ladybay

I'm a new LPN, just started working home health. I believe I will go back to school and work on my prerequisites toward RN in the fall. I live in Tulsa.

Thanks girls for your encouragement. C raye, if you are able to return to school for your RN, by all means do so. It is such a shame to go through school and then have employers tell you you're don't have experience without offering you the job to gain experience. The reason I chose the lpn route first was because I needed to make a little more money than I was as a tech before I could move on to RN. I am not financially able to go through at least 3 years of college to get my RN at this time. As for those employers refusing new grad lpns but want experienced lpn's, is it because no one wants to take the time to train an lpn or find us worthy? I doubt that would be the case with a new grad RN. Not trying to start WWIII, but for whatever the reason we know this is true. To chatsdale, it is not to my advantage to take a wound care job at the expense of losing my utilities, car etc. As I've stated before in my original post, that position was and still is for prn only = "we'll call you if we need you" job. I need an 80 hour paycheck every 2 weeks to live from. I have since put in resume's at various nursing homes with snf's and rehabs included in them. Could some of you nurses who have been nurses for a while, can someone please tell me the "real" reason you think lpn's are limited to what they can do when we have been trained to do much more? Why does management or whoever calls the shots would rather continue the "nursing shortage" without the aid of lpn's? Using the help of lpn's may not totally solve the problem but we can for sure be of help. I am not a rocket scientist but since there are fewer new grad RN's, it would cost less money to use lpn's IN ADDITION to RN's rather than have an all RN nurse staff, possibly avoiding some serious nurse burnout from the outrageous nurse/patient ratios, long mandatory hours and the compromise of patient care and safety. It could be a win-win situation for everyone.

New grads leaving the profession in the first two years?! Good Lord! Makes me wonder what am I getting into. I've heard of stories about why nurses leave the profession like rude co-workers, doctors, patients and dangerous working conditions. Oh how I wish LPN's are more respected and taken seriously. I pray to somehow grow some thick skin and make a difference. My hats off to those nurses who hang in there!

marymary, It looks like that's exactly what I am forced to do. I don't have much of a choice. It seems some states are in desperate need of LPN's and some are severely limiting us, just like here where I am. I can't figure out for the life of me why this is so if there is such a nurse shortage. Thanks anyway. ladybay

It's party time!!!

I didn't realize that some hospitals in California aren't hiring LPN's too. I thought it was just a phase only in my neck of the woods. I wonder if this is happening nationwide or just in certain states? Only time will tell when and if the nursing shortage would get to the code blue point to where hospitals would have to either reinstate LPN's, continue using agency nurses or recruit foreign nurses. We'll see. ladybay

AWWWRIGGGHHHHT! High five!

rjflyn, apology accepted. thatido, I have heard about new LPN's getting hired/transfered into that position because the hospital sponsored and paid for their education. Since they already work at that facility, they get first picks at jobs versus me, an outsider. I don't know what's the deal with SouthCrest. There was a big healthfair about a week ago with 12 or so companies recruiting. I inquired at 90% of the companies including all the area hospitals. The SouthCrest recruiters said no openings for LPN's as well as several other hospitals. Go figure. :uhoh21: Most of the posters on this thread have given good, positive ideas. I appreciate it and will follow through. After procrastinating on nursing school for 21 years, I got the guts to follow my dreams. I have such a calling and compassion in this area of medicine and if I were only given a chance, I know I can give the best care within my scope of practice. One thing I've come to learn even though I haven't begun my nursing career as of yet is, it doesn't pay to bash, insult or think of oneself superior over their co-workers or peers. Perhaps that same individual who you've just thumbed your nose at could at some point in time take care of YOUR friend or loved ones or YOU. I'm talking from experience. I was the tech, she was the RN with a superiority complex. She was hospitalized very recently in great pain and guess who helped to care for her with no malice or indignation? You got it. In speaking for myself I knew MY conscious is clear. Thanks guys and stay prayerful. ladybay

Will do, thanks. ladybay

Well, obviously the "nursing shortage" doesn't need the help of LPN's. If you would have paid attention and had read my original post in its entirety, I said moving is not possible at this time. Your sarcastic and insensitive remarks are of no help, are not needed, and best to be kept to yourself. ladybay

Brownsms46, I called them and Davita told me they require 1 year experience in med-surg/ICU. Thanks anyway. ladybay

Its true, there are no acute care openings around here. There seems to be an undercurrent of the local facilities to using LPN's in positions that really doesn't require a nursing licensure or critical skills. ladybay

PeninsulaRN, If that is the case then I'll look into it, thanks.

I said that particular wound care nurse position was prn. Plus I said I need to earn a living. I want to utilize my skills like assessments, injections, meds, nursing dx, IV monitors, tube feedings, blood draws and IV's, utilizing a stethoscope, becoming familiar with various medical situations, you know nurse stuff. Med-surg, ER or ICU would be ideal for me. If wound care is more than changing dressings, then educate me. I'm going from what the HR lady said after I asked her what kind of job it was. Even so, wound care is not for me!! ladybay

I live in Tulsa and just received my license 2 weeks ago. The hospitals around here are not hiring LPNs but they were when I started school. I'm a nurse tech at my hospital and human resources wants to move towards an all RN staff, thanks to Wellsprings coming in and revamping hospital policies. :angryfire I even make more money (with shift diff) than a new grad LPN at my hospital. I want to leave my job sooo bad. The only hospital that did have a position was for a prn wound care nurse. I find it sad to resort to changing dressings after all I've learned in school. Where is a newbie to get some hospital experience? I even contacted various places like home health, hospices, dialysis and agency, nothing. Agencies require 6-12 months med-surg experience. I'd hate to lose those hard earned nursing skills by going to a nursing home. Before I can even think of RN school, I need to start working as a nurse, get some skills and make decent money first. I want to utilize some critical nursing skills like med-surg but if no one gives me a chance, what can I do? I can't move out of state with a house and husband (who has a couple of surgeries pending). its frustrating. ladybay