karmil

I am Home Health/Hospice Nurse and always wear gloves and whatever I need to prevent getting or giving infection. I would report any nurse to Infection Control who is lazy or sloppy in these guidelines.

AHHHH.. but WHO PAYS for this? THAT is the problemo...

I am SO GLAD I work for a fanatically HONEST Director!!!

I have 170,000+ miles on the 04 Corolla and it cost me .7 cents/mile and I make up to .58/mile. It depends on where you live. Here in the midwest a 4x4 is needed a lot! My hubbie has a 4x4 if I am desparate...but I love my Toyota and it keeps on pounding the pavement.

Do a GREAT job...us LPN's are counting on other LPN's to prove their worth! Best Wishes!

I went into HH after 17 years of being home raising kids and running a home based business. It took me a bit getting back up to speed, but it is the best nursing job I ever had! I had to learn new meds and tecniques, but I am a better nurse for gaining wisdom after children and clients. I am grateful my boss hired me and other nurses who were out a long time. My husband is their Hospice Chaplain and I am sure that's why she even considered me (I am an LPN). Once she realized how well an experienced LPN could fill the gaps, she has since hired many more. I can really see myself retiring from this career. If Obama dosen't replace us with foreign nurses!

I have long thought this would be an excellent idea, especially for nursing mothers and high risk for pp depression.

We use CPSI. I am very cpu literate and yet this program took me a long time to master because you may answer the same question in many different system assessments. It takes me 30 min if I hand chart and 45-1hour if I use the cpu. I luck out a lot and my cpu gets taken because I am an prn LPN and the RN's need it to do Oasis. When we get back in to the office, we have to upload to the main cpu and than download and print/review/sign all the assessments. If I hand chart, I put it in the chart and I am done! The cpu is handy when I need instant answers what the nurse before me found when making a judgement call. The worst part about the cpu is it does freeze! A week ago I lost 2 assessments in it. NOT GOOD!

Tell them next time you know an LPN whose State Board (NY 1974) was 700 Questions and 8 hours long. What ignorant people!!!!

Sweetie, I have been "only an LPN" for 34 years and STILL wish I went on, but choose to raise children instead. I cringe when I have to work with a ADN because there bedside skill is nill, and the head is huge. LOL! I am an EXPERT at the bedside and KNOW how to administer good care. I am a Home Health/Hospice Nurse and judgement calls are important in every home. The RN's depend on me being a great nurse to their pts as primary nurses. I got intorduced by my boss to a new RN as, "OUR LPN". Hmmm...I thought about that. It helped boost me that I was a team player that they depend on. Just an LPN is one thing but I am THEIR LPN. MOST of the RN's I work with were aids and then LPN's who went for their RN. If I was younger, I would go on to school just for the knowledge to deepen the quality of care. It was not easy becoming an LPN and you need to remember that. Tell those who belittle your education that you are a trained professional bedside nurse!! Smile big!!

How come you hated workig at Skaggs and where did you live before? Thanks! Karmil

Missouri pay is low, BUT so is the cost of living. You can buy a nice house under 100K and gas right now is $1.45/gal. Weigh the factors. I am from NY and LOVE Missouri.

I have an RN friend in Branson and he told me the pay was terrible. I would love to live near there and the the cost of living is cheap. Check out Skaggs Hospital. It't good size. There are good large hospitals in Springfield (30 min from Branson).

I trained in NY, but the CHALLENGE came when I took a job in a small rural hospital in MO. I learned to be a multi-tasker quickly. I nursed all ages and dealt with all sorts of illness and did OB. Now I am a Home Health/Hospice Nurse in this rural area. I have had 20 cats circle my car and some lay on it until I started to drive away... shooing chickhens (25) in order to get to the door...trudging through gravel roads, mud, snow and horse pies. I started taking photos of the sites I see on the road during my day in the country. Try explaining to your boss you were late because you had to wait for a cow to give birth in the road before you passed! Here, that's not an issue! Yes, KNOW that EVERYONE is related and politics reigns. Rural people appreciate the help because they get little. There is no pharmacy to deliver or meals on wheels to the homes. Family MUST do for them or neighbors. I LOVE IT! I would not go back to a big city for money, ever! Our patients love us and we love them!! We have a "country-connection".

I am a Home Health/Hospice Nurse in a small rural area, but can drive up to 130 miles a day to see 5 pts. Everybody is related to someone here and the main town is 6,000. I am from NY (LI) and LOVE Missouri!! I have nursed here 30 years. The pay is low, but I love it. It is cheap to live here (LOW taxes) and beautiful.

I am looking to go to South Africa. I am an LPN, my daughter is an RN, NICU BSN. We may both be intersted. Keep me post, please.

I am very interested in your education in SA to get your RN and what your job description involves. My daughter lives in SA and I would like to go there and volunteer. I am an LPN. Do you have LPN's in SA? She is married to a SA Dentist and he cannot practice here in our State. Thank you.

I was a new grad Nurse in a psych hospital when it took 8 cops to bring this gal in, in a straight jack (1975). They busted out all her front teeth in the wrestle. She apparently was on LSD and took an ax to her boyfriend in a bar. He introduced himself to me as "Jesus Christ of Nazereth" when he came to visit her (she apparently missed). We took her out of the jacket and within minutes she had me around the throat. An aide saved my life. I quickley understood why it took 8 cops to bring her in. My father was an NYPD police officer and I can remember his pshyco stories and the trips to Bellvue with them. He said that's why a lot of cops are married to nurses. So I concluded that most nurse must NOT think the cops are too excessive. :)

NO WAY!! I would join the Armed Services FIRST if I wanted to sign 3 years of my life away. At least then there are long term benefits!!

I am 52.5 years old and have no pre-req's. I have a friend who is 58 and about done. She has been a LPN Neuro trama nurse for years and they bumped her in a buy-out opting for RN's only, despite her 20+ years experience! Now she gets her RN, her husband retires, they were given a Motor Home and her plans are to travel together and do Travel Nursing to support it. Sounds like a great idea to me! I don't want to travel like that, but want to go to South Africa to do mission work. Not too old to dream, I guess.... they bridge program I am interested in is 9 months and $25,000. I don't know how I will pay for it and be a missionary. God only knows!

What do you think is too old to bridge? I am debating the cost, the memory and the body aches. I want to die with RN behind my name on my headstone.

I have a very heavy bag that carries my cpu and supplies. It is on wheels, but I often have to carry it. We are looking into new bags and I would appreciate anyone with a great one to e-mail me photos. Thanks!!

When the SOC RN goes out to assess pt, she has a sheet from our Dept. of ALL the info we have on hand to teach. She quickly circles all the pertaining necessary teaching topics and brings it back to the office. Our NA then gathers the sheets and puts them in a plastic folder in the chart. The next nurse who goes out has them right on hand to teach. We split them up between visits. It is working wonderfully!

This goes to prove we practically LIVE in our car. You can stat ID a HH nurse's car right by the contents within. And why is it when we have to ride together for some reason, we are embarrassed about the amount of junk and supplies that are in the front seat? WE are ALL the same at our agency! There is more to life than a CLEAN car. I THINK!

Reminds me of driving miles in the country and looking for a cornfield. Lack of bathrooms seem to be a problem a lot of places! :)