freesia29

I am a home infusion nurse in WA state. The previous company I worked for and what I am hearing from other RNs is that the company has to pay for your driving time as well as mileage if using your own car. I cannot find this info anywhere in print, as my current employer refuses to pay me for drive time. Of course all our regular patients are at least a 1 hr drive away. The last week I worked 24 hr and drove for 12! So a 36 hr week with only 24 hrs of pay. I am not happy! Does anyone know where I can find this online? Thank you!

I am PRN too and agreed to 1-2 days per week. I have been working 3-4 as we are so short staffed. I asked for January to go down to 1-2, as a friend was recently hired FT so we have another nurse. The response from the new nurse manager that started last week, was she cannot guarantee that I can be accommodated! WOW!? I am ready to tell her to stick my job where the sun don’t shine. So much passive aggression in nursing, I am ready to leave it all together. So sick of the bullying and BS.

Thank you for all your responses! I have been working 2 per diem jobs, As PACU in a surgery center 3 days per week, which I love but was crippling me, being on my feet 8-10 hrs and especially those pain clinic days where we see 25 patients for injections. And then I started 2 days per week doing phone triage in a pediatric clinic. after this last flare up again, leaving me at home all week again unable to work, I decided to let go of the surgery center job and just sit on my behind on the phones. I have no pain when I work there. I am sad no patient care, as all on the phone, but it pays more than surgery center , so always a silver lining right?

There are home tests you can take to see if it’s out of your system yet. I don’t understand why they are still testing for THC. I know so many nurses and docs who drink themselves senseless all the time, yet that is not tested for. There is no difference in my opinion. Good Luck!

Thanks for replying. My clinic days run around 14000 steps. I imagine that is what floor nursing would be? When I precepted in the ED, I was averaging 12000-13000.

I can totally relate. I always wanted ED. But my own health is not good enough for me to do it .. I am so bored by all the non hospital jobs. Almost 1 year as an RN, was an LPN for 8 years before. Just in a funk. I desperately want to work in hospital. Just wish my body would hold up. ? Stick out the 2 years if you can. Can you take a couple weeks off to destress?

It has taken me 12 years to finally become an RN, all part time, taking care of kids and dying parents. I am finally here, and have always wanted to work in the hospital. I am worried I won’t be able to keep up. Just turned 50, and recently diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis, osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia. I feel so depressed right now. Two full 8 hr days back to back in clinic leave me recovering for 2 days. I am bored with clinic work, phone triage. How are you over 50 nurses handling beside? Can it be done? Are nights less running than day shift? Thank you!

It’s been a month now of being called off. The policy for this company is a minimum of 4 shifts per month. So, I put in my notice. My other per diem job needs me 3-4 days per week, and honestly I like the work there better. I gave 2 weeks notice, and they responded I needed to stay until May 1 because they have some vacations scheduled in April. WOW!!? I couldn’t believe they actually responded with that. I will not do that. To be strung along for another 6 weeks to cover a couple of weeks and then what, no more shifts again? When I could be making money somewhere else. I can’t believe how manipulative some people are. I have worked per diem for years, and never had this happen. They always want you to work more hours. Not keep you on call.

I am curious if your are noticing an increase of wound care, dressing changes since Covid. I ask because I was just hired as a per diem in a wound clinic, but I keep getting called off for low census. They have been experiencing low census since December. I assume the patients that would normally come to the clinic, are just having their home health nurse change their dressings. Are you noticing an increase since last year? Thanks!

I thought I had it bad with 4 patients in PCU and no CNA help in Covid zone. Another fellow Gen X Er, and my body was wrecked doing those long shifts. I just started PACU in an ambulatory surgery center and love it! One patient at a time! Little less money, but my sanity it worth it!

I have worked per diem as an LPN for years while I was back in school. I was always able to just let my employer know my schedule and they would work around it. I have a new per diem as an RN now, and the manager is wanting to dictate my schedule. But the kicker is, I keep getting called off for low census. Four weeks now of no shifts at all. BUT, when I advised I would no longer be available on 2 days per week (as I accepted a 2nd per diem position, since I do need to make some money), she is upset that I am not at her beck and call. This does not seem reasonable to me. I wanted per diem for flexibility. Even her full and part time staff is not getting as many hours as they were hired for. I don’t understand why she even hired 2 per diem nurses when there is not enough work in the clinic. Am I being unreasonable? I only took the 2nd position because I need some income. Thanks!

I had to break a 2 year contract after only 4 months due to health reasons, diagnosed with RA and was in a terrible flare......they charged me $650. Basically kept my last paycheck. Even with a valid medical reason and doctors note, they made me pay. I was not happy about it. I could understand if I just changed my mind, but I loved my job, but just couldn’t physically do it.

I started a Nurse Residency program in the PCU, which is where I wanted to work. I just finished up 6 weeks of a preceptor, now on my own, and I love it. My problem is, my body is falling apart. I have RA, and have been in a constant flare pretty much since I started. The 12 hr shifts, constantly running, are breaking me. I am so sad about it, but I think I need to go back to clinic nursing per diem, which is what I did as an LPN for 7 years before becoming an RN. I turn 50 in April. Any advice or tips from other older nurses with autoimmune diseases is appreciated. I have only been using meloxicam and Tylenol. But am now have ulcers from the NSAIDS. The other cons for this job, is it is almost an hour drive away, so they are very long days. I am going to ask if I could switch to per diem, and maybe just do 1 day per week until I feel better. I signed a contact for 2 years as well, so I am scared I will have to pay back thousands. Hubby said it’s worth it, if it means I am not so crippled. All my days off I spend in bed or in the recliner. This is not fair to my family either. ?

Got my ATT this morning! First available dates pretty much all over WASHINGTON were end of November. But I managed to find a cancellation for Thursday, October 1!! Oh dear lord that is soon! Wish me luck!! I hope you all get your endorsements soon!

Absolutely will do!

I pray it doesn’t take that long for me to get the ATT to schedule the NCLEX! I am at 4 weeks now already and still no word.

Oh no! I just graduated August 27 and am hoping it won’t take that long. Are you still waiting to write NCLEX? I am still waiting on the ATT.

How long is it taking in WA state? Just graduated yesterday! Anxious to get scheduled.

My father passed in hospice care almost one year ago. Now I am considering hospice nursing as I get closer to finishing the LPN-RN program.

Absolutely true! I worked Urgent Care as an LPN for years. I loved it! Now in school for RN, I thought for sure I was going to go to the ED once I graduate. Now I am older, and trying to come to terms with how much a few days f clinical in the ED beat me. I physically can’t do it. I am depressed about it, my dreams are shattered, but no job is worth your physical or emotional health. There are so many opportunities in nursing. and I think all nurses get itchy feet and bored, and want to challenge themselves with another specialty.

I am an LPN back in school for RN, and our final preceptorship is coming up. I am 49 and have RA and OA. The last clinical has almost crippled me and I am worried about how I am going to get through this 120 hour preceptorship. Is there a unit that is less physically demanding than others? I absolutely hated mental health and unfortunately our small hospital does not have a NICU. Most days they don't even have peds either. Is hospice or home health less physical? Thank you!

This really makes me second guess if doing the LPN to RN is the right thing.

As an LPN going back for RN and graduating at 49, I certainly hope not. I have always dreamed of working at the hospital. I am hoping the shortage of nurses we have here will help me get into the hospital right away!

How is it for an LPN? What are you doing for patients?

I am overweight, have psoriatic arthritis, so with that comes chronic plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendinitis. The only shoes that help and don't leave me crippled are Kuru. They are amazing!