amyslater

Do I smell hormones?

NO DONT LOOK FOR MY POLL! I GOOFED AGAIN. I can't seem to get the hang of things around here. I can't type very well, just look at the last post---what is a broher? I guess you folks will look over me this once. I am really interested in why we don't take better care of ourselves though. I know a lot of nurses who smoke or are overweight or both(myself included). I know some who are on medications for various forms of mental illness and some who are chemically dependent. I will appreciate any and all responses.

I would be very interested in knowing how many nurses there are with a mental illness or drug addiction of some sort. I know lots of nurses who are on medications for depression, anxiety, bi-polar ect. I also know that there are many of our brohers and sisters who are chemically dependant. Okay, I am starting a poll. Maybe iour law makers here would be interested to know just what kind of toll the stress from our jobs create. look for my poll.

Are there any West Virginia nurses out there? I can't believe that with the way things are going for us that there are no rants or raves here. I know my pay is crap. Have you read any of the threads where someone is making just under $48 per hour. Is our hospital system the worst in the worl to work for or what? Do you realize that some of the dudes in patient transport (St. Francis) are making more than some nurses?

Bravo ainz

Whomever said "diaper patrol", shame on you. If you are comfortable working with psych patients of any age, you will do fine working with geriatric psych. Maybe you can float or shadow someone a few times before making a choice. Please make sure you try out a morning and a night shift because Larry has a point about sundowning. Working with the elderly is VERY draining. It is pretty tough to work with so many folks who are nearing the end of their lives. Most have multiple chronic conditions and very limited mobility, which means more for you to do. Add psych conditions to all of this and there you go. I wish you much luck. If you decide to go for it, please know that you will be doing somthing so very worthwhile, so very far away from "diaper patrol".

I have been a "helper" and a "care taker" all of my life. I have been getting paid for it for four years. If you have the heart for it, nursing can be very rewarding but you will not be getting rich. If you can pass the CPA exam, you will blast through the NCLEX. I would say go for the LPN license and see how you like it. I am single parent and an LPN and I love the job. However, the shifts that the majority of nurses work means sacrificing a LOT, and I mean a LOT of family time. This is the one thing that I did not consider when I was thinking about nursing school and it is the one thing that has caused me the most grief. Good luck and ALOHA.

Everyone here has offered good advice. Just being there and talking goes a long way. Listening is also very important, even if it is the same story over and over. After four years in long-term care and many deaths, I have found that the greatest comfort to the geriatric population is just knowing that someone is there for them,

I am an LPN and I will be going back to school in January. Now that I am living in the real world, I am interested in finding out what field will offer me the greatest earning power when I obtain an RN license. Care to share?