Pipsqueak

I respectfully disagree. Every nurse has recieved "training" in basic care. That is included in the classwork and clinicals no matter if you are an LPN or an RN. That said, I personally would not be comfortable or happy if I was pulled to fulfill a CNA assignment. I often participate in these tasks, but I've never been responsible for having to complete all ADL's for a full patient assignment. I would never be as proficient at completing all the responsibilites in a timely manner like a CNA who does this every day would be.

Not to mention the notes are not 100% complete, you have to understand what you are expected to know to understand some of what the notes mean. Because they are just that, notes. They are not complete thoughts. And I'm not sure I would want any nurse taking care of me that just memorized a bunch of notes rather than taking the time to learn the material.

Or worse yet, what always happens to me, I go through the time and effort to apply online, only to be told that I still have to fill out a paper application which expends even more time and effort, and all the info is duplicated anyway. So unless I'm specifically directed to apply online, I always go in person and ask for an application. Saves time in my opinion.

I also live in PA. My former employer held our original licenses as well. I didnt really have a problem with it. I retrieved it when I needed it for my part time job then gave it back. It was policy at the long term care facility I worked at. Not sure why, as like others have said, all they need is online verification now. Anyhow, when I resigned, I got my license back. No big deal in my opinion. However, they held the licenses of ALL employees, not just select ones.

Thank you, Thank you Thank you from the bottom of my heart!!! It's rare someone understands what I go through.

I get instant debillitating headaches from all perfumes/colognes/scented lotions no matter how lightly applied. Even scents I think "smell good" still gives me these horrific headaches. Like another poster said, in public, I just have to deal and avoid as best as possible. If I were hospitalized and obviously ill and you came into my room wearing cologne, I guarantee all niceties will probably fly out the window and you will be banned from coming back to my room by me. This isn't about you, it's about your patients. Think of them please. And remember, even if a person doesn't say something to you, whether it be patient or coworker, doesn't mean they aren't quietly suffering for fear of embarrassing or angering you by saying something. I do this alot unfortanately.

The LTC facility I worked at had several residents who smoked. There was an area outside designated for the residents (and another area designated for empoyees who didn't wish to share their breaks with a resident). Only one was deemed safe to smoke on their own. The others were not. We had special smoking "aprons" that they must agree to wear to help prevent burns, the cigs were locked in the med room, and they must find someone to escort them outside. As nursing staff, we were NOT required to take them, but there were almost always more than enough smokers who were willing, and the occasional nonsmoker who didn't mind. It was also incorporated into their care plans about not being allowed to "nag" the staff if no one was available. Another facility I worked, had an enclosed "smoking break room" inside the facility, made entirely of glass that was vented to the outside. The residents were free to come and go as they pleased, and were visible by staff at all times. Very nice for the residents, and nice for the staff to be able to view and observe them at all times without actually being exposed to the smoke. I agree that in LTC that it is their right to smoke, we cannot take that away from them as long as they are safely able to do so. But, as staff, it is our right to not be exposed to second hand smoke, and to decline our assistance with this matter if we choose. But really, this shouldn't be an issue, I can't imagine 100% of the staff being nonsmokers with no one available to bring a resident along on their own smoke break.

I cry like a baby everytime when I come out of it. I remember the first time I was put under: my boyfriend came back to recovery just as I was waking up and I was lying there balling my eyes out telling him to go away, that I didn't want to see him. Boy was he mad!! And I don't even know why I reacted that way. P.S. The relationship didn't last much longer, maybe those were my true feelings just coming out subconsiously!

I do homecare so unfortunately snagging supplies from work is not an option.

Thanks for the suggestions. And I never even thought about needing a Rx for a needle. So how do you practice this if you don't have access to these supplies. I'm currently doing pedi homecare, so this is really unfamiliar territory for me. I'm guessing just drawing up some water from a glass into a needleless syringe to practice timing for an "IV push"??.

So where has everyone found their practice supplies? The excelsior skills bag is so expensive and I don't need everything in it, such as alcohol swabs, gloves, but I do need the IV stuff, the primary/secondary bag and tubing, and the wound. I've been looking on ebay and don't seem to be finding a whole lot. More specifically, what I'm not finding at all would be the vials of saline with a syringe to practice drawing up and doing IV pushes and injections. So what did everyone else do?

congratulations!!!!! how relieved you must feel!

Oops, sorry! Gosh darnit, this assuming thing has been getting me in trouble alot the last few days!!

I am so sorry if you took my post the wrong way. One, I totally missed that this was LTC, I guess I assumed it was acute care, and two, I always try to keep an open mind and remember that every story has two sides. I have witnessed so many complaints personally from my coworkers about other coworkers that just weren't valid, just to pick on the other person. And it goes both way, CNA's picking on nurses, and vice versa. I've had it happen to me, more than once, so I know how it feels. I also didn't gather from you're first post that patient care was suffering as a result. I just thought it was a personality clash and that was all. I'm sorry you're going through this, but if you truly like your job (except for her), please don't quit. Then she wins. And there is always going to be someone like her no matter where you work. Its best to stay and learn how to deal with it. This is a skill you will learn and will always benefit you. And if you are truly miserable there, you will/can find another job in a heartbeat. But it sounds as if the DON is on you side, try to give it a chance to work out.

Good luck Sue! Heck, NCLEX will probably feel like a piece of cake after all the EC exams and CPNE! Best case scenario, only 75 questions! You've got this.

I'm not sure which textbooks you used for your LPN program, but the only ones I was able to recycle were my maternity, nutrition, and fundamentals book. My med surg book was geared only for LPN's (it completely eliminated the assessment and diagnosis parts of the nursing process) and I bought the one recommended by excelsior. Boy was I glad I did this because it was literally twice as thick as my old one and was the staple of my studying.

Actually, if a patient is requesting pain medication, it is not the job of the CNA to relay the info that "it's not time yet". That is your job. If a patient is having pain it is your job to assess it, and if it is not yet time for the pain med, you need to assess pain level, possible cause of pain, etc, to be able to determine if it is acceptable to wait until the next dose is due, or if alternative pain mgmt needs to be considered. You can't do that by having the CNA relay your message. She did her job by relaying to you that the pt is having pain. I may be taking this the wrong way, and I'm sure you don't really mean it by the way it's coming across, but this type of language makes it seem like you have the attitude that you are better than her. First of all, you don't "have" an aide. You work with an aide. Perhaps there is something in your body language or the way you express yourself that you could come across this way to her. That could definitely cause some friction. If this is the case, then by treating her with respect and time will help. If she is good at her job, and the pts are taken care of, it may be best just to let it go, do your job and be civil. I know I don't like/get along with everyone I work with, but I don't let what they do bother me. Take the high road.

The number of posts per page vary with each individual person depending on how you have your preferences set up. For example my screen shows 15 posts per page while many others only shows 10. Hence, the thread november is referring to will have only 4 pages for some, 5 pages for others. She is referring to the very last post in the thread which is a very detailed post regarding the conversion of units of insulin to cc's on a tb syringe.

So do you have to take the date they give you if you opt for a cancellation date? What if your not ready yet? I read somewhere in the study guide about having to pay a fee to postpone your date, or is that only if you accept the date they give you? Oh my, I think I'm stressing before it has even begun!

Finally!! I've completed ALL of my exams and as soon as they update my status I can officially apply for the CPNE. My question is, How do you get a cancellation date? Do you get your official date first, or do you start calling right away? And once you do get your official date, can you still get a cancellation date to get in sooner? Please shed some light as to how this works. Thanks!

Are you referring to giving it in the deltoid??? I don't think I can even reach around well enough to be able to get it in straight even if I wanted to try! More power to ya!

Too funny, don't think I'll be walking around with a gas mask on, but.... I get extremely horrendous intantaneous headaches with nausea d/t a huge list of odors. Hairsprays, candles, perfumes, lotions, even strong scented deodorants, and certain scented handsoaps! If its very faint it usually wont bother me, and certain scents are worse than others. Vanilla does me in every time no matter low light the scent. Makes life miserable at times when I have to be near people in public or at work who wear scented products. That said, I would never call it an allergy. I'm just super sensitive is all. Or would that be considered an allergy? I've never really thought about it before.

I really like the South Beach protein bars. Out of all the protein and granola bars I've tried, they taste the best (to me anyway), are the most filling, and have the most protein and less fat/carbs of the other brands at the grocery store. Plus, they're easy, just throw one in your pocket and can eat one quick even if you're busy. Better yet if you can get to a break room and drink a glass of milk with it.

Just an FYI.....Remember that even though a specific section of the exam may be only (for example) 25%. This means that only 25% of the total questions are based on this section, BUT you must receive a 70% or better on each section to pass the overall exam. Which means you have less room for error on those sections of the exam that are of lower percentages.

This is what I learned as well during one of my nursing courses. Thanks for posting the source because I no longer have the textbook where I learned this info from and couldn't remember for sure.