nursetisha05

1. I work in a LTC facility through a staffing agency. 2. It all depends on what shift or unit that I work on. Some units are too full and the job is overwhelming and stressfull. Other units are laid back and fun to work. 3. Time management.....hands down. 4. I've seen many new grads come and go during the last year alone...they get one week of orientation and then they are "thrown to the wolves". I've even seen a new LPN grad be given a position as a 3-11 supervisor. Dangerous. No additional classes are offered. No preceptors either. After one week a new grad is responsible for a whole unit. 5. I choose to work this job because there is absolutely nothing else in my area. I would never work as a staff employee for this facility. I'm currently looking into travel nursing because this facility is cutting back on agency staff and working their fulltime staff twice as hard. 6. I do not think that a new grad should work there. It is dangerous to their license and they are told to cut corners in order to get done with their work in 8 hours. 7. There are no educational programs available to LPNs. 8. Starting wages for staff are $14/hr, benefits include insurance and 1 week vacation after one year, patient load is 40 on day shift and 80 on night shift, nurses have no set schedule but say that they usually work 4 days one week and 6 days the next, and the turnover rate is very high -nurses usually last about 1-3 months before taking a job in another town. 9. The LPNs here are responsible for passing all meds, documenting on all patients, doing all wound treatments on their hall, supervising the CNAs on that unit, making rounds ever 2 hours, visual monitoring ever 15 to 30 minutes on several wandering patients, calling MDs, taking and noting off their own orders, notifying RPs and pharmacy, updating care plans, filing and investigating their own accident/ incident reports, and on 3 units the LPN has to get their own vital signs. It may not seem like a lot but its near impossible with 40 patients plus family members and it IS impossible with 80 patients. There are many wonderful facilities out there but I just want new grads to be able to recognize the ones like this and stay away....it's not worth the risk.

Wow! The 20/20 sounds good. Some require contracts, I think that those are the ones with benefits. I just work an hourly schedule on the weekends, no contract. It's nice because if I get sick or have to call in, I still get the same hourly rate.

I work 24 hours a week and get paid 1 1/2 X base pay. Other places offer -work 24, get paid for 36. Some offer benefits, mine does not.

I passed with an "A"! Wow! I really appreciate the encouragement that I recieved from you guys. Thanks a million!:tku:

Thank you everyone! I feel so much more confident now! I will be taking the test this afternoon. I'll let you know how I do.

Hi everyone! I'm new to the forum. l live in Batesville and I work at a LTC in Grenada on the weekends/ NOC. I've been an LPN for 5 years ( Holmes -Grenada). I am currently enrolled at Excelsior College ADN program and take my first test Monday . I am also enrolled full time at ICC -online; working on prereqs for B.S.N. I stay at home during the week with my 2 preschoolers , . I'm originally from the Greenwood area. Nice to meet all of you. Anyone have any advice on Excelsior ADN Program?

:dncgbby::dncgbby::dncgbby: I know this is how you feel! Congrats!

Hello, I'm not sure about the Tupelo/ Fulton area, but in the Oxford/ Batesville/ Grenada area; the payscale at hospitals is between $12 to $14 per hour for LPNs. In LTC it's between $14 to $18. At my LTC there are 4 LPNs at night and we have different patient loads. Mine is 25 (trach hall), the others have 30 to 38. I think the most that I've seen at LTC while working agency was about 40. That was in the Oxford area. I work the Baylor program and HIGHLY recommend it. I work two 12 hour shifts per week and I make WAY more than $18/ hour. Hope this helps. Welcome to MS, hope you enjoy it. I've been thinking about moving over to your area myself. How is it?

Hi everyone! I will be taking my first Excelsior exam next week and I am nervous. I made a 77 and 78 on the Health Safety practice exams. Is that enough to pass? Are the exams harder or easier than the practice tests? Please help. I feel like I've studied everything but I'm thinking about re scheduling the test due too anxiety. I have to work this weekend and I have no more study time before the test. Thanks.