bethann27

This would be so very helpful! Soo many people (including doctors, nurses & social workers) do not understand what hospice means.

I transitioned to nights about 6 months ago due to changes taking place in nursing. Now I get to do what nurses should be doing patient care! There is very little input taken from night shift assessments on my unit otherwise it is SOOO much less stressful. Without a night shift option nursing would be a thing of the past for me :)

Heres one .....My husband asked if we should get tickets to see Rush in ATL on May 26 the same date of my daughter's 16 birthday. It was a tough one for sure. My dear daughter will probably only spend a few minutes doing the obligatory meal and cake then off with friends she go leaving us behind. Ultimately, we let budget and the fact that we've seen them before be the deciding factor hehe

Uterine Ablation....Soo very worth it for me. It saved me from all the clothing disasters and from the weakness.

I hear you & I have no current plans to endure a bridge program. You must have very thick skin to handle the job for sure. The educational requirements are ridiculously high for other careers too. Many with a Masters make less than 50k yearly. Sigh...yes...it is what it is.

We've basically been told the MD and NPs want to communicate with RNs only. The overall plan of organization is not communicated to the floor nurses. I've literally sat beside my RN supervisor while they relayed what I was telling them to the NP. I am insulted that NPs equate my education with CNAs, MAs or PCTs. The floor nurses here do not have access to current labs, we have no standing orders to address simple complaints i.e. constipation, etc. I am customer service, pill pusher and safety patrol. A front person basically. As it is I do what I can, where I am with what I've got. I enjoy the work it's just NOT what I studied and am licensed to do. I could do this job without all the mental and physical gymnastics of the nursing program. It might actually be less irritating if I did not know what isn't being addressed or the elective, unnecessary and extremely expensive procedures being encouraged.

I am actually required to wear white. It makes me feel like a psych nurse (and I'm not). Takes a lot of oxyclean, clorox and under clothing to look decent. They also help me to slip into my angel nursey personna more easily than other colors. It is universally flattering to all skin tones

I know.... It's senseless...I gotta take my pay and forget about it. My idealism is gonna do me in ...aaaggghh.

Love this advice! I put one 25 lbs in 6 months working nights. I think shifting eating this way will make a huge difference for me. Thanks for sharing.

The current trend for LPNs may not be new in your area, but it most definitely is in mine. In the past 5 years I've gone from being the only one in the facility (or only LPNs) after 4 pm and handling all that encompasses. Now fast forward to today and even our NPs want to speak with an RN more often than not. I routinely have to make chart checks while on the med cart to prevent dangerous drug combos. The RN and NP are not always skilled at looking at the big picture when making meds changes. It seems the RN is run ragged trying to meet demands and the NP is making sure no one is doing anything that would prevent them from being able to charge for a visit. Meanwhile (insert resident name) is at risk because the nurse who is assessing and medicating the resident on a daily basis is being suppressed in function. Yes. This IS new and it is frustrating at best.

In my geographical area LPNs are currently being systematically stripped of our duties. First was changes in performing minor procedures that were no longer policy. Next came a push to notify the house supervisor (RN) do assessments prior to contacting MD or CRNP. Now we are no longer allowed to do some types of wound care. Lastly, we are being asked to fill out notification forms to give the unit manager rather than contacting the MD or CRNP directly for changes in condition. The care my residents are receiving is worsening and it is hard to be a part of this change. Anyone work in LTC staffed with RNs? Do you have med aides? How long does the transition take? Is a team approach better?

And did I mention "ability to communicate in accurate English"? That inability scares me a lot. A better-educated professional is a more effective one. Thanks. I appreciate that you caught my mistake. Being super detailed makes a great nurse. :)

YES! I would be greatly concerned if my grade schooler had trouble with that. That scares me ....ALOT.

I began work as an LPN 6 years ago. The first couple years were spent gaining skill in LTC with a private company. The next two were spent in hospice learning how to deal with death. Now I've settled in with a larger LTC with a corporate structure. It seems now that I've found my sweet spot everyone else is still coming and going ...the turnover is dizzying at times lol. Nice to hear of a lengthy work history. Thx.

I'll chime in first....2 years 1 month