luck!!!!!! :)

Michelle we are a non-for profit facility The ADM is a new young guy who has never been through a survey until last year. Today some of the nurses have made up their mind to go to the CEO of the facility. I have tried to tell them to be patient, and to go up the chain of command properly However they want to go directly to the top because he had been the previous ADM. It is going to be prety interesting these next few weeks By the way. The DON will finally meet the staff on 12/11 (she or the ADM must have heard about the staff's concern) As I said previously I genuinely like this new DON and I think she would be a good leader for this facility, she has shown me nothing but respect I just don't understand why she feels she has to be so harsh with the nurses

had the same problem at my facility the derm docs ruled out scabies in 8 0f the pts we sent but lo and behold we sent one pt to a unknown dermatologist and he came up with a positive scabies. Too late though the staff from laundry on up started itching. Ever had Winter-Itch in your building? There is news out that bedbugs on on the rise which causes symptoms of scabies FIND A NEW DERM DOC before you get a state visit and by all means isolate those 7 the state will frown upon you if you do not educate and protect the other residents and staff. This is the only thing that saved us when they came in. In my state it is a $65,000 fine and countless revisits. Have your ducks in a row because it is now not a matter of if they come in, it is when they come, because some staff person or family member will tip them off Good Luck!!!!!!!!!!

Thank-you Chris I do feel I have an obligation to these nurses and the facility. We are preparing for our annual state survey and I am afraid that we will have disgruntled nurses and CNAs during survey which would be a disaster, and all the DON will say is "we are in transition, these problems were here before I came" In all actuality this is a good facility or I would not have been here for so long. The facility sent me to school for my RN and was so flexible with my schedule it weas relatively easy for me. I feel an obligation to try and advert this disaster. Some of the nurses have been here 20+ years I really have no clue as to how to guide them, as the ADON (new to the position as of August) the new DON is acutally very nice to me after I had to inform her that I too had a part-time job on the weekend and NO I will not be on call every weekend because she works on the week-end. The administrator is a young guy, just got his license a year ago and for the life of me I could not understand how he could tell her it was okay for her to work on the weekend part-time and not take on call (neither of them seem to realize that this is now her facility and any problem that arises be it weekend or during the week it is her responsibility) Teh ADM has not a clue as to the problems he will incur if the nursing staff abandon him. Thanks for the replies all I would love to chat more andf keep you posted as to the outcome

ktwlpn I know exactly how you feel in my scenerio; The DON got fired and guess who was left holding the bag as acting DON? Me. Our patient stayed on isolation for 2 months finally he is cured staff came down with the scabies including me. The house MDs came to the floor one day and said, "All the pts are saying, I itch" The state came in but had no findings. We too were blamed by the staff saying that we were not doing enough to contian the scabies. We did education up the whazoo but for some reason the laundry staff kept complaining and probably reported us. It was the scariest time of my life, thank God we survived. By the way the previous DON was let go because she was trying to give the staff over the counter NIX when they developed the rash/itch. I am curious as to what was the states problem with isolating this pt? Our surveyor told us "because you protected the other residents and **** has been isolated we have no findings"How else are you going to contain this mess. We are due for our annual survey and I am wondering if they will revisit this issue all the charts have tx orders for Elmite. They will not be able to miss this. What should we be doing to prevent reoccurences/prepare for them to revisit this issue? Your experience/reply will be greatly appreciated

Michelle we are employment at will. Some of the nurses are planning to go to administration about the new DON. She has been here three weeks and has not formally introduced herself to the staff, our 1st in-service she was introduced to the PM shift and the 1st thing out of her mouth was "welcome to my world" I feel so bad, because the nurses are looking to me for guidance. I keep telling them "well maybe she is just trying to establish herself" I have noticed that when we are in 1:1 meetings she is actually nice. I feel we do need a DON who can provide more leadership than our previous "airhead" DON but I am afraid if this continues the nursing staff will leave and who will be stuck working the floor? Me she just does not realize what a blessing it is to have inherited such committed nurses vs coming into a facility where there are staffing problems and so many other issues. I was actually offered the DON position but felt that I was not rady for this challenge I have been working here for 12 years and have seen DONs come and go particularly because of the way this new DON is acting it is as if she does not want to estalish a relationship with the current nursing staff because she does not plan to keep them. PS glad you responded

TOOK HESI IN MAY, GOT 99.99 PERCENTILE. BY ALL MEANS GET THE HESI REVIEW BOOK AND CDs STUDYING NCLEX REVIEW BOOKS WILL NOT HELP YOU. MY FRIEND HAS FAILED HESI 3 TIMES BECAUSE SHE JUST WON'T LISTEN. DO NOT MAKE THAT MISTAKE HESI IS MORE KNOWLEDGE BASED VS NCLEX MORE APPLICATION. THE HESI BOOK HAS "HESI HINTS" IN THEM" LITTLE SHADED BOXES OF INFO, KNOW THEM WELL AND YOU WILL SUCCEED. BELEIVE ME HESI IS NOT LIKE ANY OTHER TEST YOU WILL TAKE. I BOUGHT THE HESI REVIEW BOOK WHILE IN THE NURSING PROGRAM AND IT WAS AMAZINGLY HELPFUL IN PASSING MY EXAMS I RECOMMEND PURCHASING THAT BOOK NOW AND USING IT ALONG WITH YOUR OTHER MATERIALS. HOPE THIS HELPS

Hello Scotti Thank God you took your hubby back!!!!!! Several weeks ago I to had the worst headache of my life, (not used to headaches) Went to my regular Doc and he looked into my eyes and ears and said "i don't see anything, but you are already taking antibiotics" The headaches persisted they felt like stabbing pains in the back of my head. I went to the ER several days later and the ER Doc took a CT scna and offered a lumbar puncture which I declined the lumbar puncture after he said (your rt ear does look kind of funny, Now this is a doctor telling me something looks funny) He started me on another AB and I have been feeling much better however I am wondering if I made the mistake of not taking the lunbar puncture) Oh by the way he also said "you know how dangerous a LP can be" How encouraging!!!! as if he did not want me to take it. I completed the AB yeasterday but if the headaches return I will be right back there demanding every test in the book. we have to take care of ourselves. I never tell hospital/clinic/ER staff that I am a nurse they assume you know everything they do and they either go overboard with info or they leave out info. I hope your hubby continues to do well, I know he thanks God every day for you.

had a severe case of pneumonia about 15 years ago every year i get sick as a dog with the flu whetehr I take the flu shot or not I have already had one bout of the Flu this year several weeks ago and with it for the 1st time in my life (that I can remember) I also got an ear infection with it anyone know what are the chances of being hit with the Flu agin this year? Did not take the Flu shot because when It was offered I was already feeling sick, is it too late my thoughts are that since I have already contracted the Flu this year maybe if I get hit again it may not be as severe please respond.

I have a new DON (finally) at my facility. Accepted the ADON position in Aug. a month later the previous DON was terminated and I was left holding the responsibility of acting DON. The time between DONs went smoothly because the nursing staff trusted and supported me (I've worked with these nurses for years in the position of careplan coordinator prior to taking the ADON job) My problem is two-fold 1. The new DON is trying to bring in 2 of her nurses from her previous job which would mean some of the nurses currently on staff will have to go. I have talked to her about the loyalty these nurses have shown thru a very difficult time and informed her that staffing was not an issue in this facility however she seems determined to find an excuse to terminate some of the nurses. I feel I am beeing forced to advocate for the nurses we currently have, however I don't want it to appear that I am not showing loyalty to my new boss. We do have a wonderful group of nurses who come to work. Staffing is excellent which to my understanding was not the case in the previous facilty this new DON worked. I was told they used agency all the time. We have not had to use agency in at least 5 or 6 years. How do I deal with this new issue without appearing too negative? She is just not getting it!!!!!!! 2. To top it all off she keeps telling me about "this wonderful LPN" from her previous facility she wants to bring on board, and has scheduled an interview with her on Monday however she wants me to do the interview with her being present. I do the monthly schedule and there is no place to put this new "wonderful LPN" Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. P.S. Most of our nursing staff are RNs and suprisingly upper management does not mind, I do not want to go to the administrator about this because I am sure it will cause a rift in our new relationship. I truly like the new DON I actually interviewed her for the job and recommended her hire. The nurses are feeling insecure about their position here and they talk to me because they trust me. I feel I am caught in the middle of a bad situation :eek:

I TOOK THE RN HESI IN MAY OF THIS YEAR, TO ME IT WAS NOTHING LIKE STATE BOARDS (SCORED 99.99 PROBABILITY) HESI WAS MORE KNOWLEDGE BASED VS CRITICAL THINKING. HOWEVER MY FRIEND HAS TAKEN HESI 3 TIMES AND CANNOT GET TO THE REQUIRED 87% THAT MY SCHOOL REQUIRED. THE PERSON WHO LAST POSTED THAT IT DOES NOT KEEP YOU FROM TAKING BOARDS IS WRONG IF SHE IS FROM MY CITY. I AM CURIOUS AS TO WHAT OTHER SCHOOLS CALL REMEDIAL WORK FOR NOT PASSING HESI. MY FRIEND WAS TOLD THAT BECAUSE SHE DID NOT MEET THE STANDARD OF 87% ON HESI, SHE WOULD HAVE TO AUDIT THE LAST YEAR OF NURSING BEFORE SHE CAN RETAKE HESI WHICH WILL PUT HER BACK A YEAR. SOME ONE FROM ILLINOIS PLEASE RESPOND

Iam curious as to a situation that is occurring in a facility where my friend works here's the scenerio: A patient was dx with scabies, several patients since developed the rash but when sent to the derm DOCs they are not dx-ing scabies the medical director ordered all the patients on the 2 floors be treated with Elmite. She says now several staff persons including laundy, and housekeeping have developed the rash with itching she says her DON and the supervisor have been giving the staff the Elmite cream with instructions on proper use and telling them to go and see their Doctor. My question is Isn't this prescribing? What are the legal ramifications for this? What do you do you cannot let the staff just itch and potentially spread this. Any one out there dare to tackle this one?