BlondieNH

Just wondering if your facility is involved in this culture change business and/or Hatch Model? What are your thoughts on this? I personally find it ridiculous to say the least. Perhaps in an assisted living facility or ones with provisions for home based health care. I have work to do. I have a schedule of how things are to be done. Medications and treatments to be done on a schedule, appointments to work around etc. Now they want patients to have "it their way," when they want things, on their schedule. This scenario is more of a culture change. As for the Hatch Model, it comes down to having a consistent assignment all the time, especially for the LNA's. I for one would not appreciate the same patients each and every day. I would think this would cause a major burn out rate. Especially if you take care of so many demanding patients, who expect you to treat them as if they had a private duty nurse. Also, our education coordinator has presented this Hatch Model in such a way as to "be part of the family," for our patients. Our education coordinator and I have literally been butting heads on this topic. I DO NOT want to be thinking about my patients on my day off. It isn't healthy. I need to detach from work as soon as the door hits me on the way out, although not always easy. I do not want my patiens to be my "friend." It used to be black and white with the professionals and the patients. Now, it's all becomming gray and murky at best, to a point where once something was inappropriate, is now deemed appropriate. It seems like there's always someone sitting at a desk making six figures who come up with these ideas of grand dios and then finds a way to get them implemented, only to complicate our lives even more. If you can shed some light on this, I'd love to hear how culture change and the Hatch Model are working for you and your co-workers at your facility. My mind is slightly opened to this, but with great resistance. Thanks for your input.

I have been an LPN for 18 years. Made a couple of attempts at working on some pre-requisite classes for the RN program, however, after much thought I will stay an LPN. Although the RN looks nice, I have been sorely mistreated by so many RN's that I choose not to become one myself. It's all about power and control. My nurse manager runs our unit with an iron fist and I can't wait to finish my time to get the hell out of there. I am 47 years old and want to work normal hours someday. I am suffering from sleep deprivation for the sake of my family, and seem to work my life around everyone else's needs. I realize I am fortunate to be employed, but have stated here that it feels like I'm "walking the Green Mile."

What I'm wondering is, how long is this procedure being done for? I am wondering this, because we had a patient recently for respite for two weeks or so and he was telling me his wife did this digital stimulation for him at home for 45minutes! I am not doing this for 45 minutes, that's for dang sure!

I know first hand that there are LPN's making more than RN's. It boils down to experience. I have more years and service at my facility than a newer RN. I make $7,000.00 plus differential more than she does. I earn it.

No way! This is ridiculous! Your license is on the line. I don't care what shift it is! I'd be out of there! You don't say where you are from. I don't like the idea of a med tech. How much training have they had? If this were assisted living, then maybe....

I'm sorry, but I don't understand how can you want to consult for wounds without being hands on? You really need to be hands on in order to see, touch, measure and smell wounds, in order to get a better understanding of what you're dealing with. How would you do a consult? Go by what someone describes to you? And then what? Is there really a thriving business for LPN's in this arena? I'm a Florida lisenced LPN and I've never heard of this.

I'm with ya' sista'. Another content LPN here showing my support.

Today I worked 6am to 2:30pm. It's almost 7pm right now. I have to be back to work at midnight for the 12am to 8am shift. I'm going to go now and take a nap. Needless to say, I don't get much sleep. Nighty, night.

Where I work, we use BCMA. It won't let you put a new patch on, unless the old one is marked electronically by removal. It would be a serious med error if someone failed to remove it. However, at the end of the shift, it would come up on the missed med report if it wasn't done, so it could therefore be done in time.

IMVHO, the day they get rid of LPN's/LVN's is the day they should resurrect the three year diploma RN programs. If they still had those 3 year diploma RN programs today, I'd seriously consider getting my RN. The 3 year diploma RN's were the very best ever. I'm perfectly happy and content being an LPN. It's not always about money, prestige or having more responsibility.

Come back to New England Hollie and forget Oklahoma, besides, you'd make more money. I know the cost of living is higher here, but be closer to your family. Your DON sounds evil. Did she have a grudge and took it out on you? Sounds like she dumped on you and is too ashamed to deal with it.

My mom used to say "kill em' with kindness." I've also heard it's better to "give em' honey than vinegar." I'm dealing with a very imbalanced nurse manager who I can only best describe as acting like "Percy," from "The Green Mile," which aired last evening and I watched for the umpteenth time. It really hit me like a ton of bricks the evil I'm working for, seeing to it that she makes the big salary and I get discarded like a used tampon. Sorry to be so discriptive, but I can't get out of this working arrangement right now. I've prayed about it and even gone to church and lit candles. I've tried to turn the other cheek. You name it. When I see her in the morning, out of respect, I always say "good morning." Sometimes she'll reply, sometimes she won't. She never says "hello," first. If I'm particularly short on time or tired and I don't make extra time to wear make-up or do my hair fancy,then she'll treat me like white trailer trash and ignore me. Having my face and hair done or not done, does not get in the way of me getting my job done. She's very superficial and loves those who have their noses up her A**. I am having a hard time being at her level of superficiality and am wondering if there are others out their like me who suffer being punished every day at work, walking, "the green mile." It gets so bad sometimes, I can't shut it off when I'm out the door and on my free time going about my own business and on my days off. I'm just wondering if others are having luck with killing them with kindness, but not brown nosing the boss? I've cried buckets of tears of frustration, but that doesn't help any. Here follows just about the only thing I have that helps me to stay sain and unscathed at the end of the day: Law of the Garbage Truck One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded and missed the other car by just inches! The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was really friendly. So I asked, "why did you just do that?" This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital! This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, "The Law of the Garbage Truck." He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you. Don't take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well and move on. Don't take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home or on the streets. The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day. Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so...Love the people who treat you right. Forgive the ones who don't. Life is ten percent what you make it and ninety percent how you take it. Have a wonderful garbage-free day! Sometimes this is easier said than done, when being dumped on all the time. I'd appreciate hearing some feedback on this. Thanks in advance

Nothing wrong with crying in private. It sure helps to release all that "stuff," you are holding onto until the time is right. As nurses, we are human also, not the nurse Ratched that everyone remembers from "One Flew Over the CooCoo's Nest." Heck, I still cry once in awhile and I have a thick skin. My nurse manager could be called Nurse Ratched, and when she's been mean to mean for so long, I will go to my car and let loose.

Keep us posted Tony on how it's going in the VA! I'm curious to hear your thoughts, ideas, concerns and experiences.

Of course the pay will get better. Also here are a couple of tips I've learned to help you along the way. Don't be a brown noser to the nurse manager, everyone will pick up on that and you will not have a very good time. Keeping a low profile until you are there for awhile would be your best bet. I've learned that some people like to play one against the other and I don't put up with such nonsense. Don't call in alot, your loyal co-workers who show up day after day will think less of you for it. We do have those who are chronically calling in and unless you have a medical condition which warrants a doctors note, no one can say anything. Some people call in all the time and are brown nosers to boot! That really makes it twice as challengin, as they get away with it without anything being said to them. I'm very hopeful for you that you work for a very fair, compassionate and understanding nurse manager. Wish I could say the same. Remember, family comes first, do not be intimidated by anyone telling you other wise. Come hell or high water if your family needs you, take a CB day(care and beravement) this comes out of your accrued sick leave time and not your AL(annual leave). If you run short on sick leave, then you have the option to use your AL time. One more thing..., after your orientation and you learn all the ropes, inquire to your nurse manager about getting on a committee of some sort or take on a project. This will look very good in your evaluation next year. You could become a member of the Code Committee, Safety Committee or Documentation Committee just to name a few. The Skin Care Committee is a very big deal as well as the Safe Patient Handling Committee. Nurses week is in May and they will present an "LPN of the Year," award. I'm not a brow noser, so I've been overlooked for 18 years, it's par for the course and I'm okay with that. I am very conscience on what is going on and I do my job well, I just don't want you to get your hopes up and get overlooked. If you get the award, then I'm sure you deserve it. Good luck to you in your VA career.